What are the top network monitoring solutions for IT System Operations professionals?
As an IT System Operations professional, you understand the importance of maintaining a robust and reliable network. Network monitoring is crucial for ensuring that all components of your IT infrastructure are functioning optimally and efficiently. There are a variety of solutions available to help you keep track of network performance, identify potential issues, and prevent downtime. These solutions range from simple tools that check the availability of servers and services, to advanced systems that offer detailed analytics on network traffic and health.
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is a widely accepted standard for network monitoring. It works by gathering data from various network devices like routers, switches, and servers. SNMP tools can provide you with insights into the performance of these devices by collecting and analyzing metrics such as bandwidth usage, packet loss, and latency. This information helps you to proactively manage your network's performance and quickly address any issues that arise.
-
Sandeep Nair
Sr Director - Engineering at Comcast Cable
Snmp is a great tool for monitoring, but it requires the MIBs and handlers to be defined and implemented upfront. Moreover snmpv2 is mostly deprecated and replaced with snmpv3 which requires more configurations for TLS cert management etc.
-
Gábor Repei
Visibility and performance management for enterprise networks
SNMP is for requesting data from managed devices based on the supportes MIBs. SNMP traps can be configured for state changes or system errors. Capability depends on the SNMP support programmed in the device OS (vendor dependent). PLR, Delay, Jitter and Retrans are better to be measured by Netflow, not SNMP.
-
Geoffrey Kasinga
CEO at HAITECH INFORMATION SYSTEMS & NETWORKS
There are several top network monitoring solutions that IT System Operations professionals often rely on to effectively manage and monitor their networks. Here are some of the leading options: 1.SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor (NPM) SolarWinds NPM is a comprehensive network monitoring solution that offers real-time visibility into network performance, availability, and health. 2.Cisco Prime Infrastructure Cisco Prime Infrastructure is a network management platform designed specifically for Cisco networking devices. 3.PRTG Network Monitor PRTG Network Monitor is a comprehensive network monitoring solution offered by Paessler AG.
Traffic analysis solutions are essential for understanding how data moves through your network. They enable you to monitor the flow of traffic, identify bottlenecks, and detect anomalies that could indicate a security breach. By analyzing traffic patterns, you can make informed decisions about capacity planning and ensure that your network resources are allocated efficiently.
-
Gábor Repei
Visibility and performance management for enterprise networks
Traffic analysis means that you are able differentiate between the flows traversing your network. You can recognize QoS, IF, BdW, source and dest IP segments, traffic distribution, top talkers, any kind of pattern. This requires frequent data collection from the network devices (or sniffing packets by a broker solution) by flow export. You can use data from FWs and LoadBalancers too...
Configuration management tools are vital for maintaining the health of your network. They help you to track changes in the network configuration, automate the deployment of new configurations, and ensure compliance with industry standards. By using these tools, you can avoid configuration errors that could lead to network outages or vulnerabilities.
Performance testing tools allow you to simulate various scenarios and measure how your network responds under different conditions. You can test the impact of high traffic loads, changes in network topology, or the introduction of new services. This proactive approach helps you to identify potential problems before they affect your users.
Alerting systems are key to a proactive network monitoring strategy. They notify you in real-time when issues are detected, such as a server going offline or a spike in traffic that could indicate a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. By receiving immediate alerts, you can take swift action to mitigate issues and minimize downtime.
Finally, reporting and dashboard tools aggregate data from various monitoring solutions into a cohesive view. They provide you with comprehensive reports and visualizations that make it easier to understand the state of your network at a glance. With these tools, you can track long-term trends, report on service level agreements (SLAs), and communicate network performance to stakeholders.
Rate this article
More relevant reading
-
Network AdministrationWhat are the top network monitoring tools for analyzing network performance?
-
IT Operations ManagementHow can you improve IT performance with network monitoring solutions?
-
Telecommunications EngineeringYou're having trouble with your network management system. How can you optimize it?
-
IT Operations ManagementWhat are the key practices for integrating network monitoring tools?