Rating The MSP Platforms

Level Platforms' Managed Workplace is the most widely used managed services software on the market. Workplace's architecture is probe-based, so it requires a managing server to reside at each client site. The remote manager agent is called Onsite Manager, which must be deployed on a Windows machine. Workplace does not require any VPN connection to access Onsite on a remote network. Corporate firewalls do not need to be modified, so the agent probe is quick to deploy.

Onsite auto-discovers all the assets of a network by using ICMP, SNMP and WMI. The Onsite manager also performs asset discovery, so it will query all Windows devices and get hardware and software configurations. In addition, Onsite can monitor routers, switches, firewalls, UPSes and most other major SNMP-based devices on the market. The probe can also monitor machines with Intel VPro.

Workplace has one of the most thorough monitoring solutions on the market today. Workplace can monitor Web sites and, to some extent, applications running on those Web sites. Level Platforms is moving into Web-application monitoring because many of its SMB clients rely heavily on Internet and intranet applications to run their businesses. Workplace monitors the performance availability of Web sites and performs content validation.

Workplace also has one of the most extensive integration capabilities for some of the most widely used professional service automation (PSA) solutions on the market. Workplace can work with Autotask, ConnectWise and Microsoft CRM and uses its Web-services architecture to provide bidirectional information among the PSA products.

Scorecard: Quick Click Comparisons of All 4 Managed Services Platforms

Essentially, a PSA system provides a business platform for MSPs. With an integrated PSA, solution providers can manage client contracts, invoicing, time and materials, and projects. PSA can also help with tickets by automating help-desk procedures. When an alert occurs, Workplace can create a trouble ticket in a PSA system. When the ticket is resolved in a PSA system, it automatically closes an alert inside Workplace.

Workplace also integrates with OnForce, which is a collaborative service market for IT professionals. Whenever a service request is generated by Workplace to OnForce, service personnel can bid on the fulfillment of that service. OnForce can help solution providers drive down the cost of customizable tasks, such as setting up a firewall or even adding event-logging features to services or applications.

With OnForce, solution providers offer an additional service to their core network monitoring services. However, many services require on-site access and long-term service contracts. Solution providers also run the risk of failing to provide adequate services by relying on strangers in this marketplace.

In addition, Workplace has one of the most extensive and democratic policy-based solutions of all managed services vendors on the market. The software arrives with more than 103 templates, which define product configuration and asset information from 41 vendors. The templates are part of an ongoing program that is continuously expanding product capabilities and adding vendors.

Workplace can manage backups and it integrates with Microsoft's Windows Server Update Services server to collect and distribute Windows updates. The server also provides print services management and integrates with Microsoft's Baseline Security Analyzer to provide security management.

Unlike the other vendors in this review, Workplace does not lock solution providers into a backup software and hardware solution. As long as the backup vendor is supported by a template, solution providers can use the product within Workplace's dashboards. Online backup solutions are also supported.

Network services are automatically added when devices are discovered through various TCP ports. Solution providers can also monitor custom network services. For remotely managing machines, Workplace supports Terminal Services, Windows' Remote Desktop, VNC, Telnet and SSH.

Level Platforms also offers a hosted solution called Service Center. The hosted version is a multitenant environment capable of handling high-volume throughput. This version is currently being hosted by Ingram Micro.

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