A Nerd’s Eye View on N‑central’s Enhancements in 2024

I think this is my third year looking back at all the N‑central releases in a calendar year so I guess you could say it’s becoming an end of year tradition.

Reflecting on 2024, N‑central has introduced a multitude of features, enhancements, and updates aimed at strengthening partner capabilities, enhancing security, and optimizing usability. Let’s take a closer look at what made this year so impactful, release by release.

2024.1: Laying the Foundation for Enhanced Security and EDR Capabilities

The year kicked off with a strong emphasis on security and integrations, laying the groundwork for future improvements. Security remained a top priority, evidenced by the proactive addressing of a critical vulnerability (CVE-2024-28200), which had roots in 2023. This move underscored our ongoing commitment to providing a platform that stays ahead of evolving threats, reassuring partners of the safety and stability of their N‑central environments.

Among the noteworthy additions was the ability for on-prem partners to upgrade their N‑able Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) integrations. This enhancement ensured that partners could tap into the full breadth of SentinelOne’s robust capabilities, including comprehensive real-time threat monitoring, advanced threat hunting, and reporting, all while maintaining a seamless integration within N‑central. With EDR becoming increasingly critical to endpoint security strategies, this upgrade empowered partners to maintain and even enhance their security posture.

Another key feature introduced during this release was the incorporation of Microsoft’s Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) into patch management. Partners now had a standardized way to assess the severity of vulnerabilities through CVSS scoring, streamlining the patch prioritization process. This improved their ability to make informed, data-driven decisions about which patches were most urgent, ultimately fortifying client systems with timely updates. Additionally, REST API enhancements expanded N‑central’s automation and integration capabilities, further unlocking new efficiencies for partners.

2024.2: Granularity and Automation for Mac Devices

The second major release of the year placed a spotlight on improving Mac device management while bolstering automation across the platform. Recognizing the evolving needs of partners managing Apple ecosystems, N‑central introduced a new device classification called ‘Laptop – Mac.’ This more granular categorization improved inventory reporting, distinguishing Mac laptops from their desktop counterparts. Such granularity allowed for enhanced targeting and management, and it better aligned with how many partners support their Apple end-users.

To complement this new classification, N‑central added a suite of out-of-the-box automation scripts designed specifically for Mac devices. While these scripts had previously resided within the N‑ableMe Automation Cookbook, their integration into the product itself provided convenient, centralized access. Partners could now automate routine Mac management tasks with ease, boosting both productivity and consistency.

Building on the CVSS scoring introduced in 2024.1, N‑central implemented colour indicators for the CVSS scores within patch workflows. This enhancement provided a visual, at-a-glance way to correlate CVSS ratings with color-coded severity indicators. For example, a patch with a critical CVSS score (9.0-10.0) was marked with a red indicator, while a low-severity patch (0.1-3.9) appeared in green. This intuitive feature simplified vulnerability assessments and aided partners in quickly understanding patching priorities.

Additionally, N‑central introduced bulk asset info updates, enabling partners to update asset data for multiple devices simultaneously. This improvement streamlined what could have been a repetitive, manual process, ultimately saving time and improving operational efficiency. The release also brought enhancements to service template performance, speeding up the application and reapplication processes, and updated the Take Control Mac viewer, fixing key issues while optimizing performance.

2024.3: Elevating Security and Usability with N‑able Login for On-Prem Partners

In the third release of the year, N‑central took significant steps to elevate both security and user experience. One of the standout changes was the integration of N‑able Login capabilities, bringing single sign-on (SSO) to on-prem partners. This new authentication method provided a seamless and secure means of accessing not only N‑central but the broader suite of N‑able products and services. With this shift from local authentication to N‑able SSO, partners benefitted from security features such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) that adhered to ISO-certified standards. Furthermore, SSO streamlined access to knowledge resources, N‑able University training, support, and communities.

This release also expanded Direct Data Access, adding new data domains to enable deeper insights and reporting capabilities. Partners gained the ability to query data or connect it to their business intelligence tools, enhancing their visibility into areas such as device check-ins, AV status, firewall incidents, and more. For partners managing Apple devices, usability saw an improvement with new UI views, updated terminology, and additional monitoring services for OS updates.

Enhancements to the REST API added even more functionality, offering new endpoints for creating access groups, modifying device properties, and more. This empowered partners to further automate their processes, driving efficiency and scalability across their operations.

2024.4: Preparing for the Future with Ecoverse and Enhanced Analytics

The fourth release of the year laid important groundwork for future innovations, especially with the introduction of the Ecoverse Experience. Although many of these features remain behind feature flags, they signify a major shift towards integrating N‑central with N‑able’s broader ecosystem. The new asset view and cloud-based components, once fully enabled, will provide a more unified and comprehensive view of assets across multiple servers. Linking N‑central’s Take Control and other cloud services will make management seamless and efficient.

Microsoft Entra ID support further expanded N‑able Login capabilities, enabling partners to integrate their identity management systems and streamline access across the tech stack. This addition reduced friction and created a cohesive authentication experience within the N‑able ecosystem. The release also brought analytics enhancements, introducing new direct data access for device incidents, network errors, OS reboot history, and more.

Other updates, including improved memory monitoring in the N‑central Apple Agent and a new scheduling management tab in Analytics.

2024.6: Elevating the N‑central Experience with Innovations Across the Board

The final release of 2024, N‑central 2024.6, brings a wealth of new features and improvements, closing the year with a focus on enhanced usability, expanded functionality, and seamless integrations. Among the headline updates is the continued evolution of the Assets View, designed to make device management faster and more efficient. The view now includes additional data points such as external IP addresses, CPU specifications, logged-in users, and even cloud details like Azure region and subscription information. Visual enhancements, including data visualizations with aggregate summaries like donut charts, make it easier than ever to derive insights at a glance. Partners will also soon be able to create and save custom views, tailoring the interface to their specific needs.

For Linux users, the release introduces a modern Linux agent, providing the foundational support to display Linux devices within the new Assets View. This unified agent sets the stage for future advancements in Linux device management.

In the realm of Analytics, a new reporting capability allows partners to generate and print detailed reports in formats like PDF and Excel. From AV status to network assessment and service availability, these reports provide a streamlined way to share critical insights internally or with customers.

Security and compliance remain at the forefront with the introduction of User Audit Log Export to Syslog servers. This enhancement enables centralized visibility into user actions, offering compliance support and proactive threat detection through integration with SIEM tools.

Device management also sees substantial improvements with the new Apple FileVault Management feature, providing centralized encryption control for macOS devices. This addition includes monitoring encryption status, enforcing policies, and managing recovery keys, ensuring both data security and compliance.

API advancements in 2024.6 include new endpoints for managing patch maintenance windows, retrieving warranty information, and gaining visibility into device check-in times. These updates further extend the customization and automation capabilities of N‑central, enabling partners to optimize their workflows.

For remote support, updates to Take Control introduce out-of-session communication capabilities, including chat, video chat, and screen sharing directly from the Device View. The addition of a Support Toolkit centralizes essential troubleshooting tools, while multi-monitor support enhances usability by mirroring real monitor layouts during remote sessions.

By combining these innovations, the 2024.6 release demonstrates N‑able’s commitment to empowering partners with tools that streamline operations, enhance security, and deliver a superior end-user experience.

Looking ahead to 2025

2024 was a year of transformation and growth for N‑central, from bolstering endpoint security to introducing new integrations that enhance how partners work. As we look forward to 2025, N‑able remains committed to delivering innovations that empower partners and keep them ahead of the curve. Here’s to another year of continuous improvement and strong partnerships!

If you have questions join me on the N-Central office hours at www.n-able.com/events.  For more insight on how you can get the most out of N‑central, you can attend our N‑central Boot Camps, recordings of which are available in the N‑ableU, alternatively keep an eye on www.n-able.com/events to register for the live sessions.

 Paul Kelly is the Head Nerd at N‑able. You can follow him on Twitter at @HeadNerdPaul, LinkedIn and Reddit at u/Paul _Kelly. Alternatively you can email me direct.