Switching remote monitoring and management (RMM) software providers is a strategic move that can impact your entire IT operation. Whether you’re a managed service provider (MSP) looking to improve service delivery or an IT team aiming to modernize your endpoint management, choosing the right RMM solution affects everything from technician efficiency and security posture to end user experience and client satisfaction.
Many teams switch RMM providers due to performance gaps, poor integration, limited automation, or outgrowing their current tool. However, a rushed transition or incomplete evaluation can result in higher costs, disrupted workflows, and frustrated technicians.
To ensure your next RMM choice sets you up for long-term success, this blog outlines the most important capabilities to evaluate so you can choose a solution that goes beyond feature parity to simplify operations, secure endpoints, and scale with your business.
Key takeaways
- Switching RMM providers is often driven by the need for better automation, scalability, integration, and security.
- A modern RMM should support AI-driven automation, native integrations, and real-time visibility across all endpoints.
- Evaluate seven core capabilities when comparing RMM tools: automation, integration, scalability, security, price, usability, and support.
- Carefully plan for data migration to minimize downtime, protect workflows, and preserve service quality during the transition.
- ConnectWise RMM™, built on the ConnectWise Asio® platform, empowers MSPs and IT teams with intelligent automation, deep integrations, and scalable endpoint management.
Why MSPs and IT teams switch RMM providers
For most MSPs and IT departments, the decision to switch RMM software providers stems from a buildup of inefficiencies, limitations, or business needs that the current solution can’t meet.
Common reasons include:
- Lack of automation: Manual tasks such as patching, alert response, and software deployment eat up time that could be spent on strategic work. Teams often switch RMM tools to gain access to smarter, more scalable automation.
- Poor integration with other tools: When your RMM doesn’t talk to your PSA, security stack, or documentation system, workflows slow down. Disconnected systems lead to redundant data entry, increased errors, and missed SLAs.
- Limited scalability: As MSPs onboard more clients or internal IT teams expand endpoint coverage, older or underpowered RMMs may fail to keep up. Performance bottlenecks, licensing constraints, and admin overhead make growth painful.
- Outdated user experience: A clunky, outdated UI slows down even the most experienced technicians. Many teams switch to improve usability, streamline training, and reduce resolution times.
- Weak vendor support: Inconsistent support, long resolution times, lack of onboarding resources, and lack of helpful documentation or training opportunities can leave your team stuck.
- Security concerns: With growing cybersecurity threats, organizations expect more from their RMM, including patch compliance, MFA, and seamless integration with endpoint security tools.
- The bottom line: Most teams don’t just need a new RMM, they need a better partner. The switch is often driven by a desire for stronger performance, tighter integrations, faster workflows, and a tool that can grow with your business.
How to choose RMM software: Core capabilities your next RMM must have
When evaluating a new RMM solution, it’s essential to assess more than just feature checklists. The right RMM should empower your team, streamline operations, and scale with your business. Key factors to evaluate include:
- Automation capabilities: Prioritize RMM tools with deep automation functionality. Automated patching, custom scripting, workflow automation, proactive monitoring, and AI-generated script creation can all save your team hours of time each day.
- Integration capabilities:
Seamless integrations with your PSA, security tools, documentation systems, and backup solutions prevent operational silos. Look for RMMs that support a unified platform experience with shared data layers and a common UI to reduce complexity.
- Endpoint scalability:
Evaluate whether the RMM can support your current and future client base without incurring performance issues or hidden upgrade fees. A scalable endpoint management software allows you to take on new clients and devices without increasing operational overhead.
- Security:
Your RMM must strengthen your cybersecurity posture. Look for MFA, patching automation, and integration with tools such as endpoint detection and response (EDR), antivirus, and backup monitoring. Proactive endpoint management enables faster threat detection and response.
- Price:
Instead of focusing only on price per endpoint, evaluate the total cost of ownership. Consider the long-term ROI from time saved, automation gains, and reduced need for third-party tools. Watch for essential features, such as patching or remote access to devices, that are often paywalled as add-ons.
- User-friendly design:
Look for a cohesive, intuitive UI that simplifies daily use and shortens onboarding for new technicians. Usability is especially important in fast-moving or high-turnover MSP environments.
- Reliable customer support:
Access to onboarding, documentation, chat, and live or on-demand training programs can make or break your RMM transition. Strong vendor support ensures your team gets answers quickly and can fully adopt the tool.
How AI and hyperautomation improve IT efficiency
Modern RMM tools are evolving beyond traditional automation into full-scale hyperautomation, combining AI, machine learning, and workflow automation to streamline complex IT operations. The most capable RMM solutions now leverage AI or robotic process automation to:
- Generate scripts in PowerShell, Bash, or Batch.
- Generate event monitors quickly and easily.
- Create workflows to simplify and standardize processes, such as onboarding.
- Leverage RPA bots to complete complex actions in third-party tools.
- Design workflows that enable custom connections to disparate tools.
AI-powered scripting capabilities and easy to use workflow engines allow your team to create advanced automations in minutes instead of hours, enabling your team to quickly implement more creative solutions across your service desk or IT operations.
For MSPs, this means fewer tickets, faster resolution times, and the ability to scale service delivery without adding headcount. For IT teams, it’s a powerful way to handle growing complexity and increasing demands on their time within budget.
Real-time network monitoring and device management tools
Modern RMM tools should extend beyond device status to provide real-time insights into network performance, traffic patterns, and potential bottlenecks. Look for RMM solutions that offer:
- Deep integration with network monitoring tools or an advanced built-in solution.
- Live and automated visualization of network topology, bandwidth usage, and interface health.
- Automated alerts for device status and more.
- Remote diagnostics and troubleshooting capabilities for network devices, including managed switches, routers, and firewalls.
- Netflow monitoring for granular insights into application-level traffic.
- Syslog support for centralized event logging.
For IT teams, this enables proactive management of business-critical infrastructure. For MSPs, it enhances service delivery by providing expanded visibility into client networks without requiring additional, disconnected point solutions.
RMM migration challenges and the cost of switching platforms
One of the biggest hurdles when switching RMM providers is the RMM migration process itself. Installing and uninstalling agents, transferring policies, scripts, monitoring conditions, and in some cases historical data, from one system to another can be complex and risky without the right plan.
Key questions to ask vendors:
- Do they offer a migration tool?
- Can they assist with script and policy conversion?
- How will the use of additional vendor products impact migration complexity?
- Is there onboarding support for replicating key workflows?
- Will your team have access to both platforms during transition (dual operation)?
- What educational resources are available to help get the entire team up to speed quickly post-migration?
- Are rollback options available in case of unexpected issues?
Also consider soft costs such as technician time and retraining, especially if vendor support is limited, and potential service disruptions. MSPs with dozens of client environments need clear migration paths and minimal downtime. IT teams supporting hundreds or thousands of users need to ensure business continuity.
Evaluating your RMM options?
Download the RMM Buyer’s Guide to explore advanced features offered by top tier RMM solutions and key questions to ask.
Make the switch to ConnectWise RMM and stay ahead of IT complexity
Choosing a new RMM provider is an opportunity to reduce inefficiencies, strengthen your security posture, and ensure your operations are ready to scale and adapt over time. That’s where ConnectWise RMM™ delivers a clear advantage. Built on the ConnectWise Asio platform, our RMM software IT teams simplify endpoint management at scale.
ConnectWise RMM combines over 1.2K pre-built intelligent monitoring conditions, flexible and AI-enhanced scripting, and granular policy and role setup. It also provides seamless integration across PSA, backup, and cybersecurity tools so your team can resolve issues faster, eliminate noise, and deliver consistent, high-quality IT services.
Key ConnectWise RMM benefits include:
- AI-powered script generation, pre-built intelligent alerts, and workflow automation.
- Scalable monitoring for thousands of endpoints across clients or departments.
- Native integration with PSA, BCDR, and security tools on a single platform.
- Unified patching, remote access, asset management, and reporting.
- Streamlined onboarding, extensive educational resources, and hands-on support for faster time to value.
Whether you’re supporting internal users or managing multi-tenant environments, ConnectWise RMM gives you the control, flexibility, and intelligence you need to stay ahead of IT chaos.
Start your 30-day free trial and see how ConnectWise RMM helps you work smarter and scale faster.
