Automation is a term widely used in the information technology arena. Humans are always looking at ways to decrease effort whilst maximising output. A good example of how automation has decreased the need for human intervention is network management. Network Management Systems (NMS) aids IT departments in the complex task of keeping environments safe, secure and optimised. This article discusses how network management tools aid busy IT professionals in the daily monitoring of complex systems that span large geographical areas. Looking at Internet Service Providers (ISP) and the sheer complexity of the environments they administer, makes the case for network monitoring tools evident.

With large customer volumes, both private individuals and businesses, ISP’s would find it impossible to manage their service offerings without the use of automated monitoring and alerting tools. Since monitoring these environments aren’t isolated to only keeping an eye on hardware; Service Providers need to understand consumer utilisation trends in order to provide first class services to its customers.

So why is network management a top priority?

Today’s networks are much more complex than in days past. With a globalised business world, networks have become increasingly borderless and span vast geographical areas. The Internet has acted as a convergence tool where historically disparate activities are now reliant on it. We rely on the web as a work tool, a source of information, entertainment, communication and other various things. Without network management tools, ensuring peak performance and availability would be an impossible task. Here’s just a few ways that network management and its associated tools aid in keeping networks up and issues at bay:

• Around the clock monitoring: Humans would never be able to monitor each and every device on networks. Software that is able to poll and check on the health of network hardware ensures that IT staff are in the know of potential issues on the horizon.
• Pre-emptive Alerting: Alerts bring to attention signs of bigger issues in your environment. Crucial to prevention is having the right information on hand to take corrective steps that ensure the stability of your network remains uncompromised. IT staff understandably cannot be everywhere at all times. Network monitoring solutions are the invisible team members who keep you in the know.
• Information Gathering: Large networks produce incredible amounts of information that if leveraged intelligently, puts IT departments on the front foot when it comes to network management. Network management tools gather metrics on the various devices on the network that IT can then leverage to perform analyses, draw reports and make accurate forecasts on the future requirements of their environment.
• Security: Security risks are an intrinsic part of the information age. Threats come in various forms that ultimately compromise the safety and privacy of company and private information. Network monitoring plays a significant role in minimising the threat posed to the security of information.

The evolution of the technological landscape comes with its unique set of challenges. In a world that demands access to the web around the clock, network monitoring plays a vital role in how effectively technology professionals cater to this ever-increasing demand.

Image credit: Pixabay

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