NPM (Network Performance Monitoring) is the practice of monitoring and analyzing network performance to optimize connectivity and resolve problems.

What is NPM?

NPM is the process of collecting, analyzing and reporting network performance metrics to maintain optimal connectivity and diagnose problems.

Network Metrics

Latency

  • RTT: Round Trip Time
  • Jitter: Latency variation
  • Packet Loss: Packet loss
  • Throughput: Transmission capacity

Bandwidth

  • Utilization: Usage percentage
  • Capacity: Total capacity
  • Availability: Available bandwidth
  • Congestion: Congestion levels

Quality of Service

  • QoS: Quality of Service
  • CoS: Class of Service
  • Prioritization: Traffic prioritization
  • SLA: Service Level Agreements

NPM Tools

Enterprise

  • SolarWinds NPM: Leading solution
  • PRTG: Network monitoring
  • ManageEngine: Management solution
  • Nagios: Open source monitoring

Cloud

  • Datadog: Cloud monitoring
  • New Relic: APM and monitoring
  • AppDynamics: Application monitoring
  • Dynatrace: Performance monitoring

Open Source

  • Zabbix: Open source monitoring
  • Prometheus: Monitoring and alerts
  • Grafana: Data visualization
  • InfluxDB: Time series database

Implementation

Phase 1: Planning

  • Requirements analysis: Define needs
  • Tool selection: Choose platform
  • Architecture: Design solution
  • Budget: Estimate costs

Phase 2: Deployment

  • Installation: Deploy platform
  • Configuration: Configure monitoring
  • Integration: Connect with systems
  • Testing: Validate functionality

Phase 3: Operation

  • Monitoring: Continuous surveillance
  • Maintenance: Updates and patches
  • Optimization: Continuous improvement
  • Training: Staff training

Best Practices

Configuration

  • Thresholds: Set appropriate thresholds
  • Alerts: Configure effective alerts
  • Retention: Data retention policies
  • Scalability: Plan for growth

Monitoring

  • Dashboard: Monitor dashboard regularly
  • Trends: Analyze performance trends
  • Anomalies: Identify anomalous behaviors
  • Reports: Generate reports regularly

Maintenance

  • Updates: Keep updated
  • Patches: Apply security patches
  • Backup: Backup configurations
  • Testing: Test functionality regularly

References