Managing a network, be it for your own business or for a variety of clients, is far from being a walk in the park. As technology expands and advances there are always more things that can go wrong, which means, as a network manager, you need to constantly have your finger on the pulse of the technology you are using or should be using. Knowing the importance of ensuring you are in line with all compliance standards and of having software for application monitoring and problem detecting, will help to make everything run more smoothly even with constant technological changes.
Fall in Line
Depending on the type of business, there can be any number of compliance standards that you, as the network manager, need to ensure are met on your end. This includes such things as HIPPA, according to Computer World. A mix-up on your end of the deal could be disastrous for your client and your business should something go wrong, especially when talking about regulations like HIPPA and other privacy laws.
Keep an Inventory
As network manager, you should know what pieces are involved in keeping your server up and running. That means it is important that you have a list detailing all of the infrastructure involved in this particular network right from the routers down to the firewalls, according to the Computer World report. The article even goes so far as to place this inventory at the top of their list of things required for managing an effective network.
Have an Alert System in Place
You cannot be available to the networks you are managing 24-7, and you certainly cannot ask that of your help desk employees. There is always the chance that something can go wrong within a network outside of your normal business hours, which is why Computer World suggests having an alert system in place. They explained that you need to have a way of getting these issues known and resolved as quickly as possible once your team can respond, especially if there is a problem with one of the major portions of the infrastructure of the network.
Anticipate Complications
With more technology comes more ways everything can go wrong, and as a network manager you not only need to be able to respond to arising issues, you need to be able to anticipate them before they happen. By putting application monitoring software in place on your network, you are safeguarding it from disastrous issues. You need to be able to see issues coming your way so that there is already a course of action in place before the first call ever comes in reporting the error or problem.
Be Prepared, Respond Quickly and Efficiently
The most important things to remember are that the ability to quickly resolve arising problems is key to any successful network. To that effect always make sure not only that you can respond to issues, but that you are already planning for the possibilities and are monitoring any issues for immediate attention and resolution.
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Lauren Biddle is a writer who has contributed to hundreds of blogs and news sites. You can also follow him on twitter @Biddle23 to see what else he has to say!