N‑able RMM vs. N‑central

N‑able RMM and N‑central are both designed to scale with your business, no matter its size. These solutions can seamlessly integrate with other tools, services, and professional services automation (PSA) tools as your needs change.

RMM can help MSPs offer enhanced support from day one and grow their business, while N‑central was designed specifically to monitor and manage complex networks with thousands of endpoints.

Yes, RM solutions can be used by companies outside of the MSP market. The tools included in MSP monitoring software will be helpful to any system administrator who wants to optimize their operations and boost efficiency.

Non-MSP companies should consider their size when investigating which RMM solution best suits their needs. Smaller companies would benefit from a solution that is easy to learn and quick to set-up, like N‑able RMM. Larger companies would likely benefit from a solution that’s optimized for efficiency when handling complex networks, like N‑central.

RMM solutions and professional services automation (PSA) tools are closely related, but they largely differ in scope. PSA tools are designed to help MSPs manage the business aspects of being an MSP, like task management, ticketing, and time tracking. These tools help MSPs standardize their processes, make smarter business decisions, and reduce errors. If PSA tools keep track of an MSP’s “work,” then RM solutions are what MSPs use to do that “work.”

For example, if you find yourself feeling that one customer is taking up a significant portion of your technicians’ time, a PSA tool can help you understand whether it’s best to put them on an hourly contract or end the client relationship. If you’re having trouble managing cash flow and building an efficient system to handle invoices and the billing details of MSP work, you also might benefit from PSA tools. If you’re having trouble providing a high quality of service to your customers because you don’t have the appropriate resources, however, you should consider an RM solution.

The best scenario is finding a remote monitoring solution that allows you to integrate with a PSA tool to create a powerful all-in-one solution. For instance, both N‑able RMM and N‑central easily integrate with the PSA tool, MSP Manager. This integration makes it possible to automate portions of your workflow by allowing alerts from your RM solution to automatically trigger ticket creation and technician routing—all visible in a single interface. Such workflow automations can help produce greater knowledge sharing, increased efficiency, and more streamlined billing.

With cybersecurity threats like ransomware and malware on the rise, MSPs must be vigilant when it comes to securing their customers’ networks. As such, many software vendors have stepped up their security offerings to appeal to today’s conscientious MSP.

All remote monitoring solutions should have a minimum security level that covers the basics like patch management, antivirus, web protection, and backup. The presence of advanced security features like endpoint detection and response, email protection, password management, two-factor authentication, encryption, and threat monitoring will vary depending on the solution.