Network management monitors, sets up, and supervises a network’s operation by examining its various components, including switches, firewalls, routers, client services, and access points. Examining these various elements yields information about a network’s effectiveness regarding variables like security, speed, and bandwidth. Error management procedures and troubleshooting are made easier by it. Network administrators employ software programs known as network management tools to monitor and control the various network devices. Network administrators find it challenging to manage every device effectively because they can connect to a network wirelessly, physically, or virtually (Stuff, 2020).
As a result, network management tools must be deployed to keep an eye on the devices connecting to the network, record the connection method, and grant regulated access. Fault management, which finds and fixes any errors, is one of the areas of network management. Thirdly, security management ensures the entire system is safe from attacks and defines security protocols, policies, and procedures that must be adhered to. Performance management is the second, monitoring and analyzing the network’s performance through its components (Klijin et al., 2019). Aspects of network management, like policy compliance, bandwidth management, and asset management, are all related to different types of network management tools.
Policy Compliance Tool
In order to guarantee that the components and procedures within a network are standardized, networking policies are essential. This covers backup plans, appropriate usage, and disaster recovery. Software known as “policy compliance tools” helps organizations centrally plan, carry out, keep an eye on, and validate networking practices and equipment per established policies. This guarantees that they follow industry, legal, and security rules.
Various tools are available for policy compliance. Some have a general purpose, while others concentrate on particular compliance procedures. Using various tools to reduce the likelihood of breaking established rules and regulations is critical. This is because one tool only fully supports certain aspects of policy compliance, even though there are more complete compliance systems. Because of this, it is necessary to use policy compliance management systems, which integrate multiple tools and meet various policy standards (Cirelly, 2023).
Compliance with Network Security Solarwinds Network Configuration Manager is one tool administrators use to manage their network infrastructure; it offers useful solutions for both on-premises and cloud-based network systems (Solarwinds, 2023). One of SolarWinds’ advantages is that it can be deployed in hybrid and on-site environments. Large-scale infrastructures use Indeni, a policy compliance tool that aids network deployment and troubleshooting (Cirelly, 2023).
Tools for policy compliance are crucial for managing policies, spotting configuration flaws, observing trends and patterns in threats, and establishing regulatory requirements. Automating repetitive procedures enhances network administrators’ overall productivity.
Bandwidth Management Tool
Software programs called bandwidth management tools are used to monitor and assess network performance. By tracking network packets as they are sent through networked devices, incoming and outgoing network traffic is analyzed. Device availability, latency, and bandwidth usage are tracked using metrics like graphs. Implementing a bandwidth management system makes it easier to keep an eye on all the variables that affect the network’s overall performance. This results from the faster and more effective troubleshooting procedures that identify the root cause of network failure.
A bandwidth management tool called Solarwinds Netflow Traffic Analyzer can determine which users and applications are using up network bandwidth. It alerts users instantly to high bandwidth usage and provides the IP addresses of the devices. This software works best for medium-sized and large-sized businesses tracking and evaluating network traffic and bandwidth (Solarwinds, 2023).
Asset Management Tool
Software systems known as asset management tools make automating processes and tasks like planning, software lifecycle management, system configuration and maintenance, and asset visibility easier. This aids in an organization’s overall central asset management and offers vital information about the available assets and how they are used, starting from the point of procurement and ending with their disposal (CISCO, 2023).
Software for IT service management from SolarWinds includes asset management, automated ticket classification, a service catalog for department-wide process automation, and customization reports that provide management with operational insights. It is efficient and in line with current technological trends because it is cloud-based and powered by artificial intelligence (Solarwinds, 2023).
Tool comparison
Tools for network management are tailored to meet the requirements of various networking systems. To ensure optimal performance, deploying different tools to meet different networking needs is essential, even though some tools are general-purpose and offer multiple solutions. This is because, as the various Solarwinds tools illustrate, each has unique specifications depending on the need. A bandwidth management tool, such as the SolarWinds Netflow Traffic Analyzer, which tracks network traffic and bandwidth usage, requires different features than a policy management tool from SolarWinds or Indeni (Solarwinds, 2023). In contrast, all these tools provide centralized operation management, which is essential for effective network management procedures.
Conclusion
Network administrators can effectively handle system configuration, fault tolerance, performance, and security concerns by utilizing network management tools. The central organization of the various network management systems provides critical information for network expansion and maintenance. Even though there are general-purpose network management tools, it is crucial to evaluate the size and requirements of an organization’s network and choose the right tools based on the aims and objectives of the organization.
References
Cirelly, J. (2023, February). Best Network Security Policy Management Tools for 2022 (Paid & Free). https://www.comparitech.com/net-admin/network-security-policy-management-tools/
Klijn, E. H., van Meerkerk, I., & Edelenbos, J. (2019). How do network characteristics influence network managers’ choice of strategies? Public Money & Management, 40(2), 149–159. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2019.1665828
Solarwinds. (2023a). IT Service Desk Software | SolarWinds. Www.solarwinds.com. https://www.solarwinds.com/service-desk?CMP=KNC-TAD-GGL-
Solarwinds. (2023b). Network Bandwidth Monitor – Monitoring Software | SolarWinds. Www.solarwinds.com. https://www.solarwinds.com/netflow-traffic-analyzer/use-cases/network-bandwidth-monitoring?CMP=BIZ-RVW-SWTH-NtwrkTrffcAnlyzrTls-NTA
Stuff. (2020, October 24). Policy Compliance or Network Configuration Management? Software Reviews, Opinions, and Tips – DNSstuff. https://www.dnsstuff.com/risk-management-vs-network-configuration#:~:text=Policy%20compliance%20seeks%20to%20verify
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