EBOOK

A Survivor's Guide to Network Management

Network management is now a business-critical function, as organizations seek to create and maintain resilient and efficient enterprise IT and communications strategies for the future. Modern networks have evolved from a conceptually “flat” architecture where everything was essentially connected physically, to more complex designs incorporating cloud and wireless technologies, remote users, Virtual Private Networks

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In this report, we’ll be looking at the various complexities involved, and why these demands can induce an “all or nothing” mind-set in enterprise network administrators. On the one hand, there’s a tendency to keep all the corporate assets close to home, by making network management an exclusively in-house matter. At the polar opposite end of the scale are organizations that (often lacking in resources and expertise) surrender full responsibility for network management to external contractors or service providers.

 

Yet new and emerging technologies like Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and SD-WAN are introducing new ways of doing things – and transforming the established nature of network architectures and IT infrastructure. In light of these developments, and in line with the recommendations and assessments of leading players in the network and IT sectors, this report will put forward the case for a more hybrid approach to network administration – one combining aspects of in-house governance with a co-management ecosystem involving external services and expertise.

 

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Contents

Introduction

The Complex Demands of Network Management
IP Addresses and Subnets
Switching and Routing
Domain Name System (DNS)
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
Monitoring of Network Elements and Resources
FCAPS in Network Management

Why the Appeal of In-House Management Can Fade
Keeping Your Cards Close to The Corporate Chest
Managing Multiple Responsibilities
Visibility and Reporting at Every Layer
Proactive Configuration Management
Allowing for Growth – and the Possibility of Failure

Outsourcing Network Management and the Issue of Control
Comprehensive and Continuous Monitoring and Support
Access to the Latest Technologies and Security Patches
Issues with Third-Party Involvement in Enterprise Matters

How SD-WAN and New Technologies are Changing the Landscape
Implications for Network Security
Packet Forwarding and MPLS

Why Co-Management May be the Answer for the Network of Today –
and Tomorrow
The Benefits of Co-Management

Final Thoughts