Creating Better Network Tools: A New Dawn in Technology

Introduction

This article is about the software we use to monitor and troubleshoot networks, where they stand today, what we can do to make them disruptively better, and how. However, this article is also about real people like you, the digital conquerors, architects of network infrastructures, and the captivating stories you weave while pursuing solutions. After all, we know (spoiler alert) software alone won't be the silver bullet.?

We've all had our eureka moments—unplanned solutions birthed from necessity. In a recent example, I used a bobby pin to boot a 2U server without a faceplate by joining the correct jumper on the motherboard—my personal MacGyver moment. I savor such stories from tech enthusiasts, which often begin with "I remember when…” and unfold into fascinating narratives involving Fortran, punch cards, or bubble memory.?

For NetOps veterans, the themes are similar, colored by anecdotes involving Novell, token ring, hubs, and parallel ports. Still, these tales seldom exalt the tools used. Instead, they usually honor the inventive applications of common instruments like duct tape and Python that rescue the day.?

The Toolbox Enigma?

Consider a recent Uber ride to the airport. The driver, who doubles as a network support professional in Texas, narrated his experience with frequent lightning-induced network failures. When I inquired about their troubleshooting tools, his response was something about trucks and binoculars.?

Such stories underscore the lack of comprehensive network monitoring and troubleshooting tools. This deficit, often due to the absence or inadequacy of such tools, necessitates a high degree of creativity to navigate network conundrums. The crux of the problem? Networks are often architected without incorporating the tools necessary for their maintenance and troubleshooting. Designing a network requires strategic foresight, like in a chess game, to preempt potential issues, which will eventually influence the network's resilience and problem-solving duration.?

Enter Strategic Planning?

Unfortunately, akin to novice chess players who only plan a move or two ahead, many network designers concentrate on the network's initial operation, rarely anticipating inevitable disruptions and what tools would be essential to manage them. Complicating this scenario are network vendors who either guarantee a problem-free solution or propose a network solution that is self-sufficient.?

Sadly, these claims often fall short and can trap you into spending your entire budget. I caution you—don’t be deceived! No single network solution can provide all the built-in visibility, analysis, and visualization capabilities that your NetOps team will need to ensure optimal performance as your organization grows and evolves.?

The key strategy should be long-term planning, supporting the tech superheroes managing your networks, and allocating part of your budget to collaborate with a Network Performance Monitoring (NPM) solutions company. Several factors should be considered when selecting one.?

Deciphering Data Visualization and Network Elements?

Starting from the premise that networks should always be designed with end-users in mind, our primary focus should be on building a network that can be effectively maintained by the NetOps team. A well-structured network must allow for efficient monitoring and troubleshooting if required.?

Monitoring and troubleshooting necessitate clear visibility into network data and comprehensive information about network devices, such as routers and switches. Several factors like data granularity, analysis, retention duration, visualization availability, and integration will determine the initial cost, maintenance, training, and scalability of the solution over time. While this may seem daunting, it is worth the investment due to its absolute necessity.?

Tapping into the Power of Flow Data?

The silver lining, as highlighted in my previous article "Identifying Network Issues Hop-by-Hop," is that most networks already possess routers and switches capable of providing flow data. For networks lacking this feature, additional appliances can generate flow data. However, raw flow data alone isn't particularly insightful. To truly harness its potential, it should be aggregated on a single server, analyzed, and displayed via an intuitive 'single pane of glass' interface. The speed and efficiency of identifying and rectifying network issues largely hinge on the quality of data analysis and visualization.?

Decoding Network Traffic Hop-by-Hop?

A network primarily consists of devices like access points, routers, and switches interconnected through various channels, with clients and servers at the endpoints. Visualizing traffic flow in a hop-by-hop manner can significantly enhance our understanding of network behavior. Therefore, an ideal NPM solution should enable such visualization, provide a granular breakdown of traffic, allow network modifications, and permit historical comparison of various parameters.?

However, are these just a collection of features? As a software engineer with over 25 years of experience developing network monitoring and troubleshooting tools, I must acknowledgeadmit the considerable gap between our current reality and where we could be if we revised our approach to NetOps software development.?

Innovation in Data Analysis and Visualization?

Today, let's examine our current position regarding data analysis and visualization. Though we're far from primitive, there's abundant space for advancement. The contrast becomes stark when comparing commercial NPM analysis and visualization products with the leaps made in movies and video games.?

Why this disparity? It boils down to supply and demand. The NPM industry, not as expansive or capital-rich as the movie or video game industry, has not seen equivalent innovation.?

Redefining Needs?

Despite their digital nature, movies and video games heavily rely on network performance, as do the tools managing content and finances in these industries. Yet, compared to the tools used in creating movies and games, NPM tools still lag behind. The majority of creative talents are employed in the movie and game industries, not in developing NPM solutions.?

Fields like finance offer valuable metaphors for analyzing and visualizing network data. However, IT and NetOps careers seem less attractive compared to the financial data analysis sector.?

Crafting the Future?

Years ago, I started using Google Finance—an ingenious web app that allowed interactive charting of multiple stock ticker symbols. The interactive visualization struck me as a perfect model for visualizing virtually any network statistic over time.?

The result was Compass, a data visualization tool that, like Google Finance on steroids, has been a popular choice for over a decade. But let's focus on the future, not the past.?

Disrupting NPM with AI?

Picture this: a network tools development engineer, a game developer, and a film producer become college roommates. Each brings a unique skill set to the table, and they collaborate to design a groundbreaking innovation. The engineer brings expertise, the game developer injects creativity, and the film producer introduces storytelling finesse. What ties it all together? Artificial Intelligence.?

Their collaboration uses OpenAI's GPT-4, an advanced language model. GPT-4, the successor to the acclaimed GPT-3, can draft emails, write code, translate languages, tutor in various subjects, and even simulate characters for video games. However, the roommates have a different vision. They see GPT-4 as a revolutionary addition to the Network Performance Monitoring (NPM) toolkit.?

Blending AI with network tool development presents an exciting solution for network monitoring and troubleshooting. GPT-4, with its superior understanding of natural language and ability to learn from data, could offer network operators the insights they need in a user-friendly format. It could answer queries, interpret real-time data, detect anomalies, and even predict future network issues.?

Such a use of advanced AI in NPM could usher in a new era in the field. This crossroad of AI and NPM could lead to a range of innovative tools and solutions, attracting a fresh wave of talent to the realm of NetOps.?

Imagine the possibilities. The next generation of network engineers might harness AI's power to manage and troubleshoot networks, armed with tools as intuitive as an AI assistant, as detailed as the finest video game graphics, and as engaging as a captivating movie.?

Moreover, integrating GPT-4 could make NetOps solutions more engaging and interactive, leading to a more user-friendly experience. Picture a new network engineer being able to quickly learn and adapt to their role with the assistance of a conversational AI. This AI could guide them through the complexities of network operations, functioning much like a personal tutor.?

By leveraging AI, this eclectic trio could revolutionize the NPM industry, designing a solution that not only ensures optimal network performance but also provides an intuitive and engaging user experience.?

Conclusion?

This vision may seem ambitious, but it is not beyond our reach. In a world bereft of emotion, there is no drive for change or innovation. Emotion can catalyze the leap from routine network operation to an empathetic understanding of user experiences, prompting the creation of more effective and user-friendly tools. More on this later.?

Stay tuned for the second installment in this series, where we will delve deeper into AI's role in network operations. We'll explore how AI can elevate our work, transform raw data into meaningful narratives, and most importantly, how it can humanize our profession, making it more intuitive and appealing.?

Until then, keep thinking innovatively, keep experimenting, and remember that every challenge presents an opportunity for growth and innovation. The future of Network Performance Monitoring lies at the intersection of our expertise, creativity, and the incredible potential of AI.?

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