Monday, July 26, 2010

Cost-effective Network Management: The Features And Characteristics

With the advent of Information Technology in business came the feature of business automation. Automation not only within one's own sphere of work or operation, but in synchronisation with operations outside the local sphere also. This gave rise to networks. To manage individual networks as an integrated entity came in Network Management and nothing on earth this day is worth if it not be cost effective. We therefore end up with Cost-effective Network Management as a necessity for the day's activity. A network comprises of individual objects, both hardware component and the application or software component. The plethora of objects that make up a network is to be experienced to be believed. A network administrator's job is never a post of envy but one that poses the administrator with problems uncanny. When any one of these components faces a bug that retards or stops its working the Network Manager is the individual who is called upon to provide a solution. A complete view of the network and its operations from wherever the network manager is located becomes a necessity for providing the solution.

Volatile is the market and so is the functioning of a business house to cater for these market changes. The network being used by the business house in turn also faces a rapidly changing scenario. The network map drawn on the hard board one day would turn, out of place, in a few days span. Given this scenario, there is need for such a tool that provides a continuous updated view of the complete network components to the network manager as also allow the network manager to manage the components from a remote location.

Managed Services Provider is one such class of software which gives an integrated view of the complete network and the various programs that is running upon it. The software could be one that needs no user intervention, then there are others which need to be executed by a network manager and there are those which are a mix of both. Depending on availability and competence of the network manager the type of MSP software is to be selected. The software solution for managing networks accrues high cost saving to the business house. Instead of separate network managers managing every individual network, it could be substituted by just one network manager sitting at one location with this tool to manage the entire network.

The power and ability of MSP software is judged mainly by the reporting capability of the software and by the view spectrum of the entire network that this MSP software is able to project. However there are various other factors and features that each individual company would indicate in their product manifesto. Features like ease of deploying the MSP software itself across the entire network. The demand for system resources that the software be inherent with.

Cost-effective Network management is the key in today's 'e' prefixed business and market which has the factor of profit as one of its prime consideration. The role of Managed Service Provider in bringing down expenditure for managing the networks and its components has been prominent with time and therefore proven to be the most cost-effective tool to manage networks of a business house.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Ways To Get Cost-Effective Network Management

 

Managed Service Providers are the modern corporation's way of maintaining cost-effective network management in today's technological, information-based era. These systems alleviate the need for micro-management by the company over the details of computer and network efficiency, and service anything that needs fixing, reporting, or eliminating for better profit.

Employee Monitoring- It can often be a huge burden on a company's network and profits if employees are able to get away with regularly listening to music, watching videos, or chatting with friends over instant messaging while working. MSP software enables full monitoring of an entire system of computers, keeping track of the media, downloads, and browser history of each hard-drive assigned to the network. Total Diagnoses- MSP software will help catch every mistake in the system, from slow connections to errors in computer applications that can put a halt to productivity. The software will often be able to fix many issues automatically by deriving the source of the issue and quickly extinguishing or patching it. A record of all flaws and fixes is kept to ensure any patterns are reported to the main network supervisor.

Customized Access- Supervisors can place direct blocks on certain websites, fraudulent networks, and any program they desire through the MSP software dashboard. These restrictions will prevent access by lower-level employees to high-level processes, and avoid use of company computers to surf dangerous parts of he web. It can also be given specific orders to grant certain codes or individuals access, no matter what the over-ruling restrictions may be.

Reports- The software must keep the company overhead knowledgeable about system performance at all times, uploading scheduled reports to the main desktop. These reports are well organized into history of activities, network speeds, quantity of connections, and any other data of company function. By using these detailed reports, the software can suggest a closer look be taken at certain areas of the system for repairs or removal. Automated Backup- What used to be a manual job of a company's hired technicians, MSP software can do in regularly scheduled intervals, without any necessary involvement of the software client. Unless wished otherwise, all histories and vital company files are backed-up with copies in a separate server as often as desired. This way, no matter what happens to the company computers, in case of a crash, all data is ready to be retrieved. Baseline Adaptability- Like a sentient guardian of the system, MSPs posses the ability to literally learn the basics of normal company behavior and accessing. This makes the software less inclined to raise red flags about usual activity, and makes it adaptable to new norms as well. Adaptability eliminates a great deal of programming responsibility from the company mainframe, and saves plenty of precious time.

Way of the Present- What may have once seemed like a futuristic dream of business entrepreneurs is now a reality with MSP software. Cost-effective network management can be achieved without scores of manual system surveying, and saves all the time and money on what used to be needed for a technician. With higher efficiency, cleaner functionality, and higher profit margin, no corporate business of the twenty-first century should miss the chance to reap the benefits of Managed Service Providers.