person using laptop working on network management

Network Management: What Is It And Why Does Your Business Need It?

Networked IT has fundamentally changed the way organizations do business. But just like any element of a business, keeping networks functioning in a secure and efficient way requires attention and expertise. That’s where network management comes in.

What Is A “Network”?

In IT, two or more devices which are connected are said to be “networked”. Your computers, servers, and printers would all be part of your business’s network. Having devices networked increases the ability to quickly share data between them and allows for tasks like remote access.

Why Does A Network Need To Be Professionally Managed?

With the rise of cloud computing and reliance on Software as a Service (SaaS) products, beyond typing, there is extraordinarily little you can do on a machine which is not networked. Therefore, it’s essential that your business network is kept fully operational and that it is protected from being hacked or misused. 

Many businesses are effectively unable to function without their networks. A shoe shop might manage for an afternoon, but a law office or an accountants would find it difficult to get anything done without network access. Every minute of downtime for these organizations is lost revenue and reputation. 

The challenge comes from balancing reliability, usability, and security, which can be tricky if you are not experienced in network management. That’s where Carden IT Services comes in, our network management services help you: 

  • Minimise downtime 
  • Boost your productivity 
  • Increase your network security 
  • Have an expert oversee your entire network 

What is Network Management?

The methods, tools, and software needed to administer, run, and support a network infrastructure are referred to as network management. Network management also includes improving the overall efficiency of a network and also investigating any faults. The more reliable your network is, the more reliable your business is. 

There are five principal areas of Carden IT Services’ network management. 

  • Maximising Your Network’s Performance
    This ensures that your network is configured for maximum efficiency and ease of use for your business. Every company is unique and there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
  • Backing Up Your Network
    Every company’s network management strategy should include a backup and disaster recovery plan, which acts as a guide for how to restore data in case of a disaster. You can reduce the length and severity of downtime, by having a disaster recovery strategy in place for your network. This also form part of our wider disaster recovery services.
  • Defending Your Network
    Defending your network against threats is crucial. The more pieces of hardware and software that rely on your network, the more vulnerable you are. Network management can help protect your corporate data while also securing your devices and applications. Your network not only needs to be secured against malicious third parties but also internal misuse or sabotage.
  • Monitoring Your Network
    Using network monitoring tools, our team monitors activity on your network. This allows our engineers to find any elements of your network which are performing sub-optimally, and any hacking attempts or suspicious activity are immediately flagged and investigated by our security specialists.
  • Automating Network Processes
    Network automation uses software and scripts to automate repetitive processes. This increases your efficiency and frees up time to focus on other areas of your business. 

By now you hopefully understand the concept of network management a bit better and can grasp why it’s important. Our teams have helped manage networks both small and large and will work with you to develop solutions which suit your business and workflows. Speak to our team today to learn more. 

Author: Jeremy Huson

Jeremy Huson is the founder and director of Carden IT Services LLC. He has nearly two decades of experience managing businesses’ IT networks and his areas of expertise are IT consultation and cybersecurity.