What Is Network Monitoring? (2024)

Clear visibility into the network

Through network monitoring, administrators can get a clear picture of all the connected devices in the network, see how data is moving among them, and quickly identify and correct issues that can undermine performance and lead to outages.

Better use of IT resources

The hardware and software tools in network monitoring systems reduce manual work for IT teams. That means valuable IT staff have more time to devote to critical projects for the organization.

Early insight into future infrastructure needs

Network monitoring systems can provide reports on how network components have performed over a defined period. By analyzing these reports, network administrators can anticipate when the organization may need to consider upgrading or implementing new IT infrastructure.

The ability to identify security threats faster

Network monitoring helps organizations understand what "normal" performance looks like for their networks. So, when unusual activity occurs, such as an unexplained increase in network traffic levels, it's easier for administrators to identify the issue quickly--and to determine whether it may be a security threat.

What Is Network Monitoring? (2024)

FAQs

What do you mean by network monitoring? ›

Network monitoring is a critical IT process to discover, map, and monitor computer networks and network components, including routers, switches, servers, firewalls, and more. It helps network administrators determine network performance and optimize network efficiency in real time.

Why is network monitoring so important? ›

Network monitoring is important because it helps you point out the exact location of any network problems, or prove that the network is not the source of a problem. Continuous monitoring can also help you to identify potential issues before they occur, so you can proactively solve problems before they impact users.

What does IT mean when IT says network may be monitored? ›

Hi there, Google added this network monitoring warning as part of the Android 4.4 security.. This warning indicates that a device has at least one user-installed certificate, which could be used to monitor encrypted network traffic.

How to do network monitoring? ›

Here are some specific steps you can follow to learn how to monitor network traffic on any device.
  1. Step 1: Choose a data source of best fit. To start exploring the depths of your network, you must gain visibility of the data. ...
  2. Step 2: Discover main applications running on your network. ...
  3. Step 3: Apply network monitor tools.

Where is network monitoring used? ›

Network administrators rely on network monitoring systems to help them quickly detect device or connection failures or issues such as traffic bottlenecks that limit data flow. These systems can alert administrators to issues via email or text and deliver reports via network analytics.

How many types of network monitoring are there? ›

Network monitoring tools generally fall into four categories: performance monitoring, availability monitoring, traffic & bandwidth modeling, and security modeling. Cloud infrastructure modeling is often called out separately, but many tools today can monitor both on-prem and cloud environments.

What are the key features in network monitoring? ›

5 Key Features to Look for in NMS
  • Network Discovery.
  • Real-Time Monitoring.
  • Advanced Network Reporting and Dashboard.
  • Network Performance Management.
  • Advanced Alerts and Notifications.
Nov 30, 2023

Why is monitoring necessary? ›

By monitoring and evaluating a project, you can identify potential problems before they become critical, and adjust your strategy or resources accordingly. Monitoring and evaluation are important tools for understanding whether a project or program is on track and achieving its objectives.

Who is responsible for monitoring network performance? ›

Performance Monitoring: Network administrators use traffic analysis to assess network performance, identify bottlenecks, and optimize network resources. By analyzing traffic patterns, they can detect bandwidth congestion, uncover packet loss latency issues, and optimize network configurations accordingly.

How do you know if your device is being monitored? ›

Signs that your phone is being tracked
  • Increased data usage. ...
  • Phone shows activity when not in use. ...
  • Charged battery drains rapidly. ...
  • New, unknown apps on your device. ...
  • Weird status icons. ...
  • Phone works slower than usual. ...
  • Unusual and strange permission requests. ...
  • Phone freezes or abruptly turns off.

Is someone monitoring my Internet activity? ›

Private investigators, law enforcement, and government officials can see your search history by asking your Internet Service Providers for your browsing data. This browser data is often collected by the government when wanting to prevent a crime or track criminal activity.

How do you check if your IP is being monitored? ›

There's just no way of knowing who is running your IP address through any type of IP lookup service.

What is an example of network monitoring? ›

For example, the NMS is configured to issue an alert when the CPU utilization on a router exceeds 80%. This allows the network admin to proactively investigate and respond before the router fails altogether. Performance metrics like CPU, memory and interface utilization fluctuate during the day.

Which is the most common tool used for network monitoring? ›

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) stands out as one of the most common and widely used tools for network monitoring. SNMP is an internet standard protocol that enables network administrators to manage and monitor network-connected devices, including routers, switches, servers, and more.

Which one is network monitoring tool? ›

Fortra Intermapper: This tool enables users to monitor network connections using network maps, allowing them to get a holistic view of all the connections. It also provides various colour codes for different network status, along with real-time notifications through text, email and sound.

What is network monitoring and performance? ›

Network performance monitoring (NPM) is the process of measuring and monitoring the quality of service of a network. NPM helps network administrators gather network data, measure performance variables and identify potential issues or risks.

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