Network and systems management technology suffers from a bit of a double standard. It is considered an essential tool in large enterprise IT shops -- so much so that most companies have multiple management packages -- but is often criticized as a static, dull technology that inspires little excitement among its users. The "I use it because I have to not because I want to" mentality. My take is that necessary and exciting don't need to be mutually exclusive adjectives when it comes to management technology.
To start, innovative new technologies -- wireless, virtualization, VoIP and Web 2.0 just to name some in the news today -- often demand management technology stay on top of the latest high-tech trends. It doesn't take a genius to realize if the network isn't working as promised, all the amazing applications you want to run on the network won't work either. What ensures the network performs up to expectations? In large part, management technologies do the heavy lifting of monitoring devices, systems and applications to keep IT staff informed of current conditions and in some case made aware of problems before they strike.
Another case for management technology being anything but outdated is the fact that makers of most types of management software must subject their products to periodic makeovers to keep them updated with the latest network gear and software applications. I am not saying all vendors do the best job staying on top of each and every change made by, say, SAP, but most work with their customers to support the major systems customers consider critical to doing business. Even if they don't roll out revamped releases several times per year, most major management vendors strive to say current.
And lastly, management technology is the one IT buy that truly holds the triple-threat promise of saved time, reduced costs and streamlined operations. It may not always deliver on its promise, but typically putting management technology in place frees up staff time on lower-level incidents, reduces downtime and helps IT implement best practice frameworks such as ITIL.
Note: This is the first blog under the Management Maven moniker. More on network and systems management can be read on Network World's Network and Systems Management Research Center and twice-weekly in the Network/Systems Management Alert.
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Exciting for sure
I would say that if anyone can make network management exciting it's you. Looking forward to reading the Management Maven...congratulations on the new blog.
Great first post!
Congratulations on the new blog, Denise! Good to see a new discussion on management approaches and technology. I look forward to your insights.
With respect to this post, I think you are right - companies should be getting excited about their management technology. They should be looking at what they can do to get the most value from their existing investments and also looking at how to address the new complexities they are facing from virtualization and other initiatives. These new complexities require a new approach to systems management to reduce the manual efforts required in troubleshooting. Real-time analytics based solutions can provide needed automation to reduce manual efforts, while leveraging existing investments in management technology. They also allow a more proactive management approach through powerful correlations and predictive alerting.
You also mention exciting new technologies like Web 2.0 that have to be supported by management technologies. What is also interesting is that some management vendors, like my company, Integrien, are starting to use these technologies to provide much more useable management interfaces. Web 2.0 technology allows us to create powerful visualizations that are easier to use and make the IT Operations team more effective.
It certainly is an interesting time to be a part of systems management. I look forward to continued discussions here at your new blog!
On right track..
Very nice article and a nice reply. Needed! The only things I would add, be a little careful with terms and acronyms as ITIL and Web 2.0, etc. Why, because ITIL is much more than technology and Web 2.0 is kind of marketing term for existing technology. Yes, they have to be managed but there isn't and will not be one technical solution for all that, it will be combining many levels of management practices and technologies together.
Unfortunately many corporations today see a technical solution as the "Holy Grail" and skip the planning and design ending with many incompatible systems and technologies. As good as the management solutions look, many are limited to one area and every company is different - needs solutions more than just canned technologies and processes.