Network monitoring is the oversight of a computer network to detect degrading performance, slow or failing components and other potential problems. Network monitoring, not to be confused with network management, is typically performed by specialized network monitoring software that uses a combination of techniques to continuously test the network health and functionality, including network components like firewalls, switches, servers and virtual machines. The software tracks and collects data for various network parameters such as availability, throughput, packet loss and storage performance. If the collected data doesn’t fall within acceptable performance thresholds, the network monitoring system initiates an automated fix or alerts the network administrator so they can correct the problem.
As network infrastructure grows larger and more complex, it becomes harder for administrators to stay on top of component health, security vulnerabilities and other issues that can compromise network performance. Network monitoring simplifies the process by automating many of the checks a system administrator would otherwise have to perform manually, and surfacing performance information so IT staff can act quickly to resolve problems.
In the following sections, we’ll examine how network monitoring works, how it benefits organizations of all sizes, and how you can get started with a network monitoring solution.
What does network monitoring track?
What are the benefits of network monitoring?
What is network monitoring vs. database monitoring?
What are key principles of database monitoring?
What is the role of database security in modern network monitoring?
Getting Started: What are key features of a network monitoring solution?
Bottom Line: Network monitoring is crucial for every business
Similar to performance monitoring, network monitoring software can track a variety of factors that can indicate the network performance issues and reliability of the IT infrastructure, critical for simple network management. Each organization will have to determine what is most important to monitor in their particular network, but common network monitoring practices include tracking the following:
Network monitoring offers many benefits, including:
Network monitoring refers to oversight of the entire network infrastructure. Database monitoring is concerned specifically with tracking the health and performance of databases.
Effective database monitoring offers several benefits. Like network monitoring, it’s proactive, allowing administrators to recognize warning signs of potential problems and deal with them before they reach users. It also increases efficiency; databases are one of the first places system administrators will look when apps have problems, and active database monitoring makes it easier for them to hone in on and fix those issues. And database monitoring strengthens security by identifying anomalous activity, checking data backups, and performing other security functions.
As with network monitoring and server monitoring, database monitoring strategies will vary depending on the types of databases being used — relational databases vs. NoSQL databases, for example — and the metrics they expose. In general, though, database monitoring should track the following areas:
Most database monitoring tools will give comprehensive visibility into these and other performance indicators and ping administrators if there are any performance issues. The best tools will also provide insights into the root causes of those issues, enabling faster troubleshooting.
Proactive database monitoring allows administrators to identify outages and other performance problems before users do. Some best practices for effective database monitoring include:
Network security refers to the protection of the integrity, accessibility and confidentiality of a network and its data. Network security matters because the growing complexity of IT environments is dovetailing with a threat landscape that’s increasing in size and sophistication. And organizations of every size need some level of network security to protect them against a growing array of cyberthreats.
Network vulnerabilities can be found virtually everywhere — in data, devices, applications, users and locations. A successful exploit in any of these areas can disrupt a network and cause financial and reputational damage to the business.
There are many technologies and techniques organizations can implement to strengthen network defenses and prevent or minimize the damage from a successful attack. Some of the more common include:
The role of database security in network monitoring is to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data stored in the database. Because much of the data housed in cloud or on-premises databases or data centers is sensitive (e.g. customers’ personal, credit card information), a breach could cause significant damage to the data’s owner as well as the company storing it.
Consequently, database security is an essential component of modern network monitoring. Effective database security limits data compromise or loss by preventing malware and viral infections, blocking attacks and preserving the health and integrity of database servers and data files. Ensuring the proper storage and usage of sensitive data helps organizations achieve regulatory compliance, builds customer trust and confidence and minimizes legal and reputational risk from data breaches.
A great network monitoring solution, or network monitoring service, will help IT professionals discover and understand what and how performance issues are affecting the network, where they’re located, and how to fix them. Here are some critical features to look for in a network monitoring tool:
Network infrastructures continue to grow increasingly complex, making it more challenging to keep them performing optimally and protected from myriad threats. In light of today’s security threat landscape, network monitoring is essential. The speed and efficiency of a network and the applications that depend on it can give you a competitive edge. Network monitoring provides the full network visibility needed to stay ahead of performance problems and security threats — and resolve such issues before they impact users and the business at large. And it dramatically reduces the amount of time and money required to invest in manual oversight, while keeping your network ship-shape.