10 Best IT Tools for IT Pros

Are you looking for the best IT tools for your business? Look no further: This comprehensive guide will help you reach your operational goals and maintain your competitive advantage in your respective industries!

Before that, let’s define what an IT tool is and why you need it. Essentially, an IT tool is any app, software, or service that allows you to do your job more efficiently. Given that more companies around the world are moving towards a remote or hybrid workforce, it has become all the more important for IT teams to have an arsenal of tools to keep operations smooth while improving productivity for everyone in the organization.

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Table of Contents

Best IT Tools

1. NinjaOne
2. PRTG Network Monitor
3. ManageEngine OpManager
4. Zabbix Network Monitoring
5. Datadog IT Infrastructure Monitoring
6. Action1
7. Nagios XI
8. Microsoft Intune
9. HCL BigFix
10. Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud

• Final Scores

 

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Which tool is best in the IT industry?

In the toolbox of your IT department, you might assume that you need everything under the sun to be operational, from collaborative project management apps to an expense tracking system. However, IT experts recommend a more focused approach when it comes to selecting the right tools for your company. Some guide questions to help you make a more informed decision include:

• What is my industry?
• What tasks do I want to accomplish?
• Can this task be automated by software?
• Can this software perform other necessary tasks?
• Does this fit in my IT budget?

Remember that just as no two companies are the same, no two IT tools are, either. It is crucial that you select the most appropriate one for your unique business environment to avoid a bloated budget and redundant assets. Ideally, you should work with a software provider that offers a tightly integrated solution with multiple tools that can be used in a single console. This way, you only pay once for an array of tools that work seamlessly together, rather than having a hodgepodge of instruments that may or may not function correctly when combined.

What tools should an IT professional have?

There are no hard and fast rules regarding which tools an IT professional “must” have. Just as a gardener would need a hoe but not a screwdriver, and a glass blower would need a torch but not a pottery wheel, every IT professional has different needs. For someone in the IT field, it’s good to consider any tool that will help you optimize your performance while reducing any risk from tedious, repetitive tasks.

Finding the right IT tools for your business is essential. Without the proper tools, it would be nearly impossible for you to perform at your best.

That said, no discussion of IT tools would be complete without mentioning IT automation. Regardless of which IT tool you decide on, it’s worth considering a vendor that leverages automation for many of its functions. IT automation can be used for time-consuming tasks so that your IT team can prioritize higher-value projects.

IT automation tools

Through automated management, your organization can significantly optimize its IT operations. IT automation can assist with proactive IT management, where your IT team can preemptively remediate threats before they turn into bigger problems.

This is especially important for modern companies. As your organization’s digital resources and responsibilities increase, so does the complexity of the services you need to manage them. Simply put, today’s IT infrastructures have become too elaborate and sophisticated for manual intervention. You need automation to simplify tasks and keep your business running as well as it should.

5 factors to consider when choosing an IT tool for your organization

Aside from automation, there are 5 other factors you should consider when choosing the right IT tool for your business:

1. Adoption cost

Before deciding on a tool, you must assess the cost and workload required to implement it. This is particularly true if you are a startup with a fixed IT budget. An expert tip would be to take advantage of the free trials many vendors offer today. After doing your due diligence, researching all the available solutions in the market today, and performing a vendor risk assessment, use a trial to see whether an IT tool resolves your pain points.

2. Usability

Usability refers to how effectively and efficiently your IT team can use the tool to perform the intended task. As with any new technology, you may encounter challenges during deployment and onboarding – and you must consider this when selecting any new IT tool. While usability may be subjective, based on the experience of each IT team member, it is still an important factor to note.

3. Interoperability

Your new IT tool must complement and connect with other existing tools you have or be able to replace outdated tools while maintaining interoperability. It’s also worth considering a vendor that can scale and update itself regularly so that you are always using the latest version of its IT tool. This prevents any downtime or performance issues.

4. Integration

Realistically, your IT tool will be used in conjunction with other technologies. When using your new IT tool, you should be able to seamlessly integrate it into your current systems and processes. When the aspiration is to maintain efficiency, it is critical that you work with a vendor that is known for its integration capabilities.

5. Security and compliance

Even the best internal teams have blind spots in their system security. Your IT tool must address these oversights with innovative features prioritizing security and compliance in all your tasks and policies. It is prudent for your IT team to select an IT tool that has a proactive stance toward its cybersecurity strategies.

Now that you know the basics of IT tools, let’s list the 10 best options in the market based on data gathered from leading review sites, G2 and Capterra!

 

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10 best IT tools for IT pros

All G2 & Capterra ratings data as of April 2024.

1. NinjaOne

NinjaOne, the world’s most intuitive endpoint management software solution, is an integrated platform that offers multiple IT tools in a single pane of glass. With NinjaOne, you can easily monitor and manage your Windows, macOS, and Linux devices in an easy-to-use platform that drives technician efficiency.

Aside from its world-class patch management tool, NinjaOne easily integrates with dozens of business applications, from SSO to professional services automation. It is a 100% cloud-based solution that is incredibly easy to deploy, implement, and configure so that you gain radical efficiency from day one.

Strengths of NinjaOne  

Single pane of glass

NinjaOne streamlines IT operations by consolidating all the tools you need to manage, monitor, secure, and update the endpoints in your IT environment into a single console. You get visibility and control over all your Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS  devices alongside your virtual machines, servers and network devices. This eliminates the need to switch between different solutions, allowing IT teams to save on both time and costs.

IT automation

Automate repeatable IT operations to reduce the need for manual workloads. NinjaOne’s automation tools that streamline IT operations free up your IT team to focus on more critical tasks. Create custom scripts or use one of NinjaOne’s out-of-the-box scripts.

User-friendly interface

Designed for ease of use, NinjaOne’s platform is easy to understand and navigate, significantly improving the time it takes to complete various IT tasks. This also makes it easier for users to learn how to use the software to get the most out of its powerful features.

World-class support 

Ranked #1 in customer experience, NinjaOne makes it easy for users to get answers to technical questions and resolve any issues. The numbers speak for themselves – NinjaOne has earned a 98% average customer satisfaction score (CSAT) thanks to its commitment to providing high-quality support.

Easy integrations

NinjaOne’s long list of third-party application integrations makes it easy for IT teams to seamlessly connect NinjaOne with existing tools or to customize their experience with the platform to suit their specific needs.

NinjaOne reviews on G2

NinjaOne reviews on Capterra

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2. PRTG Network Monitor

PRTG Network Monitor, by Paessler AG, markets itself as a powerful and easy-to-use software to monitor your entire network. Aside from helping you gain full administrative control over your IT infrastructure, you also gain many out-of-box IT tools that enable you to optimize your internal processes, from preconfigured monitoring to customizable alerts.

The solution follows a one-time perpetual licensing model. While each license is perpetual, all maintenance plans need to be renewed for you to have continued access to product updates and technical support.

Use cases

• Network monitoring: PRTG offers visibility into a network’s status and health, displaying various metrics such as bandwidth usage, outages, and network traffic.
• Remote monitoring: Users can keep track of devices and applications in their network regardless of where they are.
• Reporting and alerts: PRTG can generate reports and be configured to send out alerts if there are any anomalies in a network, allowing users to resolve these issues before they get worse.

Shortcomings

• Difficult set up: According to reviews, PRTG is challenging to configure and it can take time for new users to fully learn the platform.
• Lacks features: Since the platform focuses on network monitoring, PRTG is not as feature rich as other IT tools.
• Alerting issues: Reviewers say that PRTG sometimes misses out on sending alerts for issues that are not network outages.

See how PRTG compares with NinjaOne or see more PRTG head-to-head comparisons.

PRTG Network Monitor reviews on G2

PRTG Network Monitor reviews on Capterra

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3. ManageEngine OpManager

ManageEngine OpManager is a well-known network monitoring software that gives you complete visibility into the performance of your routers, switches, firewalls, LAN controllers, printers, and other endpoint devices.

Its solution offers a wide range of IT tools, including network device monitoring, alarms and notifications, 3D rack views, workflow automation, failover/high availability, and a custom user-specific dashboard.

Use cases

• Network monitoring: ManageEngine OpManager offers real-time monitoring of network devices such as routers, switches, firewalls, and servers.
• Reporting and alerts: OpManager can generate reports and be set up to send out notifications and alerts of network activity.
• Remote monitoring: Users can keep track of device performance in real time, giving them full visibility of their IT infrastructure.

Shortcomings

• Difficult setup: Reviewers have said that ManageEngine’s initial setup is time-consuming and difficult, especially for larger IT infrastructures.
• Unintuitive interface: Users find OpManager’s user interface to be complex as they find it difficult to navigate and customize the platform.
• Backup issues: According to reviewers, OpManagers’ backup features are limited and the process of managing require time-consuming manual work.

See how ManageEngine compares with NinjaOne or read a more in-depth analysis of ManageEngine alternatives.

ManageEngine OpManager reviews on G2

ManageEngine OpManager reviews on Capterra

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4. Zabbix Network Monitoring

Zabbix is an open-source distributed monitoring solution for networks and servers. The software allows you to monitor your network’s health and performance, tracking necessary metrics such as incoming and outgoing traffic, total bandwidth usage, link status, and many other SNMP metrics.

It also offers various IT tools, including alerting, data transformation, and calculated statistics.

Use cases

• Network monitoring: Zabbix allows IT administrators to keep track of their network traffic and performance, providing information on SNMP devices, CPU load, and memory usage.
• Alerts and notifications: Users can configure Zabbix to send out automated alerts and notifications for any anomalies, allowing technicians to respond quickly.
• Remote monitoring: Zabbix allows users to see real-time polling and monitoring data even for remote devices and networks.

Shortcomings

• Complex interface: Reviewers find Zabbix’s user interface to be overwhelming and difficult to understand and use.
• Steep learning curve: Initial set up of Zabbix is time-consuming and difficult and reviewers say that technical expertise is required.
• Documentation: A common complaint from reviewers is that Zabbix’s documentation can be lacking, making it difficult for users to troubleshoot issues on their own.

Zabbix Network Monitoring reviews on G2

Zabbix Network Monitoring reviews on Capterra

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5. Datadog IT Infrastructure Monitoring

This IT infrastructure tool gives you complete visibility into the performance and security of your network. Its SaaS tool provides metrics, visualizations, and alerts to help your IT team optimize and secure your cloud or hybrid environments.

The software agent can be deployed everywhere, including on-premises, hybrid, IoT, and multi-cloud, following a pay-per-host pricing model.

Use cases

• Network monitoring: Datadog provides real-time metrics of an IT network’s performance and health. It also offers SNMP monitoring for servers and network devices.
• IT automation: Users can automate common, repeatable IT processes with Datadog’s automation tools. The platform offers both out-of-the-box and custom scripting.
• Alerts: Datadog allows users to set up triggers to identify problems and send out alerts and notifications to technicians.

Shortcomings

• Learning curve: According to reviewers, Datadog demands heavy investment of time and resources for users to fully understand and utilize the platform.
• Documentation: Users say that locating information they need from Datadog’s documentation can be frustrating and challenging.
• Customization: Datadog’s customization options can be difficult to configure and reviewers have said the user interface for customizations can be complex.

Datadog IT Infrastructure Monitoring reviews on G2

Datadog IT Infrastructure Monitoring reviews on Capterra

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6. Action1

Action1 is a patch management software that enables users to deploy updates to their Windows devices. The platform provides users with real-time visibility of their endpoint devices so that they can pinpoint missing patches and detect vulnerabilities. Action1’s automation tools allow users to identify, schedule, and deploy updates and patches to the devices in an IT environment. This solution allows IT teams to secure devices with vulnerability assessments and remote access features.

This solution is suitable for small to medium businesses, particularly businesses with a homogenous IT infrastructure as it is designed solely for Windows updates.

Use cases

• Patch management: Action1 streamlines the deployment of patches and updates across all endpoints to ensure security and compliance.
• IT automation: Action1’s automation capabilities empower users to automate routine tasks, freeing up IT teams to focus on more critical and strategic projects.
• Remote access: With secure remote access, Action1 allows technicians to provide remote support, troubleshoot issues, and manage devices without user disruption.

Shortcomings

• Limited compatibility: Action1 only runs on Windows devices and lacks support for Linux and macOS patching.
• Remote access: Reviewers say that Action1’s remote access does not offer features such as remote command and file browsing, significantly limiting the remote support technicians can do.
• Reporting: Users say that Action1 has limited reporting capabilities.

Action1 reviews on G2

Action1 reviews on Capterra

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7. Nagios XI

Nagios XI is an enterprise and network monitoring software that offers several IT tools that help you extensively monitor critical components, applications, and systems with native add-ons. Its solution is built on the Nagios Core 4 monitoring engine for high-efficiency processes for scalability and effectiveness.

The platform gives you a centralized view of your IT network for more proactive awareness, detection, and management of any perceived threat.

Use cases

• Network monitoring: Nagios XI provides real-time visibility of the health and performance of a business’ network, including its servers, switches, and routers.
• Reporting: This solution allows users to generate detailed reports on their endpoints and network devices, providing better insight into an IT infrastructure.
• Backups: Nagios XI allows users to schedule backups to secure settings and data for data protection and restoration.

Shortcomings

• Performance: Users have said that the platform can be slow and has stability issues when there is a lot of tasks and data running.
• Reporting: Reviews say that Nagios XI only offers a few report templates, and they cannot be customized.
• Resource-intensive: Nagios XI demands heavy use of system resources in order to run.

Nagios XI reviews on G2

Nagios XI reviews on Capterra

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8. Microsoft Intune

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management solution for mobile devices, allowing business leaders to securely manage their iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS devices from a single console. Recently, Intune has updated its platform to include desktop computers and virtual endpoints in its management solution.

As expected, Microsoft Intune integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft products and services that focus on endpoint management, including configuration manager and endpoint analytics.

Use cases

• Endpoint management: InTune enables users to track and manage the endpoint devices in their IT environment from anywhere in the world.
• Patch management: Users can ensure that their devices receive regular updates with InTune patch management.
• Seamless integration: Designed to integrate with other Microsoft products such as Azure Active Directory, InTune is easy to adopt for IT teams with predominantly Windows infrastructure.

Shortcomings

• Performance: Reviewers find that Microsoft InTune’s platform responds slowly.
• Support for non-Windows devices: InTune offers fewer tools for Apple devices and configuring devices that are not Windows can be challenging.
• Steep learning curve: InTune’s features and complex user interface requires more time and resources spent for users to fully understand how to use the platform.

See how Microsoft Intune compares with NinjaOne or read an in-depth analysis of Intune alternatives. You can also read a user’s perspective of Intune vs. NinjaOne software deployment.

Microsoft Intune reviews on G2

Microsoft Intune reviews on Capterra

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9. HCL BigFix

HCL BigFix is an endpoint management platform that automates the discovery, management, and remediation of all endpoint devices in an IT network. It helps business leaders streamline operations for more efficient production and reduced costs.

Its core solution, the HCL BigFix Workspace+, is a fully integrated unified workspace management platform that features software asset management, compliance management, and vulnerability management, among other features.

Use cases

• IT automation: BigFix can automate repeatable IT tasks to ensure that endpoint devices are secure and compliant with organizational or industry standards.
• Endpoint management: With BigFix, users can configure, monitor, manage, and secure their endpoint devices.
• Patch management: BigFix enables users to automate software updates to patch out vulnerabilities.

Shortcomings

• Integrations: BigFix does not offer many integrations and reviewers say that its performance with third-party application integrations can be improved.
• Complex interface: Reviews say that BigFix’s interface can be challenging to navigate. It can also take more time and resources for users to fully understand the platform.
• Mobile device management (MDM): Users have said that BigFix’s MDM features are still lacking.

See how HCL BigFix compares with Microsoft InTune, read a more in-depth analysis of BigFix alternatives, or see more BigFix head-to-head comparisons.

HCL BigFix reviews on G2

HCL BigFix reviews on Capterra

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10. Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud

Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud is a popular server backup solution that integrates cybersecurity, data protection, and management to protect endpoints, systems, and data. It is an all-in-one software built for businesses looking for backup, disaster recovery, and endpoint management in a single console.

Its backup software features anti-malware, fail-safe patching, safe recovery, and continuous data protection, among others.

Use cases

• Data backup: Acronis allows user to create and store backups to secure critical data and restore the data in the event of a disaster.
• IT automation: Automation tools streamline backup processes, making it easier to manage backups and endpoint security.
• IT security: Acronis offers security tools to protect endpoint devices and stored backups from malicious attacks.

Shortcomings

• Automation issues: Some automations, such as auto-updates of agents and auto-refresh for backup storage, often run into issues and fail.
• Complex interface: Users find it difficult to navigate and use the platform.
• Customer support: Reviewers find it difficult to get answers to support questions or help with troubleshooting.

See how Acronis compares with NinjaOne or see more Acronis head-to-head comparisons.

Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud reviews on G2

Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud reviews on Capterra

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Final scores and summaries of IT tools

Let’s now compile all these data and provide an objective score. We’ve created a formula that considers the number of reviews each vendor has received and scaled them so that we have a balanced and unbiased rating system. These impartial scores are based on actual numbers given by users like yourself!

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Our rankings formula

To derive the final score for each vendor, we employed a weighted formula that takes into account various metrics. Here’s how it breaks down:

Final Score = w1 * G2 Overall Star Rating + w2 * Capterra Overall Star Rating + w3 * G2 Good Partner in Doing Business + w4 * Capterra Likelihood to Recommend + w5 * G2 Total Number of Reviews (Scaled) + w6 * Capterra Total Number of Reviews (Scaled) + Other Factors

Where:

w1 = 0.15 (Weight for G2 Overall Star Rating)
w2 = 0.15 (Weight for Capterra Overall Star Rating)
w3 = 0.2 (Weight for G2 Good Partner in Doing Business)
w4 = 0.2 (Weight for Capterra Likelihood to Recommend)
w5 = 0.1 (Weight for G2 Total Number of Reviews, Scaled)
w6 = 0.1 (Weight for Capterra Total Number of Reviews, Scaled)

Other Factors include additional metrics like ease of use, each multiplied by their corresponding weights:

w7 = 0.05 (Weight for G2 Ease of Use)
w8 = 0.05 (Weight for Capterra Ease of Use)

Selecting the best IT tools for your business

IT tools are essential to any business, but finding the right one can be a little complicated. To make the decision-making process easier, examine your organization and the tasks that you may need assistance with. Is your team entirely based in the United States, or do you have a global team? What kind of expenses does your workforce make? What issues are commonly raised by your IT team?

Finding the answers to these questions will help you create a checklist of functions you need your IT tool to perform. From there, you can match this checklist with the features offered by a vendor and find the most suitable solution.