When you see or hear catchy abbreviated words and phrases do you find yourself asking “What’s that supposed to mean?” If you don’t work in IT, many of the acronyms used may seem like another language, and it kind of is! One of the main benefits of using IT acronyms is that it makes communication easier and faster. It’s certainly much quicker to say or type ITAM than the full phrase Information Technology Asset Management.
Here is a listing of 10 acronyms associated with MSPs and the IT industry for your reference:
| Acronym | What It Means | What It Really Means |
| API | Application Programmer Interface | A set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications that allow programmers easier entry into another company’s program or service. For example, social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter use APIs to allow programmers or website developers easier access to their services and members. |
| AWS | Amazon Web Services | A subsidiary of Amazon that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs to individuals, companies, and governments, on a metered pay-as-you-go basis. For example, a business that experiences heavy seasonal traffic can increase the RAM and CPUs dedicated to their AWS instance, or upgrade the storage type. Then when the holiday rush is over, the business can scale down to a less expensive cloud service plan. |
| IoT | Internet of Things | The concept of all things in the world being uniquely connected, identifiable, and tracked to the Internet. For example in manufacturing, if every object could be identified and tracked a business could more efficiently manufacture products, as they would know how much inventory they have available and what needs to be ordered. Popular IoT companies include Cisco and Logitech. |
| MDM | Mobile Device Management | The practice of managing, monitoring, and securing mobile devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets, and laptops) used in enterprises to access data and to optimize the functionality and security of a mobile communications network while minimizing cost and downtime. |
| PSA | Professional Services Automation | Software that helps automate and manage daily business processes, creating space for functions like customer service management, accounting software, or customer relationship management (CRM). A popular platform is Autotask. |
| RMM | Remote Monitoring & Management | Software that automates and performs IT tasks, such as updates, patches, and network monitoring, which centralizes the management process so that MSPs can track their customers’ devices, perform routine maintenance, and address device issues as they arise. Popular platforms are ConnectWise and Datto. |
| SaaS | Software as a Service | Software provided as an ongoing service that operates on multiple devices with the ability to access your software from any web browser, desktop computer, or mobile device. Most cloud services fall into this category. Microsoft Office 365, the cloud-based software suite hosted by Microsoft, is an example of an SaaS. |
| SDN | Software Defined Network | An approach to network management that enables dynamic, efficient network configuration in order to improve network performance and monitoring, making it more like cloud computing than traditional network management. |
| SLA | Service Level Agreement | The measurable level of service a company guarantees to offer a user in the form of an agreement or contract. For example, the guaranteed response time from a help desk (e.g., a response time of 15 minutes or less). |
| VDI | Virtual Desktop Infrastructure | A desktop virtualization technology in which a desktop operating system, such as Microsoft Windows, runs and is managed in a data center. The virtual desktop image, which allows the user to interact with the operating system and its applications as if they were running locally, is delivered over a network to an endpoint device. |
| VM | Virtual Machine | A software program that is capable of emulating a physical device, such as a computer. A popular software application capable of doing this is VMware as it saves time and money by allowing users to create multiple virtual environments, or virtual computer systems, on a single computer or server. |
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