Last modified: August 7, 2017
The following technical support services guidelines ("Guidelines") apply to support services for Customers:
- Google Cloud Platform License Agreement
- Google App Engine License Agreement
- Google App Engine and Google Cloud SQL License Agreement
- Google Cloud Storage and Prediction API License Agreement
- Google Cloud Storage, Google Prediction API, and Google BigQuery Service License Agreement
- Google Cloud Storage, Google Prediction API, Google BigQuery Service, Google Cloud SQL, Google Compute Engine, and Google Cloud Datastore License Agreement, and
- Google Cloud Translation API v2 License Agreement
entered into by and between Google and Customer (as may be applicable, the "Agreement") if that support is committed under the Agreement. Capitalized terms not defined herein have the meaning set forth in the Agreement.
1. Support Request Submission
1.1 Customer Efforts to Fix Errors . Prior to making a request to Google, Customer will use reasonable efforts to fix any error, bug, malfunction or network connectivity defect without escalation to Google. Thereafter, a Customer Contact may submit a written request for technical support through the Google for Work Support Center.
1.2 Characterization of Requests . Customer designates priority upon submission of Requests. Upon receiving a request, Google will determine whether the request is a "Service Unusable," "Standard Request" or a "Feature Request." Any such determination made by Google is final and binding on Customer. Google reserves the right to change Customer’s priority designation if Google believes that Customer’s designation is incorrect and will inform Customer of any such change in its response to the support Request. Customer may appeal any such reclassification to Google's Support management for review through any available support channel.
1.3 Procedures for Acknowledgement and Resolution of Requests . When making a Request, Customer will provide all requested diagnostic information and assist Google Support Personnel as may be required to resolve a Request.
1.4 Request Acknowledgement . Google may respond to a Request by acknowledging receipt of the Request. Customer acknowledges and understands that Google may be unable to provide answers to, or resolve all, Requests.
1.5 Feature Requests . If Google deems a Request to be a Feature Request, Google will log such Request for consideration to add to a future update or release of the Services and will consider the matter closed. Google is under no obligation to respond to or resolve any Feature Request or to include any such Feature Request in any future update or release.
1.6 Building Applications . For clarity, Google will not have any obligation to write or build any Applications or write code to facilitate Applications.
1.7 Alpha and Beta . Although Google has no obligation to provide TSS for Alpha or Beta versions, features, or functionality of the Services, we will consider Requests at these development stages on a case-by-case basis.
2. Accessing Support
2.1 Designated Support Contacts . Customer will provide first-level support to Customer End Users. Google will provide second-level support to Customer only. If Customer wishes to change its Designated Contacts, it will notify Google via the Google for Work Support Center at least 5 Business Days prior to the change. If on the date these updated Guidelines were first posted Customer has more Designated Contacts than are set forth under the applicable Support level under Section 4 below, the current Contacts will continue to be allowed until the expiration of the current license term for the applicable Services under the Agreement.
2.2 Support Hours and Target Initial Response Times . Google will process Requests during the Hours of Operation, unless otherwise indicated in these Guidelines. Any Requests received outside of the Hours of Operation will be logged and processed during the next Business Day. Target initial response times are based on the subscribed support level.
3. General Provisions
3.1 Maintenance . To ensure optimal performance of the Services, Google performs periodic Maintenance. In most cases, Maintenance will have limited or no negative impact on the availability and functionality of the Services. If Google expects planned Maintenance to negatively affect the availability or functionality of the Services, Google will use commercially reasonable efforts to provide at least 7 days advance notice of the Maintenance. In addition, Google may perform emergency unscheduled Maintenance at any time. If Google expects such emergency unscheduled Maintenance to negatively affect the availability or functionality of the Services, Google will use commercially reasonable efforts to provide advance notice of such Maintenance. Maintenance notices noted above will be provided via the Google for Work Support Center.
3.2 Language Support Generally . The parties agree that all support provided by Google pursuant to these Guidelines will be provided in the English language except as set forth in Section 3.3 below.
3.3 Expanded Language Support for Gold and Higher . Customers with the Gold support level or higher may make Requests in the Japanese language during Business Hours in Japan. Any Requests received in the Japanese language outside of the Business Hours in Japan will be logged and processed during the next Business Day during Business Hours in Japan, unless Customer agrees to communicate in English. Although initial phone calls will be answered in the English language, if a Gold support level (or higher) Customer requests to speak to a Japanese speaking agent during Business Hours in Japan, the Customer will be transferred to a Japanese speaking agent.
4. Support Levels
4.1 Bronze . The Bronze support level includes the following, and Google will provide it to all customers under the Agreement: automatic Services upgrades and maintenance updates, support for billing inquiries, access to documentation, white papers, online best practices guides, and community forums.
4.2 Silver . The Silver support level includes all the items in the Bronze level plus the following: support requests accepted via the Google for Work Support Center for questions about Services functionality, best practice guidance on how to architect with the Services, and Services errors reports, as well as up to 2 Designated Contacts. P1 Priority support Requests are responded to with a target initial response time of 4 hours and are responded to during Hours of Operation. P2, P3 & P4 Priority support Requests are responded to with an initial target response time of 8 hours and are responded to during the Hours of Operation.
4.3 Gold . The Gold support level includes all the items in the Silver level plus the following: 24x7 phone support, consultation on application development, and specific guidance on how to architect with the Services for Customer's proposed use case, as well as up to 5 Designated Contacts. P1 Priority support Requests are responded to with a target initial response time of 1 hour and are responded to 24 x 7. P2 Priority support Requests are responded to with an initial target response time of 4 hours and are responded to during the Hours of Operation. P3 & P4 Priority support Requests are responded to with an initial target response time of 8 hours and are responded to during the Hours of Operation.
4.4 Platinum . The Platinum support level includes all the items in the Gold level plus the following: Unlimited Designated Contacts. P1 Priority support Requests are responded to with a target initial response time of fifteen minutes and are responded to 24 x 7. P2 Priority support Requests are responded to with a target initial response time of 4 hours and are responded to 24 x 7. P3 & P4 Priority support Requests are responded to with an initial target response time of 8 hours and are responded to during the Hours of Operation. The Platinum support level includes access to Google’s technical account management team described in Section 4.5 below.
4.5 Technical Account Management (additional fees may apply). Customer will receive access to Google’s technical account management team to: (a) assist with Customer in developing a cloud strategy with respect to the Services, (b) provide best practice advice regarding implementation and use of the Services, and (c) manage technical support escalations and coordinate with Google subject matter experts to address technical inquiries related to the Services.
4.6 Professional Services. Depending upon the type, scope and/or duration of any professional services (e.g., implementation, configuration, data migration, or other forms of technical assistance) to be rendered, additional terms and conditions may apply.
5. Definitions
5.1 "Business Day" means any day during the Hours of Operation.
5.2 "Business Hours in Japan" means 09:00 to 17:00 on Monday to Friday Japan Standard Time except for regional holidays documented in the Google for Work Support Center.
5.3 "Designated Contacts" means administrators or technical employees designated by Customer who are allowed to contact Google for technical support.
5.4 "Feature Request" means a Request by a Contact to incorporate a new feature or enhance an existing feature of the Services that is currently not available as part of the existing Services.
5.5 Google for Work Support Center is currently located at https://enterprise.google.com/supportcenter/ (or such other URL that may be provided by Google).
5.6 "Google Support Personnel" mean the Google representatives responsible for handling technical support requests.
5.7 "Hours of Operation" means 17:00 on Sunday to 17:00 on Friday Pacific Time Zone, except for holidays in local time for each region documented in the Google for Work Support Center.
5.8 "Maintenance" means maintenance work that is performed on hardware or software delivering the Services.
5.9 "Request" means a request from a designated Contact to Google Support Personnel for technical support to resolve a question or problem report regarding the Services.
5.10 "Services" are defined in the Agreement.
5.11 "Service Unusable" is any situation where Customer, adhering to published technical guidelines for and documented correct usage of the Services, is unable to access or use the Services for the majority of its Customer End Users for a period of time greater than fifteen (15) minutes.
5.12 "Standard Request" means a Request made by Customer to Google that is not a Service Unusable Request or Feature Request.
5.13 "Priority" means the level of impact a Request is having on Customer’s operations and is used to establish initial target response times.
5.14 "P1" means Critical Impact – Service Unusable in Production
5.15 "P2" means High Impact – Service Use Severely Impaired
5.16 "P3" means Medium Impact – Service Use Partially Impaired
5.17 "P4" means Low Impact – Service Fully Usable