Information technology has spread far and wide, and the technologies underlying business information systems are also getting a boost with development of new infrastructure and software. Networks within business settings have also grown a great deal, and the number people using these networks are also increasing by the passage of each day. Due to this scenario, network managers and administrators are under pressure to implement effective network monitoring strategies in order to ensure all network users get the most out of the software and that no segments of a network are being overly used. I will base my argument on three main steps that network administrators can take when they finally realize the need to be able to monitor the traffic going through their office network.

Real-time Monitoring for Network Security
One of the most important elements in defining ways to monitor network traffic is to identify any kind of loop holes that can aid unauthorized access to a network and therefore injuring its integrity. It is also important to ensure that company networks such as intranets and extranets always remain secure from any kind of malicious activities or external attacks. The use of real time network monitoring platforms is increasingly gaining popularity across the world. Coupled with appropriate and extensive logging, real time network monitoring can go a great way in defining any kind of suspicious activities within a network and track them down before any kind of damage can be caused.
There have been increases in cases of unauthorized network access reported in various organizations in the recent past. It is important for any network administrator and company manager to make sure that sensitive and valuable data is kept safe from any cases of unauthorized access. The use of acceptable use policies within organizational setting can help to curb the menace in such cases. Trivial network breaches can result in expensive, large, and more so disastrous penetration into company networks.
Use of Network Monitoring Software
There are many types of network monitoring software in the market today. These tools are however varied depending on performance, versatility and functionality. Based on their functionalities and application, network monitoring software can be categorized into various sets. Packet sniffers are used in networks for intercepting packets being sent through network media. There are also other types of software which are used for monitoring network bandwidth. Such software can note cases of spikes in network activity which might be a sign of unauthorized access or even transfer of sensitive data. Logging information can also be kept on all types of applications running on the network if there is need to find out about any kind of viral activity.
Using Network Monitors to Prevent Intrusions
Network monitoring software is increasingly gaining acceptance in the business world and especially among businesses which hold sensitive data or rather need to keep network activities in check. This kind of software can be either free or commercial. Commercial software tools are more versatile and more likely to offer your business the kind of network monitoring benefits you want to achieve. If you are in business and have been concerned about recent network activity, it is important for you to get the best monitoring software now. The ability to monitor, identify and trace any illicit operations within the network makes all the difference. The main purpose of network monitoring is not just checking the level of usage of network resources but also ensures that data being shared in the network retains integrity and that all network users get their fair share of the network cake.
Here are some benefits of monitoring network traffic include:
• Prevent any cases of server and network failures
• Discover malicious activities within the network
• Track down potential network issues
• Discover the users and applications which are consuming the largest portion of the available bandwidth
• Tracing and logging network packets
• Trending and reporting network traffic

Types of Network Monitoring Software
There are mainly two types of network monitors thus far: active and passive network monitoring. Active software limits what network users can use and see, while passive monitoring software allows users to do whatever they wish but all the activities are recorded in a log. The log is essentially a register of activities and can be used by the network administrator later to find out how their network resources are being used.
Even though network monitoring has brought about a couple of ethical and legal issues, many businesses cannot just maintain their networks without proper network monitoring strategies. It is essential for gaining effective operation in business and ensuring that all network users are getting the most from it. Stay tuned for our upcoming review of various network monitoring software packages for the business environment – as well as how to keep an eye on things at home.

In an age when cybercrime is a basic fact of life, protecting the security of your network is one of the most critical and under-appreciated aspects of information technology, both in business and in the home. For most business owners and families, this issue is not as high in priority as it should be, partly due to the fact that network security is an extremely technical skillset. But with a small amount of education, any user can dramatically increase the safety of their online data simply by installing network monitoring software on their computers. Many network monitoring software packages designed for the casual user generally come with pre-set rules that help to identify security threats automatically, such as connections to spyware and malware servers, botnets, and dangerous websites that have been compromised into serving malware-infected content unwittingly.

Depending on how serious you want to get about protecting the security of your network, you may opt for a simple, end-user software package that comes with pre-made rules – but even this simple step can save you from a cybercrime nightmare such as identify theft or the loss of data stored on your hard drive. For those who are more serious about their network integrity, there are a variety of heavy duty security packages that allow the creation of custom rule sets and policies and offer the maximum amount of protection you can get from a network monitor. These professional packages will have the option to log the details of every packet that is sent over your network, ensuring that nothing will escape your notice. Remember to go over your log files regularly, and always back them up! If you ever suffer a security breach, your network monitor log files might just be the data needed to catch the criminals who invaded your network and computer systems.

There are many possible reasons why you would want to monitor your network’s traffic. We’re going to assume for the purposes of this article that you’re not an advanced level sysadmin, since we assume you are already well versed in the various software packages available at an enterprise level. Instead, we’re going to focus on the more consumer-end packages, designed to appeal to families, businesses, and other small organizations that run their own small to mid-sized networks.

For families, it’s important to keep tabs on what your kids are doing online. In an age when file sharing and media piracy is rampant, you need to protect your children against accidental infringements that could hamper the rest of their lives, either criminally, financially, or both. You also want to make sure that they’re not accessing adult or violent content, and network monitoring software can help you manage this. For a full look at end-user network monitoring packages for family use, check out our post on the Top 3 Family Internet Monitors.

For business users, there are more pragmatic concerns when it comes to monitoring network traffic. Of course, you don’t want your employees accessing restricted content during working hours, and network monitoring software can help you do this, but there are other issues as well. Bandwidth is extremely expensive in the West, and transfer caps are now standard includes on most Internet connections. Network monitoring software will allow you to ensure that no single employee or group of employees is using up the majority of your bandwidth watching YouTube videos in HD when they’re supposed to be finishing the Brinkmann report. Additionally, you’ll be able to monitor all the sites your employees visit throughout the day, allowing you to ensure that everyone is staying on-task while they are on the clock.

With the Internet Technology taking businesses to new heights, the ability to monitor network traffic is fast becoming popular especially when businesses would like to know how they are faring in the online community. Enter network traffic software that you can download and install to help you determine how best to accommodate the needs of your customers while they are visiting your website on a more technical level than standard website analytics. There are actually dozens of network traffic software packages to choose from that can help you monitor the number of visitors coming and leaving your site so you can address any bandwidth problem should it arise.

When looking for network traffic software, the best place to do so is online. Here, you will come across some popular names such as Network Analysis Software, Network Traffic Monitor and the like. These examples give you the freedom to monitor the bandwidth consumed by servers as well as applications online as well as giving you the opportunity to become proactive in handling of your online business. If you are going to look at more options, then you better spare a few minutes of your time to better understand how network tracking is performed.

Programs to help you monitor network traffic come in the dozens so if you want to get the best monitoring system there is, you need to pay special attention to the features that they are offering. This will help you determine whether the software that you are going to use is easy to install and navigate – even the best software is useless if you hate to use it. By tracking down network traffic, you will be more than capable of boosting the sales of your business by making smart decisions about your servers and infrastructure.

Hi, I’m John Smith!
I live in Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
I’ve been involved since January 14th, 2012!
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