Network analysis: make your data talk and prevent IT failures
With the proliferation of digital tools, and even an e-commerce dimension in the daily lives of businesses, securing and properly managing IT assets is a priority.
With this in mind, network analysis is a key component. Through the collection and exploitation of a multitude of data, it is possible to detect intrusions, issue alerts in the event of system underperformance or even improve the user experience. We take a look 👌.
What is computer network analysis?
Definition
Computer network analysis can be defined as a set of actions aimed at collecting, exploring and exploiting data from the said network. It provides decisive information on network performance and security.
To facilitate the IT department's task, network analysis is now largely automated 🤖.
What is the purpose of network analysis?
The main objective of IT network analysis for a business lies in making informed decisions. Indeed, understanding and interpreting the data collected refers to an important strategic dimension.
In addition to the purely technical and security aspects, network analysis can also contribute to your company's growth 💪.
How does network analysis work?
Broadly speaking, network analysis can be divided into three distinct stages.
Stage 1: data collection
The first thing to know is that the data collected as part of a network analysis comes from a variety of sources. The main sources are :
- servers
- and network traffic.
As far as data collection itself is concerned, there are two main techniques: DPI (deep packet inspection) and telemetry.
DPI technique
The DPI technique, literally translated as deep packet inspection, consists of analysing the flows passing through all the network equipment.
✅ It can be used, for example, to :
- assess the quality of service (QDS or QoS),
- determine the profiling of end points, i.e. any equipment connected to a computer network,
- or to detect possible intrusions ⛔.
Telemetry techniques
Telemetry provides access to a wealth of information that is invaluable for monitoring the performance and ' health ' of the computer network. All the actions carried out are collected and then stored, pending more in-depth analysis and the implementation of automated corrective measures.
Stage 2: data analysis and interpretation
Collecting data is all very well. Analysing it and making the most of it is better! With the right tools, a company's IT department can sort through the data and analyse it with a view to making the best decisions in terms of network performance and security.
To do this, it can rely on specialist software. Professionals generally work on the basis of a comparative model. In other words, the data collected is interpreted in relation to a pre-established reference matrix. In this way, alerts are sent to the teams when the network analysis shows results that do not comply with the standards entered in the tool. Corrective measures, whether automated or not, can then be proposed.
Ultimately, the aim behind network analysis and data interpretation is to improve the user experience by boosting network performance and ensuring it is as secure as possible ✅.
💡 Good to know: network analysis can be carried out remotely from the cloud or locally, from the company's offices.
- Operating via the cloud makes it possible to collect and examine a larger quantity of data, the sources of which are also more varied.
- Conversely, local network analysis provides more accurate results and makes it easier to make decisions and apply corrective measures.
Stage 3: Implementing alerts and patches
To ensure that the computer network is running smoothly, monitoring software includes a system for setting up alerts in the event of underperformance or anomaly(ies) being detected. Depending on what has been decided by the IT teams, corrective measures can then be applied automatically to maintain a consistently high level of performance.
To help teams programme these corrective measures and support them in their decision-making, software specialising in network analysis relies heavily on AI and its derivatives. One example is machine learning (ML), which relies on learning and repetition to apply the most appropriate patches where necessary 👍.
What are the benefits of network analysis?
Enhanced security
At a time when cyber-attacks are on the rise, it's essential to know you're properly protected. With this in mind, network analysis makes it possible to identify malicious actions and act quickly to ward off threats 🔐.
To go further, setting up automatic security processes allows, for example:
- blocking users who try to infiltrate the network ;
- quarantining suspicious software and files;
- detect attempts to hack and decode passwords.
Early detection of faults
By setting up real-time network analysis, you can anticipate threats that could affect your IT infrastructure. The sooner you detect a threat, the sooner you can act to prevent it from spreading.
As well as threats to network security, it's also a way of spotting any technical faults (bandwidth problems, terminal failure, etc.). Once again, the idea is to prevent rather than cure 💊.
Rapid and automatic application of patches
Knowing how to spot anomalies and failures within a network is one thing. Being able to correct them quickly and effectively is quite another!
To this end, network analysis can alert technical teams to the corrective measures to be taken when the study of the data highlights excessive deviations from standard operation.
🤖 For even greater efficiency, these corrective measures can be automated. In other words, the network controller, programmed beforehand, implements a series of actions to be taken as soon as the data analysis reveals a level of performance that is too far from the recorded standards.
Support for strategic decision-making
Thanks to real-time network analysis, huge quantities of data are processed continuously. All these KPIs represent a precious source of information which, correctly deciphered and interpreted, contributes to informed decision-making.
In this way, network analysis can perfectly influence a company's commercial operations.
For example For example, it can be used to implement targeted marketing strategies based on the geographical location of users, or to identify bottlenecks in the supply chain.tion of bottlenecks to rethink the user experience and improve the performance of an e-commerce site 💻💵.
Network analysis tools
To help you set up a reliable, high-performance network analysis, we recommend using specialist software. We've listed a sample of the most popular tools on the market 👇.
WhatsUp Gold
Presentation
WhatsUp Gold is a software application specialising in network monitoring for SMEs and ETIs. With its intuitive, easy-to-use interface, WhatsUp Gold provides 360° visibility of your entire infrastructure, enabling you to efficiently supervise all your peripherals.
What's more, the platform incorporates powerful network mapping tools, which come in very handy for gaining a better understanding of the topology and interdependencies of your company's IT network.
Features and benefits
With WhatsUp Gold, you benefit from :
- A complete, up-to-date picture of all your IT environments (wired, wireless and virtual);
- Customisable reports and dashboards to help you understand trends and make the best decisions;
- interactive, customisable network mapping (with text, images, links, etc.);
- network traffic monitoring. This enables you to identify users, applications or protocols that are using bandwidth;
- a real-time alert system so you can react quickly to any problems.
Rates
WhatsUp Gold offers four different packages (one of which is free, limited to 10 devices). To find out which is best suited to your needs, and the price that goes with it, it is best to request a quote from the publisher.
ManageEngine Site24x7
Introducing
ManageEngine Site24x7 is regarded as a benchmark network monitoring tool for businesses of all sizes and in all sectors. The software is an all-in-one monitoring solution (websites, transactions, servers, applications, cloud, etc.).
Features and benefits
The main features of the MachineEngine Site24x7 solution include :
- Monitoring your websites and applications from a single interface;
- performance monitoring for all your pages;
- network traffic monitoring and network configuration management, so you can intervene quickly and easily if any anomalies are detected;
- management of detailed reports (dashboards, graphs, etc.);
- programmable alerts for real-time notification of faults or intrusions;
- network mapping tools;
- automatic corrective measures.
Pricing
There are three major packages, Starter, Pro and Classic, priced at €9, €35 and €89 per month respectively.
Unsurprisingly, these price differences can be explained by access to increasingly comprehensive features. MachineEngine Site24x7 also offers a package specially designed for large enterprises, at €449 per month.
Datadog
Presentation
The French Datadog solution for monitoring and analysing IT networks is a comprehensive tool with multiple benefits:
- faster problem resolution,
- boosting performance
- improved user experience
- and reduced security risks.
Datadog is aimed primarily at the IT teams of large companies, who are used to working with very large quantities of data on a daily basis.
Features and benefits
Datadog's functionalities include :
- automatic detection of faults and anomalies in the network ;
- Receive relevant alerts, configured according to your preferences;
- identify the sources of excessively long loading times, so that patches can be applied quickly and locally;
- Gathering and analysing KPIs on user sessions and the customer journey;
- implementing AI-based tests to boost network performance;
- identifying and prioritising the most critical threats across your entire network infrastructure.
Pricing
Datadog offers a scalable model depending on your needs and the number of hosts per month. Packages range from $15 to $34 per month, and you can also opt for a free, but largely limited, version.
Splunk Enterprise
Presentation
Splunk Enterprise is a specialised tool for collecting, analysing and exploiting data from your network infrastructure. Among other things, it helps you optimise your operational performance and improve your business results. In this way, the solution provides invaluable support for rapid, informed decision-making.
Accessible to small, medium and large businesses, Splunk Enterprise stands out as a scalable and customisable platform by integrating applications developed by the community and partner developers.
Features and benefits
There are many advantages to using Splunk Enterprise for network analysis. These include
- gathering and analysing data by processing flows in real time;
- the creation of customised dashboards for optimised management of the KPIs collected;
- the contribution of AI and machine learning to data processing;
- setting up and configuring alerts;
- thousands of ready-to-use integrations (Microsoft Azure, AWS, Google Cloud Performance, etc.).
Note that the Splunk Enterprise solution is scalable and compatible with other products developed by Splunk (Security, Attack Analyzer, Infrastructure Monitoring, etc.).
Pricing
For pricing, you need to complete a form and submit it to the sales department. A proposal will be made according to your needs.
Network analysis in a nutshell
In a nutshell, network analysis is an essential component of security and good management of a company' s IT infrastructure.
As well as improving overall network performance (limiting slowdowns, automatic application of patches, etc.), gathering and analysing numerous KPIs also helps to understand and optimise the user experience with a view to improving business operations. Not to be overlooked under any circumstances!
Article translated from French