Network management is a comprehensive process of managing computer networks via various tools and procedures. It incorporates a series of applications, processes, and tools for operating, provisioning, securing, maintaining, and administering network architecture.
Network managers use network management software to perform these functions. Network management software are such platforms that facilitate the administration and management of networks. Let us understand them in detail.
Network Management: Key Takeaways
- Network management is the procedure of managing a network via network management software (NMS) in the network architecture.
- It refers to the sum of all the applications, tools, and processes that are used in operating, securing, and maintaining a network.
- The six main components of network management range from endpoint connectivity, switch management, server connectivity, and network automation to logging systems and network assurance.
- Among the best practices of enterprise network management are leveraging, network topology, landscape inventory, protocol documentation, and many more.
Understanding Network Management: Definition and Purpose
Orchestrating data flow and network traffic across a network enterprise ecosystem or architecture is called network management. This is done via network security, network monitoring, network automation, and other such tools hosted in the cloud or on-premise. In layman’s terms, it is the management of computer networks.
The major purpose of network management is to provide end-users, including business enterprises, with a secure, efficient, reliable, and high-performance network. It is a vital part of information technology. Further, network management manages the data inflow and outflow from different types of cloud services, such as public clouds, private cloud platforms, and on-premise servers.
Key Functional Areas of Network Management
As per the International Standards Organization (ISO), five key functional areas of network management look after the entire procedures of network management processes.
These are fault management, accounting management, configuration management, security management, and performance management. They are discussed below.
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Network Fault Management
Network fault management deals with the identification and fixation of errors in the network system. It incorporates receiving and then presenting the fault indications, which determine the fault cause. The fault is isolated and corrective activities are performed.
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Network Configuration Management
Network configuration management includes the management of computer systems (hardware and software) in the desired state. It involves the management and modification of device settings and network configurations from a central location that can deduct errors, streamline operations, and facilitate efficient configuration of the network.
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Network Security Management
Network security management deals with the maintenance of the entire security of the network system. This includes the protection of sensitive information by controlling access points. It incorporates firewall configuration, intrusion detection, and vulnerability management.
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Network Performance Management
Network performance management deals with the compilation and analysis of metrics associated with network performance like throughput, response time and packet loss. It ensures the maintenance of acceptable levels of service and alerts generations when there is a breach in acceptable thresholds.
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Network Accounting Management
Network accounting management monitors the use of network resources for billing and accounting purposes. Network providers use this to bill clients for resources and services they utilize. On the other hand, clients use it to plan budgets and allocate costs.
Network accounting management includes metric tracking like storage consumption, bandwidth usage, and device access.
The Role of Operating Systems in Network Management
The operating system plays a fundamental role in network management by managing network devices, services, and resources. A network operating system refers to a set of software utilities that work in conjunction with an OS or operating system to provide the LAN (local area network) user interface and manage network operations.
The operating system serves as the backbone of a computer system and thus has a recognizable and multifaceted role in network management. Operating systems manage computer networks by NIC (network interface card) control and network protocols.
The network interface card is hardware that connects the computer to a network. The operating system (OS) ensures that the Network interface card (NIC) works properly by looking after its operation and managing it. It includes the management of data transmission and reception.
Besides, the operating system manages network protocols. These are rules and conventions that govern data transmission and reception over a network. The OS controls the encapsulation process that involves data packaging into packets for transmission on the network.
Further, the operating system plays a key role in network services and network security. It manages network services such as print sharing, email and file sharing, etc. by controlling the provider software of these services and ensuring that they are available to users whenever needed.
In network security, the operating system manages the operations of the firewall (a system to prevent unauthorized access to a system or network). Also, it manages the authentication process, which involves user identification before granting access to a network.
The 6 Main Components of Network Management
There are six connected components in network management for operations execution. Let us learn about them for a better understanding of network management.
1. Endpoint Connectivity
A major purpose of network management is to connect the endpoints of network enterprise on lobby kiosks, on-premise workstations, and systems in a conference room. This can also include distributed network systems connecting remote clients or employees and multiple branch enterprises.
2. Logging Systems
Logging systems are a vital component of network management, as they help monitor the performance of the network based on industry standards. They also maintain exhaustive records. Logging systems are connected to both software and hardware appliances and record their activity for future reference.
Among the most popular network management logging systems is the Syslog option. It is a protocol that facilitates the generation and maintenance of network records in a data format.
3. Network Automation
Network automation is used to automate the rest of the components of network management and reduce or eliminate manual efforts.
It helps auto-heal general issues on the basis of a predetermined network fault management protocol. It also aids the automatic provisioning of new end-users for network configuration management. Further, it automatically rolls out measures of cost reduction if there is a breach in acceptable thresholds for network account management. To support the business, it also adjusts application policies for performance management.
4. Server Connectivity
Server connectivity is used to look after the connectivity status of user devices. These user devices are non-end, i.e.; if an enterprise is based on a series of private servers (privately hosted servers) or virtual machines, server connectivity is to be kept online. Similar to endpoints, maximum uptime of server devices is a must for network management.
5. Switch Management
Switch management involves the use of network switches to allow traffic visibility to maintain consistent speeds, diagnose upstream issues, and manage bottlenecks.
Network switches are the hardware that connects the primary enterprise network to end-point devices while following the IT protocols. There are several levels of switches, ranging from aggregation switches to floor switches and central switchgear.
6. Network Assurance
Network assurance is an important component of network management that involves risk control, policy enforcement, internal compliance, and security threat management. Its main purpose is to provide a secure and reliable network experience to all its users.
For smooth network assurance, collaboration between all the network management components is necessary.
10 Best Practices for Efficient Network Management
Network management is the spine of the IT sector and can ensure a competitive edge for your enterprise. Here are the top 10 practices to follow for efficient network management.
1. Regularly conducting network landscape inventory
It is advisable to conduct a network landscape inventory regularly as enterprises add new components like switches, endpoints, hardware appliances, etc. to the network. It is highly important to prepare an up-to-date catalog of networks for the guidance of network management principles and to enforce correct policies.
2. Leveraging hardware and software tools strategically
Enterprises should combine software and physical firewalls, software-defined network management, hardware access points, and other tools to ensure standardization and optimize efforts.
3. Maintaining detailed documentation of all network management protocols
To ensure that current network management practices can be reused over time and avoid the added costs of an overall network management overhaul, it is important to document security policies, configurations, and architectural frameworks.
4. Working with a Managed Service Provider (MSP) during the high-growth stage
This practice is the best for growing startups and digital service providers. In both cases, network demands often surpass IT capacities, pose security risks, and cause downtime. In such a case, a managed service provider (MSP) acts as the third party between the enterprise and the clients to provide support remotely and manage network orchestration by aiding in routine upkeep, security checks, and configuration changes.
5. Updating network topology after change in organization
It is highly advisable to change the network topology after a major organizational change, even regularly at intervals of five to seven years. This is because any change in the enterprise landscape affects the network systems and the same topology may not be as effective for network management.
6. Consulting regulatory bodies for compliance standards knowledge
Consulting a regulatory expert before planning the network management practices and setting up the network management architecture is very beneficial and helps avoid regulatory or compliance issues.
7. Selecting OEM-agnostic software always
Certain network management software is generally biased toward their original equipment manufacturer (OEMs) which prevents IT investment diversification, alternative exploration, and switching if needed. To allow this, enterprises are advised to choose OEM-agnostic software for network management.
8. Ensuring failover mechanisms for unforeseen downtime
A failover mechanism is needed even when there is a primary mechanism available to be prepared for downtime that may be caused by natural disasters, etc. Enterprises should invest in backup connectivity infrastructure and host the network management system on an independent private network.
9. Avoiding toolkit fragmentation by integrating network management tools
Integrate data sources and multiple tools into a singular interface to avoid toolkit fragmentation. When choosing a network management technology, look for those that have an open network architecture or come with an API (Application Programming Interface) for seamless toolkit integration.
10. Automating processes as much as possible
Leverage network automation to deduct MSP costs and internal efforts and tap into opportunities such as automatic configuration management, anomaly detection, user provisioning, software upgrades, topology mapping, and many more. Enterprises should make automation their top priority for secure and efficient network management.
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Network Management FAQs
Q1. What is a network management system?
Ans: A network management system (NMS) is a platform used by network engineers and managers to facilitate the management and monitoring of a computer network. It allows network engineers to manage the inner components of a network within a large network infrastructure. Network engineers use it to ensure device detection, performance monitoring, and analysis, and enable notifications.
Q2. What are the five types of network management?
Ans: The five types of network management that form the functional areas of network architecture and play distinct roles in network management are the following:
1. Fault Management
2. Configuration Management
3. Security Management
4. Performance Management
5. Accounting Management
