network monitoring software
No matter the size of the IT department or the network you are responsible for protecting, any person tasked with this all important duty could benefit from a network monitoring software. From monitoring traffic coming on and off your network, to efficiency of your server based network, to limiting the bandwidth that surely floods your network, it’s important to choose a software that best fits your specific needs. Today we take a look at some of the more important features to consider when making this valuable investment into not only your company’s future, but the day-to-day efficiency of the network your employees and in some cases customers, heavily rely on.
In today’s increasingly mobile and tablet-driven world it’s important to consider a networking monitoring software that is compatible on your smartphone and or tablet device. Many of the software currently on the market go as far as to offer an Android or iOS application for the software making it easy to access and monitor on the go. Not only do many IT professionals work remotely, but often times depending on the size of their company their schedule and duties require travel to remote sites for various reasons. If you fall into this category, mobile-friendly software should be heavily considered.
Staying on the theme of smartphones and tablets, many offices are now running into the problem of their employees connecting their personal smartphones and in some cases personal tablets to the company network. If you are currently operating with only one, primary Wi-Fi as many offices are, traffic can become heavy and ultimately slow down the network which will of course affect efficiency for crucial tasks associated with daily business. To prevent this, many networking monitoring software offer a feature that allows for the tracking of bandwidth. You can not only set up customized notifications when bandwidth is reaching a certain safety net of usage, but also run reports to identify the specific users and devices that are causing the excess data being transferred. By quickly identifying and addressing issues with your bandwidth, you can ensure constant efficiency and reliability of your servers to do what they are intended to do, assist in conducting business. A network monitoring software that allows for custom alerts to notify you of incoming threats or a peak in bandwidth will also prove to be a valuable feature. Especially when it comes to security threats, the faster you can address the less damage it will ultimately do to your business as a whole
A configuration management feature is another feature to seriously consider when searching for the best network monitoring software for your company’s specific set of needs. Your network’s configuration is constantly changing, creating opportunities for threats to penetrate your server and wreak havoc to your company. Configuration management features allow for regularly scheduled configuration backups which help monitoring network functionality and efficiency on an ongoing basis, as well as automatically perform backups on the results each night.
As you will find the case with any software your company is considering investing long-term in, it’s extremely valuable to consider a demo or trial version of the software before making a purchase. Not only will you determine if the software is a good fit from a functionality standpoint, but you will see if the overall aesthetic makeup of the software is one that you and your team can quickly pickup become competent in. It’s especially true when looking at software to protect your network, but the faster you can adapt to a new software, the quicker you will be able to utilize it to its full potential and realize a return on investment.