Knowledge is power – especially if it helps a team optimize an organization's network performance. Network health is essential for any IT business to run smoothly. Every designer or IT professional must maintain a reliable checklist to ensure optimal network health. This is where Cisco network management techniques can come in handy. The procedures can help optimize application and network performance for enterprise networking. By offering Cisco training to the IT team, an organization can increase network availability and efficiency and take a faster track towards reaching productivity and business goals.
Cisco certification boosts the network management team's system knowledge to enable them to monitor trends, plan capacity, and take better control of network performance using metrics and real-time reporting. The training also helps with identifying and troubleshooting network issues to keep it from affecting productivity through automated troubleshooting and proactive surveillance. By offering network management team relevant Cisco training, an organization can enhance network security as well. This is done by tracking vulnerabilities present in the network and by highlighting risky devices that may cause a breach. All in all, Cisco training is essential if your goal is to increase efficiency without compromising on the effective network management tools.
How to Improve Network Performance through Right Management
The key is to adapt to the growth and ensure the network is performing at its best without any malfunction. To do so, an organization must implement effective management tools as well as training to automate and improve day-to-day operations. Here are some effective ways this can be done:
Check Your Current Network Architecture
As far as monitoring network performance is concerned, you first need to detect the network to check its accuracy. What's the current network architecture like? How many switches and routers does it have? What about the endpoints? In addition to this information, you also need to find out about the physical location of each device to see how it connects with the network. Unless you have access to the big picture, there's no way you can actively optimize it. To avoid the lengthy manual procedure of documenting this, you can automate it with mapping software. This will give you updated information about the network and how it is mapped around the organization. You can tweak the icons and layout to adjust it according to your preference. This will give you a framework on where to begin.
Determine Crucial Information
If an organization lose a device in the middle of a process - like a core switch - it may halt the internet access right away and terminate all the emails as a result. Thus, it is imperative that you are aware of all the major operational devices and their impact in case they fail. Training ensures the team is well-aware of the important metrics and get the information it signal. Most monitoring software use protocols to capture device metrics to give you insights on more critical processes.
Clear Escalation Plan
The best time to receive a notification is when you can still take action on it. You should be instantly notified if there's a potential threat or network problem - just right in time. There's no point in wasting resources over false alarms. To improve network management, it is essential to simplify network monitoring. And this can be done by setting up notifications only about relevant and important information that you may need. The escalation plan will decide on who gets the alert in the IT team and at which point. This is particularly more important if you have established SLAs to meet.
Identify Performance Baseline
To establish an efficient network, you first need to focus on the current one and use it as your baseline for improvement. This enables a trained individual to set realistic goals for the network performance. Also, it helps them measure the difference between the old setup and the new network performance. With an upgraded network management system, it is likely that the performance levels will increase. By implementing the knowledge and skills learned through the training, the team is in a better position to monitor and identify network performance.
Make Regular Upgrades
To improve the network, it is also important to keep an eye on the hardware. Without upgrading the core hardware involved in the procedure, supporting network management performance completely is not possible. The trained team will also take decisions like replacing old and outdated hardware. If the core routers, switches, and firewalls in your network do not support modern monitoring protocols. Having the right hardware can improve monitoring, mitigating, and responding to network issues promptly. Also, upgrading and replacing certain devices ensure the visibility the network management team needs.
Keep Junk Away
Firewalls, spam filters, and antivirus software all help keep the junk traffic from crowding the network. Thus, the team is responsible for keeping these elements implemented and up-to-date. Some organizations may consider outsourcing antivirus and anti-spam services for better efficiency. This translates into increased productivity and efficiency.
Keep an Eye on Everything
To improve network management, it is important to keep the system monitored. When an organization is updated about a glitch in the system, it does not really have to do with the network all the time. Therefore, you need to keep an eye and have the relevant facilities on board to prove where the actual problem resides. Having a monitored approach keep you from wasting both time and resources and saves you from wandering in the dark without any clue.
Conclusion
A trained team is more aware of the security issues and other problems a network can face. To ensure maximum protection, the team is always in favor of implementing reliable and strong security measures. Also, it helps create a strong backup and resolve troubleshooting issues to improve overall efficiency. Get in touch with one of our Cisco Experts today and learn more about Cisco certification such as CCNA, CCDA and Unified Communication Management, as well as its benefits.