Configuration Updaters
Purpose
A way to measure required work at a specific client is to understand how much equipment or endpoints needs to be serviced each month. As a default, MSPCFO looks at managed servers and managed workstations.
MSPCFO develops a node count based off the number of managed endpoints. A managed server is given the weight of two endpoints or two nodes and a managed workstation is given the weight of one endpoint or one node. For example, if a client has 3 managed servers and 2 managed workstations, the node count would be 8, (3 x2) + (2 x1). These are default settings and can be modified by the MSP.
The MSP can also add more types of devices if they are regularly serviced. The reason that servers and workstations are the default is that they are usually automated by an RMM tool when synched to your PSA. In some cases other software and/or engineers can also count as the most recent updater that monitors active devices.
MSPCFO determines node counts from the configurations table in your PSA. Our system defines an active endpoint by any tool or person who last monitored or worked on a managed endpoint during a defined period of time. The default time period looked at by MSPCFO is 30 days, but this can be modified in the Lookup/Options table.
If the node count is not accurate, the synchronization and settings in your PSA need to be checked.
Settings
Three different lookup tables have settings that will affect the node count:
- Lookup/Configuration List
- Lookup/Configuration Updaters
- Lookup/Options
Lookup/Configuration List
Many configurations can be serviced by your engineers. As a default MSPCFO looks at servers and workstations, but configuration types may also include printers, firewalls, network devices, etc. All of the configuration types (or endpoints) from your PSA are shown in the Lookup/Configuration List table. Select the types of configurations to be included by setting a weight on the endpoint. MSPCFO counts the weighted endpoints or nodes to determine how much work needs to be accomplished per month for the client. If the node count is low, the engineers will probably have less to service. If the node count is high, there will be a larger work load to service the client.
As a default, MSPCFO sets up Servers and Workstations with a Workstation equal to one endpoint or node and a Server equal to two endpoints for nodes. The reasoning is that it usually takes your engineers about twice as long to service a server. If the ratio needs to be changed, or if you want to add other endpoints, adjustments can be made in the table.
Lookup/Configuration Updater
To select the type of configuration updaters you want to include, use the Lookup/Configurat Updaters list. Your PSA provides a list of any tool and any member who was the last to monitor an active device for your clients. Sort the table on Most Recent Update field (most recent at the top). The choice of the configuration updater may be your RMM, another software tool or a member who has monitored the device most recently. You can choose as many of the configuration updaters in the list. The PSA product record contains for each product the Last_Updated field and the Update_By field which MSPCFO uses.
In the Configuration Updater table, take a look at which updaters you want to count. You can count just your RMM tool, other tools, members who monitor equipment. As a default, MSPCFO is choosing all of the updaters.
Lookup/Options
After you set up the correct RMM agent, and the configurations to count, go to the Lookup/Options table and select Configurations/Change Base Active status on Last Update from RMM = Yes. You also have a chose of look back time. The default is 30 days, but can be modified.
In the example below the 'Base Active status on Last Update from Configuration Update' is checked (true), so only the Configuration Updater types will be used to count the nodes. The days setting is 30 so the date the active endpoint was updated has to be within the past 30 days. If the 'Base Active status on Last Update from Configuration Update' is not checked (false), the node count will include all of the active configurations from the Configuration List with a count of > 0 for any period of time.
Recalculation of the data must be made for this option to be updated.
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