Implementing a remote support solution is basically nothing like selecting an application for a handful of IT staff members. The platform (at scale) has to manage a much broader range of devices, have frictionless integration with existing technologies already in the company, and accommodate real capacity for daily use across departments with very dissimilar work requirements. It is also important to choose well at this level because changing platforms after a full organization roll-out has been implemented is disruptive and expensive in ways that small-scale changes are not.
The platforms that are ideal for this type of deployment tend to have a few traits in common: centralized management; predictable behavior with respect to changing network conditions, and the fine-grained access controls necessary for large IT organizations to be able to manage permissions consistently as opposed to per case.
Splashtop
Splashtop has built its remote support platform with organization-wide deployment specifically in mind, emphasizing centralized control and consistent performance across large, varied device fleets. You can review the core capability this depends on through this overview of deploying a remote support solution.
Optimized for large deployment, Splashtop’s centralized administration console allows IT teams to manage permissions, monitor session activity and enforce a consistent security policy enterprise-wide (not department-by-department). As the deployment scope increases, that consistency becomes even more valuable (segmented management usually ends up being either a point of exposure to security holes or needs unnecessary operational overhead as users and devices come back online).
It also supports a wide range of OS and device types – important for organizations with an extensive mix of technology accumulated over many years from different procurement decisions across various departments.
ConnectWise ScreenConnect
ConnectWise ScreenConnect is widely used by businesses and IT and managed services companies that desire strong customization features, ticketing integration, and ticketing system integration. Branded, configurable session windows and automated triggers are most appealing to large deployments where a consistent, recognizable support experience across many departments and locations is paramount for user buy-in.
Compared to simpler platforms, ScreenConnect requires a fair amount of upfront configuration before going “live” at scale since much of its value lies in adapting the setup for the workflow of an organization. However, the wider availability enabled by an organization-wide rollout to even non-technical departments will typically be realized only in larger IT departments, where dedicated administrators can configure it for them.
NinjaOne
NinjaOne takes a mix of remote support and more extensive remote monitoring and management functions that makes it appealing for organizations rolling out a unified IT tool set across the enterprise rather than as a standalone function for remote support. The combination of continuous device monitoring and on-demand remote sessions provides IT departments with fleet health visibility that standalone remote support tools do not deliver.
But that breadth does make for a more complex ground-up setup in an organization-wide rollout, because configuring monitoring policies and alert thresholds across a large and diverse device fleet takes significantly longer than deploying remote access alone. If the plan is to roll out systems in phases (such as different divisions going live on separate days), extra time should be set aside for this configuration work, including each cockpit.
Atera
Atera tries to do what a lot of MSP platforms are doing, and that is combining remote support with patch management under one roof but with a single per-technician pricing model that will make sense for organizations launching on a large-scale device fleet where licensing costs won’t be so closely tied to those device numbers.
With an enterprise-wide rollout of Atera, it makes sense to establish a common baseline configuration early in the deployment since features such as integrated patch management and monitoring work best when applied universally rather than configured separately by department as the rollout scales.
Datto RMM
The Datto RMM platform is primarily designed for organizations and managed service providers to have remote support and monitoring across significant device fleets, with an above-average level of automation for routine maintenance tasks. The endpoint detection and response features offered in higher tiers can combine security monitoring with broad remote support for an organization-wide deployment, reducing the number of agent types to install on each device.
A staged rollout works particularly well with Datto RMM, since the platform’s automation features benefit from being tested and refined on a smaller pilot group before being applied across an entire device fleet. Organizations that follow established safe deployment practices during this kind of rollout, gradually expanding from a pilot group to the full organization while monitoring for issues at each stage, tend to catch configuration problems before they affect the broader user base.
Planning the Deployment Itself
Selecting the appropriate platform is just one aspect of an organization-wide overhaul. And it is often the way in which the deployment process itself is staged, governed and communicated across departments that determines whether such a technically solid platform actually succeeds in delivering value at scale. Organizations balancing competing priorities during a large technology rollout may find it valuable to evaluate how wider IT governance through disruption thinking relates to their individual deployment, as the remote support rollout will be competing for attention with other larger IT initiatives running concurrently, and clear governance helps ensure the result receives the focus necessary for success.
Choosing for Your Organization
What is the best remote support solution for deployment across a whole organization is determined by its IT environment, the diversity of the device fleet and how much additional capability outside core remote support that an organization actually wants. Having a platform that is overbuilt for the real needs of one organization adds unnecessary complexity to an already challenging rollout, whereas underpowering for scale creates problems that become increasingly difficult to diagnose the more entrenched your deployment becomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an organization-wide remote support deployment typically take?
Timelines vary widely by organization size, but deployment in stages, especially for a large enterprise, typically takes many months from pilot to rollout. Rushing this timetable tends to increase the risk of configuration problems emerging only after the platform is already widely in production use.
Should every department follow the same deployment timeline?
Frankly, additional validation in departments with more complex technical environments or stricter security requirements is always a good idea, while less complex departments can usually standard rollout timetable without alteration.
What is the most significant liability of an organization-wide remote support launch?
Because they result in disparate security postures and create a jarring experience for end users migrating between teams, inconsistently configured departments usually lead to the most prolonged experiences. To avoid this, define a baseline configuration prior to initiating the rollout.
