How can network analytics solutions help you extract extra value from network resources?

Network data capture and analytics have come a long way. A recent report from IDC examines why network analytics solutions are a valuable tool for making the most of existing networks, components, and services without overbuilding or overspending. What’s not to like?

Most companies strive to get the maximum value out of their network resources without overbuilding, overspending or overextending their network environments. A fine balance and the proper tools are required to get the most value out of these resources.

When it comes to extracting maximum value from network resources, a full picture of the network environment is essential. A recent report from IDC, “Comprehensive Intelligence and Insights Drive the Future of Network Management,” breaks down the components necessary for proper network management and analytics to deliver this value.

Let’s dig into some of the findings from that IDC report.

What are the requirements for maximizing network resources?

Precise measurements and full visibility into the entire network are key to making the most of existing network resources.

In many business networks, underused components are ignored or forgotten until they break. This scenario can pose security risks for the network in worst-case scenarios. These underused components also may be forgotten until they are due for an upgrade because of age or some other arbitrary variable. Until that time, they are wasted resources and may continue to be wasted or under-utilized even after an upgrade.

A network analytics solution offers full and continuous visibility into how these types of components and resources are working, ensuring businesses are getting the most cost-effective use of all networking resources. This extends to devices, bandwidth, and even cloud services. Ensuring these previously under-utilized resources are being taken advantage of lowers the risk to both infrastructure and business while simultaneously creating efficiencies and cost savings.

Network analytics solutions also provide detailed data along with intelligent analysis of the entire network. This drives greater precision when managing the network, along with a comprehensive view of network conditions on an ongoing basis.

This occurs because data is gathered from a variety of sources, including network devices and distributed agents. It is also aggregated through various methods like network polls and flow/packet telemetry, ensuring all components and resources throughout the network are accounted for, monitored, and analyzed.

By applying automated and intelligent analysis and artificial intelligence to all data, as well as each component and resource throughout the network, businesses can benefit from a number of key functions. These include:

• Trend analysis
• Anomaly detection
• Advanced correlation
• Threshold management

The data and insights collected may be used to drive increased precision for managing the entire network while improving the end-user experience. This positively impacts not only internal users, but also customers and external partners.

How network analytics solutions provide data-based outcomes

One of the chief benefits of a network management and analytics solution is that it relies on data-driven thresholds instead of arbitrary measurements to enable businesses to balance network integrity and investment. This is a major factor for any business seeking to extract maximum value from its network without building out, overextending and spending more money on network components and resources.

An evidence-based approach to managing network resources can also be applied equally to all systems and services across the network, including public and private infrastructure.

This point about how network analytics can lead to data-based outcomes is driven home by Mark Leary, Research Director of Network Analytics at IDC.

“Want to validate service levels with a cloud service provider? Here is the evidence. Want to establish the correct timing for a bandwidth upgrade with a service provider? Here is the evidence. Want to question the necessity of that device upgrade recommended by an equipment vendor? Here is the evidence.”

Mark Leary, Research Director of Network Analytics at IDC

Too often traditional network performance management solutions offer siloed data from arbitrary resources and components throughout the network. This data may or may not be useful for recognizing trends, anomalies and threats. It is clearly unhelpful when it comes to ensuring all network resources are being properly utilized.

A next-generation network analytics solution provides this visibility, analysis and insights about all network performance data, though. That level of visibility facilities operational and capital savings, and can result in productivity improvements and increased end-user satisfaction. The final result is a streamlined, efficient network that makes use of all resources and components.

At the end of the day, businesses want to gain as much value as possible from the network resources they have, without spending exorbitant amounts of money expanding and scaling their networks to unmanageable proportions. A next-generation network analytics solution helps businesses unlock that value quickly and efficiently, while providing a host of benefits for streamlining operations and boosting overall productivity and efficiency.

To help you understand more fully how to get maximum value from existing network resources without overspending and overextending the network footprint, we have published a guide on “Maximizing the Value of Network Performance Data Beyond Basic KPIs.”

It examines how businesses can extract additional value and efficiency from their analytics environments while also covering some of the challenges of the key user groups of network performance data. If your organization is not already maximizing the value you are getting from your network resources, you should check it out.