IT Systems Management Software for SMBs and MSPs
4.1/5 (168 reviews)Pros
Kaseya VSA is not only for MSPs, but for anyone who needs help managing their assets in the office and in the field. I'm the IT Security Manager with all the hats in the IT world at a large confectionery broker. I manage over 250+ devices on my own, with the help of Kaseya VSA. I could not do my day-to-day job without Kaseya VSA.
Cons
I'm not a fan of the app as the functionality seems to be spotty. Right-clicking the client app sometimes brings up a menu, and sometimes it only offers a simple selection of "Refresh". This is my only gripe in the 3 years I've been using this product.
As an MSP (Managed Service Provider) in the highly competitive IT services market, our tool set is the backbone that enables the service delivery model that differentiates us from the competition. Because these tools are the skeleton of our business, we test all of them on a 3-year rotation to make sure we're using a best-of-breed solution that will make our services faster, more effective, more efficient and produce higher reliability and better outcomes for our clients.
Last year we evaluated our BDR (Backup and Disaster Recovery) and RMM (Remote Monitoring and Management) platforms with that backdrop. We included all of the major players (for RMM that was Kaseya, Labtech, N-able, Maxx, etc.) and a few free/near-free 2nd and 3rd tier players, and again Kaseya was the hands-down best-of-breed winner.
That's not to say it didn't have some short comings. It's a piece of software so yes, there are some bugs but none of them are heart stopping or business-critical, and we're an IT company! - we can get them resolved very quickly. And the bugs are no more or less than the issues we found in the competition - so on net it was wash against the competition.
But the overall scope and quality of the product, the depth of functionality, the myriad vendors that it integrates with, and the support team that we found responsive (slightly better then the competition) gave them a nod over the competition. Add to that the lightweight agent, integrated, lightening fast remote desktop access and HUGE user community where you can find a script for anything you need put them head and shoulders above the rest.
Everyone can find something they will love in Kaseya.
Pros
Robust features, lightening fast remote desktop access and huge user community producing thousands of scripts to cure every/any problem or request you may have. Full access to SQL database in included.
Cons
Slightly above average support response times and longer lead times for enhancements. Their SaaS version is slower than some of the competitors (altho the on prem is blazingly fast).
Having a remote control solution in the same web based app that allows patch management and scripting is the best efficiency aspect of this product for us.
Pros
Everything is integrated. One screen gets you a 360 degree approach to systems management... from AV and Backups, through 2FA & password management, through remote control and patch management.
Cons
The remote control feature works well on Windows Pc's, although can be quite intrusive on guest resources while active... and no remote control support for Mac, Linux or Android
Much of the interface will run in any web browser, but I find that you have to jump through a lot of hoops to get it running in a browser on anything other than a PC. As soon as you need to do anything that requires running of Keseya plugins (e.g. remote control or live connect)... only one platform will work (this rules out being productive whilst in transit or out of the office unless a full PC or Windows laptop is used)
The mobile management is cumbersome, very buggy and lacks decent functionality.
Managing AV and Backups is probably pretty good through Kaseya, but ONLY if all your clients / endpoints use Kaseya's sanctioned AV product (singular) and backup suite (again... singular)
The licensing can be tricky, and the sales team in my case were quite deceptive really in my opinion... we got ripped off and trying to get things solved here in Australia when all the decisions of any weight come from America... you find yourself feeling like just a number and nobody in Kaseya care.
Pros
I have logged, literally, thousands of hours in Kaseya. As stated above, I can do more in the VSA than if I'm in front of the PC. Hugely powerful. People ask me "So what kind of things have you done with Kaseya besides just remote into a desktop"? Then I give them a simple example, such as how I wrote a small agent procedure that allowed me to uninstall Office 2010, install Office 2013, and activate the product with a license key on more than 350 endpoints with (literally) three mouse clicks. And I did it with a 100% silent uninstall/install while the user was logged in and working. They had no idea anything was even happening with their workstation. Kaseya makes what could otherwise be a huge project super easy stuff. Kaseya is probably the most important force multiplier in my environment.
Cons
Identifying a con is tough. The only drawback I would point out is that for brand new users there can be quite a bit of learning curve when you delve into the really powerful features. For example, writing complex agent procedures takes experience. That being said, the initial basic use of the most common features is easy to pick up right away, so even the learning curve isn't a big deal. When you're ready to "do more" and invest the additional time to learn the more advanced features, they're there waiting for you. For basic help desk folks, they may never need to go beyond the surface features.
Pros
We have used Kaseya for quite a long time. Over the last decade, we have tried to change to other providers when we felt issues were mounting, but never felt like we could find a better option. After a number of years of fighting through a variety of issues, we have seen the product settle down for us. We did recently deploy MSPassist with our VSA and hope that it helps add a lot of functionality we were missing with straight VSA. The pros for me center around the agent and scripting. These are much stronger than others we've used in the past. They have modules for other add-ins like Webroot, Veeam, etc. These are nice, but they sometimes are inconsistent. They have made some acquistions recently with IT Glue, Rapidfire tools and IDagent that are exciting with regards to possible integrations into the base VSA.
Cons
My main issues with Kaseya deal with support. We have had many times where it was difficult to get an issue addressed if we didn't "light a fire" or raise the devil with account managers. This even extended to professional services and some problems completing scope items. Also, reporting could be better with product. I generally craft my reports in other applications with information from VSA.
This software allows my company to support and manage the networks, workstations, servers, and technology of our customers. It allows our technicians to remotely access and administer customer systems, automate maintenance tasks, monitor security and end user behavior, and also gives us a direct link into Kaseya's BMS product for support desk access with direct customer asset access and information. It has saved us many labor hours through automation of system patching and simple end user request or issue resolution.
Pros
I very much like Kaseya VSA's patch management capabilities, discovery, remote control and Live Connect, as well as the many integrations with 3rd party products. VSA has made troubleshooting and reporting on ours and our customer's networks exponentially easier. I like that Kaseya is plotting out a roadmap to a software version that encompasses all aspects of Managed IT Services, and am looking forward to the next release.
Cons
I am not particularly fond of Kaseya's Cloud Backup integration with Acronis, and while customer support was exceptionally good prior to our purchase, and for almost the next full year after, it seems that there have been some internal changes of late. We've had 4x account representatives in the 1.5 years we've been using VSA, and this last fellow just isn't cutting it. I've also noticed that our version (permissions) to the SAAS VSA do not reflect the same dashboard as others and getting features added or removed has been a process.
Remote Monitoring and Management of user PCs.
Pros
This software is very full-featured and allows quite a bit of granular control and automation. It continues to improve and has a nice amount of features that are included.
Cons
Features that would be nice to have in the base version must be purchased as additional plug-ins so that one feels somewhat "nickeled and dimed" every time you want to expand your feature-set.
The cost is on the higher end for a remote management product which could be justifiable if the support were better. I have found that it is a mixed bag of tricks in terms of how quickly you get a response and every time my ticket is addressed it is outsourced to someone for whom English is a 2nd or 3rd tongue. I don't have a problem with the outsourcing aspect but I often find there is more than a bit of a communication gap and it can be frustrating spending a solid chunk of time trying to get my point across due a language barrier. If this were a very low-cost product this would be more understandable but it is not.
There is also a very solid learning curve in terms of understanding all of the features. They offer a Kaseya University option to address that (which I am currently involved with) but it requires a subscription that keeps having to be renewed or you lose access. As the content is static, it would be much better to have a pay once and access forever -certainly for the same version.
To many to describe. Remote access, auditing, reporting, patch management, scripting....the list goes on.
Pros
Live Connect is a great feature, giving everything from remote support sessions to remote shell access. The scripting gives you ability to do almost everything behind the scenes making end users very happy. There is no better feeling than being able to tell your customer you fixed a problem without ever needing to bother them or interrupt their day. The reporting functions of Kaseya VSA allow administrators to parse almost any information possible, into nice PDF or Excel reports. Customers are usually very impressed and excited to see the reports, showing them any and all information they want to see regarding their company.
Cons
The user interface is a little dated, and before you learn it can be cumbersome to get around in. Another issue, when you schedule a script for a date/time that already occurred, it executes immediately, without warning. Not a big deal for some things, but when you accidentally schedule a reboot script for the wrong time, you don't get any warning before your customer computers are rebooting in the middling of the day. Live and learn :)
Pros
Kaseya just scaled up on my number of end points without any issue over the years. It is stable and I hardly face any issue with the agent stability as I have bad experience other RMM that keep needing reinstallation of agent and etc. Kaseya also offers a huge range of solutions ranging from DRaaS, Network Monitoring, Ticketing and security to choose from that integrates nicely inside the RMM.
Cons
Nothing much except the price is a bit steep but I guess you have to pay for solid software.
If I were to make the decision today, I'd choose a competing RMM. However after investing hundreds of hours into custom scripts and researching and designing monitoring.. switching RMMs is not an easy task. Consider that accordingly when making your decision. Also know that no solution is turn-key out of the box and that to make the most of your RMM, you will need to invest tech time in such R&D and customization.
Pros
Kaseya built out one of the first and still most powerful RMM tools on the market. They have wide-ranging integrations, a very mature scripting language, and a web-based single-pane-of-glass user interface that is simple but effective. Their remote control tool is extremely fast.
Cons
Dealing with Kaseya as a company has been the stuff of nightmares since I first used it in 2008. Despite massive growth, management overhauls, and continued change.. the company has and still seems to feel as though their clients are an afterthought. I got my hopes up a few times with promises of change and was let down. Pricing has always made me feel a bit "nickel and dimed". Acquisitions and integrations have been a bit buggy (KNM... you had so much potential!!) and have been their focus instead of improving the core product.
Asset management and OS and software patching have been very valuable. The Kaseya Remote Control is fast and easy to use. Our entire team uses it every day to support our end users.
Pros
We are a private company that uses the VSA for supporting our internal network and users. As an asset management platform the VSA works well. We are able to leverage the many support features to provide assistance to our end users.
Cons
The integration with end point security has been tough. The management platform for EPS was frustrating and difficult to understand. We experienced false positives on a daily basis on the EPS solution. Ultimately we moved away from the Kaseya/Kaspersky solution for end point security.
We used the ticketing system for years before moving away from it last year. We found that the ticketing module did not provide the flexibility our team needed to track and manage tickets in the most efficient way possible. The ticket module was one of the modules that did not get much attention and did not get updates because we were pushed to the service desk solution.
Overall I (and our business) have a very positive experience with the Kaseya VSA in our day to day operations. The VSA allows us to centrally manage all of our customer remote operations including Endpoint Security, Backup of differing technologies, Patching, monitoring and remote access. The VSA also allows us to provide many of these same benefits to our customers which we support, enabling them to have a similar positive experience when needing to access their own systems.
Pros
I am most impressed by the functionality and ease of use of the Kaseya VSA for everyday operations, from the perspective of a managed services provider. Supporting our customers in a way that allows quick resolution of their issues is a driving force behind our software purchasing mandate, and the Kaseya VSA allows for this without being cumbersome to use.
Cons
My primary issue with the Kaseya VSA is around the licensing model. We run an on-premise VSA, but would prefer to have the flexibility of a monthly subscription service around our licensing as this is how our customers consume services in the cloud driven era we live in.
Good overall experience although my service desk have had confidence knocked in the product with recent outages.
Pros
Monitoring, Remote Control and Patching all within one management console. Ease of access to multiple features.
Cons
At times, not user friendly and hard to navigate.
I have been using Kaseya VSA for about 10 years now. It has transformed my business. I travel less and less to clients sites and do most if not all work remotely for them. Their customer support is top notch and they work hard to help you. Their billing department could be improved, but they're working on it. They have Kaseya Connect every year in Las Vegas. I wish they would hold it somewhere other than casinos and strip clubs.
Kaseya is a must for your business. They can scale with you as you grow your business too.
Pros
Kaseya is awesome in the automation department. I am able to set scripts in place and have them run in the middle of the night. No more staying up after hours pushing out patches and fixes. I can set the patch management to scan for new updates, then push them out on a schedule that I determine.
Cons
The product works great on Windows machines, but updating a Mac can be tricky. I would like to see them move into the Android field more too. There are more and more Android devices coming into the work sphere that having an option to remotely fix androids would be great.
We selected Kaseya because our retail locations run 'Peer-to-Peer' (IE no Active Directory). We found most of Kaseya's competitors required AD joined machines.
We were also looking for a solution that provided inventory, scripting, and remote access (RDP) to end-points. Kaseya has all of those in one package.
Pros
Pros: very reliable, any outages have been either due to general system maintenance or patching. Makes for a very effective and information rich support environment.
Cons
Patching: tried switching from Patch Management to Software Management, but found Software Management lacking in essential features such as ability to spec and set 'file source'. Also Software Management seemed to find relentless issues (excuses), all over the map, different in almost all cases, not to install patches. We have reverted to Patch Management.
Scripting: Kaseya is 32-bit. Most of our clients are 64-bit Windows 10. 64-bit registry is essentially out-of-reach for Kaseya scripting. The '64-bit' procedures provided simply do not work.
Kaseya is the most powerful Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) software available on the market. It's easier to use than its competitors and it has the most robust Agent Procedure and scripting engine.
Pros
Automation
Ease of use
Fully Featured
Great integration
Cons
Customer support is terrible.
Purchasing new agent licenses is a pain in the butt. you have to contact a rep, they have to build a quote, you approve the quote, they send the request to tech to generate your licenses. now you have to pay them 3 time or 4 time a month for multiple agreements.
They should have a shopping cart, that auto-generates the licenses, or better yet, an unlimited pay for what you use model.
I have been with them for about 10 years and didn't always appreciate the company as a whole. Their current CEO has changed all of that. It doesn't matter your size, they will treat you as if you are a much larger organization.
Pros
The company behind it and the direction they are headed in. The account reps I have had for the past several years have been amazing. You need to get to know as many people as you can at Kaseya and learn to work as a team with them and you will be very happy. Their recent acquisitions will make their products better and they will continue to pull away from the competition.
Cons
It's doesn't seem intuitive at first. You need to invest a little to get things setup properly. All software is like this. They need to do a better job coming out with patches in a timely matter. Go to the conventions and get the certification and it will point you in the right direction. The networking at their conventions is priceless.
It really helps decrease the amount of time we spend working on client PCs and allows us to more quickly deploy global solutions to our clients.
Pros
Consistency of user experience and large feature set which allows techs to easily perform tasks while still being powerful.
Cons
Inability to use "Policy Management" for all modules as I haven't seen any 3rd party modules in there, nor have I seen the ability to apply policies for Network Monitor.
I'd also like to see a way to track the amount of time various automation are saving us. Such as software deployments, patch installs, etc. I can do some of this manually by having monitoring open a ticket then the ticket triggers actions which then add time and then close the ticket. But doing this for all automation isn't currently possible and this data would help justify Kaseya and Automation time to administration both internally and externally more readily.
We use AzureAD. Only AzureAD. This means we don't have a legacy Active Directory. As we don't have legacy Active Directory, we don't have group policies. We do have Intune but Intune is not yet mature. We needed to find a way to control our pc's. We started with VSA at first. We do want to move over to full Intune and we did move some management tasks over to Intune. Still we do use VSA to have a quick overview of our pc's. Also VSA feeds our Ticket and Assets system Vorex.
Pros
We do have a good and fast overview of all our pc's. We can see where a laptop is logged in and who was the last person who was logged in.
Cons
Pushing policies and scripts cannot be don at startup of logon. Wen you reinstall a pc a pc is duplicated in VSA. This costs double on licenses and gives a distorted overview. Deduplicating must be done by hand.
It would be nice to have a serialnumber check or something.
Their tech support was very helpful in helping me to get it up and running initially. Overall I would recommend it to a MSP or IT director with a lot of computers and/or branch offices.
Pros
Kaseya VSA is very powerful and makes managing large groups of computers much easier. There are a number of different tools that allow remote control, remote task management, event monitoring, alarms, inventory and auditing, software inventory, push programs and patches and more. It's been around for quite a few years and is a leader in the MSP arena. I have the on-premises version and run it off of a local web server.
Cons
It's a little tricky getting it setup initially. I think the Cloud version would be much easier to implement but I opted for the on-prem version because it had a few more extra features and was less expensive.
Flexibility, control and strong management capabilities.
Pros
Policy Management has been a big change to the way settings are enforced and monitored. Ease of use with KRC and LiveConnect Extensions has given our level 1 techs faster resolution times. The product has come a long way with integrations and the new Webroot integration is the easiest deployment of AV I've ever seen from Kaseya. Warranty Master is also a very useful integration.
Cons
There is a massive learning curve for my developers understanding some of the procedure development methods. It's very powerful but sometimes counter-intuitive for people with a background in common languages. Some settings that you would think would be under a certain module are hidden in other locations, but that's understandable given the development changes.
I purchased Kaseya over 10 years ago. During the evaluation, I was concerned that I would make the right choice and not waste time and money on a mistake. Best decision I have ever made. It allows us to manage and automate like no other product can. Some other products have pieces of what Kaseya can do, but no one has it all.
The scripts you are able to create give you the power to re-mediate, install & manage most things automatically. I love this program and would recommend to all. It is a huge reason for my continued success.
Pros
Scripting - Single biggest reason this software is so powerful
Monitoring - Alerts - Remediation
Automation
Information quickly
Remote control
Cons
Costly - But you get what you pay for
Menus - They are working to standardize the UI
Asset management, API into ITGlue/BMS as we're a full Kaseya house and remote access
Pros
Being able to remote into devices easily
Cons
Poor Reporting, Live connect disconnects
Overall, this has been an easy to install and implement software.
Pros
Overall, it is easy to set up and administer. There are lots of functionality options in order to automate the environment and keep track of all workstations and assistance needs.
Cons
Some of the modules, even using the help options available, are not obvious for set up and require some tweaking and re-tweaking. Occasionally it also requires reaching out to support, which is just a slow process. However, the people we have worked with have been thorough, knowledgeable and have been very helpful. Additionally, once data gets to a certain amount within Kaseya, it makes searching for tickets very difficult - and you can't search by ticket number.
VSA gave us the ability to manage completed remote laptops from a central console. Something as simple as changing the administrator password remotely is priceless to us.
Pros
We are a 100% remote company with strict SOP's and guidelines. We are required to manage laptops that never connect to a domain, no VPN. With the new Software Management Module, we can easily perform all security updates and have a record of these updates in one central location. This new module detects all vulnerabilities (including 3rd party software) and can be as automated as you want it to be.
Cons
Reporting could be better, but that seems to be the case with most software. Reporting what is installed on machines is somewhat difficult.
Kaseya VSA has helped me overcome hurdles with outdated software, missing updates, and deployment of new software. I used Kaseya to locate which devices are using old version of Office and using Windows version XP, 7 and and 8 and 8.1. This has helped me in the process of updating all of our devices to the newest Office and Windows 10.