NetSupport Manager 12.5
This on-premises support solution is big on features – and the management console is a joy to use
“A handy thumbnail view lets you keep an eye on the desktops of connected systems in real-time”
SCORE ✪✪✪✪✪ PRICE 1 to 500 systems, £10 each exc VAT from netsupportmanager.com
SMBs seeking a flexible support solution need look no further than NetSupport Manager (NSM). It delivers a wealth of features, yet its management console is one of the most intuitive on the market – and after more than two decades of development, this latest version adds some great new features into the mix.
One notable upgrade is a new client for Android, which joins Windows, macOS, Linux and Chrome OS on the list of supported platforms. It provides full remote control features, plus chat, file transfer and views of network and battery status.
Windows clients meanwhile gain the useful ability to launch Windows PowerShell sessions directly from the console. File-transfer speeds over Gigabit Ethernet connections have been improved, and the inventory now provides real-time memory usage for Windows processes.
Despite NSM’s advanced feature set, installation is simple. The Deploy tool runs discoveries on Active Directory (AD) domains or IP address ranges and can now list all systems local to the NSM Control host. We were able to select all our Windows 10 desktops from the Deploy interface and saw the client package pushed out to each one in around 30 seconds.
Sadly, macOS clients don’t have it quite so easy: the Deploy tool doesn’t work here, so you have to download the installer to each desktop and run it manually. This isn’t hard, but it’s time-consuming if you have a lot of clients to support.
From the NSM Control console, you can see all registered systems, set up custom groups and find endpoints by IP address or machine name. A handy thumbnail view lets you keep an eye on the desktops of connected systems in real-time, and a quick-launch icon below each one can be used to quickly fire up remote control, file transfer, command prompt or inventory.
One neat feature is the Auto Group tool, which organises your clients based on their OS, hardware type and NSM client versions. There’s also a geolocation feature that groups systems based on their physical location – but this isn’t always accurate, and our desktops showed up at the termination point of their internet connection, about 20 miles from our lab.
At the top of the Control console, a ribbon menu lets you launch apps on clients, capture their screen, open text or audio chats, share clipboards and run PowerShell sessions. For file transfers, a new window opens allowing you to drag and drop files between local and remote systems. NSM can also serve double duty as a training tool, as you can show your Control screen to multiple clients, make recordings, save them locally and replay them to selected clients.
Although you can’t initiate a remote-access session over the web, NSM’s Gateway component is easy to use, and enforces 256-bit AES encrypted connections between sites. The PIN Connect server is also ideal for large networks, requiring the technician and user to enter the same unique PIN to create an instant connection. For tighter security you can also password-protect clients, apply Active Directory policies, decide what tools each technician can access and use smart cards. As a bonus, you can generate a client inventory that includes lists of hot fixes, processes and services where the latter can be remotely stopped, started or paused.
Finally, for support on the go there’s also a handy iOS app. From here you can view all clients, initiate remote control sessions, chat, check their inventory, pull up a virtual keyboard and reboot them.
Despite its high-end features and security, NSM is affordably priced, with 1-500 endpoints costing £10 each for a perpetual licence. It provides everything on your IT department’s wish list and more, making it a great remote-support solution for organisations of any size.