The big change is the addition of an integrated remote control solution, which will be free to MSP partners, but the new version also improves the integrated backup and disaster recovery, adds a device manager to Mac support, and upgrades its integrated antivirus technology.
Francois Daumard, AVG’s Vice President of Global Channel Sales
AVG Technologies has announced the launch of AVG Business Managed Workplace 9.2, the new version of its remote monitoring and management (RMM) platform. While it is not a .0 release, the company says that it is extremely important.
“I’m extremely excited because this new version of Managed Workplace 9.2 is an incredible product,” said Francois Daumard, AVG’s Vice President of Global Channel Sales. “It’s a game changing version for both us and the industry as well.”
The big change in 9.2 is the addition of AVG Business Premium Remote Control, which removes the need for partners to pay for separate remote control capability, and which AVG is offering them as a free bonus.
“Previously, our channel partners have had to purchase a separate remote control solution like LogMeIn as well as our RMM solution,” Daumard said. “This integrated solution from us is something that they eagerly awaited. These remote solutions are pretty expensive. The feedback from partners was that it was pricey in addition to the RMM and the two costs were hurting their profitability. So we fixed this issue by integrating a premium remote control solution into Managed Workplace, and making it entirely free. There is no catch. There are no requirements.”
The integrated remote control comes through a partnership with ISL Online.
“ISL Online is a Slovenian company with more than 200,000 customers across more than 100 countries,” Daumard said. “We looked carefully at the space and picked them because they have been in the space for more than 10 years. They are not a newcomer. They are not that well known, but in terms of core engineering capabilities, we found there were good synergies.”
Daumard also stressed that it is a full and complete integration.
“This is not an add-on or a pop-up in a new window,” he said. “We have taken the DNA of ISL Online into the core. One click gives you full remote capabilities, including file transfer, session recording, chat, and remote printing.”
While integrated backup and disaster recovery is not new in Managed Workplace, the integration has been enhanced in a way that Daumard said is on a par with what AVG has done with ISL Online in remote management.
“Our BDR solution comes from Infrascale and there is a major difference between how this was handled in 9.1 and 9.2,” he said. “We’ve made it a seamless pane of glass like the remote control.” MSPs can now quickly deploy and manage Infrascale Backup and Disaster Recovery Solutions, controlling file and folder backups for workstations, capturing Bare-Metal-Recovery images for servers, as well as monitoring and managing Infrascale Appliances from one, central place.
Support for the Mac OSX has also been enhanced with the addition of a Device Manager, which brings monitoring and management to roaming Mac OSX laptops.
“We are now fully supporting the Mac OSX, which was absolutely overdue to provide seamless RMM for the Mac,” Daumard said. “Before we had only partial support, with the Device Manager now bringing in Macs that are not permanently connected to the network.”
Daumard said this is a big deal for MSPs.
“For partners to have an RMM solution that wholly supports the Mac is a must-have today,” he said. “Any MSP should have that in mind, that the Mac market is growing quickly.”
Finally, AVG has upgraded its own legacy technology, the integrated antivirus component of Managed Workplace so that MSPs can now password protect end points to prevent unauthorized modification or removal of AntiVirus by end users.
“We are the online security company,” Daumard said, referencing the company’s tagline. “We have enhanced the Integrated AVG AntiVirus component of Managed Workplace and we want the MSPs to make the most out of it.”
