Network Uptime

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Starting Delimiter
- Network Management for Smarties -
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As part of my daily travels, I'm lucky enough to visit many different companies and organizations. In each organization, there are varying levels of emphasis in the overall network management direction. In many organizations, the concept of realistic network management has not been fully considered.

I've watched many organizations install umbrella management systems. You've seen these expensive software packages, they consist of extensive SNMP management functionality installed onto fully-loaded (and very expensive) Unix workstations. Indeed, these intelligent software packages are extremely powerful when properly configured and maintained.

However, very few of these systems are properly configured and maintained! From my observations, less than one percent of companies I've visited have the resources to dedicate a full-time employee towards the creation and maintenance of an enterprise network management system. These powerful management systems are often religated to the role of a very expensive static map of the network, displaying red and green icons to show device availability.

As the network management team, we're doing a disservice to our organization by purchasing large enterprise management systems without any thought towards the business requirements, or towards the ongoing requirements for management of the network. Most network administrators aren't Unix savvy, yet we continue to fill the network management area with Unix systems. Expensive software packages roll through the front door, yet the capabilities of the software are years away from being used effectively in the organization.

Here's some issues to consider when working towards an enterprise management system:

* Know what you want - Before considering product features and costs, make a list of the network management issues that you need to resolve. Don't use generic terms, such as 'Need Network Reporting.' Create very specific requirements that can be used to evaluate your network management options. You may not find a product that can perform every function on your list, so rank your requirements in order of need.

* Start small - Many network managers try to purchase the king-of-all-management-systems, without any thought towards the installation resources or ongoing system administration. Some management systems can be purchased as separate modules, allowing for a phased approach to installation of the system.

* Consider all options - There's more to network management than the hundred-thousand dollar umbrella manager. Sometimes, the products priced under one thousand dollars provide the proper amount of network management for your current needs. There are also some well-supported free (yes, free) products on the Internet that can provide long-term web-based management functions. Some of these free products work better than many commercial offerings!

* Plan for the future - Many network propeller-heads may find themselves as Managers or Directors in the not-so-distant future (it happens to the best of us!). The system that you design today will need to be manageable in the following months or years for whoever may be faced with the upkeep.

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This month's newsletter contains some very technical explanations of the signaling used for Gigabit Ethernet over Copper, as well as an explanation of file formats in some popular network analysis software. We appreciate your article suggestions and your comments, so keep them coming!

- James 'SNMP' Messer
Editor, Network Uptime
James@NetworkUptime.com

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ==== Network Uptime Surf Report - Your Links - ====

Elca Ryu has sent us some favorite network analysis links to share with the readers of Network Uptime. Do you have some sites that help you with your day-to-day network chores? Email us and we'll include them in a future newsletter!