> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://developer.harness.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://developer.harness.io/service-reliability-management/use-srm/manage-slo/slo-downtime/slo-downttime-overview.md).

# Overview

SLO downtime lets you schedule a maintenance window during which your service can undergo updates without impacting the SLO.

## Benefits <a href="#benefits" id="benefits"></a>

SLO downtime feature can benefit your organization in the following ways:

* Minimize SLO impact

  Configuring SLO downtimes allow organizations to schedule maintenance and updates during periods of lower user activity, minimizing the impact on SLOs. For example, an e-commerce website can schedule a SLO downtime for a Sunday night when user activity is at its lowest. During this time, the website is down for maintenance. By specifying a SLO downtime window in advance, teams can plan and communicate the downtime to users and stakeholders, reducing the risk of unexpected disruptions.
* Ensure regulatory compliance

  Many industries have regulatory requirements that specify the need for scheduled downtime. SLO downtimes can help organizations comply with these requirements by providing a structured approach to scheduling downtime. For example, a large bank can schedule a SLO downtime every quarter for regular system maintenance to comply with industry regulations.
* Reduce impact of unexpected events

  While organizations can plan for scheduled maintenance, unexpected events can still occur. By scheduling a SLO downtime, organizations can reduce the impact of unexpected events by having a chosen period to perform emergency maintenance or repairs. For example, a cloud-based storage provider can experience a hardware failure that results in unexpected downtime. If the SRE organization has a scheduled SLO downtime that begins in three hours, they can use this time to perform emergency repairs.

## Next steps <a href="#next-steps" id="next-steps"></a>

Learn how to [configure a SLO downtime](/service-reliability-management/use-srm/manage-slo/slo-downtime/configure-slo-downtime.md).

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