10 Steps to Improve Your Network Monitoring
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The document outlines 10 essential steps to improve network monitoring and health, emphasizing the importance of accurate architecture mapping, critical metrics monitoring, and effective alerting systems. It highlights the need for continuous monitoring and upgrading of hardware to support modern protocols for optimal performance. Additionally, it suggests utilizing specific tools and software for better visibility, traffic analysis, and coverage of both standard and non-standard devices.
10 Steps to Improve Your Network Monitoring
- 1. 1 NETWORK MONITORING 10 STEPS TO IMPROVE YOUR
- 2. 2 Do you wish you had a checklist to improve your network health? Follow these 10 steps to keep your IT infrastructure running smoothly.
- 3. 3 1. Map out your current architecture and ensure its accuracy EXPERT TIP To monitor your network, you need to know what’s in it. Get a complete picture of your network by answering these questions: • What type of devices are in your network? • How many of each device do you have? • Where is each device physically located? • How do devices connect to the rest of the network? Save yourself the pain of manual documentation. Network monitoring software can create an up-to-date diagram in minutes.
- 4. 4 2. Determine what information is most critical to monitor and collect HOW SOFTWARE HELPS Which devices—if they failed—would cause major operational bottlenecks? Monitor the metrics that would signal when those devices go off the grid. Most network monitoring tools use SNMP or other protocols to capture critical device metrics. Many also let you create your own probes to get the exact metrics you need.
- 5. 5 3. Configure exception-based notifications with a clear escalation plan HOW SOFTWARE HELPS Don’t let false positives fill your inbox. Set up exception-based notifications to help you solve real problems quickly. Your network monitoring solution will make it easy to specify when (and when not) to send alerts, who should receive them, and what should happen if alerts aren’t acknowledged.
- 6. 6 4. Identify and monitor network performance baselines HOW SOFTWARE HELPS Know what normal device performance looks like (including scheduled exceptions to normal traffic levels, like nightly backups) so you can set appropriate thresholds. That way, anytime thresholds are exceeded, you know you’re actually dealing with a problem. Chart network performance over time to easily spot irregular spikes and dips.
- 7. 7 5. Configure SNMP on network devices EXPERT TIP Configure your core infrastructure to support SNMP to help you monitor metrics beyond simply up or down status. Use SNMPv3 (the latest version) to ensure network security.
- 8. 8 6. Make upgrades to your core hardware to support performance monitoring protocols EXPERT TIP Ensure you have the visibility you need by replacing outdated hardware—instead of wasting your time optimizing it. If your core network devices don’t support modern performance monitoring protocols, the type of performance data you want to capture will be limited—which could inhibit your ability to mitigate network problems in a timely manner.
- 9. 9 7. Use NetFlow to capture and monitor bandwidth utilization on routers and switches HOW SOFTWARE HELPS Collecting information on the traffic flowing across your network can help you more easily identify the source of bottlenecks and plan how much bandwidth capacity you’ll need to support a growing network. NetFlow and its related counterparts sFlow, jFlow, and cFlow can be analyzed with a network traffic monitoring tool.
- 10. 10 8. Use protocols to support Windows and Linux Servers EXPERT TIP Using WMI and PowerShell give you a simple and secure way to allow connections on remote Windows machines. WMI and PowerShell can also be used to monitor Windows applications and systems events. SSH, also known as Secure Shell, is similar to WMI and PowerShell but mainly used to provide secure connections to the Linux environment.
- 11. 11 9. Keep probe and MIB architecture updated to ensure monitoring of all devices EXPERT TIP Networks with a variety of standard and non- standard equipment require probe and MIB architecture that is constantly up-to-date. Most network monitoring tools provide industry SNMP MIBs that allow you to capture performance data for standard network components. Vendor-provided MIB information can also be used to monitor non-standard devices. This MIB information gets updated constantly as vendors release new hardware and software. Any custom probes or MIBs using this information should also be updated to ensure accurate data is captured
- 12. 12 10. Implement continuous monitoring (24/7) HOW SOFTWARE HELPS Ongoing monitoring supports healthy network operations at all hours of the day… which is especially important if you’re in an industry where your customers need 24/7 access to your products and service A network monitoring solution allows you to keep tabs on real-time device performance from your mobile device, from home, or from anywhere.
- 13. 13 TRY INTERMAPPER FREE FOR 30 DAYS. Looking for the right network monitoring tool? Look no further. Take your network monitoring to the next level with Intermapper. Increase visibility, save time, and prevent outages. GET STARTED HERE > http://www.helpsystems.com/intermapper/intermapper/getstarted