From construction companies to high tech organizations, in today's world it is inconceivable for a business to not have computers and networks. Almost every home and business now has more than one computer, some with printers and other devices, that are connected by a local area network (LAN). The more advanced the network, the more costly it can be.
Homes and business may invest a great deal in a LAN, in terms of time and money, for the advantages the network brings and how it is administered.
Some homes and businesses are highly dependent on their LAN. If a LAN fails, you may see employees hanging out in the breakroom because they are unable to do work. This results in major loss for the company and can create undo stress on employees as well as their customers. Home users may be highly dependent because they work from home, or they do banking and investing online. All companies and home users should consider their LAN as a very important asset for which downtime should be avoided. This can impose giant demands on the in-house IT person(s) to keep the LAN running at 100%.
The Advantages of Computer Network Management
Better communication and cooperation between individuals is the biggest advantage of installing and maintaining a LANs .
LAN security can be a hindrance or it can be helpful. A central and safe strategy for disaster recovery and data access is a key benefit of comprehensive security. The design and implementation of network security solutions protects data. However, intruders can access many machines on the network at once, as interconnecting computer in a LAN does create a security risk in itself.
Installing a LAN can be a expensive endeavor. Equipment, such as cabling, routers, switches and storage, along with software, can be expensive, and should not be purchased without the advice of an expert. Lots of resources and cost can also go into operating and securing a network. This all said, a LAN can also bring significant cost savings. An example is the sharing of resources, like storage and printers, can eliminate the need for each individual to have their own equipment. More important than sharing resources is the security a LAN can provide users in their home or at their business. Data loss is a real concern and at the least cost a home or business lots of time and money. Worst case it can shutdown a business and wreck a families credit due to identity theft. Computer Network Management requires a constant routine of data backups and hardware/software checkups. This can save a home or business huge sums of money in the event of a mishap, or prevent mishaps altogether.
Preliminary Analysis Phase
Determining the source of the problem is the first phase of computer network management. This is done by specification of the requirements. Email system, storage, video, operating systems and other applications and hardware are evaluated in this phase. What the system should do, and not how it should do it, is what should be established in this phase.
Design Phase
Determining how requirements will be met is the purpose of this phase. This is were choice of hardware and software components will be evaluated.
Implementation Phase
The physical implementation of the LAN is in this phase. Hardware is put in place and software is installed during this phase as well.
Integration and System Testing
This is the phase where the actual commissioning of the network begins. Routines will be adapted to users as well. The system will be tested to ensure it meets the requirements from Phase 1 and that it is stable enough to perform what it is intended to do for the home or business.
Operation and Maintenance
LANs can have simple (home) or complex (business) operating routines. The more complex, the more serious the consequences when a fault occurs or an unauthorized person gains access to the LAN. For many companies, there are employees devoted solely to take care of operating and maintaining these computer networks. The in-house IT system administrators deal with LAN issues such as performance, reliability and security of software and hardware.
You Need to Monitor
Even though a company may have in-house IT gurus on site, they also need to monitor the network more than the typical 8 hour work day. Some of the worst issues seem to arise after hours when nobody is using the network. When your home or business has the right network management, they can receive the security of knowing that problems will be detected, prevented and taken care of.
