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How an MSP Uses Remote Access Management to Help Your SMB
By Dave Warner, Systems Engineer at Cenetric
Someone remotely hopping on your computer, taking control and making changes sounds like the beginning of a frightening movie about hackers, doesn’t it? But there are good guys who can access your computer too — like a remote support specialist from a trusted managed services provider.
In that situation, you can rest easy that they’re working to save you time and frustration, not harm your systems. Remote device management is a common offering from managed or co-managed IT support providers. By using a remote access agent like Datto, ConnectWise, or Bomgar, an MSP support team can remotely apply policies and configurations, track system health, and remotely connect to a user’s computer to help troubleshoot an issue as if they were sitting at the user’s desk themselves.
What remote IT management systems do
Working with an MSP that provides remote support and management is a big plus for you because the support team can securely gain direct access to your vital systems to fix an issue quickly. You don’t have to wait around for an outsourced IT rep to arrive or an in-house IT person to finish up four other things before they can help. And you don’t have to try to figure out what a support agent is telling you to do over the phone. You get quick, expert help, hands-free.
Getting back to work quickly is a big deal for SMBs like yours. Downtime is an expensive issue, costing your business in lost productivity and sales. When every hour or even every minute represents monetary or reputational loss, getting your systems and devices back in working order is critical. That’s why it’s smart to proactively stay ahead of issues by letting your MSP monitor and manage your systems remotely.
Get in front of IT issues before they start
Even when you’re not having an IT problem, remote management is a benefit for your SMB. When these remote agents are deployed on all desktops, laptops, and servers in your environment, they can be used to ensure your network is running as it should. They also allow an MSP to do things like control and regulate Windows patch management, get alerts if your hardware or software is failing, and run automation scripts in the background to keep devices running cleanly.
Don’t worry — these systems can be configured to allow unattended access (to remote into devices after hours to fix something), or they can be set with privacy settings that require an end user to approve the connection before we get on. Depending on your type of business and your comfort level, the right MSP can set it up to suit your unique needs.
As a best practice, your MSP should also set up remote management on all devices each time you onboard a new employee, so no matter what troubles your new team member might encounter, they can get help quickly and efficiently.
Let Cenetric help your team stay on track, wherever you are
Remote access tools like this have been a mainstay of MSPs for the last 15-20 years now, and our job as an MSP would be nearly impossible without them. I remember the days of remote support where you just had to imagine what the end user was seeing, tell them what to click on, and hope for the best. Remote access tools are a big help to both us and our clients, saving everyone time and headaches.
Looking for IT support right here in Kansas City? Cenetric has the experience and availability you need to keep running smoothly 24/7. Tell us about your organization and we’ll be in touch to get started right away.