Using RMM software - knowing the benefits to small businesses

Small businesses today rely heavily on technology in order to run their operations. Hardware and software devices, including mobile devices and IoT, play a big role in the day-to-day functioning of these businesses. As a company grows, so does the number of hardware resources and devices that are used. Managing and securing these devices can become a complex process, but with the help of RMM software it can be easier for companies to handle this.

RMM solutions provide a one-stop-shop for registration, monitoring, alerting, management, and general insights into the business ecosystem. This allows companies to have a better understanding of how their technology is being used and how it is impacting their business.

What is RMM software?

The benefits of remote monitoring and management software for IT cannot be overstated. By being able to remotely monitor and manage devices and systems, IT professionals can ensure that critical systems are running smoothly and that potential issues are identified and addressed in a timely manner. This can help to avoid costly outages or system failures, and can help to improve overall system performance.

Additionally, remote monitoring and management software can help to improve organizational efficiency by allowing IT professionals to more effectively manage and monitor multiple systems from a single location.

How does remote monitoring and management work?

A remote monitoring and management system comprises tools that help you identify, report, as well as remedy problems arising from your endpoints. You start by installing the RMM agent onto every company endpoint, including servers, desktops, laptops, tablets, and sometimes even mobile devices. Once the agent is installed, the endpoint can then be managed through your RMM provider.

The specific features of the RMM software depend on the type you are using, but the overall capabilities of every RMM software include:

Remote control access

Remote access capabilities allow your IT staff to manage your systems even when they are not on site. This can be helpful for resolving problems that occur outside of normal business hours, or for managing updates and changes to your systems. If a problem occurs at night, they receive an alert and can immediately take care of the endpoint remotely. With remote access, monitoring and management functions can go on as usual.

Real-time monitoring and alerting

RMM solutions should monitor the health and performance of every endpoint your company manages. Since RMMs are continually at work, they can create alerts about potential issues so IT can take action before problems happen. Additionally, RMM solutions automate workflows to enhance the remediation process, generate reports and provide visibility into your environment. This way, it becomes easier to handle compliance, asset inventory, and the direct value of IT support.

Background management of endpoints

One of the benefits of using RMM software is that you can manage endpoints in the background without having to remotely control them. This is a faster and more efficient way to manage them, and it doesn't disrupt the end user. You can generally manage processes, services, and even drop directly into a terminal session.

Patch management

Patch Management is an important part of endpoint security. By regularly patching your endpoints, you can help protect them from vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers. Your RMM provider should automate patching for all of your Windows, macOS, and Linux endpoints. It should allow technicians and admins to seamlessly schedule update hours to avoid disrupting the end-users. Additionally, many RMMs can update third-party applications too.

Automating routine IT management

With RMM software, your business is in a better position to unlock streamlined workflows and automate various IT tasks. These include running scripts, installing patches, and creating and responding to tickets based on predetermined policies and actions.

Report and data visualization

The ability to customize dashboards and reports is a valuable feature of RMM solutions, as it allows you to focus on the specific metrics that are most important to your business. By analyzing data-driven insights, you can make plans for your business hardware and decide where to invest your time and resources. For example, are all of your devices patched and secure? Do any endpoints require additional hardware resources? Are any of them out of warranty?

Ease of setup

How easy it is to implement your RMM software depends on the specific solution? For example, some RMMs require considerable expertise to deploy. On the other hand, some solutions are intuitive and significantly cut down on costs and the time it takes to install.

Integrations

In addition to all these functions, the RMM software you choose should easily integrate with other tools that you commonly use in your business.

Moreover, RMM software comes in handy in the management of backup solutions and endpoint security products. With all these functionalities, it's no wonder that RMM is a critical application for small businesses.

Benefits of having remote monitoring and management

Under the right conditions and with proper management, RMM software can help small businesses transform their operations. In the long run, they experience increased efficiency that leads to greater profitability. Here are some of the benefits from using an RMM:

Centralized view of endpoints

It's crucial to constantly monitor your endpoints to enhance their security. Data shows that 70% of all successful business breaches happen on the endpoint. Today's businesses are mobile, with more employees choosing to work remotely, which increases the number of vulnerable endpoints. Threats to your business information security come in many forms today because hackers constantly upgrade their attack methods.

Endpoints are particularly vulnerable to malware botnets like spyware and ransomware. While spyware collects passwords to allow the hacker to access your network, ransomware holds your systems hostage until you pay a ransom. As the business world shifts to remote work, organizations must take the necessary steps to protect their endpoints now more than ever.

RMM enables you to collect detailed information about your business endpoints. Depending on the insights you get, you can better block threats and secure your endpoints.

The RMM solution you choose should provide:

• Cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Detailed and up-to-date information about every endpoint
• Seamless remote control
• Monitoring and alerting capabilities
• Background management of endpoints to avoid disrupting end-users
• Automated patch deployment with granular scheduling
• Bulk endpoint management with scripting
• Endpoints secured behind two factor authentication (2FA)
• Ability to restrict access to endpoints to select IP addresses

You can enhance endpoint security through encryption and application control. Encryption enhances data protection in communication, while application control prevents users from using endpoints in a manner that exposes them to security risks.

With RMM software you have one-click remote control from the browser, and your IT team can offer immediate IT assistance to users. Further, background management of endpoints is crucial for routine maintenance.

IT automation and scripting

Maintaining and updating your endpoints and software can take up much of your time. As a result, it can be tempting to overlook these functions and concentrate on more critical tasks. However, doing so only puts your business at a higher risk of attack.

RMM comes in handy to monitor your business-owned devices and automate the tasks. Moreover, it ensures that important updates are installed at the right time. Consequently, your IT team has more time in their hands for other functions without worrying about device and software updates.

Running scripts across multiple endpoints

RMM solutions have a unique function to create and run scripts across multiple devices with live output. These include data, code bundles, and even applications that you can then execute across various endpoints.

Typically, a component contains a script written in one of the many available languages. It may also encompass an executable to run or a program to install. The functionality is essential as it allows administrators to have complete control over their technology.

Secure peer-to-peer network connection

Remote access and monitoring is becoming increasingly important as distributed workforces grow globally. This is already the case for most companies, as the number of devices they own far outstrips the ability of technicians to physically interact with each device. However, existing software for remote access presents security concerns, slow technician experience, and often inaccurate data.

Peer-to-peer connections can help with many of the concerns around existing solutions. They eliminate the middleman security concern with modern protocols for establishing connections. Moreover, the direct connection also reduces data latency. Peer-to-peer remote access is safer, faster, and more accurate, making it the clear choice for modern IT teams.

Limit user access

A reliable remote monitoring and management system can help you determine who has access to what and when. For example, sensitive information and some business applications require special permission to access. The software allows you to invite team members and assign them access permissions as you deem fit.

Limiting access to parts of your business network makes it difficult for malicious actors and intruders to compromise valuable information. While they may circumvent the system, they still need the admin's permission to access sensitive data.

Partnering with Level to leverage RMM

Using RMM solutions can save your business from experiencing issues that it can avoid in the first place. With RMM monitoring, your systems get robust protection against threats, productivity increases, and costs remain at their minimum.

At Level, we understand these pain points too well. In our journey in nurturing a successful business, we found that most RMM solutions are not fully evolved to meet the needs of modern, remote teams. That is why we built Level. Book a demo to see how it works!