Availability Levels

UC Institutional Information and IT Resources are classified into one of four Availability Levels based on the level of business impact that their loss of availability or service would have on UC, with A1 causing a minimum level of impact and A4 causing the highest level of impact.

For more information see the UC Classification Standard and UC Availability Level Classification Guide

Availability Level 1 (A1)


Loss of availability poses minimal impact or financial losses.

Examples:

    • User workstations
    • User laptops

Availability Level 2 (A2)


Loss of availability may cause minor losses or inefficiencies.

Examples:

    • Departmental websites
    • General file servers
    • Electronic signage systems

Availability Level 3 (A3)


Loss of availability would result in moderate financial losses and/or reduced customer service.

Examples:

    • Public websites
    • File servers supporting business functions
    • Point-of-sale systems
    • Time reporting systems
    • Event ticketing systems
    • Version management systems
    • Work management/ticketing systems (help desk, maintenance, etc)
    • Building management systems affecting operations

Availability Level 4 (A4)


Loss of availability would result in major impairment to the overall operation of the Location and/or essential services, and/or cause significant financial losses. IT Resources that are required by statutory, regulatory and legal obligations are major drivers for this risk level. Critical IT Infrastructure often falls into this level.

Examples:

    • Domain name servers (DNS)
    • E-mail systems
    • Network infrastructure
    • Authentication systems (SSO)
    • Medical record systems and devices
    • Building access control systems
    • Building management systems affecting life and safety
    • Financial, accounting, payroll, HR systems