Network Management Software

In the world of computers, businesses need to ensure that their network is running properly and efficiently at all times—managing and monitoring your network regularly is becoming more crucial than ever.

Network management software helps businesses efficiently optimize their network performance, troubleshoot issues, and protect their IT networks, helping with downtime reduction, better visibility, higher scalability, and enhanced security.

However, many small businesses usually find themselves in a tight spot when selecting network management software. On one hand, they want professional-level support and performance from a product. On the other hand, hiring professionals to manage their IT infrastructure needs might not be in the budget.

This buyers guide walks you through the basics, common features, key considerations, and some exciting market trends about network management software so that you can make the right choice while selecting the network management solution for your business.

Here's what we'll cover:

• What is network management software?
• Common features of network management software
• What type of buyer are you?
• Benefits of network management software
• Key considerations for purchasing network management software
• Market trends to understand

What is network management software?

Network management software allows businesses to centrally manage and control all of their IT devices, as well as track and report the network's performance. Network management software is usually designed with the premise that businesses can successfully use it for basic tasks such as viewing logs, network operations management, and ensuring that their network is running smoothly and securely.

The network management system embraces features such as monitoring network components, connected devices, network topology map view, network performance monitoring, tracking network traffic, troubleshooting issues, and generating reports.

Network topology map in Auvik (Source)

Common features of network management software

From security measures to hardware devices, network management software helps you keep track of everything with the right features. All you have to do is keep an eye on some common features, as listed below:

IT asset management	Track, control, and manage your organization’s valuable data and equipment.
Network provisioning	Allow the network administrator to create and manage network devices, connections, and services, enabling businesses to configure and deploy networks quickly and easily.
Network performance monitoring	Monitor every network performance issue which will help you identify and correct problems before they cause serious issues.
Network issue management	Provide a convenient problem-reporting mechanism for users facing any network issues, allowing the network administrator to easily locate and quickly resolve all the problems.
Remote access	Monitor and control network devices from anywhere and at any time, helping employees work remotely and still be able to access the organization's network.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)	A well-encrypted network that helps you secure data, safeguard personal information, and facilitate risk-free file sharing between groups remotely.
Reporting/analytics	Give detailed information about the state of the network (including stats on specific devices, links, protocols, etc.), which will help you determine trends, data patterns, and other insights that need attention.

What type of buyer are you?

Every business (irrespective of size) looks for network management software that can streamline their IT infrastructure management and drive results. However, before considering your network management software options, you must know what type of buyer you are.

• Small to midsize businesses (up to 500 employees): It gets overwhelming for small to midsize businesses (SMBs) to manage and monitor their entire network at one time and then track down and address network issues manually. In addition, because of budget constraints, many small businesses can't afford to hire experts to handle and optimize their business networks.
• Investing in network management tools allows SMBs to monitor their network’s performance, as well as identify and resolve any problems instantly. Network management software enables SMBs with network monitoring, remote management, network topology view, troubleshooting, and more, helping small businesses save both time and money.
• Large enterprises (more than 500 employees): As the name implies, large businesses typically operate with greater bandwidth using multiple servers across various locations. Also, they commonly have extensive and complex network infrastructure, which requires more advanced tools to monitor and control systems.
• An enterprise-class network management tool offers additional features, such as unlimited device monitoring, network automation discovery, multiple IT integrations, and much more to manage, control, protect, and operate their business network more efficiently.

Benefits of network management software

There are several benefits of using a network management system for your small business. Some of the best ones are listed below:

• Downtime reduction: Network downtime is a serious issue and can affect businesses tremendously, causing inconvenience, a lack of productivity, and a huge loss of money. Network management software monitors your network health and associated hardware, diagnosing the problems and quickly resolving them, ensuring maximum uptime.
• Clear visibility: Without clear network visibility of your device, your business may be at risk of recurring problems and errors. Network software management with managed IT, as well as detailed network monitoring, helps you increase and improve your overall network device visibility, resulting in better performance and network traffic monitoring.
• Higher scalability: With growing network demand comes increasing network complexity, and purely manual management may lead to human error. Equipping your business with robust network management software helps keep pace with evolving network management needs, leading to efficient growth and making you more competitive.
• Enhanced security: Malicious attacks and hacking are on a rapid rise and are not going to stop anytime soon. That being said, small businesses can't afford the risk of security breaches. Network management software offers the right protection, ensuring that all the potential risks and threats get immediate attention.

Key considerations for purchasing network management software

Finding the right network management software that meets your IT management needs can be quite overwhelming. Keep the following considerations in mind when looking for the perfect software to help you narrow down your options:

• Find a software that meets your business requirements: Select a network management software that can handle all the tasks that your business requires. For instance, if your business needs something to help with network monitoring and performance tracking, be sure that the software vendors you are reviewing have those features.
• Easy to use and implement: User-friendliness is a critical factor when it comes to purchasing any software, and network management software is no different. Ask yourself while choosing a solution for your business whether or not it's easy to use and gives you actionable insights in real time.
• Fits within your budget: Due to budget constraints, cost becomes a concern for many small businesses. With this in mind, be sure to choose a network management software that fulfills all your networking needs but doesn’t drain your pocket at the same time.
• Must be fully encrypted: Hackers are always looking for vulnerable points to exploit within your business, so it becomes crucial for you to invest in well-encrypted network management software that protects your business networks from all threats.
• Provide after-sales support: Whenever you are choosing network management software, it's crucial to keep a keen eye on after-sales service support offerings that should include phone, email, or chat support.

Market trends to understand

Staying informed about the latest happenings in the network management space helps you stay ahead of the competition. Here are some trends in the network management market to look for:

• Increased demand for SASE adoption: Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) technology is an emerging security technology that provides secure access to applications and data located in the cloud or on-premises. SASE helps organizations to protect their sensitive information while allowing authorized users to securely access the information from any device, anywhere. As per Gartner's predictions, by 2025, around 60% of businesses will have clear plans and roadmaps for SASE adoption.
• Software-defined wide-area networking (SD-WAN) tech adoption: The move toward remote work has made it imperative for remote workers to use software to access their company's network. Using SD-WAN software, they can access company-wide area networks (WAN) using only software-based entry points. Gartner forecasts that by the end of 2023, 60% of enterprises will implement SD-WAN to increase network agility and improve support for cloud apps.

Note: The applications mentioned in this article are examples to show a feature in context and are not intended as endorsements or recommendations. They have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable at the time of publication.