- MSP (managed service provider)
- A firm that runs a business’s IT for a recurring fee: monitoring, patching, help desk, backups and security tools.
- Co-managed IT
- An arrangement where an outside firm supports an in-house IT person or team, sharing tools and tasks.
- Break-fix
- IT support paid per incident or per hour, with no monthly agreement.
- SLA (service-level agreement)
- The contract terms for response and resolution times, uptime and support hours.
- Help desk
- The support line staff call or email for IT problems.
- RMM
- Remote monitoring and management software that lets an IT firm watch, patch and fix computers remotely.
- vCIO
- A virtual chief information officer: part-time IT strategy and budgeting from an outside firm.
- MSSP
- A managed security service provider: a firm that monitors and manages security tools around the clock.
- EDR / MDR
- Endpoint detection and response software, and the managed service of people watching its alerts (managed detection and response).
- MFA
- Multi-factor authentication: a second proof of identity, such as an app prompt, on top of a password.
- Penetration test
- An authorised, simulated attack on your systems to find weaknesses before criminals do.
- SOC 2
- An independent auditor’s report (AICPA standard) on a service provider’s security controls.