Best Remote Monitoring & Management (RMM) Software

Today, businesses have expanded across geographies and have been adopting automated remote management of their network and systems. A software solution that can monitor network devices continuously and reduce downtime is the need of the hour Remote monitoring and management software is well equipped with the technology to ensure that businesses perform without any obstruction and at the same time reduces the I.T management costs. RMM software provides the flexibility to stay connected with the business from anywhere and at any time.  Business owners can remotely monitor and manage the entire IT system including client endpoints, workstations, networks, and computers from one single screen. Remote monitoring and management software is proving to be beneficial with its host of features that can support your IT infrastructure. 

Whether the remote monitoring and management software is used by an in-house I.T technician or by some MSPs, selecting the right RMM tool is crucial for efficiently managing the remote I.T system.

This buyer guide on remote monitoring and management software is designed to help business owners and MSPs to get a complete overview of the software.  This buyer guide discusses some important remote monitoring and management software topics such as features, cost, future trends, security, etc., which could help business owners to select the best remote monitoring and management software.

Businesses can operate from various locations, and managing their I.T. system could be a daunting task. The conventional approach includes an in-house expert team to solve the issues and ensure everything works smoothly.  However, there are many issues with traditional methods that hamper the efficiency of the I.T. system and eventually affect the business operations. The following points cover some of the crucial challenges faced with traditional methods;

• Time-consuming: In the traditional approach, sometimes the in-house team lacks the expertise to deal with issues and requires external help to solve the problems.  Generally, consulting someone from outside and resolving issues can be time-consuming and expensive. The expert needs to travel to the location and then analyze the issues; these could take longer to fix the problems and add costs to the company.
• Lack of coordination: Organizations working remotely usually have to notify the administrator or head office about the issues, and based on the severity, they take action.  The conventional method for communicating these issues is not reliable and is often conveyed with a lack of details. It leaves room for error and sometimes delays in addressing the issue.
• Increase I.T management costs: Managing the I.T. system demands hiring in-house technical experts and buying more resources.  With multiple sites or businesses to manage these costs could sky-rocket and increase the overall I.T. management costs.
• Lack of transparency:  A part of I.T. management is also to see that there is no unauthorized access to the system or exploitation of compliances.  In the conventional method, they have to manually conduct the system check and see that everything is working normally.  With a manual system, there is always the risk of missing important details and leaving the system vulnerable to hackers.   

These are some common challenges that businesses have been facing by I.T. management systems remotely with the traditional approach. Remote monitoring and management software or RMM tools have been proving viable for managing I.T. systems remotely.

Remote monitoring and management software or RMM software is a tool that remotely monitors, tracks, and manages client endpoints such as computers, IoT devices, networks, etc.  Remote monitoring and management software solutions are generally used by managed service providers (MSPs) to provide IT services to businesses that outsource their IT requirements.  Besides MSPs, the RMM software can also be used by individual business owners to support robust technical support to their clients.

Primarily, the RMM tool has two objectives,

• Collect information from remote computers and their networks to analyze the issues.
• Conduct various activities on the remote system for its smooth functioning and mitigate the issues encountered in the system.

RMM software can be activated through a small software footprint called an “agent.”  It can be installed on a computer, servers, mobile devices, workstations, etc.  Whenever a remote computer or system agent detects any issues in the system, it generates a ticket and sends it to the MSPs. The MSPs identify and resolve the issues without disturbing the regular operations.

Businesses are not oriented in the same way as they used to do decades ago.  The wave of digitization has fast-paced business processes and enabled them to take complete control of their business regardless of the location.  This has become quite evident during the Covid breakout when organizations have to enforce WFH strategy in their process. Remote working has been helping companies to continue their work during the crisis and sustain in the tough time.

Remote monitoring and management software is one of the technological innovations that has been supporting businesses to supervise their assets or I.T. infrastructure from anywhere.  The software connects all the I.T. assets to a single interface and monitors them.  It keeps a watch on the systems’  performance as well as detects any abnormal activity in the system. It is essential for organizations to monitor their I.T. assets, especially when business is dispersed to various geographic locations.  RMM tool monitors all company-owned devices and assists the administrator in performing routine tasks such as software installation, software patching, and O.S. updates. It frees up the I.T. team to work on more critical issues.  Remote monitoring and management software also transmits real-time information and increases reaction time to mitigate any problems. 

Businesses often outsource their I.T. supports to MSPs (Managed Service Providers) when they don’t have enough in-house experts to deal with the technical issues or don’t have enough resources to manage them.  Remote monitoring and management software are beneficial to such MSPs in handling multiple I.T. systems for various clients. 

Businesses can use remote monitoring and management software to eliminate all the complexities associated with remote IT assets management, but they can derive more value through the software if users are acquainted with the benefits of remote monitoring and management software.

• Identify defects in early stages:  Identifying defects in I.T. infrastructure on an early basis is critical for businesses to avert the system’s complete shutdown.  It can bring unnecessary financial loss to the business.
• Save costs on-site visits: Remote monitoring and management tools can save expenses on-site visits.  Technicians do not have to visit the site and can attend to issues immediately.
• Maximize system uptime:  The top remote monitoring and management tools maximize the system uptime.  The ability of the RMM software to identify defects early on and conduct proactive remote maintenance helps to increase the efficiency of the remote software.   
• Real-time remote monitoring:  Real-time monitoring of remote I.T. systems could be of great value to organizations working in various geographic locations.  They can keep watch on all the activities regardless of their location from a single interface.  Even if the technicians don’t keep a continuous watch on the system, the automatic alert system quickly informs the administrator through alerts or notifications. The RMM software solutions are capable of detecting issues of any scale.
• Increase the life of devices: Organizations have to bear the software and hardware maintenance costs regularly, especially if they are not exercising thorough maintenance work.  With the best remote I.T. monitoring and management tools, the technicians can have clear visibility of the devices’ health and schedule maintenance work accordingly.  It helps to increase the life of devices and reduces the costs of purchasing new software or hardware.
• Automated patch management system:  Top remote monitoring and management tools know well to keep the I.T. system in shape.  They understand that all software solutions have different functions, and they have their challenges.  The remote I.T. monitoring and management tools come with a patch management system that automatically updates the system and suggests patches if there is any issue in the system.

• Track and monitor unlimited endpoints
• Automated device identification
• Bandwidth analysis
• Robust security features and data backup
• Support desktop and mobile apps
• Network topology mapping
• Alerts and notifications
• Data analytics
• Live connect
• Session latency oversight
• Support multiple displays
• Private remote control sessions
• Patch management
• Remediation management
• Automated billing
• Third-party tool integrations

• Scalable: The top remote monitoring and management tools are scalable and allow for the addition of numerous endpoints as the business expands.  A scalable monitoring tool eliminates the hassle of approving and buying the new software. It also reduces the cost of setup and training staff.
• Seamless integration: RMM software should enable seamless integration with other software, especially antivirus/antimalware solutions, to optimize security. It is also necessary for the system's quick recovery and better uptime.
• Customization: The customization option could be a bonus in remote monitoring and management software.  For instance, users can customize the notifications and decide how frequently they can receive the notification or prioritize the notification for a particular issue. This can help users quickly take action on critical issues.
• User experience: User experience is paramount for any software. Remote monitoring and management software involves many activities such as remediation management, patch management, automated device identification, screen sharing, etc. Sometimes users find it challenging to manage these processes, and it becomes more difficult if the system has a complex interface.  For smooth monitoring of the remote system, remote monitoring and management software must have a user-friendly interface.
• Security features: Remote monitoring and management software can become an easy target for hackers as they transmit sensitive information over the web.  Users must verify with the software vendor about -the security layer for their remote monitoring and management software.
• Technical support:  Remote monitoring and management software have to deal with complex features and require expert guidance to overcome technical glitches.  It is always advisable to choose a remote monitoring system with strong technical support.
• Pricing:  As one of the prime factors that affect the buying decision, the pricing of Remote monitoring tools can vary based on features and pricing model.  Sometimes users do not need advanced features and can settle with a low-cost remote monitoring tool.  To avoid paying unnecessarily for extra features, the users should analyze their business requirements first and then finalize the software.  Also, users should check for hidden charges such as charges for upgrades, customization, and software implementation costs.

Remote monitoring and management software is completely secure to use and provides various security features to defend against any cyber-security threats.

The modern remote monitoring and management software are interlaced with security features with double factor authorization, data encryption, data backup, controlled access, etc. Besides that, real-time monitoring and notification systems inform users about unauthorized access or suspicious activity. Top remote monitoring tools allow users to monitor and record all security-related activities such as configuration changes, accesses, source consumption, errors, etc.  So whenever there is a breach in the system, it can be easily traced. The monitoring tools follow all the necessary compliance while accessing the third-party tool integration. It ensures that users are accessing a genuine third-party tool.  The remote monitoring tools update all the security-related patches automatically and perform vulnerability checks such as incorrect file permission, software configuration errors, and registry permission.

Remote monitoring solutions connect remote devices through a secure channel.  The entire communication between the app and the agent is encrypted. There are no loose ends in the remote monitoring software, and all the sensitive information is transmitted on secure channels (https). 

Modern remote monitoring solutions are well versed in addressing all the concerns of managing the remote I.T system. However, innovations in technology always enhance software performance, and organizations must tap on the future trends to get a better hold on their remote I.T system.

• IoT-based remote monitoring system: IoT can capture a massive amount of data about the I.T. system or facility. It monitors every aspect of the system and transfers these data to the cloud, based on which technicians can analyze the situation.  There is a wide scope of IoT applications in remote monitoring, and in the future, there could be more emphasis to embed IoT with the remote monitoring system.
• Immersive technologies (AR/VR): Remote monitoring and management can become efficient if technicians have clear visibility and details about the I.T. system. Immersive technology such as A.R. and V.R. allows the technician to see system faults in an enhanced form. It can speed up the process of identifying and fixing the issue in the system.
• Artificial Intelligence: Artificial intelligence has made a big stride in technology evolution, and it has impressed almost all industries.  A.I. technology infused with remote monitoring systems can accelerate the identification and remediation of issues.  The improvisation in A.I. technology can further enhance their efficiency in suggesting the most viable solutions and monitoring the current status of the system. With predictive analytics, artificial intelligence can even predict unforeseeable situations and suggest solutions before it becomes critical.
• Advanced Security: There is increasing pressure on organizations to enhance their security levels while monitoring remote systems.  Organizations are using advanced data encryption and data access control to safeguard their facilities. In the coming days, technology such as persistent VPNS and geofencing data can gain more attention to improving the security of the remote system.

The average cost of remote monitoring and management software could be as low as $1/month and can go as high as $129/month or more. Many factors can influence the pricing of remote monitoring solutions, such as the feature, the number of users, setup, deployment, etc. Different software vendors follow different pricing models.  

• Remote monitoring and management software for startups and small businesses: Small scale businesses and startups usually do not have access to enough customers and capital, so they usually invest in technology that does not affect their budget.  OptiTune is excellent remote monitoring and management software at $3/month.  The software offers all the essential features for remote monitoring and management software plus free technical support. It can be used on-premise or as a SaaS. If users are looking for a user activity monitoring system, then Teramind at $4/month is an ideal solution. It offers features such as real-time activity tracking, video capture, and playback. Both these tools provide a free trial. Other tools that qualify as the best remote monitoring and management software for small businesses and startups include MeshCommander, and Action 1 Cloud Remote Monitoring and Management.

• Remote monitoring and management software for mid and large-scale businesses: Mid and large-scale businesses usually operate their business operation with large numbers of endpoints and networks.  It requires remote monitoring and management software that facilitates seamless real-time tracking of the I.T setup from anywhere. Pulseway RMM at $27/month is the best remote monitoring and management software for mid and large-scale businesses. It effortlessly monitors workstations, servers, and network devices. The other tool that stands out as an excellent alternative to Pulseway RMM is Itarian at $63.75. Itarian offers free remote monitoring software for up to 50 users. The software provides a comprehensive solution for remote monitoring and allows for tracking multiple clients and endpoints. Other remote monitoring and management tools that fall in the same slot include Solarwinds NPM, Naverisk, Kaseya VSA, Continuum, etc. There are also high-end remote monitoring and management tools that encompass all the advanced features and services in a single tool.  Syncro at $129, is one of the best premium range remote monitoring and management tools.  Users can try all the features with its free trial. Other tools that qualify as premium remote monitoring tools include LogMeIn Central and Atera.

• Free and open source remote monitoring and management Software:  Free and open source remote monitoring software provides flexibility to customize the features for their better performance without bearing any software development costs. Due to its low cost and customized feature options, the free and open source remote monitoring software is the best solution for startups and small-scale businesses.

GoodFirms is rated as the finest review and rating platform for IT solutions.  It has been listing software solutions from different sectors and industries.  The GoodFirms’ team practices a stringent listing process to ensure that customers have access to genuine software solutions. Customers can find the right software solutions for their organization by filtering them on various parameters such as price, service, and features. The list of the best remote monitoring & management software can be the right place for you to pick the one that suits your business requirements.

Most organizations invest heavily in their I.T setup to streamline their business and reduce the costs of business operations. However, if their I.T setup is not monitored and maintained, it could reverse the scenario. The rising trend of remote work, as well as businesses operating in multiple locations, seeks remote access to the I.T system. Business organizations must have a complete watch on their remote I.T system to ensure that business continues its operations without any obstruction.  With an intelligent solution such as remote monitoring and management software, this becomes easy and helps to detect critical issues in a fraction of time. If your business is facing difficulties in managing the remote I.T system or you are one of those MSPs searching for the right remote monitoring tool, then do not miss to check the list of top remote monitoring and management software.