Enterprise monitoring software is a key piece of software you will want to have no matter the size of your business. Beyond system safety and security, software of this nature can also keep your enterprise running efficient as it gets flooded with requests and outside noise. In today’s article, let’s take a look at some important features to think about when researching the best enterprise monitoring software for your needs, both short and long term.
Having a feature that allows for reports to be automatically generated is a strong feature that most good enterprise monitoring software has. Within the software, you should be able to set up pre-determined and customizable lists that allow for distribution to either internal employees or external partners that help to monitoring your business in a variety of ways. An example of this is automated generation of a report that tracks activity on your network via your network’s servers or otherwise. Have a strong report feature will give you critical insight into the metrics that are most important to your organization. You will want to constantly have a pulse on the safety and efficiency of your enterprise, and an enterprise monitoring software with an automated report generation feature will ensure you and your team are aware weekly (or daily) of all of the metrics that you deem as important.
Another feature that can set an enterprise monitoring software apart from others is the ability to process millions of separate and related events that fly across your network every single day. By having a software that both processes and logs these events, you and your team can keep an eye on the individual events and put a system in place that looks for patterns and warns you of potentially malicious activity before it expands and cripples your network. One example of this monitoring brute force attacks to your network, which can be identified by the repetition of the same failed login event over and over by unverified users attempting to bring down your network.
All of the devices on your network are in constant contact, whether that includes routers, servers, switches, ports and beyond. Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) traps obtain the communications that are flooding your networks and translate that data into simple to read and intuitive metrics that you can utilize to improve your business. An enterprise monitoring software that offers and SNMP feature can be a valuable feature that sets the software apart from others. A strong SNMP feature will alert you in real time to patterns and inter-network talk that may create a potential issue downstream. SNMP traps can run simultaneously with your enterprise monitoring software and add a further layer having your back in times of crisis on your networks.
One last feature to consider which is often overlooked is an easy to understand visual dashboard to make sense of all the aforementioned features in an up front and visually satisfying location and format. A dashboard that you can customize to your wants and needs is one that becomes extremely useful and makes you and your team’s life much easier.
It’s good practice to seek out an enterprise monitoring software that offers a free trial version that you can download and try out before making the investment. Beyond just seeing if it’s a software you can pick up quickly and implement to your enterprise, you can also confirm its compatibility with your suite of other tools and software you use to keep your business running every day. This is a good tip to remember for any software you plan to purchase in the future!
