Glossary
IT, security and automation terms in plain English
Short, accurate definitions of the terms that come up when a business buys IT support, security, automation or AI. Each one links to a longer explanation and to the service where we do that work.
IT support
- Managed service provider (MSP)
- A managed service provider (MSP) is a company that takes ongoing responsibility for a business's IT, including monitoring, maintenance, security, and user support, for a recurring fee that is usually charged per user or per device.
- Co-managed IT
- Co-managed IT is an arrangement in which an outside IT provider shares responsibility with a company's in-house IT staff, taking on agreed areas such as the help desk, monitoring, security, or after-hours cover.
- IT annual maintenance contract (AMC)
- An IT annual maintenance contract (AMC) is a yearly agreement in which a provider maintains and supports a company's computers, servers, and network for a fixed fee, usually covering a listed set of equipment.
- Service level agreement (SLA)
- A service level agreement (SLA) is the part of a service contract that sets measurable targets, such as response time, resolution time, and uptime, and states what happens if the provider fails to meet them.
- Remote monitoring and management (RMM)
- Remote monitoring and management (RMM) is software that IT providers install on computers and servers to watch their health, apply updates, run maintenance tasks, and connect remotely to fix problems.
- Patch management
- Patch management is the process of finding, testing, and installing software updates on computers, servers, and network devices so that known security flaws and bugs are fixed before they cause harm.
- Help desk
- A help desk is the single point of contact where staff report IT problems and requests, which are logged as tickets, prioritized, and then resolved or passed to a specialist.
- Break-fix IT
- Break-fix IT is a support model in which a business pays an IT technician only when something goes wrong, usually by the hour or per job, with no ongoing monitoring or maintenance in between.
Security
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a sign-in method that requires two or more different kinds of proof, such as a password plus a code from a phone app or a physical security key, before it grants access to an account.
- Endpoint detection and response (EDR)
- Endpoint detection and response (EDR) is security software that continuously records activity on laptops, desktops, and servers, detects suspicious behavior, and lets responders investigate and isolate an affected device.
- Backup vs. disaster recovery
- Backup vs. disaster recovery comes down to scope: a backup is a stored copy of data that can be restored, while disaster recovery is the plan and systems for getting the whole business running again after a major outage.
- Phishing
- Phishing is a type of fraud in which an attacker sends a message that pretends to come from a trusted sender in order to trick the recipient into revealing passwords, approving payments, or opening a malicious link or file.
- Zero trust
- Zero trust is a security approach that never assumes a user or device is safe just because it is inside the company network. Every access request is checked against identity, device health, and permissions before it is allowed.
Networking
- VLAN (virtual local area network)
- A VLAN (virtual local area network) is a way of splitting one physical network into separate logical networks on the same switches, so that groups of devices such as staff computers, guest Wi-Fi, and cameras are kept apart.
- VPN (virtual private network)
- A VPN (virtual private network) is an encrypted connection across the internet between a device and a private network, or between two networks, that lets data travel as if both ends were on the same private network.
- Captive portal
- A captive portal is the web page a guest Wi-Fi network shows before it grants internet access, usually asking the user to accept terms, enter a password or voucher code, or sign in.
- Firewall
- A firewall is a device or piece of software that sits between networks, typically an office network and the internet, and allows or blocks traffic according to a set of rules.
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is a DNS record that lists the servers allowed to send email for a domain, so that receiving mail servers can check whether a message came from an approved source.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is an email authentication method that adds a digital signature to each outgoing message, which receiving servers verify using a public key published in the sender's DNS.
- DMARC
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance) is a DNS policy that tells receiving mail servers what to do with messages that fail SPF and DKIM checks for a domain, and where to send reports about them.
- Email deliverability
- Email deliverability is the measure of whether the email a business sends actually reaches recipients' inboxes instead of being rejected, delayed, or filed in the spam folder.
AI & automation
- Workflow automation
- Workflow automation is the use of software to carry out a repeatable sequence of business steps, such as moving data between apps, sending notifications, or creating records, automatically whenever a defined trigger occurs.
- AI agent
- An AI agent is software that uses a large language model to work toward a goal by deciding which steps to take, calling tools such as a search, a CRM, or a calendar, and acting on the results with limited human input.
- AI voice agent
- An AI voice agent is a phone assistant that uses speech recognition, a language model, and text-to-speech to hold a spoken conversation with callers, answer questions, collect details, and take actions such as booking appointments.
- Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)
- Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) is a technique in which an AI system first searches a set of documents for passages relevant to a question, then gives those passages to a language model so the answer is based on that source material.
- Local LLM (self-hosted language model)
- A local LLM is a large language model that runs on hardware a business controls, such as its own computer or server, instead of on an AI vendor's cloud service, so prompts and documents stay within that environment.
- Webhook
- A webhook is an automated message that one application sends to a URL belonging to another application the moment an event happens, such as a form submission or a payment, so the second system can react right away.
- API integration
- An API integration is a connection between two software systems that uses their application programming interfaces (APIs) to exchange data or trigger actions automatically, without anyone retyping the information.
- n8n
- n8n is a workflow automation platform that connects apps and services through a visual editor of linked steps called nodes, and it can be used as a hosted cloud service or self-hosted on your own server.
Sales & CRM
- CRM (customer relationship management)
- A CRM (customer relationship management) system is software that stores every contact, company, deal, and interaction in one place, so a business can track leads and customers from first inquiry through to sale and beyond.
- Speed to lead
- Speed to lead is the time between a prospect making an inquiry, by submitting a form, calling, or sending a message, and the business making its first real response.
- Lead routing
- Lead routing is the process of automatically assigning each incoming lead to the right salesperson or team according to rules such as location, service type, lead source, or whose turn it is.
- GoHighLevel
- GoHighLevel is a sales and marketing platform, also known as HighLevel, that combines a CRM, sales pipelines, a funnel and website builder, email and SMS messaging, calendars, and workflow automation in a single account.
Compliance
- Cyber Essentials
- Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed certification scheme that sets out five basic technical controls, covering firewalls, secure configuration, security updates, user access control, and malware protection, to guard against common online attacks.
- Essential Eight
- The Essential Eight is a set of eight baseline cybersecurity strategies published by the Australian Signals Directorate to help organizations protect internet-connected IT networks against common cyber threats.
- Data protection laws
- Data protection laws are the rules that govern how organizations collect, use, store, and share personal information. Examples include the EU and UK GDPR, California's CCPA, Canada's PIPEDA, Australia's Privacy Act, and New Zealand's Privacy Act.
Web & software
- ERP (enterprise resource planning)
- An ERP (enterprise resource planning) system is software that runs a company's core operations, such as accounting, inventory, purchasing, sales orders, and sometimes HR and manufacturing, from one shared database.
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