Network management

Operators are given written instructions (suggested ports and inroutes) which are the results of studies of performance data and planning information, always done off-line. The instructions are updated on an irregular basis and operators sometimes have to take decisions based on outdated information. Thus, the process of selection of hardware components is often one of trial and error: configurations are used as long as problems are not encountered. There is a need for the user interface to provide this information on-line so that decisions can be based on current information.

Network Performance Monitor

Network Management System

Fault management

The NMS manages every alarm, alerts, events and status information forwarded by the SLTE and the PFE including equipment fault, transmission fault (e.g. loss of signal (LOS) and loss of frame (LOF) alarms), transmission degradation alert, optical degradation alert, electrical degradation alert… Other items may be generated by the NMS to raise threshold crossing alert based on repeater (REP), branching unit (BU), ROADM measures. And some NMS system alerts may be raised by the NMS on its own operations like data quota management.

Those items, often called alarms, are managed by the NMS in current alarm list and historical alarm bases. The NMS offers various facilities to user: search, filtering, audible alert, acknowledgment, export, print, archive/retrieve, quota, backup/restore, purge…

What is Network Management?

breaking down network management

If you’re new to this topic, you may have a number of questions about how to manage networks, as it’s a broad category that encompasses numerous, different tasks. Put simply, there are five main areas that should be part of any effective network management system. There can be some overlap between these categories, but the general breakdown is as follows:

Network Administration – Administration of a network includes keeping an inventory of network resources and equipment, including cables, hubs, routers, servers, and computers. In addition, it can mean setting up networks, monitoring their performance, and updating and troubleshooting software. It also involves setting up network management tools, operating systems, and software used across the entire network.
Network Operation – Operations is all about keeping the network running smoothly and without problems. It includes monitoring the network for performance problems and faults, as well as fixing problems before they affect end users, or at least in the timeliest manner possible.
Network Maintenance – Maintenance includes the repair and upgrade of network equipment (including routers, transmission cables, servers, workstations, and switches). It also involves updating and patching software on an ongoing basis, along with implementing preventative policies, updating access control measures, and improving faulty configurations.
Network Provisioning – The provisioning task is all about allocating and configuring network resources to best suit a particular service or need. For example, a project may have a lot of people coming in from offsite, which could increase the need for broadband. If a team needs extra storage space or file transfer capabilities, the responsibility falls on IT. The network administrator works to provide resources to meet the growing and changing needs of the business.
Network Security – Keeping a network secure is important for the network to function in a healthy way to fulfill the needs of the business. This involves installing and maintaining network protection software, monitoring IP and network behavior, tracking endpoint devices, and quickly resolving security issues or breaches.

The Best Network Management Software

In ranking the following network management tools, we have considered user-friendliness, range of functionality, scalability, and several other factors to help you assess which is best suited to your business’ individual requirements.

network-management-software

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)

NCM

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM) is a versatile and user-friendly market-leading solution. As a tool built on the unique SolarWinds Orion ® Platform, it can be integrated with other SolarWinds products, including SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor. Compatibility with many other SolarWinds tools allows NCM’s functionality to be extended, providing unrivaled network insight.

SolarWinds Kiwi CatTools

SolarWinds Kiwi ® CatTools was created to support businesses with small networks, delivering an affordable but efficient network management solution. Kiwi CatTools is especially suited to enterprises hoping to implement a solution that can perform bulk changes to configurations across multiple devices concurrently, automate configuration backups, and rapidly roll back to pre-existing configurations when necessary.

ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager

ManageEngine, like SolarWinds, offers solutions designed for enterprise-grade IT monitoring and management. ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager can manage multiple configurations—like switches, firewalls, and routers—and offers support for multi-vendor environments.

Paessler PRTG Network Monitor

PRTG Network Monitor is a sensor-based network monitoring tool that gives you the choice of thousands of sensors, enabling you to create a purpose-built solution for your needs. This network management tool is extremely versatile. Here are a few of PRTG Network Monitor’s key features:

ConfiBack (open-source)

ConfiBack, though not as versatile as some of its competitors, offers great value. This free tool comes with some surprisingly impressive features and may be a suitable option for those who are looking for a simple but effective network management solution.

Unfortunately, as a free tool, ConfiBack isn’t recommended for business use. This solution doesn’t include user authentication utilities and doesn’t offer patch management. Despite this, ConfiBack may be a good option for those with few network management needs and who are comfortable using open-source tools.

Authorship:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/computer-science/network-management-system
https://www.dnsstuff.com/network-management
https://logicalread.com/network-management-software/
Network management

หลายคนคงจะได้ทราบข่าวใหญ่แล้วนะครับว่าเมื่อคืนนี้เกิดเหตุการณ์ที่บริการของ Facebook ใช้การไม่ได้ อย่างไรก็ดีหากใครอยากทราบช่วงเวลาเริ่มต้น มุมมองในอีกภาพหนึ่งจาก Cloudflare ผู้ให้บริการตัวกลางบริการอินเทอร์เน็ต ที่วิเคราะห์ไว้อย่างน่าสนใจลองมาติดตามกันครับ

Predecessor table for project network diagram

หากพูดถึงภาวะเศรษฐกิจในปีนี้ คงไม่เกินจริงไปนักถ้าจะกล่าวว่ามีความท้าทายเกิดขึ้นมากมาย และยังไม่มีใครรู้ได้ว่าอนาคตที่น่าหวาดหวั่นจะจบลงอย่างไร แต่ที่แน่ๆสิ่งที่องค์กรเข้าใจดีแล้วในช่วงสองสามปีที่ผ่านมาก็คือการปรับตัวเข้าสู่ระบบดิจิทัลให้สามารถแข่งขันได้ผ่านออนไลน์ หรือปรับปรุงกระบวนการทำงานเดิมให้มีประสิทธิภาพสูงสุด หนึ่งในหัวใจสำคัญของระบบดิจิทัลก็คือ ‘การเชื่อมต่อ’ ที่ต้องมีประสิทธิภาพและสเถียรภาพโดย 1 ใน 5 กลยุทธ์ของ AIS Business ที่สอดคล้องกับการฝ่าวิกฤติให้ธุรกิจไทยได้ก้าวต่อไปก็คือเรื่อง Intelligence Network ที่สามารถตอบโจทย์ได้อย่างยืดหยุ่นและชาญฉลาดกว่าเดิม วันนี้ทีมงาน TechTalkThai ขอพาทุกท่านไปเจาะลึกกลยุทธ์นี้กันครับ

ในยุคดิจิทัลที่ผู้คนเชื่อมต่อกันผ่านอินเทอร์เน็ต บริษัทห้างร้านและธุรกิจต่างๆ ต่างก็ต้องเปลี่ยนรูปแบบการให้บริการมาอยู่บนโลกออนไลน์ องค์กรภาครัฐ และภาคธุรกิจ ต่างนำเทคโนโลยีเข้ามาสนับสนุนการทำงาน และ Buzzword อย่าง Cloud (คลาวด์) ก็กลายเป็นคำติดหูที่ใช้กันทั่วไป เทคโนโลยีคลาวด์นั้นเข้ามาแทรกซึมในชีวิตประจำวันของทั้งผู้ค้าและผู้ขาย ทั้งเพิ่มประสิทธิภาพในการประมวลผลธุรกรรมต่างๆ เพิ่มความคล่องตัวในการเข้าถึงข้อมูลจากที่ไหนก็ได้ คลาวด์แพลตฟอร์มและแอปพลิเคชันต่างๆ บนระบบคลาวด์เข้ามาเกี่ยวพันกับการดำเนินงานภายในองค์กรอย่างแนบแน่นและเป็นรากฐานโครงสร้างการให้บริการของธุรกิจในยุคนี้อย่างขาดไม่ได้

Network Management Architecture

7.6 Conclusions

While network management can appear to be a simple function, it is actually a complex set of functions with interesting architectural features. In this chapter we decomposed network management into monitoring, instrumentation, and management, and explored how each of these can be achieved within the network management architecture.

The essence of the network management architecture is in understanding what you want to monitor and manage, determining where you want to locate each network management function, and managing the flows of network management traffic. Depending on the characteristics of the network you are developing, you have a wide range of architectural solutions, from a simple, single-platform system with preconfigured monitoring and management capabilities, to a distributed, hierarchical system where you determine and configure its monitoring and management capabilities.

Continuous Monitoring

Network Management

Network management technologies comprise a wide range of tools and protocols that facilitate operational monitoring of network devices, communication flows, and inbound and outbound network traffic. Automated network management tools are often used at the environment or agency level to collect information about the availability, status, and performance of network components, but they can also be used to detect new hardware, software, or devices connected to the network. Specific actions and events monitored with network management tools vary according to organizational policies and monitoring objectives. Potential uses include monitoring network-connected devices for compliance with technical standards, policies, and configuration specifications; managing network access control; and detecting unauthorized devices introduced into the network environment.

Best Practices for Project Network Diagrams

To take advantage of the positives and avoid the negatives of project network diagrams, it helps to know what works. For example, a network diagram is a visual language, and like any communicative method, it requires using symbols that are shared and universally understood.

A project network diagram is a good start, but you’ll need more than a diagram to control the project management phases. Better to execute your project with a tool that offers full service. ProjectManager is a cloud-based project management software that takes workflow to the next level.

ProjectManager gives you the tools to turn your project network diagram into a full-fledged project schedule with Gantt charts that allow you to identify the critical path, assign tasks to your team members and add durations and due dates. You can avoid bottlenecks in your workflow by linking tasks that are dependent on one another. Break projects into milestones to further make large phases of the project more digestible.

Gantt chart screenshot

There’s even a resource tool that shows which team members are under- or overallocated to keep the workload balanced. This keeps work flowing and prevents costly overallocation of resources or missed deadlines.

Visualize Workflows with Dynamic Boards

Workflow is further managed with the kanban project view. Just switch to the board view and everything on your Gantt is now reflected in a kanban board. The workflow is represented by customizable columns, which indicate where each task is in the project.

kanban screenshot in ProjectManager

Each task is a card that can be dragged and dropped from column to column, which provides transparency into the process and keeps teams focused on just the tasks that they have the capacity to complete. When team members update their status, that data is instantly reflected across the entire software. Automated email notifications keep teams alert when changes are made or deadlines are approaching.

After you’ve given the free network diagramming apps a spin and get a feel for how they handle, take a look at ProjectManager, a cloud-based project management software. Our online Gantt chart does much of what a network diagram can do, but also always for real-time collaboration, status reporting and it’s easy to change as the project changes. Try it free for 30-days with this trial.

Authorship:

https://www.techtalkthai.com/category/networking/network-management/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/computer-science/network-management
https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/network-diagrams-free-tools
Network management

In addition to the hypervisor’s management traffic, the management network should also carry other third-party management applications. For example, BMC’s Remedy (or ITAM) is one of the mature network management systems for enterprise applications. It has built many management components (APIs) to interface with vCenter or the VMware vSphere hypervisor (see Figure 13.57 ).

NetworkManager

NetworkManager is a program for providing detection and configuration for systems to automatically connect to networks. NetworkManager’s functionality can be useful for both wireless and wired networks. For wireless networks, NetworkManager prefers known wireless networks and has the ability to switch to the most reliable network. NetworkManager-aware applications can switch from online and offline mode. NetworkManager also prefers wired connections over wireless ones, has support for modem connections and certain types of VPN. NetworkManager was originally developed by Red Hat and now is hosted by the GNOME project.

Enable NetworkManager

After installation, you should start/enable NetworkManager.service . Once the NetworkManager daemon is started, it will automatically connect to any available "system connections" that have already been configured. Any "user connections" or unconfigured connections will need nmcli or an applet to configure and connect.

Additional interfaces

Mobile broadband support

Add connections from a front-end (e.g. nm-connection-editor ) and select mobile broadband as the connection type. After selecting your ISP and billing plan, APN and other settings should be filled in automatically using information from mobile-broadband-provider-info .

PPPoE / DSL support

VPN support

Network Management Architecture

7.6 Conclusions

Continuous Monitoring

Network Management

What to Look For in a Network Configuration Manager

Automating the management of your network configuration will reduce time spent on repetitive yet necessary tasks, coordinate changes throughout the network, and help ensure your network runs at peak performance. A good network configuration manager will minimize configuration errors and optimize the security of your network. It should be able to carry out the following key tasks:

When it comes to automating the management of your configurations, a huge array of tools and programs are on the market. Some are paid, while others are free and open-source, and choosing among them isn’t simple by any means. A paid solution doesn’t necessarily offer good value, and a free solution isn’t necessarily functional.

I’ve reviewed the leading network configuration tools and compiled this guide to help you choose the right one for your business. I’ve included free as well as paid premium tools, to suit the full range of budgets. However, the free tools available tend to be designed for small network rather than large business or enterprise use.

1. SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM) is a feature-heavy, intelligent, and market-leading configuration management program. Since NCM is built on the SolarWinds Orion ® Platform, the tool can be used alongside other SolarWinds tools like Network Performance Monitor to provide deep insights across a network.

NCM boasts impressive features specific to Cisco equipment. During audit sweeps, for instance, the tool integrates checks with the Cisco National Vulnerability Database and provides you with alerts for any security shortfalls, so they can be eradicated with an update, a patch, or an adjustment to the settings of a device. Other Cisco enhancements include insight into device settings for Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances, as well as management and audit utilities for access control lists.

NCM also serves as switch configuration management software, allowing you to make wide-scale, routine configuration changes across targeted devices, regardless of command syntax or vendor. Moreover, the tool’s standardized configurations save time when it comes to troubleshooting or auditing.

2. Kiwi CatTools

Built to support small business networks at an affordable price, SolarWinds Kiwi ® CatTools can benefit companies looking for a network configuration management solution to help automate backups, perform bulk configuration changes to multiple devices simultaneously, and quickly revert or roll back to good configurations to minimize service interruptions caused by bad configs.

Kiwi CatTools configuration management software

3. ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager

ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager

Like SolarWinds, ManageEngine provides a suite of tools for IT service monitoring, which can be integrated to create a unified management and monitoring system. ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager supports multi-vendor environments and can manage a whole host of configurations, including routers, firewalls, and switches. Overall, my favorite thing about it is the dashboard, which offers a range of visualization approaches.

4. Device42 Configuration Management Database

Device42 is particularly well suited for use in data centers. It boasts a range of infrastructure management modules, which cover not only configuration management but also IP address management, data center infrastructure management, and IT asset management. It’s available as either a cloud-based service or an on-premises installation. However, it’s not particularly sophisticated in comparison to the higher-ranking tools.

5. ConfiBack

ConfiBack (short for Configuration Backup) ranks here on account of its value: although it’s a free tool, it offers some impressive utilities. It’s not as sophisticated as many of the other programs on this list but is a solid choice if you’re looking for a network configuration manager without a price tag.

As a free network configuration tool—compatible with Windows, Linux, and Mac OS—ConfiBack is not particularly well suited to business use. It doesn’t include user authentication procedures and lacks a patch manager module. However, for those who have low network management requirements and are open to combing through programming code, this open-source offering might be for you.

Implementing a Network Configuration Management Tool

Managing the settings of connected devices is an important step in securing your network. By implementing a network configuration manager, businesses can automate the process of keeping firmware and software patched and up to date. In this guide, I’ve provided overviews of the best network device management tools, including free open-source and paid solutions, to help you find the right one for your organization. As you sort through your options, you will need to consider the requirements of your operating system, the size of your network, and the limitations of your budget.

The free network configuration tools on the market are suited mainly to small networks and non-business use. Of these free open-source tools, ConfiBack comes out on top, with an impressive suite of utilities. And if you operate a data center and have low-level requirements, Device42 might be a good choice.

For organizations with the budget for a sophisticated, comprehensive tool, you can’t beat SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager. SolarWinds has a history of producing market-leading solutions, so you can invest in the tool with confidence, knowing it’s a top-quality program. NCM balances sophistication with ease of use, provides a clean dashboard with dynamic visualizations, and takes an intuitive and intelligent approach to network configuration management. It can easily integrate with other SolarWinds products and is available as a free trial, so you can test out its capabilities before you commit.

Authorship:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/NetworkManager
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/computer-science/network-management
https://www.dnsstuff.com/network-configuration-management-tools
Network management

However, business networks are often fairly large and complex, which means the set of tasks a network administrator will need to perform can quickly overwhelm manual efforts. So, how do you manage a network? Is there a difference between centralized and decentralized network management? In this guide, I define the broader term network management, discuss industry best practices, go over the importance of centralized network management, and how behind the best network management strategies you’ll find the best network monitoring software.

N-central

5 Best Network Management Software and Tools

With IT technology continuing to rapidly evolve, networks are becoming increasingly complicated, sophisticated, and sizable. The accelerating growth rate of network technology is caused in part by the increased adoption of IoT, the cloud, and software-defined networking. In this environment, where technology is advancing with overwhelming speed, enterprises must adapt and be agile enough to manage network configurations for all their connected devices.

While networks struggle to keep up with the evolution of the wider market, the network management software responsible for supporting these networks also faces a similar challenge. Given how saturated the current market for network management software is, determining which solution is best suited to your business’s individual needs is difficult. To help you make the right choice, this guide will explain what network configuration is and what you should be looking for when selecting a network management system, in addition to recommending the best free and paid network management solutions available in 2020.

Of the products listed in this guide, I believe SolarWinds ® Network Configuration Manager (NCM) provides the greatest range of functionality and the most user-friendly and intuitive user experience. If you’re looking for a network management system for small corporate networks, Kiwi CatTools ® is also a good option.

Network Configuration Management

Network configuration is the process of determining and defining network flow, how a network will operate, and how a network will be controlled. This happens during the initial stages of setting up a network and involves arranging and maintaining information related to your network components. Network configuration management activities, then, simply involve the continuous process of managing and overseeing network device setup and maintenance, in addition to managing the firmware and software installed on network devices. Network configuration management also involves device discovery, device configuration monitoring, device status monitoring, and inventory maintenance.

The network configurations management database is at the core of network configuration management processes. If a network issue arises and repair is needed, or a network component needs to be upgraded or altered, the network administrator will review the network configuration management database for any relevant information, which they will then use to make informed remediation decisions. The database is responsible for storing the location and IP address for every single hardware device, as well as any other data relating to updates, versions, default settings, and programs.

It’s essential for enterprises to implement a robust and reliable network management system with network configuration management capabilities. Network configuration management utilities allow administrators to track any changes made to a device’s settings and gives them visibility into how those changes could impact network security. For example, certain settings modifications could compromise user privacy or establish a point of weakness in your network. Device firmware may also create vulnerability, which comprehensive network management solutions can also account for by allowing you to track device firmware and distribute updates.

What is Network Management?

breaking down network management

Network Administration – Administration of a network includes keeping an inventory of network resources and equipment, including cables, hubs, routers, servers, and computers. In addition, it can mean setting up networks, monitoring their performance, and updating and troubleshooting software. It also involves setting up network management tools, operating systems, and software used across the entire network.
Network Operation – Operations is all about keeping the network running smoothly and without problems. It includes monitoring the network for performance problems and faults, as well as fixing problems before they affect end users, or at least in the timeliest manner possible.
Network Maintenance – Maintenance includes the repair and upgrade of network equipment (including routers, transmission cables, servers, workstations, and switches). It also involves updating and patching software on an ongoing basis, along with implementing preventative policies, updating access control measures, and improving faulty configurations.
Network Provisioning – The provisioning task is all about allocating and configuring network resources to best suit a particular service or need. For example, a project may have a lot of people coming in from offsite, which could increase the need for broadband. If a team needs extra storage space or file transfer capabilities, the responsibility falls on IT. The network administrator works to provide resources to meet the growing and changing needs of the business.
Network Security – Keeping a network secure is important for the network to function in a healthy way to fulfill the needs of the business. This involves installing and maintaining network protection software, monitoring IP and network behavior, tracking endpoint devices, and quickly resolving security issues or breaches.

Network Management Challenges

There can be many challenges in network management. The reality is that the success of your network management depends on solid planning and an understanding of your individual business needs. Choosing the best network management services to work closely with your business will help you overcome challenges quickly because their expertise will help to deal with issues in a shorter amount of time. There are many network components to consider. The most important aspect of a successful management strategy is in clearly documenting everything and maintaining updated records at all times.

Does your office technology score an A+?

About Curtis Buhrkuhl

Curtis was born and raised in America’s finest city, San Diego, CA. He has been with Office1 since 2015. Curtis has always been intrigued by computers and tech. He started by building computers in middle school and now provides consultation to our clients to organize and build their networks, helping to bring companies, both startups and established businesses, into the cloud. By partnering with Amazon Web Services, we have been able to successfully introduce a new innovative desktop experience.

Resources:

https://logicalread.com/network-management-software/
https://www.dnsstuff.com/network-management
https://www.office1.com/blog/network-management-a-guide-and-best-practices
Network management

N-able N-central® is an IT management solution that enables organizations to manage and track IT devices. The solution comes with key features that include patch management, antivirus protection, backup and disaster recovery. The. Read more

Domotz PRO

Network Management

5.5 Network Management in ATM

Network management standards still need to be adequately addressed. Different parts of ATM’s network management standards are due out in late 1996, but currently there is little support for network management in ATM networks. Currently, the Interim Local Management Interface (ILMI) Specification based on SNMP has been defined [7] to provide network management capabilities to ATM network administrators. ILMI functions for a UNI provide status, configuration, and control information about link and physical layer parameters at the UNI, as well as address registration across the UNI. Since ATM is intended to be implemented in both the local and wide area, network management should be simplified as the the same technology will be used in all levels in an enterprise network. This area is, in large part, considered “for future study” [7] .

Network Management Architecture

7.6 Conclusions

Popular Network Management Comparisons

Avast Business Pro Plus

PagerDuty

Domotz PRO

LogicMonitor

ManageEngine OpManager

N-central

Netreo

PathSolutions TotalView

NG Firewall

NMIS

ThousandEyes

OpenNMS

The Best Network Management Software

network-management-software

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)

NCM

SolarWinds Kiwi CatTools

ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager

Paessler PRTG Network Monitor

ConfiBack (open-source)

Resources:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/computer-science/network-management
https://www.softwareadvice.com/network-management/
https://logicalread.com/network-management-software/
Network management

This error can have numerous causes and you should read the journal (filter it with -u NetworkManager ). For example, if NetworkManager took too long to establish connection, it will believe that the password is incorrect:

Avast Business Pro Plus

Network Management

Front-ends

To configure and have easy access to NetworkManager, most users will want to install an applet. This GUI front-end usually resides in the system tray (or notification area) and allows network selection and configuration of NetworkManager. Various desktop environments have their own applet. Otherwise you can use #nm-applet.

GNOME

KDE Plasma

nm-applet

Be aware that after enabling the tick-box option Make available to other users for a connection, NetworkManager stores the password in plain-text, though the respective file is accessible only to root (or other users via nm-applet ). See #Encrypted Wi-Fi passwords.

The applet can show notifications for events such as connecting to or disconnecting from a WiFi network. For these notifications to display, ensure that you have a notification server installed – see Desktop notifications. If you use the applet without a notification server, you might see some messages in stdout/stderr, and the applet might hang. See [1].

Warning: On i3, if nm-applet is started with the –no-agent option, it is not possible to connect to a new encrypted WiFi network by clicking on the item list because no password input dialogue window will pop out. journal will show no secrets: No agents were available for this request .

Appindicator

networkmanager-dmenu

Alternatively there is networkmanager-dmenu-git AUR which is a small script to manage NetworkManager connections with dmenu or rofi instead of nm-applet . It provides all essential features such as connection to existing NetworkManager wifi or wired connections, connect to new wifi connections, requests passphrase if required, connect to existing VPN connections, enable/disable networking, launch nm-connection-editor GUI, connect to Bluetooth networks.

Benefits of network management software

Downtime reduction: Network downtime is a serious issue and can affect businesses tremendously, causing inconvenience, a lack of productivity, and a huge loss of money. Network management software monitors your network health and associated hardware, diagnosing the problems and quickly resolving them, ensuring maximum uptime.
Clear visibility: Without clear network visibility of your device, your business may be at risk of recurring problems and errors. Network software management with managed IT, as well as detailed network monitoring, helps you increase and improve your overall network device visibility, resulting in better performance and network traffic monitoring.
Higher scalability: With growing network demand comes increasing network complexity, and purely manual management may lead to human error. Equipping your business with robust network management software helps keep pace with evolving network management needs, leading to efficient growth and making you more competitive.
Enhanced security: Malicious attacks and hacking are on a rapid rise and are not going to stop anytime soon. That being said, small businesses can’t afford the risk of security breaches. Network management software offers the right protection, ensuring that all the potential risks and threats get immediate attention.

Finding the right network management software that meets your IT management needs can be quite overwhelming. Keep the following considerations in mind when looking for the perfect software to help you narrow down your options:

Find a software that meets your business requirements: Select a network management software that can handle all the tasks that your business requires. For instance, if your business needs something to help with network monitoring and performance tracking, be sure that the software vendors you are reviewing have those features.
Easy to use and implement: User-friendliness is a critical factor when it comes to purchasing any software, and network management software is no different. Ask yourself while choosing a solution for your business whether or not it’s easy to use and gives you actionable insights in real time.
Fits within your budget: Due to budget constraints, cost becomes a concern for many small businesses. With this in mind, be sure to choose a network management software that fulfills all your networking needs but doesn’t drain your pocket at the same time.
Must be fully encrypted: Hackers are always looking for vulnerable points to exploit within your business, so it becomes crucial for you to invest in well-encrypted network management software that protects your business networks from all threats.
Provide after-sales support: Whenever you are choosing network management software, it’s crucial to keep a keen eye on after-sales service support offerings that should include phone, email, or chat support.

Market trends to understand

Increased demand for SASE adoption: Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) technology is an emerging security technology that provides secure access to applications and data located in the cloud or on-premises. SASE helps organizations to protect their sensitive information while allowing authorized users to securely access the information from any device, anywhere. As per Gartner’s predictions, by 2025, around 60% of businesses will have clear plans and roadmaps for SASE adoption.
Software-defined wide-area networking (SD-WAN) tech adoption: The move toward remote work has made it imperative for remote workers to use software to access their company’s network. Using SD-WAN software, they can access company-wide area networks (WAN) using only software-based entry points. Gartner forecasts that by the end of 2023, 60% of enterprises will implement SD-WAN to increase network agility and improve support for cloud apps.

Note: The applications mentioned in this article are examples to show a feature in context and are not intended as endorsements or recommendations. They have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable at the time of publication.

Resources:

https://www.techtalkthai.com/category/networking/network-management/
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/NetworkManager
https://www.softwareadvice.com/network-management/