A clear view: Network management starts with transparency

17. April 2024, Kilian Schwermer

Effective network management is a fundamental pillar of IT management because it enables a secure, stable and high-performance network with uninterrupted data traffic. Transparency is a crucial factor because IT admins can hardly manage their network successfully without it.

In short

Network transparency is essential for secure and efficient business operations as it provides in-depth insight and control of the IT infrastructure.
An automatic inventory of endpoints and network maps is needed for full transparency.
Comprehensive network management also requires access control integration to handle increasing network complexity.

Comprehensive network transparency is the basis for effective IT management and for maintaining secure, efficient and reliable business operations. Transparency also is key for resilient IT systems. Network transparency means that companies have an in-depth understanding of their network environment in order to provide IT applications and associated services across the entire company at all times without interruption. Above all, such a comprehensive overview provides IT teams with the data and insights they need to make truly informed decisions about how to effectively operate and control complex company networks.

Building a foundation: How to create transparency

Many companies rely on software tools for remote monitoring and network management. With today’s complex network environments, such tools are the only way to really ensure that network problems are detected early enough to minimize downtime or optimize the use of IT resources. Our baramundi Management Suite (bMS) supports IT admins with a robust and integrated range of management and monitoring solutions.

Scan the network: Utilizing the full scanning potential

A good network scan should keep an eye on the entire network topology: For example, our Network Devices module covers all network devices such as routers or switches as well as clients, servers and printers etc. The module uses defined IP ranges and SNMP rule sets to scan for devices that support SNMP versions v1, v2c or v3. ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) is used to identify other devices based on their IP and MAC addresses.

We also use the Secure Shell Protocol (SSH) to record Linux-based and other systems in the inventory. The module then creates network map with a comprehensive visualization of the topology of all endpoints and related information at a glance. This overview shows the dependencies and connections between network devices and includes important details.

Is network transparency really everything you need?

Maybe. Or perhaps a better answer is yes and no. It’s not really “everything” per se, but comprehensive transparency lays the foundation for successful network management. The typical range of IT tasks naturally goes far beyond just knowing what’s on the network. In fact, the entire network traffic and data flow must be orchestrated. That begins with maintaining a comprehensive inventory. For example, network access control (NAC) systems ensure that only authorized users and devices are granted access to the network and ensure that they comply with all of the company’s security guidelines. The inventory data automatically generated by the bMS is integral for setting and enforcing NAC policies and for nearly every other aspect of endpoint and user management.

To make your network management even more successful, baramundi maintains important technology partnerships to provide truly comprehensive support for this highly complex task. For example, you can use the bMS in conjunction with macmon’s automated network access control to monitor exactly which end devices should have access to the network, as well as when and where, and what type of access they have. The seamless integration of both solutions enables direct data exchange for both automated maintenance and for appropriate automated responses to devices that do not meet the company's security requirements.

Network transparency: the key to efficient IT management

With comprehensive network transparency, IT admins can ensure that their on-premises and remote users can access their IT applications and services at all times without any problems. In view of greater network complexity and the frequent need to incorporate new technologies and device types, automated monitoring and control solutions are increasingly important for efficient and secure network management. That’s especially true for IT departments with limited staff and resources.