Network Infrastructure

Finding the Perfect Monitoring Solution for Your IT Infrastructure

By TMCnet Special Guest
Christian Twardawa , COO of Paessler AG
  |  November 06, 2014

In today’s technology environment, the IT landscapes of small and midsized organizations tend to be just as complex as those of their larger counterparts, but on a smaller scale. A sound IT infrastructure, including the company network, is just as important to small and midsized companies as it is to larger businesses, but smaller companies often have small IT teams or even a single administrator. That’s why auxiliary tools, like network monitoring solutions, are becoming even more important for smaller businesses.

Bottlenecks or failures during data exchange can interrupt critical processes, resulting in loss of opportunities and a hit to the brand’s reputation. Continuous server and network monitoring is critical since it identifies and fixes problems before serious damage occurs. Network monitoring helps companies avoid performance bottlenecks and improve service quality. But how does a business choose the right network monitoring solution?

When looking for the perfect monitoring solution, small and midsized companies must first identify which areas of the network environment should be monitored. In addition to the usual monitoring of firewalls, switches and servers, modern monitoring solutions offer a variety of options for keeping an eye on the entire IT network.

To define the necessary range of function of a prospective monitoring solution, IT professionals should first conduct an in-depth analysis of all critical components. It’s important that any upcoming expansions are taken into consideration as well: Is virtualization of specific areas planned? Should VoIP or IPV6 be implemented, or should additional branches be included in the foreseeable future? Switching to a new solution or implementing additional tools is usually more expensive and requires more effort than implementing a comprehensive monitoring software from the start.

Accurately Evaluating Services and Costs

Modern network monitoring solutions prove that multiple expensive, customized solutions are not necessary. Affordable solutions that deliver data on nearly all processes in the network do exist on the market. They not only monitor and trigger alarms if errors occur, but are also able to actively support the IT team in dealing with emerging problems by restarting services or executing .exe files, for example.

Contemporary network monitoring solutions offer corresponding apps for mobile devices that enable users to confirm alarms or call up information using graphs and maps while on the go. Specialized full-screen dashboard views for tablets and smart TVs are also convenient and available on the market today.

Price is also an important factor when selecting and installing modern network monitoring software. It is critical for companies to know about cost traps since many providers offer nontransparent licensing models with hidden costs.

The cost of the basic installation alone is not an accurate measure, as it does not necessarily reflect the total cost of the solution. Systems that seem inexpensive at first might not have scaling options. Integrating new locations, devices, etc., often requires expensive add-ons and modules.

Programming requirements and time needed for implementation should also be kept within reasonable limits. Solutions that are easy to configure and offer clear operating menus simplify installation and later usage enormously.

Network monitoring has the potential to deliver incalculable value to midsized companies, which is why the majority now use a network monitoring solution. There are comprehensive solutions available that can monitor the entire IT landscape, are easy to use, and affordable to purchase and implement. But before selecting a solution, IT personnel and administrators must carefully define their unique monitoring requirements. 




Edited by Maurice Nagle