Network Monitoring Definition and Solutions
Network monitoring is far more strategic than its name implies. It involves watching for problems 24/7, but it's also about optimizing data flow and access in a complex and changing environment. Tools and services are as numerous and varied as the environments they guard and analyze.
- What is network monitoring?
- How important is network monitoring?
- What can network monitoring systems monitor?
- What kind of networks can they monitor?
- What strategic tasks can network monitoring systems do?
- What questions can network monitoring answer?
- What can network monitoring do for me?
- What tools will I find in network monitoring systems?
- What kinds of network monitoring systems are available?
- What do they cost?
What can network monitoring systems monitor?
Network monitoring won't help unless you track the right things. The usual areas examined are bandwidth usage, application performance and server performance.
Monitoring traffic is a fundamental task, one on which all other network-building and -maintenance tasks are based. It generally focuses on resources that support internal end users. So network monitoring systems have evolved to oversee an assortment of devices:
• BlackBerrys
• Cell phones
• Servers and desktops
• Routers
• Switches
Some network monitoring systems come with automatic discovery, which is the ability to continuously record devices as they're added, removed or undergo configuration changes. These tools segregate devices dynamically. Some common rubrics are:
• IP address• Service
• Type (switch, router, etc.)
• Physical location
Beyond the obvious advantage of knowing exactly — and in real time — what you have deployed, automatic discovery and categorization of segments helps you plan for growth. Underused hardware can take on new functions, for example. They also help pinpoint problems. If all devices at a given location are underperforming, there might be a resource-management problem to address.
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