RMM Blog Post 1

 

Remote Monitoring Detection and Response

By: Devon Dys (Blog Post 1 / Emerging Trends in Technology)

 

Introduction

Currently having control of an environment remotely is necessary if not required skill in an IT field. This isn’t only limited to monitoring datacenters; this could be used to monitor the workflow of an entire company. Keep in mind this is blog focuses on the IT aspect for remote monitoring, it can be used for many different fields of interest. Most come with interactive dashboards for easy navigation and to visualize present problems.



Figure 1: Acquired from [4] showing SolarWinds dashboard

This is intimidating when shown to the average person, though knowing what it represents and how to solve it is crucial. This is a powerful tool to quickly visualize issues and resolve them.

Remote monitoring is extremely useful in today’s environment, between the pandemic and other complications. By keeping only those necessary in the building it can reduce the transfer of sickness, increase the comfort of employees, and satisfy customers requests without ever stepping foot in a building. Information is transferred quickly without having to make 15 calls to figure out a solution, notice boards, priorities, comments notes … you name it. There is a ton of data presented to the IT department to make quick and accurate (most of the time) solutions.

For some this would be about as exciting as bread for dinner 3 times a day but, you still need to eat. That’s what remote monitoring accomplishes, it fills a void and brings complications to light so they can be dealt with accordingly. Though much like bread there is a large selection of what you may choose to go with.

The Why

It’s one thing to understand “this is probably a helpful tool” but as to why it would be a good idea is another thing. To help break it down and understand why this is an integral part of the IT/Business dynamic. One point that bolsters the argument to having a remote monitoring system in place is response time. Being able to quickly notice errors that are presented in the work environment directly reflects to savings, uptime, and reliability of a service. Affecting both clients and staff; maintaining an efficient system helps to ensure those needs are met.

Regardless of the system you have in place, you can monitor it to increase the availability while reducing downtime greatly. You may ask is it a core component of a company, and through research it shows how much it can improve a workplace. When a machine is down, we’re able to quickly connect to resolve some the issues presented. It could be a cloud service where a crucial component goes down at 3am in the morning. Having the staff equipped with the tools and knowledge of how to resolve this quickly satisfies both a business’ needs and customers. Environments can be controlled to the point of implementing new software when people sleep. Policies can be in place to provide consistency throughout the company.

Almost all the functions add an extra layer specifically to improve efficiency. Automation can build a strong foundation in implementing new software or devices. Overall, remote monitoring can only increase the strength of your business, potentially removing any cracks that hinder the expected outcome.

Options

With remote monitoring systems there is no lack of applications or software that can be used. It comes down heavily to what your business may require. Many of the options available claim to be the best and provide services that you may require. Well to sift through some of the software, you should first decide what you wish to accomplish: datacenter monitoring, service desk, network environment, cloud, NAS …. The list goes on and on.

Now when it comes to remote monitoring the list of software is lengthy, focusing primarily ones that are IT related a rating system can be crucial when making your decision. Focusing on the pros and cons of each individual piece of software can help pick what is best for your company. There is no harm in trying majority of them to see if it fits your requirements. Majority of the costs are streamlined to the going rate and what it promises to provide. Depending on the software you choose you can also customize it, removing limitations once in place.

Some of the popular options can be found on websites like the following.

https://financesonline.com/12-best-remote-monitoring-software/

https://www.softwaretestinghelp.com/best-rmm-software/

https://biz30.timedoctor.com/remote-desktop-monitoring-software/

As you can see from the various websites there is an abundance of software available. That and varying opinions as to what the “best’ may be. Vetting the information to the best of your ability can help to narrow down the best approach. What may be fitting for large companies may not suit your company. Paying for functions you don’t need or are obtuse may not work for your application.

Security

A growing concern with anything that is placed out the world on the internet is how secure is it? Well depending on the platform chosen and access point you can choose how it’s accomplished. This means having employees work from home, having a VPN is essential to correctly limit who has access. Internal functions can be limited by VLANS to departments, which can be controlled remotely too. In the applications you can also control who has access to what. You can place each employee in specifics groups with certain access permissions. Delegation is in place to ensure the right people get the right information too. By having this organizational function helps to secure personal information. Making sure the right person
nel is assigned to a task will improve resolutions.

Complications

As with any tool, it's only as efficient as the person using it. Without proper know how it can be incredibly daunting and pose as learning curve to an individual. This could mean switching to a new service and having to learn it's methods or stepping into the software with little knowledge. Depending on the software that can be used there is a plethora of documentation on how to execute and operate it correctly. 

This means even if you have a powerhouse of software it can be destructive if used incorrectly. By providing access to those who may not have knowledge can potentially bust systems and cause further complications. For an example you can distribute an update package that has been corrupted, negatively impacting daily functionality. Finding not only the tool that fits requirements but has a streamlined process is extremely important in the effectiveness.

In Conclusion

Remote monitoring helps to provide an precise response to the issue presented, regardless of the location of the individual. Providing a backbone to companies from small to large, eliminating downtimes and increasing productivity. This tool alone can present all information to staff without the need to be on-site. It stands out in the ability to provide quick and effective solutions, while keeping employees in the loop.

Video without the reading

 

 

References

 

RMM, B., 2022. Benefits Of RMM |Importance of Remote Monitoring and Management. [online] Itarian. Available at: <https://www.itarian.com/benefits-of-rmm.php> [Accessed 15 February 2022].

Business.com. 2022. [online] Available at: <https://www.business.com/articles/remote-monitoring-and-management/> [Accessed 12 February 2022].

Msp360.com. 2022. Benefits of Remote Access: Overview and Best Practices. [online] Available at: <https://www.msp360.com/resources/blog/remote-access-overview-benefits-and-best-practices/> [Accessed 1 February 2022].

Business.com. 2022. [online] Available at: <https://www.business.com/articles/remote-monitoring-and-management/> [Accessed 17 February 2022].

Financesonline.com. 2022. 12 Best Remote Monitoring Software Solutions in 2022 - Financesonline.com. [online] Available at: <https://financesonline.com/12-best-remote-monitoring-software/> [Accessed 19 February 2022].

Financesonline.com. 2022. 12 Best Remote Monitoring Software Solutions in 2022 - Financesonline.com. [online] Available at: <https://financesonline.com/12-best-remote-monitoring-software/> [Accessed 19 February 2022].

Faronics. 2022. A Guide to Choosing The Best Tool for Remote Desktop Management and Administration. [online] Available at: <https://www.faronics.com/news/blog/a-guide-to-choosing-the-best-tool-for-remote-desktop-management-and-administration> [Accessed 19 February 2022].

 “Effective remote monitoring in your security architecture and Design,” Remote Monitoring and Security Architecture. [Online]. Available: https://www.dpstele.com/insights/2019/08/20/effective-remote-monitoring-security-architecture-design/. [Accessed: 19-Feb-2022].

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