Network Management – Difference, Work, and More [2023]

About Network Management

Network management is the process of controlling connectivity and configurations between devices and the systems that use them and typically fall into two categories in IT: underlying and overlay networks.

Managing the underlying networks involves coordinating hardware devices such as hubs, switches, routers, bridges, gateways, modems, and repeaters. Managing overlay networks involves creating digital connections and managing permissions between end users, applications, and devices, which exist virtually as nodes.

Underlying Network Management

​​A network engineer might use the Automation Platform to automate the network configuration of physical devices, such as servers, switches, routers, and load balancers.

Management of Overlay Networks

A network administrator could use software-defined networking (SDN), for example, to separate forwarding functions from control functions to create connections among network hardware and digital nodes.

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Differences Between Network Management and Automation

Just as automation is an evolution of management, network automation is an evolution of network management.

The difference between the last two lies in the (very subjective) differences between the first two. Since there remains no such thing as perfect automation, there is also no target point at which management becomes automation. At some point, the human effort obligatory to manage a set of tasks is significantly less than before. When this happens, what used to be described as management can now be called automation.

How are Overlay and Underlying Networks Managed?

Underlying Network Management –  ​​The automation Platform contains thousands of network automation modules that can help you configure all types of network hardware. This solution turns such hardware into infrastructure as code (IaC), just like Linux. Most network switches are part of the vendor’s software, but the Automation Platform connects to and acts on it. Therefore, a network engineer only has to know about this tool, which transforms proprietary hardware and specialized network interfaces into essential services.

Management of overlapping networks:

Enterprise Linux

Configure VLAN tagging; bridges, equipment, and network links; VPN connections; IP tunnels; default gateway settings; static routes; policy-based routing, etc.

OpenStack Platform

Among the many open source projects building on the robust Platform is neutron, which connects networks to other OpenStack services. Administrators can use OpenStack Platform software-defined networking to manage network services.

Hyperconverged Infrastructure

Virtualize network functions on a hyper-converged infrastructure that enables the IT operations team to control network traffic across complex network topologies with a centralized dashboard rather than manually managing each device.

How does Network Management Work?

Network management is fundamental to data management processes and is defined by the five different areas of Fault Management, Configuration Management, Accounting Management, Performance Management, and Security Management (FCAPS).

These five modules work together to monitor and maintain network security for all resources. From the access point to the data center. The primary function of network management is to ensure that users can access and consume resources. Providing that user and host devices can connect to and take help from the network indicates the overall health of the network.

How can Network Administrators Know if the Network is in Good Health?

Inconsistencies or lack of resources available to users denote inefficiency or security flaws in the operation of the network. Network management includes tracking resources used to confirm that the web is healthy. The process focuses on maintaining network functions, including proactive error or problem detection and monitoring all network traffic. Maintenance will be required when network resources, whether hardware or software, require upgrades.

Conclusion

Network management controls connectivity and configurations between devices and the systems that use them and typically fall into two categories in IT underlying and overlay networks.

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