Monday, July 26, 2010

Cost-effective Network Management: The Benefits Of Getting It

Automation entered our lives with the entry of Information Technology. The ambit of automation was not enclosed to a single entity or realm but encompassed realms outside the immediate vicinity of the base or formulating entity. Networks came to be in this manner. With distanced and disparate networks all in the hierarchy of one single project, managing the network became essential. With cost factor being a key factor for any process worth its mention a Cost-effective Network Management System was the demand for the day. A complete network is made up of two components. They are the hardware component and the software component. One has to only see it to believe it so far as the number of individual components that comprise a complete network. When called upon with a problem being experienced by a customer at some remote location the first necessity that the network manager requires is the visual picture of the complete network. Volatile is the market and so is the functioning of a business house to cater for these market changes. The network being used by the business house in turn also faces a rapidly changing scenario. The network map drawn on the hard board one day would turn, out of place, in a few days span.

A tool which is capable of providing a continuously updated view of the network and its functioning is the need of the day. This software should also have the capability to permit the network manager remotely manage the various components that make up the network..

One such class of software which provides the various programs that are running across a network as well as the networks hierarchical view is called Managed Services Provider programs (MSP). There are some MSP which do not need any user intervention and called fully automated MSP and there are others which need human intervention at each step. There are MSP which are a mix of these two also. The Network manager's availability and capability would decide which MSP be best suited for a client.

Maintaining an individual network administrator at each location and they trying to work out the problem and solution of the network when it occurs would be a costly issue. The software in comparison would be a much lower priced object. No further explanation is required for the cost savings accrued. The power and ability of MSP software is judged mainly by the reporting capability of the software and by the view spectrum of the entire network that this MSP software is able to project. Individual companies creating the MSP however add different features in their advertisement campaigns. The ease with which the software can be deployed across the entire network, how much system resources does the software demand, these and many other similar features are used by individual MSP makers in their marketing strategy. For increased profit margins a cost-effective network management system is a deciding issue to any business house. This is especially so given the 'e' factor that has attached itself in every facet of a business in today's world. A Managed Service Provider is capable of bringing down price incurred by the business house in network management, in turn assuring increased profit margin to the business house. It could therefore be concluded that MSP is a cost-effective tool.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Ways Companies Find Cost-Efficient Network Management Through MSP

 

Managed Service Providers are the modern corporation's way of maintaining cost-effective network management in today's technological, information-based era. These systems alleviate the need for micro-management by the company over the details of computer and network efficiency, and service anything that needs fixing, reporting, or eliminating for better profit.

Employee Monitoring- It can often be a huge burden on a company's network and profits if employees are able to get away with regularly listening to music, watching videos, or chatting with friends over instant messaging while working. MSP software enables full monitoring of an entire system of computers, keeping track of the media, downloads, and browser history of each hard-drive assigned to the network.

Hardware Examination- Following the pledge to keep a company's network streamlined and clean, MSPs catch all hiccups in the programs loaded to the system, and any faulty network connections. The software always searches deep into the programming to discover he reason for error, and can often fix it on its own. Histories of function and performance are logged to show overseers any repair or replacement needs. Customized Access- Supervisors can place direct blocks on certain websites, fraudulent networks, and any program they desire through the MSP software dashboard. These restrictions will prevent access by lower-level employees to high-level processes, and avoid use of company computers to surf dangerous parts of he web. It can also be given specific orders to grant certain codes or individuals access, no matter what the over-ruling restrictions may be. Thorough Reporting- MSP software maintains crucial logs about all activity history procured from each hard-drive, and compiles it all into a single database. Suspicious activity, malfunctions, logic gaps, and attempts to break access rules are immediately reported to the head of the system in a detailed report. Histories of reports are filed and kept well organized in case future occurrences call for an examination of any past patterns from a certain computer. Automated Backup- What used to be a manual job of a company's hired technicians, MSP software can do in regularly scheduled intervals, without any necessary involvement of the software client. Unless wished otherwise, all histories and vital company files are backed-up with copies in a separate server as often as desired. This way, no matter what happens to the company computers, in case of a crash, all data is ready to be retrieved. Crucial Baseline- Every company operates in a unique fashion all unto itself, and the best way for a protective management system such as MSP software to function properly with this fact is the ability to form a baseline. Baselines are the plot of norms in network activity, and tell programs the difference between routine procedures, and suspicious deviations. The software's learning ability relieves corporations the need to set hundreds of allowances, and allows for changes in a system as well.

Ease of Use- Cost-effective Network Management can not only be a budget-saver, but also easy to use. Quality MSP services categorize data into various charts regarding each system connection and kind for simple access, and make the causes for error reports easy to track and identify. Along with straightforward options to customize business monitoring, there are few ways to go wrong in deciding to use MSP software to maintain efficiency and order.