Managing your IT systems can be daunting, especially amid the rapid adoption of work-from-home and the growing importance of mobile devices. The complexity and cost can be overwhelming. But there’s a solution that can bring relief. RMM: Remote Monitoring & Management.
What is RMM?
An RMM (Remote Monitoring and Management) enables your service partner to oversee the daily operations of your IT infrastructure. It ensures your devices stay secure by tracking critical updates and applying proactive measures to guard against threats, whether they originate inside or outside your organisation.
A variety of companies offer RMM tools with different features and functionality, reducing the need for on-site attendance and minimising the time your employees spend away from their desks on IT-related tasks. Be sure to ask your service partner which they use and what its capabilities are to ensure it’s the right fit!
A Brief History of IT Support.
Before the widespread adoption of RMM tools, Businesses may have relied on an internal IT department – resulting in higher costs, more downtime, and an outdated, reactive approach known as the ‘break-fix’ model.
The ‘break-fix’ model involved waiting for systems to fail before taking action to repair them. During this time, employees were often unable to work while IT teams investigated the issue, tested solutions, and eventually implemented a fix. This approach was doubly expensive – both in terms of lost productivity and the cost of maintaining a larger internal IT team.
With the ongoing cost pressures and the rapid shift to remote work during COVID, working this way is becoming increasingly infeasible.
If your business lacks an IT Partner or RMM solution, you’re likely still operating at least in part under this outdated model, costing you time and money.
How RMM supports your Service Partner and your Business
Aztec uses RMM tools to monitor updates and patches across a variety of systems, from access points and routers to firewalls and Windows servers and computers. By using RMM tools, clients are rarely interrupted. These vital tasks are performed to mitigate productivity loss, time waste, and outages.
These tools are crucial for Aztec as we work with you to troubleshoot issues. All of our managed clients are taking full advantage of RMM, resulting in a stronger IT management and support experience.
But what if something breaks?
If a disaster strikes, RMM tools enable technicians to take immediate remote action to investigate and diagnose issues. Even when an on-site technician is required, they are already informed and prepared to remediate the problem quickly, minimising both disruption and repair costs.
What if nothing goes wrong? Well, no news is often good news, but that doesn’t mean nothing is happening. RMM tools provide a proactive approach to IT management. They monitor your IT infrastructure, giving early warnings of potential issues and enabling resolution before they impact your business. The proactive nature of RMM can give you peace of mind that your IT is in good hands and being well managed.
How Secure is an RMM?
A significant concern in the tech industry is security and visibility into your systems. A remote window into your network, while incredibly useful for your IT team, could be equally valuable to attackers. The use of an RMM should be clearly outlined and agreed upon by you and any reputable service partner.
Safeguards that Aztec use include:
- Consent to control: You are required to approve the remote control of a technician before they are allowed access
- Encryption: Connections are encrypted end-to-end so that nobody can snoop on the session
- Kill-Switch: An easy and quick way to kill any remote session
- Multi-Factor Authentication: All Technicians’ accounts are protected by multiple authentication methods
- Auditing: Technicians’ activities are logged and monitored
- Verification: You can verify that you are speaking with an Aztec tech
These controls are implemented to ensure data security and help you maintain control over your devices while still providing the benefits of the RMM.
An IT support system that scales as you do
RMMs scale with your business; they are licensed on a per-user or per-device basis and can be scaled up or down to match your needs. Communication with your service provider is key to ensuring this runs smoothly and efficiently, and that they are up to date on your business’s requirements.
However, deploying new RMM agents for additional devices and automated scripts for simple tasks and maintenance ensures that, no matter how big your business grows, your RMM tool can meet the challenge.
How Aztec Can Help Your Business, Today and for the Future
Nearly half (44%) of UK workers are working in a fully remote or hybrid capacity, with this figure expected to rise.
In an increasingly remote work environment, RMMs give control not only to service providers but also to Business Leaders, enabling them to maintain oversight of their IT infrastructure, ensure security and stability, adopt a modern approach, and keep costs down.
Desktop computers now account for only 39% of devices in the UK workplace, while Laptops vastly outpace them. RMMs can support both of these. It’s Important that your employees get support wherever they are and that their IT needs are addressed.
Speak to an expert at Aztec today to schedule an informal, no-obligation chat on how Managed IT Support and RMM can work for you.
Rob Gibbs | 1st Line Support Technician
