Managed services is an engagement where an outside provider runs a system or function, such as cloud infrastructure or support, against agreed service levels. The client buys an ongoing outcome rather than paying for individual people or hours.
A service level agreement (SLA) is a provider's contractual commitment to meet measurable standards such as availability or response time. It also sets the remedies that apply when those standards are missed.
Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) is an approach to running production systems that applies software engineering to operations. It sets measurable reliability targets and replaces repetitive manual work with automation.
Staff augmentation supplies engineers who work under your direction; managed services hands an ongoing function to a provider bound by service levels. One buys capacity, the other buys a running outcome with defined accountability.
Vendor management is selecting, contracting, monitoring and reviewing outside suppliers so they deliver what was agreed at acceptable cost and risk. For technology buyers it spans staffing providers, development partners, and cloud and software vendors.
IT outsourcing is using an outside provider for technology work such as software development, infrastructure or support, instead of doing it all in-house. Models range from fixed projects and managed services to dedicated teams and staff augmentation.
Post-launch support is the work of keeping software running, secure and improving after release. It covers bug fixes, monitoring, updates, user help and small enhancements.
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