Network management systems can be hardware, software, or a combination of both, designed to monitor and report activity. They can be rule-based or policy-based, centralized or hierarchical, and provided by large vendors, ISVs, or open source projects. Physical devices can also be used for monitoring and analysis.
Network management systems can consist of hardware, software, or a combination of both. They are often designed to monitor, analyze and report the activity of a corporate computer network. A rule-based system is typically one where individual components, such as switches and routers, are controlled one at a time, while a policy-based system can manage all network resources using the Internet. Various configurations of network management systems are often available. Systems can also be products of well-known large companies or smaller independent software vendors (ISVs), originate from open source projects under development, or consist of specialized electronic devices.
In a centralized setup, one area is dedicated to system management and is where each device on the network typically sends data. Instructions are usually sent from only one central station; if this component fails, there is usually no other part of the network that can take over. Network management systems can also be hierarchical, with each party typically able to manage a subset of devices belonging to the system. Subsets can be in the form of corporate departments or workgroups; if lower-level parts fail, other components can report the information.
Distributed network management systems generally have multiple components for controlling activity. If one central station fails, another can take over the same duties, as well as transfer data from the failed party. The distributed configuration is also suitable for data backup, while in a fully intact system, one control station can be used for centralized network management.
Large vendors often provide a network management system. These companies typically offer a large catalog of products and components that are compatible with older equipment and technologies. While costs can be high, systems can often be sized to fit the needs of the client company, and multiple operating systems are usually supported. Alternative types of network management systems can come from ISVs. These are often less expensive for small businesses, but sometimes the equipment is only compatible with current products on the market.
The least expensive options are sometimes open source network management systems. With these, the source code can usually be accessed so that companies can tailor the system to their needs. Technical departments can also work in tandem with other developers to tweak the system. You can also use physical devices that connect to the network to monitor and analyze information in strategic locations. These are often useful for data archiving, data traffic analysis, and performance troubleshooting.
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