This article explores the importance of network optimization and documentation for maintaining robust, efficient, and secure business operations. It outlines practical techniques, tools, and best practices that organizations can employ to enhance network performance, minimize downtime, and safeguard their digital infrastructure against cyber threats.
Alexander S. Ricciardi
January 24, 2025
From medium-size businesses to multinational corporations rely heavily on their networks for their daily operations. These networks manage critical functions, including data exchange, communication, and resource access, making their operation essential for business success
Thus, it is crucial for network administrators to optimize network efficiency and maintain documentation to ensure the stability and security of their networks. This article explores network optimization techniques and the role of network documentation in maintaining a robust, reliable, and secure network.
Network Optimization
Network optimization is a data-driven process that enhances network performance and efficiency (Kentik, n.d.). It is an ongoing process that involves measuring a network’s latency, throughput, and packet loss to identify bottlenecks and implement strategies to enhance the speed, reliability, and overall efficiency of the network. This involves adopting techniques or best practices such as load balancing, caching, traffic shaping, data compression, SD-WAN, protocol optimization, etc. See Table 1 for a complete list and description of network optimization techniques.
Table 1
Network Optimization Techniques
Note: the table describes different optimization techniques and how they help IT operations. Data from “What is Network Optimization?” by Solarwinds (n.d.).
Importance of Network Documentation
In addition to network optimization, it is crucial for network administrators to maintain documentation that facilitates managing and troubleshooting the network. Network documentation is the process of “tracking every bit of hardware, software, and cables. It can be as simple as a single spreadsheet you input manually or as complex as a software program to keep tabs on an entire large corporation’s computer and server network” (Lionguard, 2021, p. 1). Network documentation is necessary to keep a record of where devices/sections/parts of a network are and how they relate to each other. Making the use of tools and solutions faster. In other words, the more information is known about the network, the less time and money is wasted on troubleshooting a network issue.
Not maintaining network documentation can have serious pitfalls such as:
Increase in downtime and in troubleshooting time, when a network issue arises.
Inconsistent network operations and increased communication errors, as not everyone on the IT team follows the same processes or procedures resulting in errors and network instability.
Lack of standardized security documentation guiding the management of network protocols, communications, and data can increase vulnerability to cyberattacks and data breaches.
Security vulnerabilities in the form of loopholes due to missing knowledge about network devices, device configurations, and protocols implemented.
Security vulnerabilities from not-updated software and outdated hardware due to missing documentation about software versions and end-of-life device dates.
To ensure proper network documentation is important to use templates and documentation tools. The tables below describe different templates and tools used for network documentation.
Table 2
Network Documentation Template Examples
Note: The table describes different templates used for network documentation.
Table 3
Network Documentation Tools
Note: The table describes different tools used for network documentation.
To summarize, businesses need to maintain a robust and reliable network as they rely on their networks for their daily operations. Therefore, optimizing networks and maintaining thorough network documentation is crucial for ensuring a network's stable operations, minimizing downtime, and maintaining robust security. Ultimately, ensuring the success of businesses.
References:
Kentik (n.d). What is network optimization? 9 Techniques for improving network performance. Kentipedia. https://www.kentik.com/kentipedia/what-is-network-optimization/
Lionguard (2021, November 8). What is network documentation & why is it necessary? Lionguard Blog. https://www.liongard.com/blog/what-is-network-documentation/
Solarwinds (n.d). What is network optimization? Solarwinds. https://www.solarwinds.com/resources/it-glossary/network-optimization
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