The break/fix model is a traditional method of providing IT support in which services are rendered only when needed, typically after something breaks.
A clean install is a software installation in which any previous version is eradicated.
Cloud provisioning is the allocation of a cloud provider's resources and services to a customer.
A consultant is an experienced individual in a given field who provides expert advice for a fee. Consultants typically work as independent contractors and are hired on a short-term basis. A consultant may also be an employee at a consulting firm.
A channel partner is a person or organization that partners with a manufacturer or producer to market, sell, and deliver their products or services to the end customer.
A channel strategy is a vendor's plan for delivering a product or service to end customers through direct or indirect sales channels.
A cloud service provider, or CSP, is a company that offers components of cloud computing -- typically in an as-a-service model like infrastructure as a service (IaaS), software as a service (SaaS) or platform as a service (PaaS).
A data recovery agent (DRA) is a Microsoft Windows user account with the ability to decrypt data that was encrypted by other users.
The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) is a component of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) that works with defense contractors to ensure government services and supplies are delivered on time, come at the expected cost and satisfy all performance requirements.
The Dell Technologies Partner Program is an international channel partner program that provides partners with business development, sales and marketing resources.
A distribution channel is the network of individuals and organizations involved in getting a product or service from the producer to the customer.
A distributor agreement -- also referred to as a distribution agreement -- is a legally binding contract between a vendor or manufacturer and a distributor.
Deal registration is a key feature of many vendors' channel partner programs, enabling a partner -- such as a value-added reseller (VAR), system integrator (SI) or managed services provider (MSP) -- to register a sales opportunity with the vendor before actively pursuing it.
A feedback loop is the part of a system in which some portion (or all) of the system's output is used as input for future operations.
A go-to-market strategy (GTM strategy) is an action plan that specifies how a company will bring a new product or service to market while reaching its target customers.
Hosted services are applications, IT infrastructure components or functions that organizations access from external service providers, typically through an internet connection.
Hardware as a service (HaaS) is a procurement model that's similar to leasing or licensing. Hardware that belongs to a managed service provider (MSP) is installed at a customer's site and a service level agreement (SLA) defines the responsibilities of both parties.
IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) is a multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, N.Y.
An ISV (independent software vendor) makes and sells software products that work with computer hardware, operating systems (OSes) or software platforms made by another company.
A line card may be a modular electronic telecommunications switching component on a printed circuit board, or a printed brochure or document that contains the names, descriptions and products that are sold by a third party.
Managed hosting is an IT provisioning model in which a service provider leases dedicated servers and associated hardware to a single customer and manages those systems on the customer's behalf.
A managed IT service is an information technology (IT) task provided by a third-party contractor and delivered to a customer.
A managed security service provider (MSSP) is an IT service provider that sells security services to businesses.
A managed service provider (MSP) is a third-party company that remotely manages a customer's information technology (IT) infrastructure and end-user systems.
Market development funds (MDF) are a resource that a vendor grants to its indirect sales channel partners to help the channel with sales and marketing programs.
Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based unified endpoint management (UEM) tool that aims to help organizations manage the mobile devices employees use to access corporate data and applications, such as email.
Monthly recurring revenue (MRR) is income a company can reliably anticipate every 30 days and one of the key metrics for channel partner companies.
Not for resale (NFR) is a designation for products that vendors give to their channel partners for testing and educational purposes with the understanding that the channel partner will not resell those products to the end user.
An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is a company that produces hardware or software that is later marketed and sold under another company's brand.
Oracle PartnerNetwork, also known as OPN, is a channel partner program that provides resources and benefits for value-added resellers (VARs), independent software vendors (ISVs) and other businesses that want to collaborate with Oracle.
A partner account manager is a job title within a vendor organization that uses channel partners to sell its products or services.
A partner program, which may also be referred to as channel partner program or alliance program, is a business strategy that vendors develop to encourage others to work with the vendor and sell its products or services.
Prisma is a cloud security suite that provides four different services that use rule-based security policies and machine learning to protect cloud services. This suite can be used on Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure, and Google Cloud Platforms.
A professional service is an intangible product that a contractor or product vendor sells to help a customer manage a specific part of their business.
Proxy hacking is a cyber attack technique designed to supplant an authentic webpage in a search engine's index and search results pages to drive traffic to an imitation site.
Professional services automation (PSA) is a type of software application suite that provides a service business with the functionality it needs to manage core business processes.
RMM software (remote monitoring and management software) is a type of application that information technology (IT) service providers and departments use to maintain their clients' and business organizations' IT assets, infrastructure and systems.
A request for proposal (RFP) is a document an organization uses when it's searching for a product or service to meet specific requirements. The organization posts an RFP to elicit formal bids from vendors.
In the information technology (IT) ecosystem, a reseller is a company that purchases products or services from manufacturers, vendors or distributors and then sells them to customers. These transactions can be business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C).
A sales lead is a potential sales contact, individual or organization that expresses an interest in your goods or services.
A service-level agreement (SLA) is a contract between a service provider and its customers that documents what services the provider will furnish and defines the service standards the provider is obligated to meet. A service-level commitment (SLC) is a broader and more generalized form of an SLA.
A service-level objective (SLO) is the part of a service-level agreement (SLA) that documents the key performance indicators (KPIs) the customer should expect from a provider. In addition to specifying details about the service being purchased, an SLO also documents what the consequences will be if SLOs are not achieved.
Share of wallet (SOW) is a marketing metric used to calculate the percentage of a customer's spending for a type of product or service that goes to a particular company.
Solution selling refers to the philosophy or practice of uncovering a customer's pain points and then providing products and services that address the underlying business problem.
A statement of work (SOW), in project management, is a document in which a contracting officer or chief procurement officer (CPO) specifies the objectives and deliverables for a particular project or service contract.
A systems integrator is an individual or business that builds computing systems for clients by combining hardware, software, networking and storage products from multiple vendors.
A sales motion is the particular sales method an organization uses to sell and deliver a product or a service to its customers.
A Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), in the United States, is a unique nine-digit number for identifying an individual, business or other entity in tax returns and additional documents filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
A value-added reseller (VAR) is a company that resells software, hardware, and other products and services that provide value beyond the original order fulfillment.
A vCIO, or virtual CIO, is a contractor or company that serves as an organization's chief information officer.
A vertical market is made up of companies that offer goods and services to meet the needs of customers in a specific industry or niche market.
The VMware Partner Network is a global channel partner program with benefits and support to provide VMware's virtualization and cloud technology.
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