Network Management solution provider SolarWinds is releasing the next iteration of its remote monitoring and management (RMM) solution but the company says it’s about so much more than that.
The N-central 10 platform, now publicly available, was developed by SolarWinds N-able, which has been rebranded from its previous name, N-able by SolarWinds.
The Ottawa-based subsidiary of SolarWinds was acquired back in 2013 and has since then been slowly integrated into its Austin, TX-based parent company.
New features include new support tools for troubleshooting and diagnosing help desk issues, drag-and-drop automation, a-la-carte licenses, a new device overview dashboard, integrations with professional services automation offerings including Autotask, and enhanced support for the Network operations center (NOC) including automated device discovery, AV/patch deployment, remediation, self-healing and advanced reporting.
Yet according to Frank Colletti, vice president of sales at Solarwinds N-able, 10.0 represents a major departure from version 9.5 released about half a year ago in that it incorporates best design practices from SolarWinds including a revamped UI among other user experience improvements.
“We were able to run independently for a while and we wanted to make sure the transition is as seamless as possible,” Colletti told CDN, referring to the acquisition. “We are now taking advantage of the much broader presence worldwide with the Solar Winds brand. This is all in line with SolarWinds’ strategy of addressing the MSP business and channel marketplace.”
Specifically, he said, the company wants to transition its channel partners from selling single-time products to selling recurring services.
To do so, it has revamped its channel programs, known as “Blueprint for Success”, to teach partners to develop relationships with clients in various areas such as servers and backup in addition to remote monitoring and management.
“Every service provider out theire claims they are an MSP regardless of whether or not they can provide the managed service,” said Colletti, who said that these programs will help partners figure out how to break customers into recurring services. “Managed services are alive and well.”
