Network Management
Network management is the method of managing the tools that belong to a network and maintaining, administering all the systems that are connected in the network. For one to be able to efficiently manage a network that person should be a qualified network administrator and should have in depth knowledge of the functionalities of the network and different topologies of network.
There are two aspects in any network, one is the logical aspect and the other is the physical level. The network administrator should be good at both the logical and the physical aspects to be able to troubleshoot efficiently.
Network administration Functions
The main task of network administration is to keep the network running smoothly 24 hours a day. The main function is to monitor the network constantly and look for possible trouble, detect and rectify the trouble before the network gets affected.
The network administration part of the job involves the resources available on the network and their functioning. The administrator is required to keep a track of all the resources available in the network and ensure they are functioning properly.
Network maintenance part of the job involves installing updates frequently, updating the service packs for the network software’s and also applying patches for the routers when needed. The software and the hardware for the network must be constantly monitored for updates and maintained in order for the network to function properly.
The provisioning part of the job is accommodating extra resources on the network or upgrading the devices on the network. Suddenly if an entirely new device is introduced to the network, the network may stop functioning, so in order to avoid this the administrator needs to make extra provisions for possible devices at the beginning itself with precision.
Network Architecture
The network administrator needs to have a thorough understanding of the network architecture in order to be able to troubleshoot when there are problems. Most of the networks follow a similar architecture and function in the same way. The network architecture is designed in such a way that if the normal functioning is disrupted in any way then the network will send out an email to the administrator, of any unwanted event, or shutdowns. Since the administrator is notified of the problem it gets taken care of immediately. The disaster recovery is also apart of network planning and management. The network architecture itself plays a pro-active role in the network by aiding in the functioning of the network. The other crucial part of the network is the network protocol. Most networks use the Simple Network Management Protocol and some others use the Common Management Information Protocol.
Network Management History
By the time computers gained popularity, the demand for networks has also been increasing. Companies and people started needing systems which would work in an environment and still required the controls to be in one place. As and when more devices were introduced it became difficult to add one individual device for each computer. Companies needed an easier way of managing the resources. A Network was the perfect answer; however networks were not easy and needed advanced working technology. When the network initially began it was difficult, but today networks have advanced through software and topologies and there are many efficient methods to handle them.
There are many kinds of networks today like cable networks, wireless networks, digital networks, Satellite connections and all these networks work on similar network topologies. Companies use a combination of these networks for their functionalities. Based on these networks internet and intra company networks have promoted business to a large extent.
