mandag den 30. august 2010

Software Patch Management To Improve Efficiency

The best way to distribute problem fixing patches is with the use of software patch management software. These programs are able to update multiple computer at one time across one or several networks. Third party software providers are always fixing problems with their product. It has become a fact of life to expect there to be something wrong with a software. Some of these problems are openings into your network that can be exploited. Patching those holes is very important to security. This could be done manually. Nobody really has the time or money to pay a person to sit there and repeatedly click buttons on a multitude of computers. You would almost have to hire an extra staff just to handle all of the work. By using the built in settings to have the program do this automatically, you can save a bundle. It also saves money on payroll by ensuring work continues by everyone. If you have to have someone download patches on an employees computer, that person will have to stop what they are doing. This could potentially be devastating for any department from sales to accounting to customer service. Nobody wants to lose clients because of a minor detail that could have easily have been prevented.

 

Just like any other software programs, there are number of different ones for this specific need. They range from basic home editions, to ones that can manage a number of computers on various networks. Which one you choose depends on the specific needs for your company. Always research the programs before you choose one. Just because they look flashy and say they can do a lot does not necessarily mean they can do what you need them to do. Managing patches is one of the many ways to protect your systems from malicious intruders. Hackers are able to get past firewalls and security if one terminal on the network is compromised. This can be an easy fix as long as the patches are maintained.

 

Companies have been disabled or completely shutdown for days because of hackers manipulating security loopholes created by not patched computers. The hackers are able to gain full control of one computer that is not entirely protected and then use it to tie up bandwidth for their own purposes. They are then also able to install viruses and worms on your network.

 

This type of malicious attack can be prevented by using a continuous checker. This feature would make sure that all computers on the network comply with the current patches available. If they do not then they are updated and a report is electronically generated to the system administrator. Most of the work of a software patch management software is done behind the scenes. Most workers will not even be aware that their computer is being updated to protect the company. The only time that it would be of any concern is when the system might need to be rebooted. The worker would be warned with a prompt and asked to save their work. This can be a very slight inconvenience having to wait for the system to reboot; it is however, a lot better than having to wait for an admin to go through every prompt. Most workers will be appreciative of the quick work that the software provides. There will be less inconvenient visits from the IT staff to have to see to issues related to the workers computer.

fredag den 27. august 2010

Manage Multiple Networks Efficiently With MSP Software

MSP software is a must for all managed service providers. Managers who have this type of software, can instantly access pertinent information about the networks they are monitoring. Whether you are monitoring a LAN network for a small business, or you are attempting to monitor the routers within a large enterprise, MSP software can make the process of monitoring networks seamless and very easy to handle overall.

 

Many managed service providers find it very difficult to provide the level of service their customers are looking for at all times. If you are managing many networks, it can sometimes be overwhelming to attempt to meet the demands of each one of your clients. By having managed service provider software though, you can make the process of managing multiple networks very simple and efficient.

 

This type of software can provide detailed information about a number of different aspects of a network as well. So, whether you are monitoring many networks, or you are monitoring only one network, you can access detailed information about the networks you are viewing with the click of a button when you have this type of software in your possession.

 

Network managers who do not take advantage of this type of software often miss major problems that are occurring within entire networks. When devices within a network cannot sufficiently handle the capacity and demands that are being placed on them, network managers have no idea that these difficulties are occurring if they do not have this type of software in their possession. Network managers who do have access to MSP software though, can utilize the tools and monitoring capabilities of MSP software to quickly and easily assess the congested portions of a network and fix those problems immediately.

 

This software can even automate the process of managing a network as well. This software can provide notifications when a problem is about to arise within a network too. In this way, MSP software can help managed service providers avoid problems altogether, because the problems can be fixed before they actually cause a disruption within the communications of a network.

 

Network managers rely on all of these features, but one of the most useful features provided by this type of software is the remote access capability. This remote access capability allows network managers to access devices without actually being physically present at the location the devices reside in. By being able to remotely access devices, network managers can fix problems instantly and efficiently in order to provide higher quality and more effective services to their clients.

 

This software generally helps improve the overall efficiency of an entire network, and it can even improve the efficiency of individual devices within a network as well. Network managers can use tools provided by MSP software to assess the overall efficiency of individual devices and provide recommendations to companies about how they should proceed with their software and hardware upgrades in the future.

 

So, MSP software can assist network managers in a variety of different ways. Network managers who use this type of software can improve the overall efficiency of the networks they manage by assessing the efficiency of individual devices and the communication connections between those devices. If any issues ever arise within the network, network managers will be notified immediately by their MSP software about any serious issues that may affect the efficiency of the network.

mandag den 9. august 2010

Advantages And Benefits Of Cost-effective Network Management

Automation entered our lives with the entry of Information Technology. The ambit of automation was not enclosed to a single entity or realm but encompassed realms outside the immediate vicinity of the base or formulating entity. Networks came to be in this manner. With distanced and disparate networks all in the hierarchy of one single project, managing the network became essential. With cost factor being a key factor for any process worth its mention a Cost-effective Network Management System was the demand for the day. A network comprises of individual objects, both hardware component and the application or software component. The plethora of objects that make up a network is to be experienced to be believed. A network administrator's job is never a post of envy but one that poses the administrator with problems uncanny. A visual picture of the complete network becomes a necessity for any network manager to be able to work out a solution imposed upon him by some client at a remote site.

Given the ever changing scenario of any business house which goes with the current volatile market factors, the individual networks that run the business house proceedings are equally altering. A pencil drawn map of the network one day would never match the same drawn on a subsequent day.

A tool that would continuously check the network and be able to report the current status of the network along with its breakdown components becomes mandatory for a network manager for his or her functioning. The network manager also uses this tool to manage the components from the remote location..

Software tools that provide this type of facility to the network administrator is called Managed Service Provider. This tool provides a complete overview of the network along with the various programs that are running at each location. It could be a fully automated software, in which case no human intervention is necessary, or it could be a fully manual system. It could also be a mix of the two that is a hybrid between automatic and semi automatic. The choice of which version is to be used would depend on the availability and ability of the network administrator on the company's payroll. Maintaining an individual network administrator at each location and they trying to work out the problem and solution of the network when it occurs would be a costly issue. The software in comparison would be a much lower priced object. No further explanation is required for the cost savings accrued.

The power and ability of MSP software is judged mainly by the reporting capability of the software and by the view spectrum of the entire network that this MSP software is able to project.

However there are various other factors and features that each individual company would indicate in their product manifesto. Features like ease of deploying the MSP software itself across the entire network. The demand for system resources that the software be inherent with. Cost-effective Network management is the key in today's 'e' prefixed business and market which has the factor of profit as one of its prime consideration. The role of Managed Service Provider in bringing down expenditure for managing the networks and its components has been prominent with time and therefore proven to be the most cost-effective tool to manage networks of a business house.

torsdag den 5. august 2010

Ways To Get Cost-Effective Network Management Through MSP

 

The goal of business is to build and retain as much profit as possible to build further into the company, and reward the work of those who got it to where it stands. In the recent years of technological advancement, many, if not all, major companies and corporations entrust their cost-effective network management to Managed Service Provider software.

Activity Monitoring- One of the most common and underrated means of losing revenue is through the slacking of employees during working hours. MSP can catch any violations of company code when there are accesses to such places as video streaming or chat sites so supervisors may take a more serious look.

Complete System Diagnoses- Any and all performance flaws will be caught and reported by cutting edge software, and come with suggestions and fixes to keep business operating smoothly. By keeping applications, databases, and internal information as tightly packed and clean as possible, MSPs ensure all computers in the systems run at top speed. The software digs deep into the system, checking constantly against all known history of activity, to find and fix the initial cause of the problem.

Custom Control- Administrators can manually set what it is they wish for their workforce not to access, either in the business network, or within the internet. An overseeing list of rules can be placed upon the system, denying entrance to certain computers (and employees) to problems areas. This custom configuration also allows the system to more readily block connections to servers, or to allow others entrance without question.

Thorough Reporting- MSP software maintains crucial logs about all activity history procured from each hard-drive, and compiles it all into a single database. Suspicious activity, malfunctions, logic gaps, and attempts to break access rules are immediately reported to the head of the system in a detailed report. Histories of reports are filed and kept well organized in case future occurrences call for an examination of any past patterns from a certain computer. Data Storage- In the event of a total system crash, almost everything a company has accomplished on its networks could be erased. MSPs take that fear of loss away by constantly backing up the accumulating data on every computer in the system, and storing it in its own network location for safe keeping. This can also be used to free hard-drive memory and processing speed by storing old, archival data for a company that does not need constant accessing. Baseline Feature- To make the function of the well-oiled business machine even smoother, MSP software comes with the ability to mold itself into the functionality of the company and its behaviors. The system learns what is considered normal and appropriate for the individual network it is applied to, and reacts accordingly to any mysteries or red flags. This keeps the software from being an unalterable, rigid system that reports only what it has been directly programmed to, and instead allows for every unique company to function its own way. Business Made Simpler-MSP software makes for cost-effective network management like never before, by bringing together all of the control over a massive system, and the streamlined presentation of reports and information. Time and money wasting expenditures can be discovered and eliminated faster then ever by watching the patterns of functionality, and MSP fixes of application error. Profits could be greater than ever with this technological advancement, and no business should go without.