The story in a nutshell
- As a managed service provider (MSP), MG-IT-Service can count around 500 small and medium-sized companies among its clients
- Services provided include operating an entire IT landscape, including fully managed cloud services such as terminal servers and web hosting, as well as service plans
- By switching to the Device Monitoring and Asset Management solutions built into TeamViewer, the MSP has optimized its support processes and shortened turnaround times
- The company has succeeded in shortening patch routines from hours to minutes
Introduction
As a managed service provider (MSP), MG-IT-Service has been providing IT and cloud services to small and medium-sized companies for over 20 years, with around 500 clients in Germany and Austria. Services provided include operating an entire IT landscape either in the traditional on site way or as a fully managed cloud service, supplying and maintaining terminal servers and web hosting, for instance. Whether it is an overloaded file server or software-generated error messages: MSP service agreements promise fast response times. TeamViewer Remote has been used as a support platform for years to deliver rapid remote assistance. MG-IT-Service previously used a tool from another developer to manage and maintain all client assets (including patching), but this tool was proved to be unreliable, and caused a lot of additional work, thanks to the amount of manual rework required. The company switched to the Asset Management and Device Monitoring solutions integrated into TeamViewer Remote. The result: Significantly streamlined support processes and patch routines taking just minutes instead of hours.
Challenges
A service plan from MG-IT-Service includes administration, monitoring, and patch management for all client end devices integrated in a network, in order to close down security gaps in the systems, correct errors, and implement new functionality, which is crucial for the security and stability of an IT infrastructure. The IT service provider formerly used a product from another developer for the asset and patch management of these devices, but this product was proved to be unreliable: Scheduled updates were repeatedly not installed or showing as they were executed, requiring time-consuming manual checking and rework. Patches, sometimes, had to be applied to the servers individually. In this frustrating situation, and in order to deliver the service plans for its clients even more efficiently, the company decided to switch to a better remote management solution as quickly as possible.
Marc Gabryelczyk Managing Director of MG-IT-Service
"Integration into TeamViewer’s remote support platform is a big plus in everyday business. We manage the endpoints using Asset Management. And when a support call comes in, we can connect to the affected system from the dashboard immediately and resolve the issue without disturbing the client. This has significantly shortened our turnaround times.''
Solution
Due to positive experience with the remote access solution, MG-IT-Service decided, after some quick research, to use TeamViewer products for Asset Management and Device Monitoring, available directly from within the TeamViewer platform. This meant MG-IT-Service could manage, monitor, track, patch, and protect its client endpoints all from a central dashboard.
It was simply necessary to install TeamViewer Host — a software agent that enables 24/7 access to the machines — on the systems to be monitored and managed. Marc Gabryelczyk, Managing Director of MG-IT-Service explains: "Deployment was very rapid: We swiftly rolled out TeamViewer Host step by step to the various client and server endpoints using a script supplied to us by TeamViewer and a remote connection. The endpoints were automatically assigned to the correct client groups and loaded with the correct protocols. So we managed to correctly integrate all the assets into the dashboard in no time and were able to get up and running right away".
TeamViewer and Remote Management are used as crucial tools all through every working day. The moment a client contacts support with an issue, the support agent can identify the affected endpoint on the TeamViewer dashboard and, if necessary, connect to the affected device with just a click of the mouse.
Result
Thanks to TeamViewer Remote Management, MG-IT-Service was able to take its service plan to the next level. Patch management and therefore the security of the endpoints being managed has improved — patches can be identified, evaluated, and distributed for each device. Marc Gabryelczyk mentions: “Because TeamViewer Remote Management distributes the selected patches reliably and automatically, no rework is necessary on our part, which has significantly streamlined our patching routines: Instead of spending hours on rework, systems are up to date again in just a few minutes. This allows our technicians to concentrate on support and more strategically important projects”.
Support processes also run more smoothly than before: with TeamViewer Host on the end devices, there is no need to disclose ID and password when a support call comes in, and customer inquiries can be resolved more quickly.
The company currently has around 200 endpoints under Asset Management and has total visibility of its clients’ IT infrastructure on a central dashboard. Customer clients are automatically provided with patches, so end users only have to confirm a reboot to keep device security completely up to date.
MG-IT-Service also actively monitors the operating status of particularly critical systems, such as terminal servers and network devices, using TeamViewer Device Monitoring. This automatically alerts technicians to events by email whenever certain set limits are reached, such as persistently high CPU usage, going offline, or storage space requirements. Early detection means problems can be avoided in advance and system failures prevented.
Marc Gabryelczyk summed it up: “TeamViewer Remote Management is really fun and easy to use. Being IT experts, we are familiar with many products and know how to install and operate them. TeamViewer Remote Management is one of the most intuitive solutions on the market and — something particularly important for us — 100 percent reliable”.
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