Item: ConnectWise ScreenConnect
Rating: 10
Author: Adam Friedli

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

At the time in my previous job, [ConnectWise Control (formerly ScreenConnect)] was used across the entire organization. It was used along with Automate to remote into machines. I have also used it heavily to support people outside of work. It is very versatile and has extremely quick and reliable connections. Fast connections that don't drop are very important when supporting people, and Control doesn't disappoint.

Pros and Cons

The interface is easy to use and makes sense. It's easy to understand how to organize a large number of machines involving multiple clients. But, it's also applicable for smaller set of machines too.
The connection speed is very quick. I've used solutions in the past that take a variable amount of time to connect, or they just take a long time every time. Control is quick every time. It doesn't get in the way of being able to support the machines on the other end.
The connections are reliable. I haven't experienced random disconnects throughout hundreds of instances. It was a breath of fresh air coming from the previous solution we used. I consider Control a gold standard for what a great remote connection solution can be.

I recall the integration with Automate was pretty good. However, I ran into some issues trying to fix a connection issue back to the Control environment. I felt the interface for working with they integration connection could be easier to work with.
There should other recovery options if the multi-factor method is lost or breaks. As long as you have multiple admin accounts, this shouldn't be an issue. And I believe support can help with recovery as well. I just know most services let you use a recovery phone or email to get around that. Maybe this has been changed or I missed something as well.

Return on Investment

Previous solutions had us hassling with disconnects and failed sessions, so not wasting time on that has been invaluable.
The integration with Automate was very seamless and allowed us to work better and quicker.

Alternatives Considered

Remote Desktop Services and Kaseya VSA

RDP is fine for what it is, but there's a lot you can't usually do like connect from outside the network without opening up the firewall.
As for Kaseya, I can't recall what their remote options were, but they left a lot to be desired. One method was similar to an RDP session and this was inconsistent. The other kept bringing promises of improvement, but it never happened.
[ConnectWise Control (formerly ScreenConnect)] improved on both options substantially by allowing us to connect from anywhere and adding more management features like file transfer and just being more reliable overall. We couldn't believe we put up with inferior solutions for so long.

Key Insights

Do you think ConnectWise ScreenConnect delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with ConnectWise ScreenConnect's feature set?

Yes

Did ConnectWise ScreenConnect live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of ConnectWise ScreenConnect go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy ConnectWise ScreenConnect again?

Yes

Usability

Implementing the solution was very easy and the integration with Automate was perfect. The speed is exactly what we wanted and the features are plentiful. There wasn't really much training needed for it. We could also easily grant access to clients for connecting to only their machines. That was also a fantastic perk. One-off remote sessions were were easy to do.

Support Rating

Every time we contacted support, the experience was great and they were very helpful. Sometimes, the wait times were longer. This was unfortunate, but submitting tickets always worked for things that weren't as immediate. We just queued in chat support and worked on other items while we waited. The quality of support was never an issue though.

Likelihood to Recommend

I feel [ConnectWise Control (formerly ScreenConnect)] works on all sizes of implementations. I've used it with about 1000 endpoints and I've even used it for managing a couple family machines to make remote support easier. It works super well and does exactly what you want it to. It has not disappointed me at all and I'd recommend it to any employers I work for as well.

A Fast and Highly Reliable Remote Control Solution

Overall Satisfaction with ConnectWise Control (formerly ScreenConnect)