additional tools to manage each new layer of connected device . Adding breadth to an RMM is a more challenging development task but is ultimately the better approach . A unified RMM platform should allow MSPs to manage everything — from traditional endpoints like laptops and servers to network devices , mobile , cloud , and IoT from anywhere . The alternative approach , which is having multiple tools to manage different types of endpoints , is much less desirable . This approach creates a tax upon the MSPs , who ’ ve been forced to buy new tools , add-ons , and niche solutions to deal with the complex range of environments they face . Each of those solutions creates not just a new bill to pay , but also another relationship to manage , interface to learn , and potentially , person to assign . Each new tool decreases the efficiency of every technician , resulting in the need to add staff and the associated costs , or be unable to meet customer demand . With resources among MSPs already scarce , adding more tools , on top of more endpoints to manage , isn ’ t a recipe for success .
MSPs prior to 2020 were already dealing with this explosion of connected devices and the negative impact those devices placed on their efficiency and profitability . But then came 2020 and a pandemic that turned sometimes remote activity into always remote activity . Almost overnight , the task was dropped in the lap of today ’ s MSPs to help their small-business customers transform themselves into digitally connected businesses . A physician who had previously met 100 % of his patients faceto-face was suddenly demanding that his MSP equip him to conduct examinations / consultations via Zoom . This wasn ’ t as simple as acquiring a license to a web-meeting platform . It meant updating hardware and software , providing training , and ensuring that network bandwidth was available — all asking for near-instantaneous support if there were problems . Billing a patient wasn ’ t as simple as physically scanning their credit card at checkout anymore , which introduced entirely new security risks and concerns . Scheduling had to be managed by the office manager remotely , without ever seeing the doctor or the patient , all facilitated by computing connections .
The Global Economy Wouldn ’ t Have Survived The Pandemic Without MSPs .
This same pattern took place in every business : Office workers retreated to their homes to work remotely , dine-in restaurants shifted to online order / takeout and delivery services , and schools had to adapt to online learning , just to name a few . Every connection shifted from in-person to virtual , and MSPs were the driver enabling the transition . It ’ s not an overstatement to say that the global economy wouldn ’ t have survived the pandemic without MSPs . While we cherish and revere the heroism of front-line health care workers who dealt with the brunt of the crisis saving lives , MSPs , IT departments , and technologists in general were the enablers of business survival for the connections of our lives . The burden placed on MSP owners , technicians , and IT teams to help their clients adapt instantly to an unprecedented change event was enormous . Most MSPs were already under-resourced heading into 2020 , so suddenly being forced to keep the world connected took a personal toll on those dealing with the details .
Managing and securing the devices and data of this new world means rethinking what an RMM platform exists to do . " Remote " no longer means just down the hall , but instead , a universe of mobile-connected , home-based , and cloud-provided endpoints to manage . " Monitoring " no longer means just data exchange , but a jungle of security threats , privacy concerns , and data intrusion points to cover . ‘ Management ’ no longer means just allocation and occasional patching , but a constant need to update , backup , and protect . A traditional RMM is no longer sufficient as the core tool for a modern , post-2020 MSP . Today ’ s MSP needs an RMM engineered for the new universe of device types and connection scenarios .
What should the modern , unified RMM for today ’ s MSP look like ? Here are three requirements :
1 . Comprehensive : A unified RMM needs to be able to manage every type of " endpoint ," including workstations , servers , virtual machines , routers , firewalls , VoIP , IoT , storage , mobile , and cloud , as well as adapt to whatever tomorrow brings .
2 . Automated : With MSPs already overworked and stretched thin , a modern RMM would be able to manage that universe of endpoints with integrated and automated workflows and give technicians a single interface for visualizing , alerting , and remediating issues across the entire IT infrastructure .
3 . Cost-effective : Budgets didn ’ t magically expand to meet the new demands , and I ’ ve not heard from a single MSP who feels they have just too much cash on hand . A modern RMM must be cost-effective and drive a significant return on investment ( ROI ). This is not just about the cost of the solution but also the many ways that it can reduce IT operating costs . These include IT efficiency gains and cost savings on point solutions no longer needed to manage the IT environment .
Ultimately , It ’ s About Doing More With Less .
To stay connected in 2020 , the entire world had to adapt quickly , and MSPs led the charge . In 2021 , tools for MSPs must rise to meet the challenge and respond with them , beginning with the RMM .
The modern kit for MSPs must be built in a manner adapted to the new world MSPs serve — a world with a massive breadth of things to manage and not enough time , people , or money to manage them . If they hope to stay profitable , an MSP can ’ t invest in specialized tools to meet every change in the technology landscape , nor can they afford to hire the staff to manage those specialized tools . Software for MSPs must be built with the breadth of functionality the MSP encounters , more so than the depth of functionality a specialist ’ s application enjoys . The RMM especially must be expanded to provide a single , comprehensive console for the management of ALL connected endpoints , even those that defy conventional description .
The world has changed , and the tools you use must change with it . ■
VOLUME 2 ISSUE 2 • MSPSuccessMagazine . com | 7