As IT and networking professionals, we have critical and difficult jobs. We have to design, deploy, and maintain computer networks and, some of us, manage also the IT devices connected to them. In even a moderately-sized business or data center, that’s an awful lot of work. Just staying on top of all of the hardware […]
Streamlining Cisco Device Monitoring with OpManager Plus: A Comprehensive Approach
Cisco is one of the leading providers of networking solutions, offering a wide set of products and services that allow businesses and organizations to connect, secure, and automate their digital operations. Cisco provides network hardware, software-defined networks, wireless connectivity solutions, network security systems, and Internet of Things devices. In 2022, Cisco captured 41% stakes of […]
From Chaos to Clarity – Transforming Networks with Network Configuration Manager
The ever-growing complexity of networks, driven by technological advancements and device proliferation, is pushing manual network management to its breaking point. These intricate systems become difficult to track and maintain, increasing the risk of human error—a leading cause of network downtime. Even a brief period of downtime can have significant financial implications, ranging from tens […]
The Elusive Search for the Ideal Network Monitor Tool and How it Can be Easier
Modern organizations need to eke out more investment from their IT infrastructure than ever before, thanks to the proliferation of applications, services, and data. The process of evaluating and selecting a network monitor solution typically starts with a recognition of the need for such a tool or a reassessment of the existing monitoring system. This […]
Unveiling the Significance of Network Automation in Contemporary Networking
The evolution of automation from a perceived myth to a tangible reality has been a remarkable journey. Its profound impact is notably evident in the realm of networking, where it has addressed various challenges that administrators faced in their day-to-day operations prior to its integration. These challenges included: Needing regular configuration backups because the absence […]
13 Top Open Source Port Scanners for Windows for Host Discovery
Although I have been a TCP/IP networking professional for decades, in the last 10 years I’m also involved in network security as well. One of the tasks I’m responsible to do in my work environment is to either coordinate or perform network assessment projects on my own. A major part of a network security assessment […]
15 Best Firewall Management Software Tools for Rules and Policies
Firewall management is one of the most challenging aspects of enterprise network security. The main issue is that many enterprise networks are complex, they contain a blend of many different vendors and technologies and this makes it time-consuming and difficult to maintain and support. The big hardware firewall vendors (like Cisco, Checkpoint, Fortinet, Palo Alto […]
11 Alternatives to Solarwinds NPM for I.T and Network Monitoring
In my 20 years career in the fields of IT and TCP/IP networking I have procured and used countless of software tools to help my company in our day-to-day operation of complex infrastructures. I’ve used Solarwinds Orion back in the day and was a solid tool. However, I’ve also used other competitive software in the […]
Top 10 PRTG Alternatives for Monitoring Networks and IT Infrastructure
The Paessler PRTG network monitoring solution is well known to network engineers and administrators. It conveniently monitors network activity including bandwidth usage, IP allocation, device status, network health, and even CPU utilization on networked devices (plus much more). Paessler requires users to use a PRTG core server system running on Windows server OS (or two […]
Comparison of GNS3 vs EVE-NG vs Packet Tracer for Networks Simulation
I have had many years of experience training students and professionals in networks and telecommunications. In those years, I have found time after time that the single most important activity a trainee can do to learn networking concepts is to spend time in the lab. Creating network topologies and applying the theory learned in the […]
Top 11 Network Administrators Software Tools (Free&Paid)
A carpenter is only as good as his hammer. A knight is only as good as his sword. A writer is only as good as his pen. These experts would amount to very little if they didn’t have their respective tools to get their jobs done well. Similarly, a network administrator is only as good […]
A Complete Guide to Scaling your Network Monitoring Solution
If your organization is growing, you know first-hand how important it is to have a network monitoring solution. But what do you do when your network starts to outgrow your current monitoring solution? Here is what you need to know about scaling based on your organizational goals. Your organization can efficiently tackle the ongoing and […]
10 Best Network Traffic Analyzer (NTA) Software Tools
If you’ve ever wondered why your company’s network seems to slow down at times, or how efficiently your employees are using their networked devices, then it’s time you implement a network analysis strategy. Network Traffic Analyzer (NTA) tools can help you find bottlenecks in traffic, analyze what types of network traffic is being used within […]