Aerie OS vs NinjaOne: Migration Guide for UK MSPs

Executive Summary

NinjaOne has become the default RMM platform for mid-market MSPs globally. It excels at monitoring, patching, and endpoint management across thousands of devices. However, as UK MSPs scale and encounter complex service delivery, CRM, and automation needs, NinjaOne's position as "RMM-first" platform creates operational friction.

Aerie OS is purpose-built for UK and European MSPs who have outgrown RMM-as-a-silo. It delivers integrated RMM, PSA, CRM, and intelligent automation in one platform designed for MSP business growth, not just endpoint management.

This guide covers realistic migration pathways, data export processes, feature mapping, and timelines for UK MSPs considering the move.

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Why UK MSPs Consider Migrating from NinjaOne

1. Fragmented RMM + PSA Integration Creates Inefficiency

NinjaOne's strength—comprehensive endpoint monitoring—becomes a weakness when you need seamless PSA integration.

NinjaOne's Architecture:

• Premier RMM (monitoring, patching, script execution across 10,000+ endpoints)
• NinjaOne Ticketing module exists but is PSA-lite
• Native API supports integration with third-party PSA (Autotask, HaloPSA, Connectwise, Syncro)
• Alert-to-ticket workflows are possible but require API glue and custom automation

Real-World Challenge: A NinjaOne alert triggers an incident, but:

• Alert is generated in NinjaOne
• Technician must manually create a ticket in their separate PSA
• Ticket and RMM data live in two systems (no unified view)
• Client communication happens in PSA; RMM status happens in NinjaOne
• Billing is recorded in PSA, but diagnostics are in NinjaOne

Data Silos at Scale:

• 50+ technicians using NinjaOne + Autotask creates context switching overhead
• Duplicate client records (in NinjaOne and PSA)
• Double data entry for asset information
• Compliance reporting requires pulling data from two systems

Aerie Advantage:

• Single unified agent collecting all data (RMM, security, backup, network health)
• RMM alerts automatically create tickets in the PSA (no manual intervention)
• Unified client and asset view across RMM, PSA, CRM
• One audit trail for compliance
• No API glue required

Illustrative Example: With an integrated platform, alert-to-client notification can be fully automatic (seconds). With NinjaOne + a separate PSA, the manual steps of ticket creation, assignment, and client update typically take 5–10 minutes.

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2. Limited Native CRM—Revenue Growth Relies on Spreadsheets

NinjaOne lacks native CRM capabilities; most UK MSPs bolt on a separate tool.

NinjaOne Limitations:

• No CRM or deal pipeline
• No quoting or proposal generation (must use third-party tools like Templafy)
• No contract lifecycle management
• No revenue forecasting or upsell visibility
• Reporting is RMM-centric (uptime, patching compliance), not revenue-centric

Common Pattern: A growing UK MSP using NinjaOne typically runs:

• NinjaOne (RMM + ticketing)
• HaloPSA or Connectwise (PSA/ticketing)
• HubSpot or Pipedrive (CRM)
• IT Glue (documentation)
• Stripe or custom billing

Data Consistency Challenge:

• Client added to NinjaOne but not yet in CRM
• Contract added to CRM but not linked to NinjaOne monitoring
• Renewal alert in one system, but missed in another
• Sales team doesn't see which accounts are at risk of churn

Aerie Advantage:

• Integrated MSP-native CRM (built for service delivery businesses, not SaaS)
• Deal pipeline with forecast accuracy
• Quote generation and quote-to-cash workflows
• Contract management with renewal alerts tied to client data
• Revenue forecasting and upsell recommendations based on usage patterns
• Client health scoring (churn risk, expansion opportunity)

Illustrative Example: With Aerie, you can see: "Acme Corp is at risk of churn (low ticket activity), but we haven't quoted them on advanced security monitoring (expansion opportunity)." This insight enables proactive upselling. A NinjaOne + spreadsheet-based CRM setup typically misses these signals.

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3. Automation Ceiling: RMM Scripts vs. Business Process Automation

NinjaOne's automation is powerful for RMM tasks but weak for business processes.

NinjaOne's Scripting:

• Excellent: PowerShell, Bash, Python execution on endpoints
• Good: Conditional logic and error handling in scripts
• Limited: Business process automation outside of RMM (ticket routing, SLA escalation, client workflows)

What NinjaOne Can't Do:

• Auto-escalate overdue tickets to managers (requires third-party integration)
• Notify clients automatically when SLA is at risk (must use PSA or custom integration)
• Route tickets based on technician skill or availability (PSA-dependent)
• Auto-generate quotes when client requests new service (separate quoting tool needed)
• Trigger preventative maintenance based on client contract level (complex custom logic)

Typical Workaround: UK MSPs often build Zapier/Make.com workflows to connect NinjaOne to Slack, then to PSA, then to email. This creates:

• Latency (triggering can take 30+ seconds)
• Fragility (each integration point is a failure point)
• Maintenance burden (Zapier recipes break when APIs update)

Aerie Advantage:

• Visual ReactFlow workflow builder (no code needed for business logic)
• Intelligent ticket routing based on skill, availability, location, SLA
• Multi-step automation sequences (e.g., "if ticket is overdue AND client VIP AND tech on-shift, escalate AND notify manager AND send client ETA")
• RMM script execution within automation workflows (integrated, not bolted on)
• AI-powered ticket triage (automatic categorisation, priority assignment, skill matching)
• Native business logic (SLA escalation, contract-triggered actions, revenue-based routing)

Illustrative Example: Aerie's automation can handle a full VIP ticket escalation sequence—escalating the ticket, notifying the manager, and sending the client a status update—in a single workflow run. The equivalent with NinjaOne + Zapier typically requires manual escalation by the support manager.

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4. Licensing Complexity and Cost Scaling

NinjaOne's per-device pricing model doesn't align well with UK MSP economics as you scale.

NinjaOne Pricing Model:

• Per-endpoint license (£x per managed device per month)
• PSA/ticketing is additional (£y per technician or per organisation)
• Additional modules (asset management, patch management, remote access) have separate licensing
• Cost scales with device count, not user count

Real-World Scenario: A UK MSP managing:

• 500 endpoints across 20 clients
• 5 technicians
• NinjaOne cost = £x × 500 (per device)
• Add Connectwise PSA for 5 technicians = £y × 5
• Total = potentially £3–5k per month

Aerie Pricing Model:

• Per-technician pricing (includes all modules)
• Cost scales with team growth, not device count
• 5 technicians = fixed, predictable cost
• Growing to 500 endpoints = zero additional licensing cost

Real-World Scenario (same 5-tech, 500-endpoint MSP):

• Aerie cost = £z × 5 technicians
• Total = potentially £2–3.5k per month (all modules included)

Cost Advantage: As an MSP scales to 1000 devices, Aerie cost stays the same. NinjaOne cost potentially doubles (per-device model scales with customer success).

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Feature Comparison: Head-to-Head

Feature	NinjaOne	Aerie OS	Winner
RMM Agent	Industry-standard, proven	Unified agent, sub-second alerting	Tie (different approaches)
Endpoint Monitoring	10,000+ endpoints supported	Scales to enterprise	Tie
Patching	Excellent, scheduled + predictable	Excellent, silent + automatic	Tie
Script Execution	Powerful (PowerShell, Bash, Python)	Powerful (same capabilities)	Tie
PSA/Ticketing	Available but PSA-lite	Enterprise-grade PSA included	Aerie
CRM	Not included	Full MSP-native CRM included	Aerie
Business Automation	Limited (RMM scripts only)	Advanced (ReactFlow workflows + AI)	Aerie
API Integration	Excellent REST API	Excellent REST API	Tie
Alert Customisation	Highly customisable	Highly customisable	Tie
Mobile Experience	Native mobile app	Web-first responsive design	Tie
Reporting	RMM-centric	Business-centric (revenue, SLA, team health)	Aerie
Documentation Tools	Not included	Wiki + Scribe + Vault included	Aerie
Scalability	Up to 10,000 devices easily	Enterprise-grade, 100k+ devices possible	Tie
AI Automation	Not available	Native AI ticket triage and routing	Aerie
Contract Terms	Annual contracts typical	Month-to-month (annual discount available)	Aerie
UK Compliance	Supported	UK data residency, GDPR-native	Aerie

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NinjaOne Data Export and Migration Process

Migrating from NinjaOne to Aerie requires careful data extraction, mapping, and validation. Here's the realistic breakdown:

Step 1: Data Export from NinjaOne (1–2 weeks)

What Can Be Exported:

• Device inventory (hardware, OS, installed software)
• Device grouping/organisation structure
• Monitoring baselines and alert rules
• Custom fields and device relationships
• Patching schedules and policies
• Script library (PowerShell, Bash, Python)
• Audit logs (for compliance validation)

Export Method:

• NinjaOne API: GET /v2/devices and related endpoints (bulk export available)
• CSV export via NinjaOne UI (limited, but useful for validation)
• Custom API queries to extract metadata

Timeline:

• Small deployment (< 100 devices): 2–3 days
• Medium deployment (100–1000 devices): 5–7 days
• Large deployment (1000+ devices): 10–14 days (includes API rate limit planning)

Effort: 20–40 hours for technical resource

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Step 2: Data Mapping and Transformation (1–2 weeks)

Device Mapping:

• NinjaOne "organisations" → Aerie "clients"
• NinjaOne "device groups" → Aerie "device categories"
• NinjaOne "custom fields" → Aerie "custom asset attributes"

Alert Rule Mapping:

• NinjaOne condition-based alerts → Aerie monitoring profiles
• CPU, memory, disk alerts → direct 1:1 mapping
• Complex multi-condition alerts → may require manual re-creation

Script Conversion:

• NinjaOne PowerShell scripts → Aerie RMM scripts (usually 1:1, minimal changes)
• Bash/Python scripts → direct compatibility
• NinjaOne script parameters → Aerie script variables (require mapping table)

Client and Contact Setup:

• NinjaOne organisations and contacts → Aerie client records
• Manual enrichment needed (service tier, contract value, support level)
• Contact consolidation (remove duplicates)

Timeline:

• Data cleansing and validation: 7–10 days
• Script conversion and testing: 3–5 days
• Client and contact creation: 3–5 days

Effort: 40–60 hours for technical + business resource

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Step 3: Pilot Deployment (1–2 weeks)

Test Environment:

• Deploy Aerie agent to 10–20 non-critical test devices
• Verify device discovery, monitoring, patching
• Test script execution and alert triggers
• Validate data accuracy against NinjaOne baseline

Client Selection:

• Choose 1–2 small, non-critical client organisations for pilot
• Communicate migration plan to client (transparency = trust)
• Schedule out-of-hours deployment windows
• Have rollback plan ready (NinjaOne still running)

Validation:

• Compare device counts, software inventory, hardware data
• Verify alert rules trigger correctly
• Confirm patching schedules align
• Test SLA-critical workflows (alert → ticket → client notification)

Timeline:

• Deployment and validation: 7–10 days
• Troubleshooting and refinement: 3–5 days

Effort: 30–50 hours for technical + support resource

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Step 4: Full Rollout (2–4 weeks)

Phased Deployment:

• Week 1: Deploy to 20% of endpoints (e.g., low-risk clients)
• Week 2: Deploy to 50% of endpoints (mid-tier clients)
• Week 3: Deploy to 80% of endpoints (high-value clients)
• Week 4: Final 20% and non-critical systems
• Week 5: NinjaOne decommissioning validation

PSA Activation:

• Configure ticketing workflows during rollout
• Set up SLA timers for each service level
• Activate alert-to-ticket automation in Week 2–3
• Train team on new ticketing process

CRM Onboarding:

• Migrate client data into Aerie CRM
• Set up client health scoring
• Configure renewal reminders
• Begin tracking revenue per client

Timeline:

• Full deployment: 14–28 days
• Team training: 3–5 days
• Final validation and NinjaOne sunset: 7 days

Effort: 80–120 hours for technical, support, and sales resource

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Total Migration Timeline: 6–10 Weeks

Phase	Duration	Key Milestone
Planning & preparation	1 week	Data audit complete, team trained
Data export and mapping	2–3 weeks	All data exported, transformation rules validated
Pilot deployment	1–2 weeks	10–20 devices monitored successfully in Aerie
Full rollout	2–4 weeks	All devices migrated, PSA live, CRM activated
Decommissioning	1 week	NinjaOne sunset, archival of historical data

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Common FAQ: Migrating from NinjaOne to Aerie

Q: Can I run NinjaOne and Aerie in parallel during migration?

A: Yes, and we recommend it for large deployments.

Parallel Running:

• NinjaOne continues managing production devices (Weeks 1–5)
• Aerie gradually takes over groups of devices (phased rollout)
• Overlap window: 2–4 weeks (both agents report, but only Aerie receives tickets)
• Benefits: Zero downtime, easy rollback, time to validate

Trade-offs:

• Agent overhead: two RMM agents consume 2–3% more CPU
• Network traffic: two agents = ~2x event reporting (negligible on modern networks)
• Team confusion: brief period where technicians reference both systems
• Licensing cost: NinjaOne costs continue during parallel run

Recommendation: For deployments < 200 devices, parallel running adds minimal risk and cost. For > 500 devices, cost of parallel running (4 weeks × NinjaOne cost) may justify faster, phased cutover instead.

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Q: How do I handle devices that NinjaOne can't monitor in Aerie?

A: This is rare, but here's how to approach it.

Devices at Risk:

• IoT devices (printers, network cameras, HVAC systems) that NinjaOne monitors but Aerie doesn't officially support
• Very old or proprietary hardware
• Air-gapped or low-bandwidth networks
• BYOD devices with NinjaOne monitoring only (not user devices)

Aerie Approach:

• Aerie focuses on Windows, macOS, Linux endpoints (the 95% case)
• For IoT/proprietary systems, use Aerie's SNMP or API monitoring instead of agent-based monitoring
• For user devices, focus on corporate-managed devices (Windows/macOS)

Migration Strategy:

• Identify non-standard devices during data audit (Step 1)
• Decide: keep in NinjaOne OR convert to API/SNMP monitoring in Aerie
• Document exceptions (creates a risk register)
• Plan device refresh cycles to eliminate exceptions

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Q: Will my scripts work in Aerie without modification?

A: The vast majority will work unchanged.

Script Compatibility:

PowerShell Scripts:

• 95%+ work directly (same runtime, same parameters)
• May need minor tweaks if they use NinjaOne-specific APIs
• Example: script calling NinjaOne API → convert to Aerie API calls

Bash/Python Scripts:

• Direct compatibility (no modification needed)
• Works on Linux, macOS, BSD devices in Aerie

NinjaOne-Specific Scripts:

• Scripts using NinjaOne API calls will fail in Aerie
• Aerie equivalent API calls available (usually straightforward conversion)
• Aerie team can assist with conversion during migration

Process:

• Export all scripts from NinjaOne (available via API)
• Create script mapping table (NinjaOne script → Aerie equivalent)
• Test converted scripts in Aerie pilot environment
• Deploy converted scripts in full rollout

Timeline: 2–5 hours per complex script (most are trivial to convert)

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Q: What happens to my alert rules and monitoring baselines?

A: Alert rules are recreated in Aerie; monitoring baselines are imported directly.

Alert Rules (Manual Recreation):

• NinjaOne uses condition builder UI (CPU > 80%, Memory > 90%, etc.)
• Aerie uses identical logic, different interface
• Baseline complexity: simple alerts = 5 mins each, complex multi-condition = 20 mins each
• Typical MSP: 50–100 alert rules (effort = 4–8 hours)

Monitoring Baselines (Automatic Import):

• Aerie imports historical CPU, memory, disk, network data
• Baselines automatically calculated from historical data
• Anomaly detection inherits NinjaOne patterns (no relearning needed)

Validation:

• Side-by-side comparison: NinjaOne alerts vs. Aerie alerts for first 48 hours
• Adjust thresholds if Aerie is too noisy or too quiet (usually perfect match)

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Q: Will my NinjaOne integrations work with Aerie?

A: Depends on the integration; most require reconfiguration.

Native Integrations (Work Out-of-Box):

• Connectwise PSA ↔ Aerie (we support this; simpler than NinjaOne-Connectwise)
• HaloPSA ↔ Aerie (well-documented integration)
• Slack, Teams, Discord (webhook-based, works the same)
• Stripe, Payment gateways (same integration points)

Third-Party Integrations (Require Reconfiguration):

• Zapier/Make.com automations → must rebuild in Aerie workflows (but usually simpler with Aerie native automation)
• IT Glue, Hudu integration → API-based, works but may need endpoint updates
• Custom API integrations → likely compatible (check API endpoints)

Integration Effort:

• Simple integrations (Slack, email): 30 mins setup
• Complex integrations (PSA, ticketing): 2–4 hours setup + testing
• Custom integrations: depends on complexity

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Q: How much will it cost to migrate?

A: Here's a realistic breakdown for a typical 500-device MSP.

Aerie Migration Support (included with commitment):

• Migration planning and strategy: £0 (Aerie team)
• Technical data export and mapping: £0 (Aerie team)
• Pilot environment setup: £0 (Aerie team)
• Onboarding and training: £0 (30 days included)

Your Team's Time Cost:

• Prepare data audit and export: 40 hours × £50/hr = £2,000
• Configure and validate Aerie environment: 60 hours × £50/hr = £3,000
• Team training and change management: 20 hours × £50/hr = £1,000
• Subtotal (internal effort): £6,000

NinjaOne Decommissioning:

• Continue NinjaOne during parallel run: 4 weeks × prorated monthly cost
• Example: £2,500/month → £2,500 overlap cost
• Subtotal (NinjaOne overlap): £2,500

Aerie Platform Activation:

• Aerie monthly cost: £2–3.5k per month (no migration surcharge)
• Month 1 includes migration support (no additional fee)
• No additional migration cost

Total Migration Cost: £8,500–9,000 (mostly your internal time)

Cost Recovery:

• Aerie pricing vs. NinjaOne + PSA/CRM tools: savings of £1–2k/month
• Migration cost recovered in 4–6 months
• Ongoing monthly savings due to unified platform

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Q: What if something goes wrong during migration?

A: Aerie provides rollback and safety nets.

Rollback Strategy:

• NinjaOne continues running until you've validated Aerie (2–4 weeks)
• If issues arise, keep NinjaOne active while Aerie issues are resolved
• No hard cutover date (optional, not forced)

Safety Measures:

• Dedicated migration specialist assigned to your project
• Weekly check-ins during rollout phases
• SLA guarantee: 30-day go-live commitment (or Aerie covers extension costs)
• Historical data export at each phase (can revert to NinjaOne if needed)

Real-World Incident Response:

• Aerie agent causes unexpected device load? → rollback that device group (1–2 minutes)
• Alert rule misconfiguration causing noise? → adjust rules in Aerie (5 minutes, no downtime)
• Script compatibility issue? → disable script in Aerie, keep running in NinjaOne (parallel run handles this)

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Why UK MSPs Choose Aerie Over NinjaOne

For Growing Teams Needing PSA

NinjaOne excels at RMM but requires bolting on separate PSA tool (Connectwise, HaloPSA, Autotask). Aerie includes enterprise-grade PSA, eliminating tool sprawl.

For Revenue-Focused MSPs

NinjaOne has no CRM or quoting. Aerie's integrated CRM enables deal tracking, quote generation, and revenue forecasting—features NinjaOne requires third-party tools to match.

For Automation-Driven Operations

NinjaOne's automation is RMM-focused. Aerie's ReactFlow workflows + AI automate business processes (ticket routing, SLA escalation, client workflows), reducing manual overhead.

For Predictable, Transparent Costs

NinjaOne's per-device model scales costs unpredictably as customer bases grow. Aerie's per-technician pricing is fixed and predictable, simplifying financial planning.

For UK and European MSPs

Aerie is built for GDPR, UK data residency, and European business practices (VAT handling, UK legal terms). NinjaOne is US-headquartered and requires more compliance configuration.

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Verdict

NinjaOne is ideal if:

• You only need RMM and have no immediate PSA/CRM needs
• You have specific API integrations that only work with NinjaOne
• You manage 100+ devices but want the smallest tool footprint
• You prefer annual contracts and extensive vendor lock-in is acceptable

Aerie OS is ideal if:

• You're growing beyond RMM-only and need integrated PSA, CRM, automation
• You want predictable, per-technician pricing instead of per-device scaling
• You're pursuing revenue growth through CRM and upselling
• You want one platform instead of 4–5 scattered tools
• You're a UK or European MSP needing GDPR and UK compliance out-of-the-box
• You want AI-powered automation to reduce manual overhead

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Migration Timeline at a Glance

Week	Activity	Deliverable
1–2	Planning & data audit	Data export complete, team trained
3–4	Data mapping & transformation	All device data mapped, alert rules created, scripts tested
5–6	Pilot deployment	20 devices live in Aerie, validation complete
7–8	Phase 1 rollout (20% of devices)	Low-risk clients migrated, alerts validated
9	Phase 2 rollout (30% of devices)	Mid-tier clients migrated, PSA activated
10	Phase 3 rollout (30% of devices)	High-value clients migrated, CRM configured
11	Phase 4 rollout (20% of devices)	Final devices migrated, NinjaOne decommissioning planned
12	NinjaOne sunset & archival	Full cutover complete, historical data archived

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Call to Action

Ready to move beyond RMM-only and unlock unified service delivery?

1. Schedule a no-pressure assessment – See your current NinjaOne + tool stack vs. Aerie all-in-one
2. Request a side-by-side demo – Compare Aerie's PSA, CRM, and automation to your existing stack
3. Get a custom migration plan – We'll outline timeline, effort, and cost for your specific deployment
4. Calculate your 3-year TCO – See the cost impact of NinjaOne + bolted-on tools vs. Aerie's unified approach

Questions about migration, timelines, or specific integrations? Our migration specialist team is here to help.