IT support tools encompass various software and services designed to help IT departments manage networks, hardware, software, services, and more. These tools boost productivity, enhance monitoring and management, and improve the delivery of technical support. Investing in the right support tools should be a top priority for growing organizations looking to optimize their IT operations. This blog post will highlight ten of the most useful tools for IT support today.
Remote Support Tools
Remote support tools allow IT technicians to access devices to troubleshoot problems and provide assistance remotely. These tools enable support tasks to be performed efficiently without requiring on-site visits.
Top Remote Support Tools
TeamViewer: Used by over 2 billion devices worldwide, TeamViewer is one of the most popular remote support tools. It enables remote control, file transfer, screen sharing, and more.
LogMeIn – From remote access to remote support, LogMeIn offers a suite of remote connectivity tools for IT teams. LogMeIn Pro provides technician-to-technician remote support capabilities.
AnyDesk: AnyDesk is a fast remote desktop application with multi-session connectivity, file transfer, and address book integration capabilities.
Zoho Assist: Integrating remote support, screen sharing, and web conferencing, Zoho Assist makes it easy for IT teams to provide instant remote tech support.
IT Management Tools
IT management tools are designed to help IT teams keep track of assets, monitor networks, automate tasks, and manage IT operations smoothly.
Top IT Management Tools
SolarWinds MSP – SolarWinds MSP centralizes and simplifies IT management with features like automated network discovery and mapping, performance monitoring, alert generation, and more.
ManageEngine OpManager: OpManager integrates network monitoring, management, and alert capabilities to help optimize distributed IT operations.
Freshservice: Freshservice offers streamlined service desk software with capabilities including asset management, change management, and knowledge base management.
ConnectWise Automate: ConnectWise Automate enables remote monitoring, management, and automation of devices to boost IT productivity.
Backup and Recovery Tools
Data backups are a necessary aspect of disaster recovery preparations. Backup and recovery tools enable automated backup jobs and simplified data restores.
Top Backup and Recovery Tools
Acronis Backup: Providing complete backup protection and disaster recovery, Acronis Backup enables file, disk image, virtual machine, and SQL database backups.
Veeam Backup and Recovery: Designed for virtual environments, Veeam Availability SuiteTM delivers streamlined data protection and recovery through features like backup, replication, and failover.
Carbonite: Carbonite offers a secure cloud backup solution, enabling automated and continuous cloud data protection.
CrashPlan: CrashPlan delivers customizable data protection, including automated backups to local devices and the cloud.
Performance Management Tools
Performance management tools provide insight into infrastructure health, resource utilization, application performance, and other metrics. This visibility enables optimization and problem remediation.
Top Performance Management Tools
SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer: This tool identifies performance bottlenecks in database environments, tracking wait events, storage latency, host configurations, and more.
LogicMonitor: LogicMonitor consolidates infrastructure performance data into pre-built and customizable dashboards to help monitor IT health.
PRTG Network Monitor – Providing unified network monitoring, PRTG can monitor and map network environments while offering insight into bandwidth use, uptime, and performance.
AppOptics – AppOptics aggregates performance metrics for apps, servers, and containers across cloud environments and data centers.
Network Monitoring Tools
Network monitoring tools track performance, detect problems, identify security threats, and help maintain optimal network operations.
Top Network Monitoring Tools
SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor – Providing comprehensive network fault and performance management, SolarWinds NPM can discover devices, monitor configurations, map dependencies, and analyze data traffic.
Nagios XI: Nagios XI monitors entire IT environments while providing alerting, reporting, and visualization of infrastructure health and performance.
WhatsUp Gold – WhatsUp Gold simplifies network monitoring across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud environments while detecting and alerting issues in real-time.
Paessler PRTG: PRTG consolidates network monitoring, server monitoring, application monitoring, and more to optimize network management.
Cybersecurity Tools
Cybersecurity tools safeguard devices and data from malware, unauthorized access, and other threats. These tools enable threat detection, prevention, and incident response.
Top Cybersecurity Tools
Malwarebytes – Providing preventative protection, Malwarebytes blocks and removes malware, including viruses, spyware, ransomware, and Trojans.
Symantec Endpoint Protection: Symantec Endpoint Protection Platform delivers defense-in-depth protection capabilities, including threat prevention, detection, response, and remediation.
Trend Micro Deep Security: Trend Micro Deep Security protects physical, virtual, and cloud servers with features like intrusion detection, anti-malware, integrity monitoring, and more.
McAfee Endpoint Security: McAfee Endpoint Security combines threat prevention, detection, containment, and correction to protect devices and data.
Cloud-based Tools
Cloud-based tools leverage the flexibility and scalability of cloud platforms to deliver capabilities on demand. Cloud tools help drive digital transformation.
Top Cloud-based Tools
Amazon Web Services: AWS provides many cloud-based services, including computing power, database storage, content delivery, analytics, and more.
Microsoft Azure: Azure enables organizations to build, deploy, and manage applications across a global network of data centers managed by Microsoft.
Google Cloud Platform: GCP delivers a suite of cloud computing services, including computing, data storage, data analytics, and machine learning.
Salesforce: Salesforce offers cloud-based apps for sales, service, marketing, analytics, and more to help manage customer relationships.
Conclusion
Optimizing IT support and management is critical for organizations striving for success in the digital age. Investing in the right tools pays dividends through enhanced efficiency, reduced costs, and improved services. The ten categories of IT support tools overviewed in this post represent must-have solutions that should be leveraged by organizations of all sizes and across all industries. Adopting the latest tools gives IT teams the visibility, control, and capabilities needed to drive IT and business results.
