Both techniques give organizations insight into the health of their networks to ensure reliability and optimal performance.
Network performance and availability affect virtually every area of an organization. The employee experience. The customer experience. Collaboration and communication. Productivity. All will be negatively impacted if the network is slow and unreliable.
Preventing these issues begins with the ability to monitor the network at both a micro and macro level. At the micro level, the performance and activities of various systems, software, and devices must be monitored 24x7 to keep the network functioning at an optimal level.
The need for macro-level monitoring has given rise to the concept of network observability. Network observability focuses on overall network health from a 30,000-foot view, using AI-powered solutions to proactively detect and mitigate potential problems before they affect network performance.
What Is Network Monitoring?
Network monitoring has long been a core component of IT operations. It gives IT teams insight into the current state of the network so they can troubleshoot problems. Network monitoring tools continuously collect key metrics, including bandwidth utilization, latency and packet loss. If these metrics deviate from predefined thresholds, the monitoring tools alert network administrators.
Intelligent network monitoring tools also account for dependencies between network devices, such as servers and routers. These tools apply protocols and policies to pinpoint the root causes of performance issues. Granular reports show exactly how the network is functioning and where the bottlenecks are.
One of the most important functions of network monitoring is security. The mere presence of security software and hardware won’t stop cyberattacks or deter hackers. Security technology needs to be working properly to maximize protection. If a threat does make it past primary defenses, IT teams will be alerted to the issue so they can take action according to the incident response plan.
What Is Network Observability?
With a global marketplace and remote workforces on flexible schedules, networks are very dynamic. Demand has peaks and valleys that aren’t as predictable as they once were. Network observability can help ensure consistently high performance when demand is anything but consistent.
Network observability is an extension of network monitoring that provides a broader, more holistic view of network health. It involves the interpretation of data collected from servers, applications and user connections as well as network devices. It is designed to collect and aggregate data efficiently across today’s complex, distributed networks.
Data visualization tools and machine learning algorithms analyze the data in near real time so that issues are detected early. This allows IT teams to take action to minimize disruption. It also provides greater context around network metrics, enabling a more proactive approach to management and optimization.
Evaluating Network Monitoring Solutions
Network monitoring and observability start with the right tools. As an initial step, organizations should identify which components need to be monitored. Although many tools use common protocols, it’s important to select a solution that supports all the devices in the IT environment. The best tools can automatically discover network devices and map the network topology.
Graphical interpretation of data can help network administrators visualize network performance and identify problems. Tools should also have the ability to analyze network performance over time. Best-in-class tools have user-friendly dashboards that make it easy to find the most relevant information, analyze trends and generate reports.
Because network performance monitoring provides insights from the most sensitive systems within the network, the solution should allow administrators to set up detailed user profiles and permissions. This will ensure that users can only access the systems and data required to do their jobs and nothing more.
The Case for Outsourcing
Selecting and implementing the right tools can be a daunting task. The tools must also be tuned to minimize false positives. Because data is captured and analyzed in real time, alerts can quickly overwhelm IT teams if not properly filtered. Once the tools are in place, organizations must also dedicate resources to monitor them and respond to events and alerts. This requires a team of professionals who understand today’s highly complex networks.
That’s why many organizations outsource network monitoring and observability to a managed services provider (MSP). Qualified MSPs have made significant investments in state-of-the-art tools and have the resources and expertise to monitor and manage the network 24x7. This eliminates the headaches associated with performing this function in-house while dramatically reducing the risk of n
