Case Study: My Experience With Services

How to Pick the Right MSP Monitoring Software

Managed services providers (MSPs) rarely enjoy shopping for remote monitoring and management (RMM) software. And usually, they wind up doing it repeatedly- up to four times in certain cases.

RMM software is the primary technology managed services rely on, so choosing the right system is an absolute must. When searching for the best RMM for your needs – and one that prevents expensive interruptions that come with changing systems – below are some handy tips:

Defining Your Strategy

When it comes to purchasing RMM software, haste equals waste. Create a detailed business plan before you shop. Once you’ve determined the services you’ll be providing, and to which types of customers, can you wisely decide which system will be best meet to use.

Appreciating “Minor” Features

Most RMM software have comparable core functionality, so when reviewing different products, give fair attention to lesser features that are nonetheless useful, like:

Professional Services Automation (PSA) Integration

PSA products are tools that MSPs use for managing daily business operations like billing and reporting.

Reporting

When you share uptime summaries and other reports with your clients, they develop a deeper understanding of your value in their business.

Scripting

A robust scripting engine saves time and decreases your labor requirements by allowing you to perform routine maintenance duties automatically. Additionally, note that agent-based systems install minor monitoring applications on every server and desktop of the customer, while while probe-based systems only install on a single server while using network connections to monitor the client’s other devices.

Hosted or On-Premise

Most RMM tools can be hosted or on-premise systems. Which one is right for you depends mainly on your start-up capital. With a hosted solution, you don’t need to make huge upfront infrastructure and licensing outlays, and the system is pretty quick to deploy too. But the cost of monthly subscription can soar before you know it.

Exploring the Add-Ons

In most cases, MSP tool vendors sell a whole range of products instead of just RMM software. A lot of them also offer managed security and backup extras, or interfaces that ensure compatibility with other security and backup tools. Buying an RMM system with built-in security and backup features is generally cheaper and simpler than having to combine several separate applications, but it also limits your flexibility.

Seeking Opinions from Peers

Don’t rely purely on your own perceptions of RMM systems. Check with other MSPs for some useful insights.

Test, Test, Test!

Finally, don’t pay for an RMM system that you haven’t tested yet – and not just with simulations. Go out of your lab environment and test it in real life!Not everything that works in your lab environment will actually work, so get testing in real life!If something works in your lab environment, it won’t necessarily work outside, so always test in real-life. Give it a real-life test.

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