Remote Management Software

[Monirul Islam]

Remote monitoring and management (RMM) software, as the name implies, is a software package put together for the purpose of remotely monitoring and managing servers, workstations and other network devices. Most RMM software uses a device called a "dashboard," which provides an instant overview of the systems being monitored. Some remote systems require a specialized software package for their dashboard, while other systems are built to be used in a web browser.

The two main types of RMM platforms use either active monitoring, passive monitoring or a combination of both. In a passive environment, the dashboard monitors the external traffic from a workstation or server to get a picture of its overall health. Using this measurement, RMM software takes into account such tests as ping, HTTP and network SNMP traffic. Active monitoring also requires the installation of a small software package called an "agent" onto the host machine. (For more on SNMP, check out SNMP: The Little Protocol That Could.)

Remote monitoring and management (RMM) software, as the name implies, is a software package put together for the purpose of remotely monitoring and managing servers, workstations and other network devices. Most RMM software uses a device called a "dashboard," which provides an instant overview of the systems being monitored. Some remote systems require a specialized software package for their dashboard, while other systems are built to be used in a web browser.

The two main types of RMM platforms use either active monitoring, passive monitoring or a combination of both. In a passive environment, the dashboard monitors the external traffic from a workstation or server to get a picture of its overall health. Using this measurement, RMM software takes into account such tests as ping, HTTP and network SNMP traffic. Active monitoring also requires the installation of a small software package called an "agent" onto the host machine. (For more on SNMP, check out SNMP: The Little Protocol That Could.)
Another key advantage of many remote management software packages is the ability to schedule automated tasks and maintenance. You could, for example, schedule a cleanup of temporary files from users' directories in the middle of the night. Many remote management packages are also frequently being bundled with anti-virus and anti-malware packages. These packages can be updated automatically and scans can be set to run at prescribed intervals to keep the entire network safe.

... And When It Doesn't
The main disadvantage to this type of software is that, in order to get a thorough knowledge of the computers being monitored, IT support staff have to install an active agent. This requires access to the computers in question. Another major disadvantage to this type of software is network access. Because most remote management programs require internet access to monitor the target computers, when a connection or any other network link between the dashboard and the target computer goes down, IT will be looking at a blank dashboard. Most remote management programs operate within a policy-type permission model, similar to the Microsoft Windows Active Directory environment. If the operator is unfamiliar with this type of setup, deploying a remote management solution might prove difficult. (To learn more about Active Directory, see 5 Things You Didn't Know about Group Policy and Active Directory.)

What can be seen as an advantage of remote management can also be one of its weaknesses. Because customers' computers are being managed remotely and proactively, customers might begin to wonder exactly what they're paying for.

Source: https://www.techopedia.com/2/28195/it-business/it-management/top-3-reasons-to-use-remote-management-software