The Ins & Outs of Remote Monitoring Management

New technological advancements are forever reshaping the business landscape of tomorrow. Countless organizations across industries are exploring the slew of digital tools at their disposal — and they're becoming more agile and efficient.

Innovative players aren't slowing down anytime soon. This year, technology budgets are expected to rise faster than they have in over a decade. According to a Gartner study of nearly 2,400 technology executives across industries, IT budgets are forecast to grow 3.6% in 2022.

To stay a step ahead of their industry peers, many companies are implementing proactive IT solutions and engaging managed IT service providers (MSPs). MSPs remotely manage an organization's IT environment, including its applications, infrastructure, network, and security.

In order to provide timely service and avoid costly disruptions, MSPs use remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools. These tools provide MSPs with a bird’s-eye view of their clients' IT environment — so they can quickly identify issues and fix them to enhance security and supercharge organizational efficiency.

RMM: A Brief History

Not only has RMM made its mark on the managed services industry, but it has also stood the test of time. RMM solutions continue to remain among the most critical tools for managed services firms.

When the managed IT services model first emerged in the late 1990s, MSPs used a combination of data center management products and homegrown tools to monitor and manage their clients’ ecosystems.

Approximately ten years later — when MSPs began to gain traction in 2000 — more advanced RMM software solutions began to emerge. The new generation of RMM tools was custom-built to replace earlier remote monitoring efforts and significantly enhanced IT specialists' visibility, thereby fueling the MSP service model.

What is RMM?

RMM — also referred to as remote IT management or remote management and monitoring software — is an essential component of a strong managed services strategy. It enables IT specialists to proactively monitor their clients' IT infrastructure, including their computers, hardware, software, endpoints, and networks.

RMM tools consistently work in the background to provide MSPs with an accurate, real-time picture of a company's IT ecosystem. An RMM can:

• Initiate scheduled maintenance
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• Track network and device health

• Gather information about an organization's hardware, software, and networks
  

• Supply MSPs with detailed reports and crucial data
  
  
• Send specialists appropriate alerts and tickets when issues arise
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RMM In Action

To set up RMM for a client, a specialist will first install a small footprint, known as an 'agent', on its servers, workstations, mobile devices, and other endpoints. These agents enable monitoring management by feeding information about machine health, software, and security status back to the MSP.

Agents provide IT specialists with profound insight into the status of each client's IT ecosystem. Technicians can maintain machines, keep software and applications up-to-date, and prevent issues before they escalate.

If an agent detects a machine issue, it will automatically create a ticket, which sends an alert to a technician. This alert then prompts the technician to take the steps required to resolve the problem remotely.

Issues are typically classified based on problem type and severity, allowing MSPs to prioritize and rapidly address them. MSPs can take a wide range of actions to resolve issues and protect an organization's security — including software updates, security patches, and software installation.

What an MSP with Remote Monitoring Capabilities Can Do

An MSP can use RMM software to enhance a business's IT strategy considerably. More specifically, it can improve organizational performance by elevating security, enhancing device efficiency, and upholding compliance.

Elevate Data Security
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One of a business's most pressing concerns is safeguarding customer and user data — and performing timely security patches is critical to meeting this goal. An RMM enables an MSP to rapidly identify and install security patches from third-party software and operating systems. 

Moreover, remote monitoring enables MSP technicians to report on the quality of each patch, and assess how software and devices respond to it. Not only does RMM ensure patches are completed without delay, but it also verifies that they are successful. 

‍Enhanced Device Efficiency
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RMM tools enable MSPs to monitor devices across an entire network. They inform technicians when equipment needs to be rebooted, or systems need to be cleaned.

This level of insight empowers MSPs to enhance the efficiency of client devices — including desktops, laptops, servers, wireless contact points, firewalls, and more. End-users can unlock greater productivity with faster machines and improved browser response times.

‍Effortless Compliance Adherence
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‍Organizations can rest assured knowing RMM solutions can flag enterprise policy violations. Specialists can configure automated alerts to identify compliance issues, including data overage, unauthorized SIM swaps, Geofence breaches, and other compliance breaches.

Benefits of RMM

Armed with an RMM solution, MSPs can resolve their clients' problems as soon as they present themselves. This proactive service model allows businesses to:

• Avoid major issues such as system failures, as they are resolved before causing significant damage

• Save on IT costs, as the number of service calls typically decreases when MSPs address issues proactively

• Decrease overall downtime and avoid the high costs associated with it

• Increase uptime and efficiency

• Boost customer loyalty and satisfaction

• Minimize service disruptions with discreet remote solutions and overnight reboots
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• Have greater control over operations with fewer unexpected IT interruptions during inconvenient times
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Riverstrong's Proactive RMM Solution

Another benefit of RMM is peace of mind. Riverstrong's comprehensive proactive monitoring solution, coupled with our knowledgeable IT specialists will always keep you a step ahead of the competition.

Your organization can avoid costly disruptions, increase productivity, and enjoy tremendous efficiency gains with an RMM-backed IT strategy. At Riverstrong, we're always learning about the latest technological developments and using the most innovative tools to help you thrive.

Our dedicated specialists will work diligently to ensure your devices, networks, software, and endpoints are secure and well optimized — so you can focus on what you do best.

To learn more about how we can transform your IT environment and help your organization put its best foot forward, reach out to us today!