Remote device management software
Remote device management software enables IT teams to manage endpoint devices from a central location. These platforms provide significant advantages for organizational IT teams within large or scaling companies.
System administrators can use remote device management to monitor and troubleshoot devices such as:
- Desktops
- Laptops
- Tablets
- Smartphones
- Point-of-service (POS) systems
- Handheld barcode scanners
- Rugged devices (mobile devices used in the field and built to withstand extreme conditions)
Companies use remote device management for more than just internal employee devices. IT teams can use it to service customer-facing devices like kiosks, ATMs, and digital signage. Teams can even use remote management technology for mobile device management out in the field.
But what is remote management going to do for you?
Why remote device management is important
Implementing a proper remote device management system is a twofold benefit to your business.
Your company will function more efficiently since your team can remote into endpoint devices to solve the majority of IT issues. This frees your technicians to focus on more significant IT issues and decreases resolution time for common troubleshooting challenges.
Secondly, IT teams that implement remote device management also experience an improvement in company security. One of the many challenges teams face with remote device setups is securing the connection. Leveraging cloud technology can open the door for any number of digital threat actors.
The key to preventing these attack vulnerabilities is using the right remote device management software. Partnering with a vendor whose tools provide a direct, reliable connection among your devices is critical to your company’s success.
Remote device management use cases
Here are some real-world examples of how organizations use remote device management technology:
- IT system administrators remoting into an endpoint computer to install patches or troubleshoot instances of malicious software.
- Administering an operating system update to all endpoint devices within an organization from one central data center.
- Mitigating cybersecurity risks on devices within a healthcare environment. Healthcare networks tend to be larger and somewhat bloated. Remote device management allows IT teams to quickly monitor and troubleshoot any cyberthreats that arise.
How remote device management software helps IT teams
IT teams rely on remote device management to extend their team’s reach. Leveraging the right remote device management software enables teams to scale without hiring and onboarding more personnel. System admins can onboard a new client’s devices from a central remote management dashboard without the need for any additional staff.
Administrators within large organizations can also leverage remote device management services to increase endpoint security. IT staff can scan, update, and troubleshoot any number of team member endpoints via their remote device management dashboard — enabling the installation of the latest patch updates and bug fixes with fewer resources.
Increased endpoint security especially benefits industries with strict compliance requirements. IT staff can launch and monitor audits, keep track of security controls, and monitor or manage intricate encryption measures to ensure staff adheres to any regulatory requirements, such as Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) or General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Capabilities of remote device management software
Since remote device management software leverages IoT to give IT teams the ability to access devices anytime, anywhere, there’s virtually no limit to what teams can do with the technology. Here are just a few ways remote device management can transform the way you and your team handle IT.
Email management
Most companies will provide new employees with email access and email addresses as part of the onboarding process. Typically, this would require setting up each account individually. Fortunately, that’s not the case in the world of remote device management.
In addition to email, many companies set up employees with new work computers. IT admins can easily assign a specific company email address to each machine via remote device management software. They don’t even have to touch the PC in question. They can do all this from the system administrator’s computer within their email or remote device admin panel.
Operating system (OS) updates
Operating systems routinely distribute software patches or updates. It’s easy for end users to bypass or ignore these updates as they go about their daily tasks. But ignoring these updates can cause performance problems and security issues.
Using a remote management platform, IT staff can manage their remote IoT devices and administer or launch updates automatically from their central dashboard. They can also monitor which computers have installed the latest update and which still need to run the latest patch — ensuring a solidified front across all company assets and making it much harder for hackers to infiltrate company infrastructure.
Security management
As an internal system admin, it’s your job to monitor data center dashboards and spot suspicious trends or files as they occur or enter the network. You may be able to spot those trends or files, but without remote device management, doing something about them may be a challenge.
Even after identifying an incoming attack or suspicious activity, it could do significant damage in the time it would take to physically visit the infected device and stop the attack. Remote device management software enables IT teams to quickly remote into an infected device, isolate the infected file or attack, and take the proper steps to remove it from the system.
It’s always prudent to conduct regular backups since your files or network may still sustain damage, but you can minimize the impact with the help of a remote management platform.
Asset management
Proper lifecycle management of your organization’s IT assets improves cybersecurity and the company’s bottom line. Outdated, legacy IT equipment leaves greater opportunity for successful cyber attacks.
Additionally, IT hardware costs account for 30% of overall IT costs, according to Spiceworks’s Ziff Davis. With such a significant investment, getting the most out of your company’s IT budget is critical to your duties as an IT admin.
Remote management allows you to constantly keep your finger on the pulse of the IT hardware within your organization. Staying proactive with asset lifecycle management leads to fewer big-ticket replacements.
Remote device management helps you spot hardware issues before they become larger problems, reducing overall repair costs and saving your company’s bottom line. An example might be continuously monitoring the health of server CPU cores from your remote system dashboard.
Device onboarding
According to Edie Goldberg, founder of E.L. Goldberg & Associates, onboarding a new employee can cost as much as three to four times a position’s salary. And a significant time investment accompanies that financial investment.
While much of this time is spent on training and education, a significant portion is also dedicated to configuring an employee’s equipment with the tools they need to perform their job. Without remote device management in place, your IT team would have to do this device by device — a long and tedious process.
Leveraging a remote device management software platform enables you to remote into employee computers and set them up with all the admin access, user profiles, and company settings they need to hit the ground running — reducing the time it takes for them to learn the ropes and start contributing to the company’s progress.
Still not convinced? Check out our feature sheet, 10 Reasons You Need a Reliable Remote Control Tool, for more ways remote device management can boost your business.
Selecting the right remote device management software for you
Now that you see how indispensable a tool remote device management software can be, it’s time to choose one that fits your company’s needs and goals.
When you start shopping for the perfect platform for your organization, you’ll need to compare remote assistance vs. remote desktop platforms to decide which suits your team. You’ll also want to ensure your choice has the following features:
- Full control and customization to adapt to your brand
- Ability to connect to endpoint devices from anywhere across platforms (i.e., iOS, Android, Windows, etc.)
- Flexible security to accommodate your company’s end users and teams
- Instant, reliable connectivity so you can troubleshoot endpoint IT issues whenever necessary
ConnectWise ScreenConnect remote desktop and access software helps organizations of all sizes manage remote devices at scale, allowing you to provide superior service and speed to your end users. Contact our team anytime to schedule a demo and Start your free 14-day trial, no credit card required, today!