Historically, network monitoring has been focused on collecting logs and alerts and then responding to the alerts after they occurred. Although modern networks are constantly changing due to new devices, changing traffic patterns, changing application workloads, and evolving threats, early detection of problems is crucial for enterprise network security and stability.
In this article, we will discuss that through automated real-time network monitoring, organizations can create continuous feedback loops to identify emerging threats, assess their impact on network infrastructure, and take corrective actions in an automated fashion without requiring the individual team members to make a decision as per Netpicker.
Why is it necessary to have automated network monitoring?
Today’s networks consist of large numbers of connected devices, SaaS applications, various forms of cloud services, remote locations, etc. The interconnected nature of all the systems and services creates an environment where even minor incidents can impact mission-critical services in rapid succession.
The following points indicate why there is the need for automated network monitoring based on multiple studies:
- According to the Uptime Institute, 70% of outages during 2023 were caused by a lack of visibility into the environment; many of these incidents were preventable with adequate real-time monitoring capabilities.
- Cisco’s global networking trends report found that 60% of all organizations do not possess sufficient visibility into their infrastructure to quickly remediate incidents.
- Gartner Group also states that continuous network monitoring and automated response efforts will decrease MTTR for organizations by at least 40% through 2026.
Why there is a shift from reactive monitoring to automated feedback loops?
Traditional monitoring of networks is reactive in that the engineer receives alerts, verifies the alert, and then takes some action based upon use of the monitoring tool. Unfortunately, as evidenced by industry studies, the engineer can frequently respond slowly (after hours, etc.).
Therefore, if engineers are going to successfully manage large enterprise networks, we must replace this reactive monitoring process with the more efficient automated and continuous feedback loop process, which involves three continuous components:
1. Collect
The automated continuous monitoring tool collects data from the devices, traffic flows, logs, and performance metrics on a continuous (real-time) basis.
2. Analyze
The automated monitoring system will analyze the collected data continuously using intelligence derived from pre-programmed rulesets or AI-derived algorithms to identify patterns or anomalies in the collected data.
3. Act
When a potential threat is identified, the automated continuous monitoring tool will launch a predetermined workflow process that will fix the problem and notify all stakeholders as to how the problem was addressed and resolved.
How are feedback loops developed for effective monitoring within enterprise networks?
A structured approach for implementing automated monitoring systems requires accurate data, sound policies and correct monitoring tools.
The following are the essential components:
1. Accurate Network Inventory
For an effective real-time feedback loop, accurate information is required about the devices and their configurations and dependencies within the enterprise. Therefore, enterprises must build a complete network inventory of devices and their configurations and keep this inventory updated automatically based on any changes made to them. If the enterprise does not have a complete and accurate network inventory, any network monitoring tool used cannot accurately produce telemetry analysis as per Netpicker.
2. Normalization and Correlation of Telemetry Data
Many times raw telemetry received from different vendors does not correlate or align with one another. However, the automation platforms help normalize disparate vendor telemetry data by converting it into a common format. By doing so, the Analytics Engine will have more accurately defined patterns for building analysis.
3. Define Policies for Detection & Action
Automated systems must reflect the intent of the business. Therefore, it is critical that leaders define policies that state how the network would function and what types of automated actions are acceptable (e.g., performance thresholds, security requirements, access control requirements and compliance requirements). The policies will establish the foundation for all automated decision-making.
4. Simultaneously Integrate Monitoring & Automation Systems
Real-time monitoring tools should connect to automation engines so that when an issue is detected by monitoring, it is evaluated by the automation engine and routed through the appropriate automated workflow.
5. Validate Automated Actions Prior to Deployment
Although automation will improve response time, it still requires careful management. Enterprise networks require validation frameworks that test automated workflows before deployment to production devices. Simulated testing of automated workflows will help ensure that automated actions do not create new vulnerabilities in network monitoring.
6. Provide For Human Oversight of Automated Actions
Automation replaces repetitive tasks; however, engineers require an overview of what is taking place and a means to track the actions taken. Real-time dashboards can give teams visibility to trends and enable them to review and adjust policy as the network changes over time.
Let’s see the use cases to leverage the power of feedback loops.
Organizations that require speed, security, and reliability will find real-time automated feedback loops, which are as follows:
1. Enhancing Application Performance
Monitoring tools are equipped to detect latency, jitter, packet drops, etc., and will initiate workflows to adjust routing and/or bandwidth to maintain consistent performance for critical applications as per Netpicker.
2. Enhancing Security
Unusual traffic, unauthorised access or device misconfiguration can all be identified quickly, and automated responses can isolate them, modify ACLs, or trigger additional scans as per Netpicker.
3. Reducing Outage Times & MTTR
Link failures, hardware degradation, and device misconfigurations can be resolved much faster as the automated response process starts immediately, and teams can concentrate on making broader improvements rather than dealing with unexpected issues in network monitoring.
4. Supporting Cloud and Hybrid Workloads
Because cloud workloads can grow quickly, automated feedback loops can dynamically modify corresponding network paths, firewall rules, and performance thresholds.
In conclusion, enterprises that employ real-time monitoring with an automated response action will provide the visibility, speed, and knowledge necessary to sustain an organization’s ability to function in a controllable manner, secure its network, and establish a foundation for successful operations. To know more about network monitoring, contact us at Netpicker!