What is RMM? Remote Monitoring and Management Software | Atera

There are plenty of advantages an RMM solution gives you, including:

• Real-time monitoring and alerts management
• IT automation and scripting
• Patch management
• Reporting and analytics
• This package of functions covers all of your monitoring and management needs.

Real-time monitoring and alerts

Your users shouldn’t have to wait for something to break down before the support team spots a problem. An MSP supporting the infrastructure on a remote client site will know about potential problems so that they can fix them before they grind the client’s business to a halt.

This function consigns the panic-driven Break/Fix model to the trash can. Freeing up resources from retrospective fixes will save you money and win you more customers.

IT automation and scripting

Automation takes care of many routine maintenance tasks, freeing up IT support for more complex jobs.

Automated tasks should include:

• System Restore Points
• Temp Files Deletion
• Internet History Deletion
• Reboot
• Shutdown
• Defragment (all disks)
• Run Checkdisk (all disks)
• Run Scripts

A script execution module is important because it makes automation very flexible. The RMM platform can support scripts written in many formats including MSI, Bash files, CMD files, and PowerShell scripts.

Patch management functions

The system should be able to:

• Run Windows Update
• Install Microsoft Office update
• Monitor and install driver updates
• Analyze and install Java updates
• Patch Adobe updates
• Reboot if needed
• Exclude patches

The RMM console should display patch run statuses and log all actions, so your technicians can check on the current status of all software at any time.

Reporting and analytics

An RMM doesn’t just perform monitoring tasks, it should also include extensive reporting options that allow you to set data-driven goals for your IT support activities. Reports should be available to be run on-demand or through a scheduling system. A nice extra is the option to set reports to be delivered via email, so your technicians don’t need to worry about distributing information.

Standard reports should include:

• System health at a glance
• Specific customer health
• Agent health
• System inventory audit
• Microsoft licensing
• Software inventory
• Patch and automation feedback

Regular reporting enables you to track activities and provides supporting documentation for billing as well as feedback for task completion

Device Monitoring and Management

A typical RMM tool includes two elements:  the management console and an “agent,” which is installed on the client device.

The agent gives the technician access to the monitored remote equipment and scans equipment for status changes and reports back to the central monitoring console. The proactive approach of RMM agents means that the MSP’s system administrator can spot service level problems before they become issues.

The access afforded by the remote agents enables the MSP to access the equipment on client sites to fix, reconfigure and/or install and update the client software. These software inventory and configuration tasks can be performed on individual devices, or implemented en masse. All of the RMM facilities means that a supporting IT technician never needs to visit the client’s site.

PSA and RMM

Managed service providers (MSPs) can operate from anywhere and service users remotely. However, this reach is only possible thanks to RMM remote monitoring software. While RMM gets you access to client endpoints and users, you also need a platform that will track the work of your support operators and ensure that you are keeping to service level agreements. These services are provided by a category of software called “professional services automation” (PSA).

So, MSPs need two types of software in order to successfully support their clients: PSA to manage tasks and RMM to facilitate communications. There is an overlap between the support offered by PSA and RMM because technicians will refer to the PSA to gain stored information about the client endpoint that needs to be accessed and the user that made a support call.

The Break/Fix model

Traditionally, businesses working on a tight budget work to the philosophy of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” They don’t spend money on IT support until something breaks. At that point, they search for a technician, and they usually need repairs to be completed in a hurry.

Small businesses that don’t have an established relationship with a managed services provider for IT support tend to call on technicians on an ad hoc basis. Therefore, repairs are ordered in a panic with no consideration for cost. This is the Break/Fix model.

Waiting for something to break is a risky strategy and, in the long run, costs more than operating a continuous maintenance contract. There is a better way to run a corporate IT policy — automated constant monitoring of equipment to head off breakdowns.

Atera’s all-in-one package

Atera is an all-in-one solution, it has all that you need to run IT support successfully: you can manage and monitor IT assets remotely with this package and the PSA, hosting, and anti-virus integrations make Atera a one-stop-shop for MSPs and IT support departments.

As a cloud-based RMM service, Atera makes remote support technology available for every IT service, from very small MSP operators to entire internal IT departments. Sole traders can now offer support services to clients from home without the need to run on-premises RMM software or even maintain servers.