What You Should Consider When Choosing A Network Management Solution

28 Jun What You Should Consider When Choosing A Network Management Solution

One of the most critical needs of a business is network monitoring. Lost revenue from downtime, system failures, and outages, according to research by USA Today, costs companies about $50,000 per hour with more than 25% of data center managers reporting losses of $500,000 within the same period. The average of unplanned downtime is 14 hours per year. For a large company, losses could be more than 46 million which is reason enough to find a solution.

Attention to uptime and monitoring of security threats are at the forefront of any business looking for a network management software system. Primary IT threats include malware, loss of confidential data, exposure of customer accounts, and financial loss. For IT professionals, network management will not only protect against cyber threats but will also save time because personnel does not have to oversee servers, routers, or switches manually.

With the right NMS, IT specialists will also not spend the basis of their workday monitoring via computer screens which gives them more time to oversee other day-to-day operations. That said, choosing the right network monitoring system can get tricky because of the different software solutions on the market. Before searching for the right MNS provider, you should first consider your needs as well as the problems you want to overcome.

1. What Is The Scope Of Your Monitoring Needs?

You should first start with your monitoring priorities. How many network devices do you need to monitor (physical and virtual routers, load balancers, firewalls, switches, or mobile devices)? You should also question if reporting or alerts are more critical to your support team. Once you know the scope of your infrastructure needs, the easier it will be to identify a provider.

2. Do You Have The Right Personnel Internally?

Do you have the right type of workforce on-hand to complete the tasks that your solution provides? Who will receive the alerts and deploy solutions? Who will initiate services when cyber threats or incidents take place? IT is a 24/7 venture which is why you should consider what your procedures will be for after-hour episodes.

3. Does Your Staff Have Knowledge To Overcome Incidents?

Reacting to system threats and issues are critical components. Your staff should have a working knowledge of the system you choose or it will have little effect on downtime or cyber activity. Does your team know the system’s tools for on-going projects? How does staff communicate during troubleshooting? Will you outsource these duties?

4. Does The Software Scale, Customize, and Provide All Your Monitoring Needs?

Does your system have the capabilities to scale as your business does? Can you customize alerts and processes? Does the NMS provide all the tools that you need to oversee monitoring solutions? If you lack resources, do you need Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) so that techs do not physically have to check?

Selecting the right NMS is a significant decision to make as it will give you peace of mind in knowing you have the necessary protection to assess and deter threats. Connect Partners will help you analyze your needs and provide the best solution for your operations.