{"id":35285,"date":"2023-02-20T21:26:21","date_gmt":"2023-02-20T17:26:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.msp360.com\/resources\/?p=35285"},"modified":"2025-05-14T10:44:59","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T06:44:59","slug":"remote-access-overview-benefits-and-best-practices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.msp360.com\/resources\/blog\/remote-access-overview-benefits-and-best-practices\/","title":{"rendered":"Introduction to Remote Access for MSPs"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the past, businesses almost always hired an in-house IT professional to maintain their networks. These professionals had to be on location to resolve any issues when they arose. When the IT professional was unavailable, businesses were forced to deal with lengthy downtimes waiting for help.<\/span><\/p>\n

That all changed with the development of remote access tools<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Remote access tools have opened doors for network administrators to offer quicker, more efficient support to end-users. It has also become easier for businesses to hire managed service providers to support their network as effectively as a full-time staff member. MSPs<\/a> equipped with remote access to supported networks are able to offer complete support at a much lower cost than a full-time employee.<\/span><\/p>\n

This overview will cover more than just the benefits of remote access. We will explain what scripting tools are and what they can do in terms of remote access. Best practices will be discussed as well, including protecting end-user privacy and the appropriate use of remote devices. We will also cover the crucial topic of security, and how it applies to remote access.<\/span><\/p>\n

Benefits of Remote Access<\/span><\/h2>\n

The benefits of remote access are fairly obvious. That being said, it's important to have an understanding of them and how to communicate these benefits. These benefits apply to full-time network administrators and managed service providers alike.<\/span><\/p>\n

Quick Response Times<\/b><\/h3>\n

Remote access tools help administrators respond to issues as quickly as possible. Rather than having to be on-site to resolve issues, many situations can be handled with remote tools. Often times, these tools can be administered from laptops, tablets, or even mobile phones. Administrators can be on call 24\/7, without having to come to the office.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cost Savings<\/b><\/h3>\n

Downtime has a real-time financial effect. Remote access gives businesses the option to resolve issues faster and get things back up and running more quickly than ever. Businesses that are seeking cost savings in hiring a managed service provider are able to do so without sacrificing quality thanks to remote access tools.<\/span><\/p>\n

Any Device, Any Location<\/b><\/h3>\n

As discussed previously, remote access tools can be administered by many different types of devices. Furthermore, they can also support these different types of devices as well. Remote access isn't limited only to servers; client devices can be controlled as well. This includes mobile devices as well as PCs. Remote support<\/a> can be offered in the office or on the go. Location is not a limitation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Scripting<\/span><\/h2>\n

Remote control doesn't mean just active administration. Network technicians can automate administration with a number of different tools. Some of these tools, such as WSUS, Group Policy, and Powershell, are embedded within operating systems. In other cases, third-party tools can be used. To know which tool is best to use, administrators must understand the situation that they are in and decide appropriately.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/a>\"CTA\"<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

Embedded Tools<\/b><\/h3>\n

There are a number of programs embedded in the Windows operating system that administrators use as valuable network management tools. Here's a quick breakdown of each of them, and what they have to offer.<\/span><\/p>\n