6 Tips to Improve Your Network Monitoring

1. Define Standards

Define standard activities vs. what activities are concerning, such as CPU and memory usage, device temperature, network delays, etc. Prioritize the measurements so your alerts provide you a truer story.
 

2. Establish an Alert Escalation Procedure

Having a plan in place for specific alarms and making sure all parties are aware of the plan ensures that everyone will be prepared when the next alert happens. Creating multiple sets of alerts may be necessary.
 

3. Implement 24x7 Live Monitoring

Missing an alert after regular business hours could be disastrous, so monitoring your network 24x7 is crucial but may not be affordable in house. At a fraction of the cost, check into a network monitoring provider - like CHR. 
 

4. Document Network Changes

When it comes to network management, you can never have too much documentation. Rely on your network monitoring solution as a resource, as it should be able to recognize changes in the network (i.e., added/removed devices).
 

5. Eliminate Old Hardware

Outdated hardware can slow down the overall flow of data through your network, as well as limit the quality of data you are collecting. Update hardware with current versions that support current monitoring protocols, such as SNMP.
 

6. Keep It Simple

Complicating a monitoring solution with multiple software platforms and customizations can become an operational threat. Combine them into one monitoring solution, preferably one that doesn’t require unique knowledge, skill or training.