Modern businesses rely on a variety of hardware and software IT components. These are computers, mobile apps, network devices and software as well as other elements that companies need to manage. Tracking and monitoring all these solutions might be a challenging task — and to cope with it, you might want to install IT management software.
IT management software enables companies to easily deploy their IT assets and manage their performance, usage and security from a central location. The term "IT management software" might denote a wide range of solutions. It encompasses both suite and stand-alone tools. Here are the most common categories of tasks that you can solve thanks to this type of software:
IT service management. This category includes change management, configuration management and incident management. You'll be able to design, deliver and manage various IT services.
IT asset management. You can manage the purchase, deployment and disposal of your hardware and software components. You can deal with technical, physical and financial aspects.
Network management. IT management software allows you to configure, monitor and troubleshoot network devices. You can modify access rights for different types of users.
Help desk management. Tickets created by clients will be automatically assigned to the right support staff. It will be very easy for your team members to track and manage the status of each query.
Data management. You can create and enforce policies for systematic storage, update and retrieval of organizational data.
After you install IT management software, you'll be able to handle various tasks from the same dashboard. Such an approach should save you a lot of time and effort.
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All types of IT management software have an identical set of features:
Alerts. As soon as the solution detects a system failure or atypical activity on any of your devices or networks, it will notify the administration with a pop-up message or email.
Reports. Your IT management software will maintain network and system logs. It will generate reports to facilitate tracking the IT system performance.
Dashboard. You'll be able to assess the performance of your IT systems from a centralized location. Whenever you need to find some specific information, you should be able to do it quickly and with minimum effort.
Remote access. Administrators can work with IT management software remotely. No matter where they are currently, they can monitor the use of your IT solutions, install apps, delete data and complete many other tasks.
Inventory management. You can track and manage a list of all IT assets within your company, such as owner details and number of years in use.
Knowledge base. Your IT management software can store and maintain a repository of all organizational IT information.
Self-service portal. Your clients will be able to create tickets to request services. They will be allowed to restore lost passwords and perform some other simple tasks without third-party help.
The more expensive and sophisticated IT management software you choose, the more additional features it will have.
IT management software should meet the needs of your business. Your industry, the size of your company and its operational requirements should impact your choice of solution.
Small companies typically lack full-fledged teams that could manage and monitor their IT assets. Besides, their budgets are limited. That's why they might need software with only the basic functionality: systems monitoring, patch management and asset management. On-premise solutions usually require paying the full price of the license upfront, so it would be more reasonable to use a cloud app. Clouds apps can easily scale when the business begins to grow.
Large and midsize organizations normally have in-house IT teams. They might be interested in software that features centralized dashboards to track changes throughout the company. Plus, systems for large and midsize businesses should include remote access, network management, help desk management and data management.
Managed service providers need IT management software to monitor and improve the IT infrastructure of their clients. This type of business needs solutions with the most extensive functionality. The tools that they use should be capable of remote monitoring and management as well as automated maintenance.
Once you install IT management software, you should appreciate its following benefits:
Improved operational efficiency. Your team members will be able to track and resolve tickets quicker, detect non-performing IT assets as well as monitor systems and networks for atypical activity.
Enhanced system reliability. It will become easier for you to predict potential IT issues, take preventive measures and minimize unplanned downtime.
Remote IT management. Your administrators can use IT management software from anywhere in the world. This is the most efficient and budget-friendly way of accessing, monitoring and controlling organizational IT assets.
In a nutshell, IT management software should enable you to streamline IT operations and get centralized control.
When selecting IT management software, you should pay attention to the following parameters.
Cloud-based vs. on-premise software? The former is ideal for small organizations because they require a minimal upfront investment. Also, cloud-based software can scale easily to meet the needs of a growing business. Enterprises might prefer on-premise IT management software because it might grant greater control over network data. On-premise tools are popular among businesses that deal with highly confidential information and whose ecosystems are very complex.
Suite vs. stand-alone? The former offers a wide range of capabilities while the latter is focused on specific capabilities. Stand-alone IT management software might help you save money in the short term. But if you'll need to add more tools later, you risk losing too much time and effort on integration.
Your IT management software should be compatible with all the other tools you use for your workflows.
Hopefully, you found this article informative and now you better understand the importance of IT management software. It should help you to monitor your IT assets and work with them through a centralized dashboard. The functionality of your software should fit the size, industry and individual needs of your business.