Astute Systems — Service Level Agreement (SLA)
Software & Hardware Support for Defense Programs
Table of Contents
- Astute Systems — Service Level Agreement (SLA)
- Software & Hardware Support for Defense Programs
- Table of Contents
- About Astute Systems
- Scope of Agreement
- Definitions
- Hardware Support
- Software Support
- On-Site Support
- Escalation Procedure
- Obsolescence & Lifecycle Management
- Quality Assurance
- Support Portal & Wiki
- Customer Obligations
- Service Level Commitments
- Contact Information
About Astute Systems
Astute Systems is an ISO 9001 certified Australian company specializing in software and hardware solutions for defense and national security programs. We deliver rugged embedded computing, mission software, and through-life support to defense customers across Australia and allied nations.
Our quality management system ensures that all products and services are delivered to the highest standards, with full traceability, configuration management, and continuous improvement embedded in everything we do.
ISO 9001 Certification — Astute Systems maintains ISO 9001 certification for the design, development, and support of software and hardware systems for defense applications.
Scope of Agreement
This SLA covers the support and maintenance services provided by Astute Systems for:
- Hardware — Rugged computing platforms, embedded modules, and integrated systems supplied by Astute Systems
- Software — Application software, firmware, board support packages (BSPs), SDKs, and APIs developed or supplied by Astute Systems
- Documentation — Technical manuals, integration guides, API references, and product datasheets
Exclusions
The following are not covered under this SLA unless separately agreed:
- Damage caused by misuse, unauthorised modification, or operation outside specified environmental limits
- Third-party hardware or software not supplied by Astute Systems
- Consumable items (batteries, cables, filters)
- Training services (available separately — see On-Site Support)
- Custom development or integration work beyond the scope of the original supply contract
Definitions
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Business Hours | Monday to Friday, 08:00–17:00 AEST, excluding Australian public holidays |
| Response Time | Time from ticket submission to first acknowledgment by Astute Systems engineering |
| Resolution Target | Target time to deliver a fix, workaround, or replacement from ticket submission |
| COTS | Commercial Off-The-Shelf |
| MOTS | Modified Off-The-Shelf |
| LRU | Line Replaceable Unit |
| BSP | Board Support Package |
| CVE | Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures |
| AOG | Aircraft on Ground (emergency priority) |
Hardware Support
New Hardware Lead Times
| Category | Lead Time |
|---|---|
| New COTS/MOTS rugged units | 18–24 weeks |
| Configured-to-order systems | 12–18 weeks |
| Spare/replacement units (from stock) | 2–4 weeks |
| Emergency/AOG replacement | 24–72 hours (subject to stock availability) |
Repair & Return
| Service | Turnaround |
|---|---|
| Standard depot-level repair | 20 business days |
| Expedited repair | 10 business days |
All repairs are performed to ISO 9001 standards with full test certification and are returned with an updated configuration record.
Hardware Severity & Response
| Severity | Description | Response Time | Resolution Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical | System inoperable, mission impact | 4 hours | 24–48 hours (swap/replacement) |
| High | Degraded performance, partial capability loss | 8 hours | 5 business days |
| Medium | Non-critical fault, workaround available | 1 business day | 15 business days |
| Low | Cosmetic or minor issue, no operational impact | 2 business days | 30 business days |
Warranty
All Astute Systems hardware is supplied with a 2-year warranty from date of delivery. Extended warranty terms are available upon request.
Product Availability
Astute Systems commits to a minimum 7-year product availability for all defense products, with planned technology refresh roadmaps provided to customers.
Software Support
Software Severity & Response
| Severity | Description | Response Time | Resolution Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 — Critical | System down, no workaround, mission impact | 1 hour | 4–8 hours (hotfix/patch) |
| P2 — Major | Significant functionality impaired | 4 hours | 1–3 business days |
| P3 — Moderate | Minor functionality impaired, workaround exists | 1 business day | 10 business days |
| P4 — Low | Enhancement request or cosmetic defect | 2 business days | Next scheduled release |
Included in Software Maintenance
| Service | Details |
|---|---|
| Security patches | Critical CVEs addressed within 48 hours; high CVEs within 10 business days |
| Bug fixes | Prioritized per severity table above |
| OS/BSP updates | Compatibility validation with supported OS versions (e.g., Linux kernel, VxWorks) |
| API/SDK updates | Backward-compatible updates to APIs and development kits |
| Firmware updates | Security and performance patches |
| Documentation updates | Kept current with each release |
| Technical support | Phone, email, and portal access during business hours (AEST) |
Support Hours
All Astute Systems support is provided during business hours (08:00–17:00 AEST, Monday to Friday), excluding Australian public holidays.
For customers requiring extended or 24/7 coverage, please contact Astute Systems to discuss a tailored arrangement.
Third-Party & Open Source Software
Important: Third-party software and open source components may require additional support arrangements with the respective vendors or communities.
- Linux kernel and open source packages — The Linux kernel and third-party open source packages are community-supported and are provided as-is without warranty by Astute Systems. Astute Systems does not warrant the Linux kernel or any third-party open source software.
- Board Support Packages (BSPs) and device drivers — BSPs and device drivers developed or supplied by Astute Systems are fully tested and supported on the documented supported distribution(s). See the Astute Systems Wiki for the current list of supported distributions and validated configurations.
- Third-party commercial software — Any third-party commercial software bundled with Astute Systems products may require a separate support agreement with the relevant vendor. Astute Systems can assist with coordinating third-party vendor support where applicable.
On-Site Support
On-site engineering support is available for integration, commissioning, troubleshooting, and training.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Day rate | AUD $1,700 per engineer per day ¹ |
| Travel costs | Charged at cost (flights, accommodation, meals, transfers) |
| Minimum engagement | 1 day |
| Booking notice | 10 business days preferred; shorter notice subject to availability |
On-site support includes:
- Platform integration and commissioning assistance
- On-site fault diagnosis and resolution
- Operator and maintainer training delivery
- System configuration and acceptance testing support
- Post-deployment health checks
Note: On-site support is charged in addition to any support contract. Travel costs are invoiced at cost with receipts provided.
¹ The standard day rate is reviewed every 6 months and is subject to change. Rates agreed at the time of contract execution are fixed for 12 months from the contract effective date.
Escalation Procedure
Astute Systems operates a structured escalation process to ensure issues are resolved within SLA targets:
| Level | Trigger | Action | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 — Support | Initial contact | Triage, acknowledgment, initial diagnostics | Support team |
| Level 2 — Engineering | L1 unable to resolve within SLA | Assigned to product engineer | Engineering lead |
| Level 3 — Principal | Complex issue affecting multiple systems | Senior/principal engineer engagement | Technical director |
| Level 4 — Executive | SLA breach or customer escalation | Director engagement, root cause analysis & corrective action | Managing director |
Customers may escalate directly to Level 4 at any time by contacting [email protected] with "ESCALATION" in the subject line.
Support Flowchart
Support Ticket] --> B{Severity
Assessment} B -->|P1 Critical| C[1-Hour Response
Immediate Triage] B -->|P2 Major| D[4-Hour Response] B -->|P3 Moderate| E[1 Business Day
Response] B -->|P4 Low| F[2 Business Day
Response] C --> G[Level 1 — Support Team] D --> G E --> G F --> G G --> H{Resolved
within SLA?} H -->|Yes| I[Resolution Confirmed
& Ticket Closed] H -->|No| J[Level 2 — Engineering] J --> K{Resolved?} K -->|Yes| I K -->|No| L[Level 3 — Principal Engineer] L --> M{Resolved?} M -->|Yes| I M -->|No| N[Level 4 — Executive
Director Engagement] N --> O[Root Cause Analysis
& Corrective Action] O --> I I --> P[Post-Resolution
Customer Survey] P --> Q[Quarterly
Service Review] style A fill:#012141,stroke:#00FFFF,color:#fff style C fill:#c0392b,stroke:#e74c3c,color:#fff style D fill:#e67e22,stroke:#f39c12,color:#fff style E fill:#2980b9,stroke:#3498db,color:#fff style F fill:#7f8c8d,stroke:#95a5a6,color:#fff style I fill:#27ae60,stroke:#2ecc71,color:#fff style N fill:#c0392b,stroke:#e74c3c,color:#fff style Q fill:#012141,stroke:#00FFFF,color:#fff
Obsolescence & Lifecycle Management
Astute Systems proactively manages component and product obsolescence to protect customer investments:
- 6-month advance notification of end-of-life or last-time-buy for all products and components
- Bridge-buy and last-time-buy programs to stockpile critical components ahead of obsolescence
- Technology refresh roadmaps aligned with customer platform upgrade cycles
- Form/fit/function replacement — when a product is discontinued, Astute Systems will provide a compatible replacement or migration path
- Configuration management records maintained and traceable to individual serial numbers
Quality Assurance
Astute Systems is committed to delivering defense-grade quality across all products and services.
| Standard | Description |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | Astute Systems is ISO 9001 certified — Quality Management System for design, development, and support |
| DEFSTAN 05-57 | Configuration management of defense materiel |
| AS6174 | Counterfeit materiel avoidance — assuring acquisition of authentic and conforming components |
| DEF(AUST) 5691 | Australian Defense standard for procurement quality |
Continuous Improvement
- Quarterly service reviews with documented KPI reporting
- Root cause analysis and corrective action for all P1/Critical issues
- Failure analysis reports provided for all hardware returns classified as Critical or High severity
- Annual SLA review — Astute Systems and the customer jointly review SLA targets and performance
Support Portal & Wiki
All support services are delivered through the Astute Systems Support Portal, accessible at:
Customer Support Access
Sign in with GitHub or Microsoft to access support resources.
Authentication options:
- Sign in with GitHub
- Sign in with Microsoft
Available Resources
Once authenticated, customers have access to:
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| Support ticket system | Submit, track, and manage support requests with SLA visibility |
| Knowledge base articles | Searchable library of solutions, troubleshooting guides, and best practices |
| Product documentation | Technical manuals, integration guides, API references, and datasheets |
| Software releases | Secure downloads for firmware, drivers, SDKs, patches, and updates |
| Support wiki | Collaborative documentation maintained by Astute Systems engineering |
Ticketing System
The support portal provides a full-featured ticketing system:
- Submit tickets — Categorized by product, severity (P1–P4), and type (bug, feature request, question)
- Track progress — Real-time status updates and SLA countdown timers
- Attach files — Upload logs, screenshots, core dumps, and configuration files
- Communication thread — All correspondence captured against the ticket for traceability
- SLA visibility — Each ticket displays the applicable SLA response and resolution targets
- History & reporting — Full audit trail of all support interactions per customer/program
How to Access
- Navigate to astutesys.com
- Click Customer Support on the home page
- Sign in with your GitHub account or Microsoft account
- Your GitHub username or Microsoft email must be pre-approved to access the support portal
Request Access
Need access to the support portal? Contact us for pre-approval:
| [email protected] | |
| Phone | +61 (0)7 3555 5560 |
| Web | astutesys.com |
Note: Your GitHub username or Microsoft email must be pre-approved to access the support portal. Contact the Astute Systems support team to register your credentials.
Customer Obligations
To enable Astute Systems to meet the SLA commitments in this agreement, the customer agrees to:
- Provide timely information — Supply all relevant details when logging support tickets, including system serial numbers, software versions, log files, and a clear description of the issue
- Maintain supported configurations — Operate hardware and software within the documented specifications and supported configurations
- Apply updates promptly — Install security patches and software updates within 30 days of release, or as mutually agreed
- Provide access — Ensure Astute Systems has reasonable remote or on-site access to systems under support, as required for diagnosis and resolution
- Designate contacts — Nominate a minimum of two authorized support contacts who can raise tickets and approve changes
- Report issues promptly — Report faults and issues as soon as practicable to minimize impact and enable timely resolution
Service Level Commitments
Astute Systems commits to the following service levels across all support engagements:
| Commitment | Target |
|---|---|
| SLA compliance rate | > 95% of tickets resolved within SLA targets |
| Customer satisfaction (CSAT) | > 4.2 / 5.0 measured via post-ticket survey |
| On-time hardware delivery | > 90% of orders delivered within quoted lead time |
| Repair turnaround compliance | > 95% of repairs completed within SLA |
| Software availability | > 99.5% for hosted/managed services |
Performance against these targets is reported in the quarterly service review.
Contact Information
| Support Email | [email protected] |
| Phone | +61 (0)7 3555 5560 |
| Support Portal | https://astutesys.com/wiki |
| Website | https://astutesys.com |
| Support Hours | Monday – Friday, 08:00–17:00 AEST |
Astute Systems Pty Ltd — ISO 9001 Certified — ABN to be confirmed
This document forms part of the Astute Systems support agreement. Specific terms may be tailored to individual program requirements by mutual agreement.