5 Of The Best IT Management Software Your Business Needs To Know

IT management software has become imperative for businesses looking to manage their IT infrastructure more efficiently. These powerful software tools are designed to streamline the intricate tasks of IT professionals and enhance overall operational efficiency. Ultimately, they are at the forefront of an era defined by digital transformation and technological innovation. But what are these IT infrastructure management software?

In this guide, we will delve into 5 of the best IT management software your business needs to know, exploring the capabilities and features of each along with the costs involved in integrating it into your company. Before we detail the different software, let's first highlight what IT management software is and what to look for in your ideal software.

Here’s what you will discover in this guide:

• What is IT management software?
• What to look for in your IT infrastructure management software
  1. Freshservice
  2. SolarWinds Service Desk
  3. Jira
  4. NinjaOne
  5. ServiceNow

What is IT management software?

IT management software is a range of tools designed to support IT talent and help organizations manage their IT infrastructure more efficiently. These various software can support a business’s hardware, software, and networks and can be used to automate tasks, troubleshoot problems, and improve performance. Additionally, IT infrastructure management software can contribute to financial, project, and people management, allowing for optimized reporting and team collaboration.

Enterprise IT management software is essential for businesses looking to stay above the competition in today’s fast-moving tech space. The best types of management software can mitigate issues within your infrastructure before they become detrimental problems while also helping you stay compliant with the necessary regulations and ultimately manage your various IT-related assets. 

Now you know what IT infrastructure management software is, it’s essential to map out what to look for in your ideal software. Scroll to find out some of the factors to consider when choosing the best IT management software for your business. 

What to look for in your IT infrastructure management software

Due to the various IT management software available, all with their benefits and unique features that can support your specific needs, it’s important to determine what type of software you need and why you need it. 

Below are some of the specific features you may want to look for when selecting your IT infrastructure management software:

• Real-time monitoring
• Automation
• Scalability
• Security
• Reporting
• Integration
• Pricing
• Usability

Additionally, you should consider the specific features your organization requires from the software. For example, if you have a large number of servers, you may require software capable of monitoring them all effectively. Alternatively, if security is a major internal concern, you may want to choose an IT management software with robust security features.

Here are some of the specific features you may want to look for in your IT infrastructure management software:

• Hardware monitoring
• Software monitoring
• Network monitoring
• Security monitoring
• Compliance monitoring
• Performance monitoring
• Availability monitoring
• Alerting and notifications
• Reporting and analytics

Once you have considered your needs, you can start to evaluate the different IT infrastructure management software solutions and the IT talent you should consider recruiting to implement these solutions. Many options are available, so take some time to compare the features and pricing of each solution before making a decision. Thankfully, in this guide, we can help you make your decision.

Enterprise IT management software constantly evolves, and updates are made almost daily. With so many choices, deciding which one is perfect for your organizational development can be daunting. From Freshservice and SolarWinds Service Desk to Jira, NinjaOne, and ServiceNow, our experts have selected 5 of the best IT management software your business needs to know. Read on to find out more.

1. Freshservice

Our first entry to our list of 5 of the best IT management software your business needs to know is Freshservice. Freshservice is a cloud-based IT service management (ITSM) solution aimed to help organizations simplify their IT operations and support. It offers various features such as asset, incident, and change management whilst also providing a ticketing system, self-service portal, and knowledge base so you can manage the status of and report on your IT assets.  

Freshservice allows you to track your hardware and software assets whilst also providing an 'Arcade' module, allowing you to report and analyze your IT infrastructure's performance to help determine improvement areas. Businesses often utilize this software to manage their IT help desk services due to its simplicity of allowing all incidents, requests, and lifecycle management to be overseen via a single interface.    

One of the limitations of Freshservice is the lack of customizability of the interface, and some consider the number of third-party apps it can be integrated with to be limited. However, according to 6sense, over 12,800 global companies use this IT infrastructure management software, and it is typically used by organizations with 50-200 employees and $10m-$20m in revenue.

Key features

Here are the key features offered by Freshservice:

• IT service desk automation and management tools
• Easy-to-navigate interface with a drag-and-drop feature
• Offers real-time management and tracking of your hardware and software 
• Provides a reporting and analytical feature to enhance your IT team’s workflows, tech debt management 
• Supports the monitoring of IT and non-IT-related assets

Pricing

Below are the prices for the various packages offered by Freshservice enterprise IT management software. Each of the below prices is a monthly fee that is billed annually. 

• Starter: $19 
• Growth: $49
• Pro: $95
• Enterprise: $119 

Before you make a long-term commitment, Freshservice offers users a 21-day free trial.

2. SolarWinds Service Desk

Next on our list of 5 of the best IT management software your business needs to know is SolarWinds Service Desk. Another ITSM solution, SolarWinds Service Desk, helps organizations manage their IT assets, incidents, problems, changes, and requests. It is a cloud-based, multi-tenant platform that offers the flexibility to be implemented on-premises or in the cloud. 

Otherwise referred to as an IT Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tool, SolarWinds Service Desk offers ticketing forms to allow you to report on infrastructure-related issues. With this, you receive detailed reporting on each ticket’s resolution time and service desk and technician performance. It also provides a self-service knowledge base that allows you to find solutions to your IT-related problems. 

SolarWinds Service Desk ultimately focuses on helping organizations automate their IT deliverables whilst also providing a tracking feature to monitor your hardware and software throughout their lifecycle.

Key features

Below are the key features of SolarWinds Service Desk enterprise IT management software: 

• Provides automated reports and alerts on your IT assets to monitor their performance 
• Allows for third-party network tracking to improve the performance and availability of your IT infrastructure 
• Offers third-party network change management and real-time configuration 
• SolarWinds Service Desk can track hybrid cloud environments, including public and private
• A knowledge base allowing you to store and share knowledge about the problems and solutions relating to your IT assets

Pricing

The pricing for SolarWinds Service Desk depends on the number of users and the features you need. Each price below is a monthly technician fee and supports unlimited users. Here are the three pricing plans available:

• Essentials (for growing teams): $39
• Advanced (for mature IT organizations): $79
• Premier (for full customizability): $99

SolarWinds Service Desk also offers a 30-day free trial for each of the three packages mentioned above.

3. Jira

When considering the question of ‘what should your business's IT infrastructure include?’, you should also consider looking into the software known as Jira. Developed by the Australian software company Atlassian, Jira is a project management software used by teams of all sizes to track and manage their workflows. 

Jira is a flexible solution that can be used to manage software development projects, IT projects, marketing projects, and more. It enables the employees across your business to monitor the progress of individual tasks whilst also providing a tracking feature so each team member can react to change requests and incidents. Jira also allows for automated configuration, meaning you can simplify repetitive tasks within your organization.

One potential limitation you may want to consider is that Jira can be complex for non-technical users. However, the Jira enterprise IT management software offers users a self-service knowledge base portal so they can get the help they need in an instant. It also provides over 1,000 integrations, primarily with other Atlassian software, as well as AWS, CircleCI, and Jenkins. Since the software was launched in 2002, over 65,000 companies have used Jira worldwide.

Key features

Here are the key features offered by the Jira IT management software:

• Offers a highly intuitive dashboard with customizable workflows
• Jira can be integrated with the likes of Google, Slack, Zoom and Microsoft
• It has a real-time chat feature and also supports email management
• Excellent analytical and reporting features
• Provides a self-service knowledge base management portal

Pricing

Jira offers the below pricing plans:

• Free: For up to 3 agents
• Standard: $21/month per agent
• Premium: $47/month per agent
• Enterprise: Depends on your needs and is billed annually

The above prices are the estimates presented on the Jira website.

4. NinjaOne

NinjaOne is another enterprise IT management software and is a unified IT management (ITM) platform designed to help IT teams manage their IT assets, workflows, incidents, problems, changes, and requests. It is a cloud-based, multi-tenant platform that can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud.

As one of the best IT management software, NinjaOne is a comprehensive solution capable of supporting the IT operations of any organization. Other features, like software deployment, patch management, and remote tracking, allow businesses to manage their whole IT infrastructure from a single interface. NinjaOne also offers users a self-service portal to give them the tools to manage tickets, restore files, and remote access. 

Previously known as NinjaRMM before a rebrand in 2021, NinjaOne allows users to automate repetitive tasks and software installations to minimize human error. It also offers monitoring and alerting features to automatically notify users of issues that occur in real time so they can combat them and reduce the impact on the end-user. Compatible with Mac, Linux, Windows, and cloud-based devices, NinjaOne offers limitless scalability. 

Key features

Below are the key features of the NinjaOne enterprise IT management software:

• Real-time monitoring and alerting
• Automate repetitive tasks and software installations
• Flexible scalability
• Access to a self-service portal
•  Provides secure remote access and mobile management

Pricing

NinjaOne is a pay-per-device model that starts at $3 per month per device. The pricing increases depending on the number of devices you require to integrate with the software. 

5. ServiceNow

The final entry to our list of 5 of the best IT management software your business needs to know is ServiceNow. ServiceNow is a cloud-based platform designed to support the management of IT service delivery for organizations of varying sizes. It is a comprehensive ITSM platform that can be used for incident management, problem management, change management, request management, and more.

As mentioned, ServiceNow is a popular choice for companies of all sizes and various industries, including telecommunications, financial services, and the tech sector. ServiceNow is also commonly used by government agencies and educational institutions. It is an excellent IT management software solution for companies seeking to optimize their IT assets and monitor their inventory lifecycle. 

ServiceNow supports both hardware and software assets and is an excellent addition for your IT professionals requiring support in tracking the progress of complex programs. It also allows for a more simplified and automated ticketing resolution process through its central interface, which your IT team can use to manage issues, incidents, and change requests.  

Key features

Here are some of the key features of ServiceNow IT infrastructure management software.

• In-depth reporting on service desk and technician performance and ticket resolution 
• It has a service portal allowing organizations to develop a customized interface for its customers and clients to track the progress of their request
• Offers workflow automation to minimize the need for manual work on repetitive tasks 
• It gives your IT team complete transparency when delivering intricate programs
• ServiceNow provides a self-service knowledge base for users to combat their issues without the assistance of IT personnel

Pricing

There is no fixed price for ServiceNow IT management software, as the pricing depends on the number of users you have, the features and modules you select, and the level of support you require. Some companies pay hundreds of dollars for the software service, whereas others may spend upwards of thousands. It’s certainly not the cheapest, but its features and benefits are highly popular, with over 35,000 businesses using ServiceNow, according to Enlyft.  

The Final Word

As global organizations continue to rely on technology to drive their operations and maintain competitiveness, selecting the right IT management software becomes crucial. The five solutions we've explored - Freshservice, SolarWinds Service Desk, Jira, NinjaOne, and ServiceNow - offer diverse capabilities and features to meet your business's IT infrastructure management needs.

Before making your decision, it's important to assess your specific requirements, considering factors such as real-time monitoring, automation, scalability, security, reporting, integration, pricing, and usability. Each of these software options has strengths and limitations, so carefully evaluating your organization's priorities and objectives is essential.

Whether you opt for the simplicity of Freshservice, the comprehensive features of SolarWinds Service Desk, the project management capabilities of Jira, the unified IT management of NinjaOne, or the extensive ITSM capabilities of ServiceNow, your choice should align with your business's growth and efficiency goals.

Remember, the IT landscape is dynamic, and your organization's needs may evolve over time. Therefore, ongoing assessment and adaptation of your IT management software will be essential to ensure you're equipped to navigate the ever-changing technology landscape effectively.

Choosing the right IT management software for your business can ultimately enhance your IT team's productivity, streamline operations, and proactively address issues, contributing to your organization's overall success and competitiveness in today's tech-driven world. Of course, to reap the rewards of these IT management software solutions, you’ll need the talent to implement and oversee them. Scroll to find out more on how we can support you. 

Specialists in IT infrastructure recruitment

At Franklin Fitch, we recognize how imperative enterprise IT management software is for helping your business stay competitive in the constantly changing and fast-paced world of tech. With this software comes the talent needed to implement and maintain it. That's where we come in. Our IT infrastructure consulting experts deliver a range of client services to help connect you to the talent capable of optimizing your IT operations, allowing you to futureproof your organization.

Contact us today to discover how our IT infrastructure recruitment solutions can instil longevity into your business.