A well-established network will often showcase the same qualities regardless of its surrounding environment. Whether it is a small or large system, the network is only going to perform based on certain variables noticeable in all systems. This is why it’s important to break things down and find a network that is able to perform well in a variety of situations.
So, what factors can end up impacting the performance of a network? Here are the leading factors to keep an eye on throughout the course of a year.
1) I/O Capability
It starts with the I/O capability or “Input/Output Capability,” which is a common term thrown around in the world of networks. The idea of this specific factor is to highlight what the network is built on. In general, each network has a foundational setup that is calculated with regards to its “bus size.” This is commonly mentioned among technicians because it has a role to play in how well the network runs.
When the foundation is mediocre, the rest of the network can start to slow down or become impossible to use. In general, the idea of a network’s I/O capability is how well it can manage packets of data. When everything is running well, the network is able to manage higher traffic loads without stopping the data or slowing it down. It’s important to understand this specific factor while diagnosing a network when it’s performance metrics drop.
2) CPU
The next part would be a network’s CPU or central processing unit. The central processing unit is aimed to help with your data and control planes. This means anything that has to do with processing data will involve the CPU. This includes performance metrics and capacity-related numbers that are associated with a particular node. If the node doesn’t have a solid CPU in place, it is going to end up hurting the rest of the network. Each node has a role to play and if it doesn’t offer processing power, the other nodes end up taking the brunt of the work.
This ends up harming the network and how well it performs on a daily basis. It’s important to pinpoint the numbers as soon as possible because there is going to come a point where the network traffic is too much for the overloaded node(s).
3) Distance
Yes, this is one of the most underrated components associated with modern networks.
Distance means how far the data has to travel and how it is going to be used. A lot of the times applications aren’t set up to handle specific distances. With data being pushed around at approximately 186k per second, any sort of delay can end up halting things.
This is certainly important for businesses that are dealing with wider coverage zones and want to pay attention to the speeds based on distance.
4) Applications
Just like distance, applications are going to be an integral factor in how a network does over the long-term. With applications, you are going to notice a change in the performance and capacity. This can include how much data is being pushed by the app. In some cases, the number can be far lower than desired, which is a major issue.
Application details can also play a role in how the network is able to function and how well it manages window sizes. This is certainly a reality when it comes to Wide Area Networks.
5) Speed
Each network is going to come with its own speed metrics (i.e. the amount of data sent in one go). In some cases, this has to do with the hardware and its features, but software can also play a role in how much data is transmitted between nodes.
6) Errors
One of the most common issues that pop up would be network errors. This is why they’re an important factor in the performance of a network. If there are too many network errors involving latency and queuing, you’re going to notice the network start to slow down. This happens when the data is being restricted due to specific errors in the system. Over time, packets of data start to drop. This is when the problems pile up.
7) Memory
There is nothing worse than memory loss, which is possible in some networks. The idea of memory is to make sure data is being stored in the right place and each packet is handled appropriately. Otherwise, the network isn’t going to perform as it should. This is often seen in the form of dysfunctional control plane operations.
8) Performance Management
It’s important to think about the management of a network throughout the day. Whether this is done using automated solutions or manual changes, everything has to be in line with what’s required from the setup. Otherwise, you are going to face a problem with regards to how consistent a network is. Sometimes, a network will work well in the beginning but start to falter as time goes on.
Remember, the idea of performance management is to look out for certain metrics such as the response time, consistency, and overall performance. Everything has to be running on all cylinders or the network is going to fall apart with time. A lot of people don’t realize this and assume their network is in good shape when it’s starting to show signs of depreciation. Take action and make sure to stay on top of this.
When a network is well-managed, it will stay in good shape year-round. These are the factors that affect the performance of a network. If you are not willing to adapt and/or pay attention to what’s transpiring, you will end up with a network that is dysfunctional. This is when everything else can start to slow down and/or come to a screeching halt. Be smart and make sure to work through a checklist of variables including the ones listed above. You want to use these to determine what’s working and what’s starting to show signs of aging.