Here's how you can tackle network capacity planning.

In today’s era most of the bandwidth is getting utilised by audio video calls/meetings. Most of the issues related to these platforms, as this is not stable data. Also we cannot monitor it end to end as these are SAAS based applications. We need to implement some tool where we can monitor this traffic end to end. Need to focus on periodic high utilisation (i.e. Monthends, Quarter ends, year ends, some big event, steaming live matches/programs, etc.)

Something I’ve found is WIFI abuse. Over time managers allow to many phones, etc. on the network. Background apps on phones in addition to video streaming ate up 1/3 of the bandwidth available. Which the proper tool will make this traffic obvious.

Do the below to improve your network capacity prediction accuracy, 1. Continuously monitor the network utilization and performance. 2. Understand the traffic patterns. 3. Derieve insights on how the utilization can grow based on the patterns you have observed over time. 4. Whenever possible, use ML to perform the data analysis for you. ML models can predict future needs well when a sufficient amount of data related to network utilization is available. 5. If you don't have sufficient data related to network utilization, then start capturing the data ASAP. So that at least soon you'll have it.

Actuellement, la majorité de notre bande passante est consommée par les appels et réunions audio-vidéo. La plupart des problèmes sont liés à ces plateformes, car les flux de données y sont instables. De plus, nous ne pouvons pas surveiller ces applications de bout en bout puisqu'elles sont basées sur des solutions SAAS. Il est nécessaire de mettre en place un outil capable de surveiller ce trafic de manière exhaustive. Nous devons également nous concentrer sur les périodes d'utilisation élevée, comme les fins de mois, de trimestres, d'années, lors de grands événements, ou la diffusion de matchs et programmes en direct.

Tackling network capacity planning involves continuously monitoring current network performance to identify bottlenecks, using forecasting tools to estimate future demand based on business growth and application requirements, and analyzing historical traffic patterns. This process includes developing a scalable and reliable network design with provisions for redundancy and regular hardware and software upgrades. Implementing Quality of Service (QoS) policies ensures critical applications receive necessary bandwidth, while regular audits and stakeholder collaboration help adjust plans as needed. Engaging with technology trends and vendor updates ensures the network remains robust and capable of meeting future demands.

Historical data is good for projection, to give you growth trends over time with you look at the 95the percentile. Unfortunately isn't alway enough, I work on the rules if an interface reaching 75% capacity over a long period say 7 to 14 working days ( based of 5 min policy polling). Then is most likely this interface needs a capacity upgrade This is no clear science behind it just an educated guess.

Business Growth Projections: Consider the company’s growth plans, including new locations, additional employees, and increased business activities. Application and Service Needs: Identify upcoming applications or services that might require additional network resources, such as cloud services, video conferencing, or IoT devices. User Expectations: Understand user expectations for network performance and reliability.

Predict Growth Looking ahead is essential in network capacity planning. You'll want to consider both short-term and long-term growth expectations based on your organization's objectives, industry trends, and historical data. This might involve forecasting the increase in the number of users, new applications that will be deployed, and additional services that will require network resources. Accurate predictions help in creating a scalable network infrastructure that aligns with business growth.

In addition to forecasting user growth and new applications, it is also important to consider technological advancements and industry trends that may impact network capacity planning. For example, the adoption of new technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, or artificial intelligence may increase network traffic and bandwidth requirements. By staying informed about emerging technologies and industry trends, you can better anticipate future network capacity needs and ensure that your infrastructure is prepared to support the evolving demands of your organization.

La previsión inteligente hace más robusta tu red. Prevé el uso de equipos que te permitan crecer sin mayor inversión. No emplees la folosofía del "mientras tanto así nomás".

I agree wholeheartedly with this approach. Designing a scalable network architecture from the start is essential to future-proof the infrastructure and avoid disruptive reconfigurations. The keys are modular solutions, a flexible architecture, and viewing the network as a dynamic, evolving entity. This allows the network to scale incrementally and adapt to the organization's changing needs and technology advancements. A well-planned, scalable network design is a strategic investment that pays dividends in the long run through increased agility and optimized resource utilization.

Designing your network with scalability as a primary consideration from the beginning is essential to avoid frequent reconfigurations. This approach involves selecting modular hardware and software solutions that support easy upgrades and expansions. Additionally, it requires designing a flexible network architecture that can grow incrementally, accommodating increased capacity without requiring a complete overhaul. By conceptualizing your network design as a dynamic entity that evolves alongside your business needs, you ensure that it remains adaptable and responsive to future growth and technological advancements.

The chosen network architecture can change capacity planning considerations. For example, - If you decide to implement a two tier collapsed core design with redundant links for resilience, you will also have to implement an STP technology for loop prevention. These are the types of variables that you will need to consider when deciding on switch sizing - how many ports do you need? What interface speeds? How many fiber links do you need? How many VLANs can the switches accommodate? - if you implement a L3 routed access type of design, you have to think about the following sizing variables: how many end devices can the routing device support? Routing table threshold? Will QoS policies accommodate your needed throughput?

Sometimes, even serious planning cannot predict the growth pace. Equipment can be changed, is just a matter of budget. The biggest problem is to plan for network cables, patch panels, racks and server room space. You need to make sure you have enough room in the server room, for an eventual growth. Since we are talking about server room, let’s not forget that you need power for the server room. Depending on your growth, you might need more power in the server room, and installing additional circuits usually means downtime. But wait, all of that equipment needs cooling. More power, and more space in the server room. I’d venture to say that scaling equipment is almost trivial, if you have plenty of space and power in the server room.

Baseline Model: Develop a baseline model of current network capacity and performance. Predictive Modeling: Use predictive models to simulate future network usage scenarios based on growth projections and new service requirements. Worst-Case Scenarios: Plan for worst-case scenarios to ensure the network can handle unexpected spikes in usage.

Apply the best practice as much as possible. Create a well-documented implementation plan and SOPs that will minimize the effort and downtime. Identify all the possible risks and categorize them accordingly. If everything goes wrong, there should be a proper contingency/rollback plan that will quickly restore the service in its original state. Finally, conduct a post-test that will cover all the aspects of network services and make sure they are running as expected.

? Prioritize critical applications and traffic types using QoS settings. ? Ensure that bandwidth is allocated efficiently to avoid congestion. ? Implement traffic shaping, policing, and queue management techniques.

When looking at what time of day a change need to be introduced is an art form in itself. A few things to consider, What is the purpose of the change, (bug fix, fault response, process improvement, customer impact, computer reputation risk) The change needs stakeholders buy in and customer communication is important, but also needs peer cross checking for code verification and sanity check.

Monitoring Tools: Deploy advanced network monitoring and management tools to provide real-time visibility into network performance. Automation: Use automation for routine tasks such as load balancing, traffic shaping, and fault detection to improve efficiency and response times.

Traffic Shaping: Prioritizing critical applications helps manage bandwidth effectively. Compression and Optimization: Techniques like data compression can significantly reduce bandwidth usage.

Without acute monitoring it's is impossible to understand The key is event driven alarm trigger, how do you know the next is performing to its peak capacity.

Continuous monitoring post-upgrades is critical to ensure the new network capacity meets operational demands and to preemptively identify any issues before they impact performance. Utilizing monitoring tools enables real-time observation of traffic patterns, bandwidth utilization, and the overall performance of network devices. By regularly analyzing this data, administrators can promptly detect anomalies or bottlenecks, allowing for timely adjustments and optimizations as necessary.

Monitorear es una habilidad de un líder. Busca siempre mantener tus ojos en los trabajos y comunica permanentemente los avances de tu cliente, ellos te lo agradecerán. Habla mucho con tu equipo para que todo salga bien.

Regular Reviews: Conduct regular reviews of network performance and capacity to ensure it aligns with business needs. Feedback Loop: Establish a feedback loop to continuously gather data on network usage and performance, allowing for ongoing adjustments.

Not all new technologies are advances. Some can be drawbacks. Impacting on network performance. This is where monitoring and graphing is important. Study the graphs and see where and when the peak usage is. Then you can adjust or rollback the changes to suit.

True talk... Conducting regular performance and capacity reviews is vital to ensure our network aligns with evolving business needs. It's equally crucial to establish a continuous feedback loop for collecting data on network usage and performance. This allows for ongoing optimization and adjustments, maintaining peak efficiency and responsiveness.

I couldn't agree more. Regular performance and capacity reviews are essential to ensure the network remains aligned with evolving business needs. Establishing a continuous feedback loop to collect data on network usage and performance is also crucial. This allows for ongoing optimization and adjustments to maintain optimal efficiency and responsiveness. A proactive, data-driven approach to network management is key to keeping the infrastructure agile and future-ready. Regular assessments combined with a feedback-driven improvement cycle are hallmarks of an effective, scalable network architecture.

Pour ajuster régulièrement la capacité du réseau, effectuez une surveillance continue des performances et de l'utilisation via des outils de monitoring. Analysez les rapports pour identifier les tendances et les goulots d'étranglement. Planifiez des mises à jour basées sur les prévisions de croissance et les nouvelles exigences. Implémentez des solutions évolutives comme la virtualisation et les technologies cloud pour une flexibilité accrue.

7 Consider Redundancy and Resilience In addition to scaling for capacity, it's crucial to ensure that your network is resilient and has built-in redundancy to minimize downtime and maintain performance during unexpected issues.

Network capacity planning rides on DATA and insights To ace network capacity planning 1. Gather data 2. Analyse historical data on > usage > bottlenecks > average consumption > Consumption ranges max, min > Time series graph to date of metrics 3. Using linear approach predict growth of metrics consumption over the next planning period 4. Factor in possible/projected business operations such as new business, pivoting, mergers & acquisition etc 5. Identify any assumptions and brown spots that were not clear in coming up with the projection framework. 6. Monitor the projections overtime for possible digressions and changes. 7. Improve the projection based on gathered data and changes overtime

Network capacity planning involves assessing current usage and forecasting future demands to ensure your network can handle expected traffic. Analyze performance metrics and identify bottlenecks to determine where improvements are needed. Plan upgrades or expansions accordingly, considering redundancy and scalability to accommodate growth. Implement changes systematically, then continuously monitor network performance and adjust your plan as needed. This proactive approach helps maintain optimal network functionality and prevents costly downtime or performance issues.