Super-charge your Network

A network is the lifeline of any organization, big or small. We present some

extremely practical and easy ways to super-charge your network. Network

managers, read on to find a range of issues, from improving your network's

performance and reliability to security.

“I can’t login.”



“My machine’s infected by a virus.” 


“The network is slow.”


“I can’t access the Internet!!”

If you’re running a corporate network, you probably hear things like this, and much more everyday. They may sound simple, but to handle them, you have to know your network inside out. Troubleshooting a network, therefore, is more of an art than a routine task. This is because there’s never a single solution to a network problem. Take any of the problems listed above for instance. A slow network could be due to n number of reasons. It could be because of a slow server, slow client, or too many packet collisions on the hub. No access to the Internet could be because your proxy server may be down, there may be a problem at the ISP’s end, or the user’s machine may not be connected properly. You have to be smart enough to identify the main problem, and solve it as quickly as possible.

Once a network is in place, it becomes the lifeblood for any organization. You can’t afford to have it going down or not performing. You also have to ensure that it is able to scale up as the number of users increases, and grows smoothly as the organization becomes bigger. Network management is, therefore, an interesting field with plenty of action at all times.

Given the importance of networks, we have devoted a whole story on how to manage them efficiently. In the pages that follow, you’ll find covered a range of issues being faced by network managers, like improving performance, reliability, and security. So flip the page and get ready to super-charge your network!

• Improving Network Performance with Switches
  
  
  
  A look at some key features of network switches that can provide fault tolerance, better throughputs, and more to your network

• Choosing the Right Network Tool
  
  
  
  Optimizing a network requires a careful selection of different kinds of tools. Here’s a description of what’s available

• Keep your Network on its Toes
  
  
  
  The most critical issues affecting your network’s performance

• Network Segmentation Time
  
  
  
  Why should you segment a network, the ways to do so, and the benefits that accrue from it

• Analyzing Network Traffic
  
  
  
  Using a packet-capture utility to determine the overall health of your network

• Analyzing Network Threats
  
  
  
  What all threats should you watch out for

• Wireless Connectivity
  
  
  
  The technology in wireless LANs and why they are becoming popular