Enterprise traffic monitoring is the process of tracking, analyzing, and managing the flow of network traffic within an organization. It is a critical part of network management, as it provides visibility into the performance of the network and helps identify potential issues. There is a range of tools and technologies available for enterprise traffic monitoring, including network monitoring software, traffic analysis tools, and traffic monitoring hardware. The right traffic monitor for an organization will depend on the size and complexity of the network, traffic patterns, and desired level of visibility.
There are various challenges associated with traffic monitoring:
This is where a real time traffic monitor comes in.
A network traffic monitoring tool provides real-time visibility into network traffic and can be used to identify bottlenecks, troubleshoot problems, and track utilization. Traffic analysis tools can be used to identify trends and patterns in network traffic, helping to optimize network traffic and performance. Traffic monitoring hardware can be used to monitor traffic at key points in the network physically, providing visibility into potential issues. Organizations should consider their specific needs when choosing a traffic monitor. They should also prioritize a scalable solution that will accommodate future growth and be able to integrate with their existing network management tools and systems.
There are several ways to monitor traffic, depending on the level of detail and analysis required. Simple traffic monitoring can be as easy as manually calculating the bandwidth utilization based on the available metrics. More sophisticated means of traffic monitoring may involve measuring the speed and flow of traffic, as well as the types of users and network elements present using Windows or Linux network traffic monitoring tools
A common way to monitor traffic is to use a packet sniffer. Packet sniffers capture and analyze traffic as it flows through the network. This data can be used to identify potential problems or to track the progress of a root cause analysis. For smaller organizations, it is also possible to monitor traffic manually. This can be done by using a simple network traffic monitor that can be used to capture and analyze traffic, but it requires a deep understanding of how networks function.
One of the most common solutions for traffic monitoring is to use a real time traffic monitoring tool such as NetFlow Analyzer, which can track your traffic in real time and provide a wealth of information about the different types of traffic flowing through the network.
In any network, monitoring traffic is a critical part of ensuring that everything is running smoothly and efficiently. By tracking the amount of traffic flowing in and out of the network, administrators can quickly identify any potential bottlenecks or problems. This information can then be used to make adjustments to the network and QoS policies to improve performance. Traffic monitoring can also be used to support marketing and business decisions, such as assessing future bandwidth needs when planning the expansion and scaling of the network as the organization grows.
NetFlow Analyzer, ManageEngine's real time traffic monitor, monitors network traffic, application performance, and offers visibility into every interface and device, including routers, switches, and firewalls in your network, with multi-vendor support. Achieve fast reporting with contextual end-to-end traffic visibility. Set multi-criteria-based thresholds and alerts for faster detection and effective resolution. Enable comprehensive cloud traffic monitoring and identify bottlenecks, and manage and track all network traffic activities, top talkers, and conversations with an overview of your entire distributed network from a single central installation.
Leverage technology like deep packet inspection, Cisco IP SLA, WLC, capacity planning, and network forensics to monitor network bandwidth and detect network traffic patterns for swift traffic issue detection and resolution. Simulate traffic to detect bottlenecks and hogs before they affect your network’s performance. Detect security threats in real time with NetFlow Analyzer's forensics and security features. Identify who is attempting to tamper with your network bandwidth and the source of the attack with real-time reports. Revisit and update your service policies, and block bandwidth hogging non-mission critical applications and suspicious IPs with NetFlow Analyzer's traffic shaping features. Get a free, 30-day trial of NetFlow Analyzer now.
As a network engineer, having a decent Netflow analyzer like ManageEngine NetFlow analyzer really helps with benchmarking and troubleshooting network performance on various links. I almost use the tool daily with my job to have full visibility on the traffic and generate various reports. It also helped with designing, planning and implementing and monitoring an end to end QoS solution. I highly recommend the product to any network engineer.
-Network Engineer in the Finance industry
Review as provided by our NetFlow Analyzer's customers to Gartner® Peer Insights™.