What Is Network System Management? | phoenixNAP IT Glossary

Network system management involves the monitoring, administration, and maintenance of an organization's IT infrastructure to ensure optimal performance, security, and reliability.

What Is Network System Management (NMS)?

Network system management refers to the process of overseeing and controlling the various components of an organization's IT infrastructure to ensure its efficient operation. This includes the continuous monitoring of network devices, such as routers, switches, servers, and endpoints, as well as ensuring that data flows smoothly and securely across the network. It involves managing network performance by tracking metrics like bandwidth usage, latency, and uptime to identify and resolve potential bottlenecks or disruptions before they escalate into larger problems.

In addition to performance, network management focuses on maintaining network security, implementing updates, managing configurations, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. The goal is to maintain a stable and resilient network environment that supports the organization's operational goals by preventing downtime, mitigating security risks, and facilitating the seamless operation of networked systems.

How Does Network Management System Work?

A network management system works through a series of key steps that enable administrators to monitor, manage, and maintain network infrastructure effectively. Here are the typical steps involved:

Discovery. The NMS automatically detects devices connected to the network, including routers, switches, servers, and endpoints, by using protocols such as SNMP, ICMP, or ARP.
Data collection. Once devices are discovered, the NMS collects data from them in real time. It gathers metrics like traffic volume, bandwidth usage, CPU/memory load, error rates, and device status through polling or agent-based reporting.
Monitoring and visualization. The NMS provides a centralized interface for real-time monitoring. It visualizes the collected data using dashboards, maps, and charts, showing the status of all network devices and identifying any performance issues, anomalies, or failures.
Alerts and notifications. The NMS sets up thresholds for network performance. If a device exceeds these limits (e.g., high latency or packet loss), the system generates alerts or notifications, enabling administrators to take immediate action before the issue impacts the network.
Diagnostics and troubleshooting. The NMS offers diagnostic tools to identify the root cause of network problems. It provides detailed logs, performance history, and diagnostic information to help troubleshoot and resolve issues quickly.
Configuration management. An NMS enables centralized configuration management, allowing administrators to update firmware, adjust settings, or modify device configurations across multiple devices, reducing the need for manual intervention.
Reporting and analytics. The NMS generates regular reports on network performance, uptime, usage patterns, and security incidents. These reports help administrators analyze trends, optimize network resources, and make informed decisions about future network expansion or upgrades.
Security management. The NMS monitors network traffic for unauthorized access or potential security threats. It ensures that security policies are enforced and can integrate with other security tools to strengthen the overall network defense.
Automation and remediation. Advanced NMS solutions provide automation features to automatically respond to predefined events, such as rerouting traffic, restarting devices, or applying patches, ensuring minimal disruption to network operations.

NMS Purpose

The purpose of a network management system is to provide centralized oversight and control of an organization's network infrastructure to ensure it operates efficiently, securely, and with minimal downtime. NMS allows administrators to monitor network devices, such as routers, switches, servers, and endpoints, in real time, helping them detect and resolve performance issues before they impact the organization's operations. It ensures that the network is performing optimally by tracking key metrics such as bandwidth usage, latency, and device health.

Additionally, an NMS simplifies network administration by offering tools for configuration management, security monitoring, and automated tasks, reducing the manual effort required to manage a complex network environment. It also helps maintain compliance with industry standards, mitigate security risks, and optimize resource allocation, supporting both the day-to-day functionality and long-term scalability of the network. Essentially, the NMS enhances network reliability, availability, and performance, while minimizing operational costs and security risks.

NMS Use Cases

Network management systems are used across various industries, enabling organizations to efficiently manage and maintain their network infrastructure. Here are key use cases.

Network Performance Monitoring

NMS continuously tracks network performance metrics like bandwidth usage, latency, jitter, and packet loss. By monitoring these metrics in real time, network administrators detect and address issues such as network congestion or slow response times before they affect users. It also allows for capacity planning by identifying usage trends and preparing for future upgrades.

Fault Detection and Troubleshooting

When devices or connections fail, an NMS immediately detects the problem and triggers alerts. This enables administrators to quickly identify the root cause of outages or performance degradation, often providing detailed diagnostics that streamline troubleshooting. It reduces downtime by allowing faster intervention and repair of faulty components or misconfigurations.

Security Monitoring

NMS enhances network security by monitoring for unusual traffic patterns, unauthorized device access, or potential security breaches. It can integrate with intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS), generating alerts when suspicious activity is detected. Additionally, NMS helps enforce security policies by tracking device configurations and ensuring compliance with security standards.

Configuration Management

Managing device configurations manually across a large network can be time-consuming and error-prone. An NMS simplifies this process by providing centralized tools to update firmware, push configuration changes, and enforce network policies. This ensures that devices remain consistent and up to date, minimizing configuration errors that could lead to vulnerabilities or performance issues.

Automated Network Provisioning and Maintenance

For growing networks or environments with dynamic needs, NMS can automate tasks like provisioning new devices, managing IP addresses, or applying software patches. Automation reduces the administrative burden, allowing networks to scale more easily while maintaining consistent performance and security standards.

Service Level Agreement (SLA) Monitoring

Organizations that rely on third-party service providers often need to monitor compliance with SLAs. NMS tools measure uptime, latency, and other key metrics to ensure that the services provided meet contractual obligations. If performance dips below agreed-upon thresholds, the NMS document the issue, providing evidence for SLA violations.

Network Compliance Auditing

NMS helps organizations adhere to industry-specific regulations by keeping track of network configurations, user access, and traffic patterns. It provides audit trails and reports that document the status of security controls, ensuring compliance with standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI-DSS. This is particularly important in industries where data protection and security are critical.

Multi-Site Network Management

Organizations with distributed offices or data centers benefit from NMS by enabling centralized management of multiple sites. Administrators can monitor, troubleshoot, and configure network devices across geographically dispersed locations from a single dashboard, reducing the need for on-site IT staff and ensuring uniform network policies across all sites.

Capacity Planning and Resource Optimization

NMS provides valuable insights into network usage trends, allowing administrators to optimize resource allocation and plan for future growth. By analyzing historical data on traffic patterns, device performance, and usage peaks, organizations can determine when and where to upgrade infrastructure or allocate additional resources.

Wireless Network Management

NMS can monitor and manage access points, signal strength, and client connections in environments with extensive wireless networks, such as campuses or large office complexes. This ensures optimal wireless coverage, minimizes dead zones, and improves the overall user experience for mobile and wireless device users.

NMS Types

Network management systems come in various types, each designed to focus on specific aspects of network management and performance. Here are the main types of NMS.

Fault Management Systems

Fault management NMS focuses on detecting, logging, and notifying administrators of network issues such as hardware failures, connectivity problems, or abnormal device behavior. It enables quick identification of network faults, allowing for faster troubleshooting and resolution. Fault management systems often include real-time alerts and diagnostic tools to help pinpoint the cause of network issues, minimizing downtime.

Performance Management Systems

This type of NMS is designed to monitor and analyze the performance of network components, including routers, switches, servers, and applications. It tracks metrics such as bandwidth usage, latency, throughput, packet loss, and CPU/memory utilization. Performance management systems help ensure optimal network efficiency, provide insights for capacity planning, and allow administrators to address performance bottlenecks before they impact users.

Configuration Management Systems

Configuration management NMS focuses on maintaining and managing network device configurations. It enables centralized control over device settings, firmware updates, and software patch management. These systems help ensure consistency across the network by allowing administrators to enforce policies, track configuration changes, and automate updates. This reduces human errors and ensures network devices are up to date with the latest security patches and configurations.

Security Management Systems

Security management NMS focuses on monitoring and protecting the network from unauthorized access, malware, and potential breaches. It integrates with firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and security information and event management (SIEM) tools. These systems continuously monitor network traffic, detect suspicious activity, enforce security policies, and provide alerts for potential threats, helping maintain a secure network environment.

Accounting Management Systems

This type of NMS is used to track network usage and resource consumption by users, devices, or services. It helps organizations understand how network resources are being utilized, often used for billing or chargeback purposes in service provider environments. Accounting management systems can provide detailed reports on bandwidth consumption, data transfer, and service usage, helping administrators optimize resource allocation and plan for future upgrades.

Cloud-Based Network Management Systems

Cloud-based NMS offers network management capabilities through a hosted platform, allowing organizations to manage their network remotely via a web interface. These systems are typically more scalable, easier to deploy, and require less on-premise infrastructure compared to traditional NMS. Cloud-based solutions provide real-time monitoring, configuration, and fault detection across multiple locations and devices without the need for extensive hardware investments.

Wireless Network Management Systems

Wireless network management systems are specifically designed to manage Wi-Fi networks, access points, and connected devices. These systems provide visibility into wireless performance metrics such as signal strength, coverage areas, and connection quality. They help ensure that the wireless network operates efficiently, minimizing interference and dead zones, and are essential for managing large-scale wireless deployments in campuses or office buildings.

Application Management Systems

Application management NMS focuses on monitoring the performance and availability of networked applications. These systems provide insights into network resource use, detect slowdowns or failures, and ensure that critical business applications are functioning properly. By monitoring application traffic and performance, administrators can resolve issues that may affect end-user experiences or critical workflows.

Service Level Management (SLM) Systems

SLM NMS is designed to monitor and measure network performance against predefined service level agreements (SLAs). These systems provide insights into how applications utilize network resources, detect slowdowns or failures, and ensure critical business applications function properly. They generate reports and analytics that allow organizations to verify SLA compliance, provide transparency to clients, and take corrective actions if performance falls below expectations.

Integrated Network Management Systems

Integrated NMS provides a comprehensive solution combining multiple network management aspects into a single platform. It includes fault, performance, configuration, security, and accounting management functionalities, allowing administrators to monitor and manage the network holistically. Integrated systems offer a unified view of the network, reducing the complexity of using multiple tools and improving overall network visibility and control.

NMS Benefits

Network management systems provide significant advantages to organizations by enabling efficient monitoring, control, and optimization of their network infrastructure. These benefits enhance network performance, security, and scalability, while reducing operational complexity and costs. Here are the key benefits of using an NMS:

Improved network visibility. NMS provides real-time monitoring and detailed visibility into network components such as routers, switches, servers, and connected devices. This comprehensive overview enables administrators to quickly identify potential issues, track network performance, and gain insights into resource usage, helping maintain smooth network operations.
Proactive issue resolution. By continuously monitoring network health and setting performance thresholds, NMS detect potential problems before they escalate into serious issues. Automated alerts notify administrators of any abnormal activity or device failure, allowing them to troubleshoot and resolve issues proactively.
Enhanced network security. NMS strengthens network security by continuously monitoring for suspicious traffic patterns, unauthorized access attempts, and configuration changes. Integrated with security tools like firewalls and intrusion detection systems, it helps detect vulnerabilities and mitigate security risks. The system ensures that security policies are consistently enforced across the network.
Centralized management. An NMS provides centralized control over all network devices and configurations, simplifying network management, especially in large or distributed environments. Administrators can easily update device configurations, deploy patches, or make policy changes across the network from a single interface, reducing the need for manual interventions and human error.
Reduced operational costs. By automating tasks such as performance monitoring, fault detection, and configuration management, NMS reduces the workload on IT teams. Automation minimizes the time and resources needed for manual network monitoring and troubleshooting, ultimately lowering operational costs and improving efficiency.
Optimized network performance. NMS enables continuous performance monitoring by collecting and analyzing bandwidth usage, latency, and packet loss. This allows administrators to optimize resource allocation, address bottlenecks, and ensure that the network is operating at peak efficiency. It also supports long-term capacity planning by identifying trends in network usage.
Simplified troubleshooting. With detailed logs, historical performance data, and diagnostic tools, NMS simplifies the troubleshooting process by providing in-depth insights into network issues. This reduces the time required to diagnose and fix problems, leading to faster resolution of network outages or performance issues.
Scalability. As organizations grow, their network infrastructure becomes more complex. NMS supports scalability by providing tools to easily manage expanding networks, whether adding new devices, locations, or services. The system ensures that growth does not compromise network performance or security.
Compliance and reporting. NMS generates detailed reports on network performance, security incidents, and configuration changes, helping organizations meet compliance requirements for industry regulations such as HIPAA, PCI-DSS, or GDPR. These reports also provide valuable insights for audits and performance reviews, ensuring that the network adheres to standards and best practices.
Support for multi-vendor environments. In many cases, networks include devices from various vendors. An NMS offers compatibility with a wide range of hardware and software, allowing organizations to manage multi-vendor environments efficiently.

Network Management System Best Practices

Network management systems are essential for maintaining a network's health, security, and performance. Implementing NMS effectively requires following best practices to ensure optimal management, reduce downtime, and enhance security. Here are key best practices for using NMS:

Define clear monitoring objectives. Before deploying an NMS, it’s crucial to identify what you need to monitor. This includes determining which devices, applications, and services are critical to the network's operation. Defining clear objectives helps avoid unnecessary monitoring of irrelevant metrics and allows the NMS to focus on the most critical components, optimizing resource allocation and performance.
Set appropriate thresholds for alerts. NMS solutions rely on thresholds to trigger alerts when a device or metric exceeds predefined limits. Setting realistic and meaningful thresholds is essential to prevent false positives (too many alerts) or missed issues (alerts that come too late). Tailor thresholds based on network requirements, historical data, and performance benchmarks to ensure timely and accurate notifications.
Regularly review and update configurations. Network devices and configurations evolve over time, and it’s important to keep the NMS updated with these changes. Regularly review device configurations, firmware versions, and network topology to ensure the NMS accurately reflects the current state of the network. This practice minimizes the risk of overlooking critical components or outdated configurations that could lead to vulnerabilities or performance issues.
Automate routine tasks. Leverage the automation capabilities of NMS to streamline routine tasks such as software updates, configuration backups, and device provisioning. Automating these processes not only saves time but also reduces human errors, ensuring that network policies and configurations are applied consistently across all devices.
Monitor network security. Integrate security monitoring into the NMS to track traffic patterns, detect potential threats, and monitor unauthorized access attempts. Ensuring that security logs and metrics are part of the network monitoring routine helps maintain a secure environment, protect against breaches, and ensure compliance with security standards.
Utilize historical data for trend analysis. NMS solutions provide the ability to analyze historical network data, enabling administrators to identify usage trends, performance bottlenecks, and future growth requirements. Regularly reviewing this data helps with capacity planning, optimizing resource allocation, and making informed decisions about network upgrades.
Implement redundant systems and failover planning. Ensure the NMS itself is resilient by implementing redundant systems or failover planning. In the event of NMS server failure, redundant monitoring systems can take over, ensuring continuous monitoring of critical network components. This reduces the risk of missing important events during an outage.
Optimize network visibility with dashboards. Customize NMS dashboards to provide clear, real-time visibility into key performance indicators (KPIs) and critical network components. Dashboards should be tailored for different roles within the IT team, allowing each team member to focus on the most relevant data, whether it's performance metrics, security alerts, or fault status.
Document and standardize network policies. Ensure that network policies and configurations are well-documented and standardized across the organization. NMS tools assist in enforcing these standards by flagging devices that deviate from baseline configurations, reducing inconsistencies and vulnerabilities across the network.
Regularly test and validate NMS functionality. Periodically test the NMS setup to ensure it’s functioning correctly. This includes verifying that alerts are being triggered as expected, data collection is accurate, and reports are generated correctly. Regular tests ensure that the NMS meets the network's evolving requirements and provides reliable monitoring capabilities.