Network Maintenance 101

A network is simply a group of two or more devices connected to work with each other.

Most organizations need their systems to be interconnected, so think of a network as a building bridge between all the available systems (computers) in a firm. This helps companies stay updated and saves time by providing relevant information to all employees in different departments.

It is very important to keep a network maintained properly to get the most out of it.

What is network maintenance?

In simplest words, network maintenance is all the tasks and systems and whatever it takes for you to keep a network up and running. Network maintenance can be tricky and since it plays a vital part in a company’s growth, we need to understand it completely. For that, we will focus on all the network maintenance tasks that are included in different activities. One needs to be familiar with them to understand the term completely. These tasks include:

Installing
Replacing
Upgrading both hardware and software
Monitoring
Tuning
Optimizing the network

Maintaining a network not only helps with decreasing the probability of problem occurrence but also makes it a lot easier to troubleshoot. After a complete understanding of network maintenance, we need to know who conducts network maintenance.

Who conducts network maintenance?

Generally, it depends on the organization to choose who does the job for network maintenance, but here are the three most common approaches overseeing network maintenance:

Internal IT staff:

Some companies prefer In-house IT employees to do the job for them, they manage network devices, monitor traffic, and data storage.

Third-Party Maintenance (TPM):

This requires outsourcing a network maintenance plan. One benefit of which is a more detailed and customized network maintenance program.

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM):

This is when your company’s software comes with a maintenance contract delivered by the OEM. Companies opt for OEMs for smooth installations and timely system updates, though these are not as thorough in network maintenance as third-party maintenance but are more cost-effective.

To make it easier for you to understand networking maintenance tasks, let us go through each one of them.

Troubleshooting network Issues:

The word troubleshoot in its literal meaning is to trace and correct faults. When a network problem is about to occur, it may give you warnings beforehand. It is vital to get those warnings noticed before they turn into bigger and costlier issues. Troubleshooting can help diagnose the problem right away and give you the possible measures to solve the occurred issue.

Installing and configuring products:

Installing and configuring comes as part of setting up a product to get it into use. When you get a new product, you’re most likely to set it up and install its software and keep it updated. Installation is where you set up and transfer software files to your system from a source. Configuration includes the choices made during the setup to make sure it meets your needs.

Monitoring and improving network performance:

We have understood by now, that network performance can make or break your company. It is crucial to keep monitoring and improving your network performance.

How does one know if the network is working up to the mark and if there is a need for improvement? Comparison! Comparison can help you troubleshoot and maintain your network well.

Planning for growth:

For a business to grow, one always looks forward to expanding goals over time. If your network system is maintained vigilantly, growth comes along as a reward.

It is said to invest in network maintenance to grow your business at a smoother pace. A planned network is an effective one. If your company works on a proper network plan, it is more likely to have lesser issues in networking, since all the work is proactively planned.

To plan for growth your need to:

Keep documentation.
Monitoring potential problems on a day-to-day basis.
Keep a backup of data.

Ensuring Compliance:

If you plan on working long-term and do not want to get into any high-risk situations, you need to ensure compliance. Compliance means following the specifications of a rule.

From a broader perspective, ensuring compliance relates to legal and regulatory frameworks.

With the right network maintenance program, you can easily make sure that your company is regulated properly and is not at risk of any legal regulation.