Small Business IT terms

107 Small Business IT terms explained in plain English.

3-2-1 backup ruleThe 3-2-1 backup rule is a time-tested formula: keep at least 3 copies of your data, on 2 different types of storage, with 1 copy kept offsite.
Audit log / activity logAn audit log (or activity log) is a record of events across your systems (logins, file access, changes, administrative actions) capturing who did what and when.
Auto attendantAn auto attendant is an automated system in a business phone setup that answers incoming calls with a recorded greeting and routes callers based on their choices, such as pressing 1 for sales or 2 for support, or saying a name to reach a person.
Backup testing / recovery drillBackup testing (or a recovery drill) means periodically restoring data from your backups to confirm they actually work and measure how long recovery takes.
Bandwidth monitoring and throttlingBandwidth monitoring tracks how much of your internet connection is being used and by what, revealing congestion and hogs.
Break-fix vs managed ITBreak-fix and managed IT are two ways to get IT support.
Break-glass accountA break-glass account, also called an emergency access account, is a highly privileged administrator account set aside for emergencies, such as when a security policy accidentally locks out all admins, an MFA service fails, or an admin leaves without handing over access.
Business continuity planA business continuity plan (BCP) is a documented playbook for keeping essential operations running during a disruption (power outage, fire, cyberattack, key-staff loss) and recovering quickly afterward.
Business email compromise (BEC)Business email compromise (BEC) is a targeted email fraud where criminals pose as a trusted person (a boss, supplier, or colleague) to redirect payments or steal sensitive information.
Business impact analysisA business impact analysis (BIA) is the exercise of identifying which business functions are most critical, what they depend on, and the consequences (financial, operational, legal) of them being disrupted.
Business password policyA business password policy defines the rules for creating and managing passwords across the organization: length, uniqueness, storage, and handling.
Business Wi-Fi (enterprise access points)Business Wi-Fi uses enterprise-grade access points designed to cover a workspace reliably, handle many devices at once, let users roam between access points without dropping, and be centrally managed and secured.
Business-grade vs consumer routerA business-grade router provides the security, reliability, and management features a company needs, such as VPN support, network segmentation, better firewalls, and consistent firmware updates, that consumer routers lack.
Cloud accounting softwareCloud accounting software (like QuickBooks Online, Xero, or FreshBooks) runs your bookkeeping in the cloud rather than on one computer.
Cloud backup vs local backupLocal backups store copies on-site (an external drive or backup appliance) for fast restores, while cloud backups keep copies at a remote data centre for protection against fire, theft, and ransomware.
Cloud migrationCloud migration is the process of moving a business's data, applications, and infrastructure from on-premises servers to cloud services.
Cloud phone system (VoIP / UCaaS)A cloud phone system (VoIP or UCaaS) provides business phone service over the internet instead of traditional phone lines.
Co-managed ITCo-managed IT is a model where an MSP collaborates with a business's existing internal IT person or team, rather than replacing them.
Conditional AccessConditional Access is a security feature in Microsoft Entra ID that decides whether to allow a sign-in, require extra verification, or block it, based on conditions such as who the user is, which app they're opening, where they're signing in from, whether their device is managed, and how risky the sign-in looks.
CRM for small businessA CRM (customer relationship management) system is software that centralizes information about your customers and prospects: contact details, communication history, deals, and tasks.
Cyber insuranceCyber insurance (also called cyber liability insurance) helps cover the costs of a cyber incident: recovery, legal fees, notification, ransom negotiation, and business interruption.
CyberSecure CanadaCyberSecure Canada is the Government of Canada's cybersecurity certification program for small and medium-sized organizations, launched by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and overseen since 2023 by the Standards Council of Canada.
Dark web monitoringDark web monitoring is a service that continuously scans hidden forums, marketplaces, and breach databases for your company's exposed credentials and data.
Desktop as a service (DaaS)Desktop as a service (DaaS) provides complete virtual desktops hosted in the cloud.
Device lifecycle managementDevice lifecycle management is the practice of managing every work device through its full life: procurement, deployment, maintenance and updates, and secure retirement or disposal.
Disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS)Disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS) continuously replicates your servers and data to a cloud provider so that, if your systems fail, you can 'fail over' and run them from the cloud almost immediately.
DNS filteringDNS filtering intercepts the internet's 'address lookup' step and blocks requests to known malicious, phishing, or policy-violating websites.
DNS recordsDNS records are the individual settings stored for a domain name in the Domain Name System.
Electronic signatureAn electronic signature (e-signature) is a legally recognized way to sign documents digitally, using services like DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat Sign.
Email and domain reputationEmail and domain reputation is the trust score that mailbox providers (like Gmail and Outlook) assign to your sending domain and IP address.
Email archivingEmail archiving automatically captures a secure, unchangeable copy of every business email in a searchable repository.
Email continuityEmail continuity is a service that keeps your business email flowing during an outage of your primary email platform.
Email encryptionEmail encryption converts a message into unreadable code that only the intended recipient can unlock, protecting sensitive information, such as financial details, health records, and contracts, from being read by anyone who intercepts it.
Email filtering / anti-spamEmail filtering (or anti-spam) scans incoming messages and blocks or quarantines junk, phishing, and malware before they land in your inbox.
Email migrationEmail migration is the process of moving email accounts, including messages, folders, contacts, and calendars, from one email system to another, such as from a web host's email or Google Workspace to Microsoft 365, or between Microsoft 365 tenants after a merger.
Email signature managementEmail signature management centrally creates and applies consistent email signatures across all staff, so every message carries correct branding, contact details, legal disclaimers, and even marketing banners.
Employee offboarding (IT)IT offboarding is the process of securely ending a departing employee's access to company systems and recovering company devices and data.
Employee onboarding (IT)IT onboarding is the process of preparing everything a new employee needs to work: user accounts, email, a laptop or phone, software, security training, MFA, and access to the right files and systems.
Endpoint detection and response (EDR)Endpoint detection and response (EDR) is security software on your computers and servers that watches for suspicious behaviour, not just known viruses.
Endpoint protection vs antivirusTraditional antivirus detects known malware by matching signatures: effective against old threats but blind to new ones.
File versioningFile versioning automatically keeps older copies of a file each time it's saved or changed, so you can restore a previous version after a mistaken edit, accidental overwrite, corruption, or ransomware encryption.
Guest Wi-Fi / network segmentationGuest Wi-Fi is a separate wireless network for visitors and customers, isolated from your business systems.
Hardware refresh cycleA hardware refresh cycle is a planned schedule (commonly every three to five years) for replacing business computers and devices.
Help desk ticketingHelp desk ticketing is a system that captures IT support requests as 'tickets,' then tracks each through to resolution.
Hunt group and call queueHunt groups and call queues are business phone features that distribute incoming calls among a group of people.
Image-based backupAn image-based backup takes a complete snapshot of an entire computer or server (operating system, applications, settings, and data) rather than just copying individual files.
Incident response planAn incident response plan is a documented set of steps an organization follows when a cybersecurity incident happens, such as ransomware, a hacked email account, or a data breach.
Incident response tabletop exerciseAn incident response tabletop exercise is a discussion-based practice run where your team walks through a simulated cyber incident, like ransomware or a data breach, step by step.
IT asset management (ITAM)IT asset management (ITAM) is the practice of tracking and managing all your technology assets (computers, servers, mobile devices, software licences, and more) throughout their lifecycle.
IT budget planning for small businessIT budget planning is the practice of forecasting and allocating technology spending deliberately rather than reactively.
IT documentationIT documentation is the organized record of how a business's technology is configured: systems, networks, accounts, passwords, licences, procedures, and vendor details.
Least privilege / access controlThe principle of least privilege means giving every user, app, and device only the minimum access required to do its job: nothing more.
License managementLicense management is the practice of tracking which software licences and subscriptions your business owns, who's using them, and whether you're compliant with the terms.
Local admin rightsLocal admin rights give a user full control over a computer: installing or removing software, changing security settings, and accessing all files.
Managed detection and response (MDR)Managed detection and response (MDR) combines security tools like EDR with a team of human analysts who monitor your environment around the clock, investigate alerts, and take action to contain threats.
Managed service provider (MSP)A managed service provider (MSP) is a company that takes on a business's IT (monitoring, maintaining, securing, and supporting its technology) typically for a fixed monthly fee.
Managed switch vs unmanaged switchA network switch connects the wired devices in your office.
Microsoft 365 Business vs Enterprise plansMicrosoft 365 comes in Business plans (Basic, Standard, Premium) designed for organizations up to 300 users, and Enterprise plans (E3, E5) for larger organizations or those needing advanced security and compliance.
Microsoft 365 CopilotMicrosoft 365 Copilot is an AI assistant built into Microsoft 365 apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.
Microsoft 365 for businessMicrosoft 365 (formerly Office 365) is a subscription that combines business email (Exchange Online), the Office apps (Word, Excel, Outlook), cloud storage (OneDrive), collaboration (SharePoint, Teams), and security and management tools.
Microsoft 365 tenantA Microsoft 365 tenant is the dedicated instance of Microsoft's cloud services that belongs to one organization.
Microsoft Defender for BusinessMicrosoft Defender for Business is Microsoft's endpoint security product for organizations with up to 300 users.
Microsoft Entra IDMicrosoft Entra ID, known until 2023 as Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), is Microsoft's cloud-based identity and access service.
Microsoft Exchange OnlineMicrosoft Exchange Online is the cloud-based email, calendar, and contacts service within Microsoft 365.
Mobile device management (MDM)Mobile device management (MDM) is software that lets a business centrally configure, secure, and manage the phones, tablets, and often laptops staff use for work.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA)Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds a second step to logging in (typically a code from an app, a tap on your phone, or a hardware key) on top of your password.
MX recordAn MX (mail exchanger) record is a type of DNS record that tells other email systems where to deliver messages sent to a domain.
Network access control (NAC)Network access control (NAC) enforces rules about which devices can connect to your network and what they're allowed to reach.
Network Operations Center (NOC)A Network Operations Center (NOC) is a centralized team and facility that monitors, manages, and maintains IT infrastructure 24/7.
Network-attached storage (NAS) for businessA NAS (network-attached storage) is a dedicated device that provides shared file storage to everyone on your network.
Next-generation firewall (NGFW)A next-generation firewall (NGFW) is an advanced firewall that does more than block ports: it inspects the actual content of traffic to detect and stop intrusions, malware, and access to malicious sites.
Offsite backupAn offsite backup is a copy of your data stored somewhere other than your primary location, typically the cloud or a remote data centre.
OneDrive for BusinessOneDrive for Business is the personal cloud storage included with Microsoft 365.
Password expiration policyA password expiration policy requires people to change their passwords after a set period, such as every 90 days.
Patch managementPatch management is the disciplined process of keeping operating systems, applications, and firmware updated with the latest fixes, especially security patches.
Printer securityModern printers and multifunction devices are networked computers that store documents, connect to your systems, and can be attacked like any other device.
Proactive vs reactive ITReactive IT waits for something to break, then fixes it.
QR codes in businessQR codes are scannable square barcodes that link physical items to digital content: menus, payments, sign-ups, Wi-Fi access.
Quarterly business review (QBR)A quarterly business review (QBR) is a scheduled meeting, usually every three months, where a managed service provider or vendor reviews the relationship with a client.
Remote desktop (RDP)Remote desktop (often RDP, Remote Desktop Protocol) lets you connect to and control another computer over a network, seeing its screen and using it as if you were there.
Remote monitoring and management (RMM)Remote monitoring and management (RMM) is the software platform MSPs use to oversee and maintain their clients' computers, servers, and devices from afar.
Remote support softwareRemote support software lets an IT technician connect to a user's computer, with permission, to view the screen, take control, and resolve issues from anywhere.
Remote wipeRemote wipe is the ability to erase data on a device from a distance, used when a phone or laptop is lost or stolen, or when an employee leaves.
RTO and RPORTO (recovery time objective) and RPO (recovery point objective) are two targets used in backup and disaster recovery planning.
Screen sharing and presentation toolsScreen sharing and presentation tools let you display your screen, slides, or a specific application to others, in a video meeting, a webinar, or a support session.
Security awareness trainingSecurity awareness training is ongoing education that helps employees spot and respond to threats like phishing, social engineering, and unsafe data handling.
Service level agreement (SLA)A service level agreement (SLA) is a documented agreement between you and a service provider (like your MSP) defining what service to expect: response and resolution times, availability targets, scope of support, and responsibilities.
Shadow ITShadow IT is technology, such as apps, cloud services, and devices, that employees adopt on their own without IT approval or oversight.
Shared mailbox vs distribution listA shared mailbox is a single inbox (like info@ or support@) that several staff can open, read, and reply from as the shared address.
SharePointSharePoint is the Microsoft 365 service for shared file storage, team sites, and intranets.
Single sign-on (SSO) for small businessSingle sign-on (SSO) lets employees log in once with one set of credentials and then access many connected applications without logging in again.
Social engineeringSocial engineering is the art of tricking people rather than hacking machines.
Softphone vs desk phoneA softphone is a software application that makes and receives business calls on a computer or smartphone, while a desk phone is a physical handset.
SPF / DKIM / DMARCSPF, DKIM, and DMARC are three DNS-based settings that authenticate your business email.
Split tunnelingSplit tunneling is a VPN setting that routes only traffic destined for company resources through the encrypted tunnel, while everyday internet traffic (streaming, general browsing) goes directly out.
UPS (uninterruptible power supply)A UPS (uninterruptible power supply) is a battery backup that instantly powers critical equipment (servers, network gear, point-of-sale systems) when the mains power fails.
Uptime monitoringUptime monitoring is a service that continuously checks whether your critical systems (website, email, servers, internet connection, key apps) are available, and alerts you the instant something goes offline.
Video conferencing best practicesVideo conferencing best practices are the habits and settings that make online meetings productive and secure: reliable audio and video, a stable connection, good meeting etiquette, and security measures like requiring passwords and controlling who can join.
Virtual CIO (vCIO)A virtual CIO (vCIO) is an outsourced, part-time technology leader who provides the strategic guidance a full-time chief information officer would, without the full-time salary.
Virtual DesktopVirtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is a technology that hosts desktop environments (operating system, applications, and data) on centralized servers in a data centre, rather than on the user's local device.
Vishing and smishingVishing (voice phishing) and smishing (SMS phishing) are scams that reach you by phone call and text message instead of email.
VPN for businessA business VPN (virtual private network) creates a secure, encrypted connection between a remote user and the company network or resources.
Windows Autopilot / zero-touch deploymentWindows Autopilot (and equivalent zero-touch deployment for Apple and Android) lets new devices configure themselves automatically.
Windows LAPSWindows LAPS (Local Administrator Password Solution) is a built-in Windows feature that automatically gives each computer's local administrator account a unique, random password, changes it regularly, and stores it securely in Microsoft Entra ID or Active Directory.
Work from home security checklistA work-from-home security checklist is a practical set of protections for remote and hybrid staff: securing home Wi-Fi, enabling MFA, keeping devices updated and protected, using approved tools, and avoiding risky habits.
Zero trust network access (ZTNA)Zero trust network access (ZTNA) gives remote users secure access to individual applications, not the entire network.
Zero trust securityZero trust is a security model summed up as 'never trust, always verify.' Instead of assuming anyone inside the network is safe, it verifies every user and device for every access request and grants only the minimum needed.