Network Monitoring is about policing network traffic
Thursday, August 6th, 2009Network management refers to the activities, methods, procedures, and tools that pertains to the operation, administration, maintenance, and provisioning of the networked systems. Network management is a wider term that includes:
•Security: Ensuring that the network is protected from unauthorized users.
•Performance: Eliminating bottlenecks in the network.
• Reliability: Making continuous availability of the network to the users and correctly responding to the system malfunctions (if any).
Network management means different to different people. In general, network management is a service that uses a wide range of devices, tools, and applications to enable the network managers in efficiently monitoring and maintaining of the network.
Network management deals with the top-level administration and maintenance of widespread and large network area commonly seen in the field of computers or telecommunications that primarily includes user terminal equipment.
An element of network management, accounting management is the process of keeping and maintaining records. For example, in telemanagement system, the call accounting module of telecommunication keep tracks of the network usage based on call detail recording (CDR) records output by the telephone system. On the basis of that data, the call accounting system can calculate calling costs, which it passes to a cost allocation module that creates reports of calling activity.
Network management executes functions, such as security, control, allocation, monitoring, coordination, deployment, and planning. It is also governed by several protocols, which are basically present for its support, such as SNMP, CIM, CMIP, and WBEM.
Network Monitoring is about policing network traffic. In other words, network monitoring is spying for the benefit of smooth working of network management. Network monitoring is part of network management. Ideally, network monitoring must be performed on an ongoing basis. While the other systems are performing the functions assigned to them, one should set aside at least one computer to monitor network activity. This is network monitoring in a nutshell.
The computer performing network monitoring must be kept always on. It should have exclusive power lines or, backup generator facility. Everyone should understand that network monitoring system is the most critical part of any network. You can send alarm if something goes wrong with the help of network monitoring.
Network monitoring identifies the slow or failing systems and notifies the network administrator of such lapses. Issues such as, overloaded systems, crashing of servers, network connections being lost, virus infections, and power outages are dealt without losing time if network monitoring is in place.
