What is ConnectWise's new RMM (CW RMM)? CW RMM is the new monitoring and management tool from ConnectWise. This tool has replaced CW Command (formerly Continuum) as the modern RMM platform. This product is not necessarily in competition with ConnectWise Automate (CWA), but CWA is the blueprint for automation being built into CW RMM. ConnectWise Automate has been the primary RMM tool available from ConnectWise for many years. ProVal has been evaluating CW RMM since it was released in November 2021. In this article we will cover some of our initial findings/thoughts while interacting with the tool last quarter.
The original goals of these two products are rather different. ConnectWise Automate (CWA) has always been a leader in allowing major customization to the RMM platform, opening up nearly limitless automation possibilities. On the flip side, CW Command/Continuum was primarily focused on the “Done for you” style RMM for MSPs. ConnectWise RMM (CW RMM) is positioning itself to bring that same level of customization that Automate provides (when desired) while still offering MSPs an easy out of the box solution.
CW RMM covers a lot of the same basics that a lot of RMMs have: monitoring, scripting, patching, automation, remote access & management, et cetera. CW RMM in its current state can be a suitable monitoring and management tool for MSPs not needing a ton of customization. Out of the box, CW RMM allows for a lot of great functionality without a lot of effort to get it all working. Automate allows for a huge amount of customization and tailoring to the MSPs requirements, but it takes a bit more time to setup properly. ConnectWise has committed to bringing as many of the great features that Automate has today into the CW RMM product. (Check out the new roadmap!)
Below is a quick overview of ProVal's initial Pros and Cons.
ConnectWise RMM
Pros:
- Light Weight.
- Scalable (Especially for Larger MSPs).
- Web based / Faster UI.
Cons:
- Currently not as customizable when compared to CWA.
- Lacking in some core automation functionality.
- Still in development, lacking integrations.
ConnectWise Automate
Pros:
- Can automate just about everything.
- Extensive integrations with other tools.
- Several built in automation tools that anyone can use.
Cons:
- Complex system to manage, requires product knowledge.
- Dense database, that can become bloated causing performance issues.
- "Older" product and won't be receiving a lot of new product features.
Looking For More? Check out our brand new webinar, where we continue the conversation in an in-depth 1-on-1 interview, where our Lead Automate Consultant shares his thoughts
Here at ProVal we focus on automation and the ability to accomplish almost anything within a single RMM tool. Our go to product has always been ConnectWise Automate as we truly believe that we can accomplish almost everything and anything within this great tool! With that being said we see huge potential in ConnectWise as the CW RMM platform matures and cant wait to dive deeper into the tool in 2022!
Check out our newest blog post for additional information on ConnectWise RMM: https://www.provaltech.com/2023/01/connectwise-rmm-vs-automate-should-i-be-using-cw-rmm/
Written by: Chase Murphy - RMM Team Lead