Master Network Monitoring: Prevent Downtime and Optimize Performance

What is Network Monitoring?

The process of network monitoring means constant observation and management of any computer network to understand whether it faces traffic congestion, component failure, connectivity loss, or something else.?

These monitoring tools are designed to alert administrators either via email and text messages or help from other apps, like Slack, in case of issues. While network security systems deal with all those threats coming from outside, Network Monitoring is aimed at internal problems such as overloaded routers, failed servers, or other connectivity issues that could impede other devices.

Effective network monitoring solutions will prevent downtime by finding those anomalies that have the potential to take the networks down. The tools normally include dashboards that provide visual summaries of components in a network and their performance, helping administrators identify issues much faster. Advanced systems have high-availability components so that even in the event of hardware or software failure, monitoring will remain uninterrupted.

Key Benefits of Network Monitoring

Visibility

Through network monitoring, visibility into all connected devices and their performance is unabated and quick for an administrator. This helps administrators to identify and resolve issues quickly before outages occur.

Resource Optimization

This frees up IT resources because the need for monitoring is automated, hence, saving these resources for value addition projects other than troubleshooting problems.

Early Warning System

Monitoring tools give early warnings about the utilization of the infrastructure, which enables the IT staff to plan upgrades or additions of capacity.

Traffic Analysis

Network monitoring compares the current flow of traffic against predetermined baselines to find spikes or anomalies not expected, which may indicate an issue or a cyber-attack.

Importance of Network Monitoring

Network monitoring is so important for maintaining IT performance and availability. It provides several benefits:

Cost Savings

Reduces downtime and accelerates issue resolution, which can lead to significant cost savings by preventing disruptions and optimizing network resource usage.

Performance Improvement

Identifies performance issues before they affect business operations or customer experience, ensuring smoother operations.

Enhanced Security

Detects unusual traffic or unauthorized devices, which can be early indicators of cyberattacks or ransomware.

Usage Management

Alerts administrators to spikes in network usage, such as logon storms or seasonal traffic increases, enabling them to take preventive action.

Rogue Application Detection

Monitors application usage across business units to identify unauthorized or non-compliant applications.

So How Does Network Monitoring Actually Work?

Network monitoring involves several steps:

• Device and Metric Identification

Identify devices and performance metrics relevant to the network.

• Monitoring Frequency

Determine the frequency of monitoring based on the criticality of the devices. For instance, routers and switches are monitored more frequently than client devices like laptops.

• Protocols

Most tools use the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to manage and monitor network elements. SNMP agents installed on network components collect performance data and manage device configurations.

• Alert Generation

Network components are periodically pinged to check their status. If a device reports a parameter outside the established threshold, an alert is generated for timely remediation.

• Protocols for Information

Devices may use the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) to provide information about IP operations and create error messages when failures occur.

Types of Network Monitoring

Not all network issues are created equal, which is why there’s more than one way to monitor them. From passive to active, each type of network monitoring brings its own detective skills to the table - ready to catch whatever your network throws at it. Let’s look at what they are:

1. Network Packet Analyzers

Examine the data in packets moving through the network to ensure proper routing and detect issues like prohibited website visits or data exfiltration.

2. Application and Services Monitoring

Focuses on maintaining network integrity by monitoring the performance of systems and applications used organization-wide.

3. Access Management Monitoring

Ensures that unauthorized users do not access network resources, detecting unusual login patterns or potential vulnerabilities.

Best Practices for 2024

Tech trends shift fast, but the need for solid network management stays the same. This year’s best practices are all about smarter monitoring and staying agile - because when it comes to your network, prevention is key.

Let’s explore what’s new and effective:

Adopt AI and Machine Learning

Utilize AI-driven network monitoring tools to predict and prevent issues before they occur. These tools can analyze large amounts of data to identify patterns and anomalies that might go unnoticed by traditional methods.

Implement Network Segmentation

Segment your network to contain potential issues and improve performance. By isolating different segments, you can prevent a problem in one area from affecting the entire network.

Regularly Update Monitoring Tools

Ensure that your network monitoring tools are up-to-date with the latest features and security patches. Regular updates can enhance functionality and protect against emerging threats.

Leverage Cloud-Based Monitoring Solutions

Consider cloud-based network monitoring solutions for greater scalability and flexibility. These solutions can provide real-time insights and easier integration with other cloud services.

Conduct Regular Training

Train your IT staff on the latest network monitoring techniques and tools. Keeping your team well-informed ensures that they can effectively manage and respond to network issues.

Real-World Examples of Effective Network Monitoring

• SPI Health and Safety?- SPI is one of the leading health and safety solutions providers in Canada, and with the start of the 2019 pandemic, it transitioned all its call center employees to remote workstations, continuing operations without a hitch while taking great care of staff safety. The challenge then became how to ensure that there was optimal network and VoIP performance for workers out in the field. Complaints regarding poor VoIP quality while making support calls cropped up, which dampened customer satisfaction. SPI Health and Safety implemented? Network Performance Monitoring software to handle this.

This solution has enabled them to observe network and VoIP performance, swiftly detect problems, and pull out data for troubleshooting to ensure that no disturbance in service delivery compromises the customer experience.

• Equifax - Another real-world example of network monitoring helping the compliance and audit processes involves Equifax, one of the big three consumer credit reporting agencies. Equifax had suffered from a massive data breach in 2017 compromising the personal information of over 147 million individuals.

This kind of breach was followed by frantic oversight from the regulators including the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. What is more, both of these regulatory bodies obliged the firm to implement enhanced security measures against its functions given the sensitivity of the data that it operates. In trying to bolster security and become compliant with such regulations, Equifax has involved itself in network monitoring solutions. These tools also introduced Equifax's capability to view and track data flows, monitor access controls, and log user activities across its network infrastructure.

Final Thoughts with Digicode

Network monitoring is an essential component of modern IT infrastructure management. By providing visibility into network performance, detecting issues early, and enabling proactive management, network monitoring helps ensure that organizations can maintain smooth operations and respond swiftly to any disruptions.?

At Digicode, we understand that effective network monitoring is a must for business success, adopting best practices and leveraging advanced tools will be crucial in staying ahead of potential network challenges and optimizing performance.?

Want to future-proof your systems with expert support? Get in touch and discover what we can do for you.