According to Gartner, the average cost of downtime is $5600 per minute, which loosely translates to $300,000 per hour. Downtime occurs as a result of the lack of network monitoring tools. Network monitoring is essential for the growth of any data centre, and its tools can provide in-depth information on all aspects of the data center including databases, applications, and storage.
All network systems differ when it comes to configuration and monitoring depending on a firm’s infrastructure and monitoring needs. The evolution of networks has broadened from simple flat-out designs to more complex models that can accommodate multiple components such as mobile devices and cloud services. Lack of a network monitoring strategy can lead to a failure of even the best network systems.
Here are some of the best practices to help you improve your network monitoring:
Note And Document Baseline Network Behaviour
Before you indulge in any improvement in your network system, it’s essential to look for any current disruptions or hidden problems. Your current status will act as the comparison point – such that when you set thresholds for network performance, and they are not met, you know there is poor performance and not just guesswork.
It’s essential to ensure that you are aware of any increases or drops in your network system performance. This is to ensure that you don’t keep getting alerts on issues that might not be problematic. For instance, if you are running a backup on your syslog server, you could reset your software so as it does not keep bringing you alerts.
Monitor And Report at Every Level
For a firm that operates from 8-5, monitoring during these hours could be the first step in improving your network performance. However, this is not enough as you need flexibility at every level, especially in departments like finance where continuous monitoring is crucial. When building a network system, it’s wise to incorporate a system that monitors and reports in real-time.
With the increasing changes in IT, network monitoring is not only bound to the office. You can employ network monitoring solution tools which act as a watchtower and will alert you via texts or emails in real time whenever a problem arises. This makes troubleshooting easier and also reduces downtime.
Manage Configuration Closely
Many network issues originate from the lack of the right frequency of monitoring and poor configuration within the network. It’s essential to ensure that when changes are made in the configuration, there is a well laid out process to ensure these changes do not affect any other part of the network. This gives the network administrator a deep insight into who is making what changes.
The configuration of networks is crucial as it aids in detecting problems and preventing them from occurring. Also, configure your interface in such a way that the exceptional alerts have an escalation plan. That is, your employees know when and how to respond to specific alerts.
Determine Information That is Most Critical to Monitor
Let’s say you lost your Wifi router to unexpected technical issues in the middle of your daily operations. What would this mean for your network infrastructure? It means you will not have access to the internet and thus your users will not able to receive or send emails.
Therefore, it’s important to know which devices could cause havoc in the event they are not operational and alert the network manager when it happens. Employing network monitoring software that incorporates SNMP or other known parameters is a great way to mitigate any problems that could potentially lead to costly operational delays in business networks.
Conclusion
Network monitoring is critical for the flourishing of any network infrastructure. Following these steps will ensure you are assured of a healthy network system and improved risk mitigation procedures.
