The IT department of a global corporation recently found itself in an awkward situation. A critical business application was slowing down for users at various offices around the world. The IT team started troubleshooting by checking all networks.
Then, frustration set in. There was no single source of information available to them about the infrastructure.
Some systems were stored in the in-house data center; others were hosted within many cloud infrastructures at once. Some of the network infrastructure was introduced due to previous projects.
However, there was no complete documentation for these newer devices. Because they were missing a unified source for all network devices, the engineers spent hours just gathering the information necessary to resolve the issue.
This article will describe why a network inventory is important in hybrid business IT today, how the complexities involved with maintaining device inventory across multiple platforms can create challenges for organizations, and some of the ways that organizations can create a reliable, robust inventory management system.
Why does network inventory matter more in hybrid environments?
Traditionally, network infrastructure was located within a limited number of datacenters, and as a result, there were relatively few devices to keep track of, and documentation could often be kept manually.
However, hybrid environments and their proliferation of network resources across multiple platforms and locations make this model obsolete as per Slurp’it.
If IT departments do not have an effective inventory of all their devices, they will be unable to easily address the following very basic questions:
What devices exist in our network?
Where are those devices located?
What applications rely on those devices?
What configurations and policies are currently operational?
Having a reliable network inventory allows an organization to quickly and accurately answer the above questions.
The visibility provided by having it enables better decisions regarding operational processes and decreases the chances of an unplanned outage occurring as per Slurp’it.
What are the hidden risks of poor network inventory?
The impact of having an inaccurate network inventory on network performance is not always recognized until issues occur.
Once network inventory is not kept up-to-date and has missing information, organizations can expect to run into numerous problems:
- First, when trying to troubleshoot problems on your network, engineers will be forced to spend time trying to find which devices are part of the issue before they can even start to resolve it.
- Second, when it comes time to upgrade infrastructure, there’s a chance that unintentional impacts will occur because there are no clear records of how devices are related.
- Thirdly, every unknown device on the network increases risk. Unknowns can also become major security threats.
- Last, with respect to compliance audits, organizations have many regulatory standards that mandate maintaining accurate documentation about their infrastructure and configurations.
These issues clearly demonstrate the fact that organizations should view it as a strategic asset rather than simply a record-keeping task as per Slurp’it.
What are the challenges of maintaining network inventory in hybrid infrastructure?
As the number of physical and virtual assets grows, the challenge of keeping an accurate representation of an organization’s assets becomes increasingly complicated with the introduction of hybrid networks.
- Dynamic Networks
- Multiple Platforms of Management
- Lack of Standardized Documentation
- Security and Compliance Challenges
With inaccurate information regarding an organization’s network assets and the way in which they are configured, maintaining compliance will be nearly impossible, as per Slurp’it.
What are the advantages of comprehensive network inventory?
Making it effective provides critical benefits for organizations.
Faster identification and resolution of service outages
Engineers can rapidly identify which devices are affected and how those devices connect to one another when service outages occur. This allows for a more comprehensive diagnosis and resolution of problems.
Improved security monitoring
Inventory systems help organizations identify devices that have been introduced without their consent and/or software versions that are out-of-date and may pose security vulnerabilities.
Better capacity forecasting
Understanding the infrastructure that exists allows organizations to plan for future capacity needs better and plan for upgrades sooner.
Simplified regulatory compliance audits
Many regulatory bodies require organizations to maintain accurate records related to their infrastructure and its configuration. A complete inventory will simplify this auditing process by providing organized evidence.
Improved infrastructure change management
When engineers are planning changes to their infrastructure, they can use inventory data to view how a change might impact other systems. This decreases the likelihood of unintended downtime caused by service interruption.
To conclude, by implementing automated discovery to create an integrated view of infrastructure across all platforms and by maintaining an up-to-date inventory of network devices using an automated system, organizations will develop a comprehensive view of their network.
The resulting visibility will enhance the operational efficiency of the organization, and it will enhance security, reduce compliance burden, and facilitate long-term infrastructure planning.
In the ever-evolving hybrid IT landscape, having a complete network inventory is no longer a luxury; it is a basic requirement to enable organizations to effectively manage their infrastructure with confidence. To know more, contact us at Slurp’it!