How to use tools for network monitoring
Long gone are those days when things used to be simple for small
networks and a single person could handle its entire maintenance. With
time, the requirements of the networks have increased and maintaining
them has become a tedious job. So, the administrators need help from
the tools for network monitoring in order to keep the network up and
running at all times. New age tools for network monitoring have
features that will put the onboard controls of a spaceship to shame.
Apart from monitoring the load on the processors, the applications that
are running, number of logged on users, traffic performance etc, the
tools for network monitoring also monitor the physical condition of the
server like temperature and the like. The tools for network monitoring
automate the process completely so that the network administrator has a
complete peace of mind and they are informed only when certain things
go wrong. The network monitoring programs act as a type of an
enhanced security feature that keep tabs on various elements within the
network.
Before choosing the tools for network monitoring, you will need to
sit and jot down the network hardware and factors that need monitoring
on your part.
Make sure that you specify what type of alerts will be sent to the
network administrators in case of an emergency. Some of the tools for
network monitoring can be configured to send alerts in the form of text
messages or emails etc to the administrators of the network and give a
complete security cover.
Most of the features of the tools
for network monitoring in the market
are the same. It is the uniqueness in some of them that set them apart
from the rest of the pack. Try to find out the unique feature of the
available tools for network monitoring and what it can accomplish for
you to take the correct decision. If the administrators carry their PDA
with them at all times, then some of the programs can be configured to
send custom made alerts directly to the device. The alert history is
saved in log files and archived on a periodical basis for future
references. The sending of alerts is an important criterion for any
network monitoring program and you should never compromise on that
feature.
You should always look for tools for network monitoring that is
completely scalable so that it can detect all types of hardware you
throw its way.
As the scalability option is pretty expensive, do not go for it in case
you will never use it. Money at hand is very important for a small
company and you should try to meet the requirements that may arise
within the next one or two years and ensure the program is upgradeable.
Make sure you checkout the vendor licensing along with an attorney so
that you do not have to rely on the vendor for everything. Some of the
tools for network monitoring have licenses that require you to cough up
money for every single device you attach to the network, which is a
very costly proposition indeed.
So, keep all the all the above-mentioned points to get the best tools
for network monitoring.