LAN Management, Tools, and Systems

Managing a LAN means ensuring it fulfills the goals for which it was designed. It also means continually updating the LAN’s configuration to satisfy new and updated goals. LAN management covers several related activities, including the following:

• Monitoring LAN performance

• Changing configuration settings to optimize performance

• Changing configuration settings to support new requirements

• Adding necessary controls to address security issues

• Maintaining components of a current recovery process

• Adding, changing, and removing hardware components as requirements dictate

• Mapping LAN components

Bandwidth is limited, so the way it’s shared among your users should always be ­carefully considered. Bandwidth usage and distribution monitoring can help you determine whether you need to expand your network. It can also help you determine whether any individual applications or devices are experiencing bandwidth problems that need to 
be addressed.

When you have a clear understanding of bandwidth usage, you’ll have insight into which applications should and should not be prioritized as well as where congestion is occurring. Managing your network traffic flow effectively can even help you boost the performance of your network.

To correctly assess bandwidth demand, compare wired and wireless connections because this will help you spot any bottlenecks. Network security scanning software or network monitoring software can help you gain a full understanding of which network elements you should prioritize.

Bandwidth within the LAN, for example, decreases as new services such as VoIP and video are offered.

Security policies are helpful by defining and enforcing what is acceptable use over the LAN. It is not uncommon to have security policies limit the use of live video feeds. Video can take up significant bandwidth. Similar policies limit listening to live music over the network. You can enforce any of these policies at the firewall, cutting off the source of video and music from the Internet without anyone’s discretion.