Cisco performance management tools

Cisco servers are used to host business-critical applications; Cisco firewalls are used as entry-point security systems; Cisco routers are used to route business critical traffic across the network infrastructure; the list goes on and on. Every minute, Cisco devices all over the world are responsible for processing and transmitting data worth millions of dollars.

In addition to this, the need for organizations to get the most out of every penny invested in their Cisco IT infrastructure makes Cisco management a critical component of any organization's well-defined network monitoring and management policy.

The various factors to consider in Cisco management, which is comprised of Cisco server management, Cisco firewall management, Cisco UCS management, Cisco router management, and Cisco switch management, includes: uptime availability ; chassis input and output power; fan speed; motherboard power consumption; motherboard input voltage, current, etc. ManageEngine OpManager is integrated, simplified Cisco management software that helps IT admins across the globe manage their Cisco network infrastructure.

The following are some of the highlights of OpManager that makes it one of the most preferred Cisco management software in the market. Apart from the support for the default set of Cisco devices, OpManager also offers the option to create custom device templates for monitoring other Cisco devices, enabling any Cisco device in a network with a valid IP address to be managed using OpManager.

OpManager's Cisco management capabilities are not limited to the physical Cisco devices; network admins can also monitor and manage the interfaces associated with these Cisco devices in order to ensure efficient network performance.

OpManager's cisco monitoring comes with Workflow, an automation tool that helps admins automate routine Cisco management and maintenance activities. This includes basic fault management operations, like Cisco device ping to check status and restarting or shutting down Cisco devices, as well as advanced fault management activities like executing custom scripts, pushing configurations to Cisco devices, raising tickets via IT service management ITSM tools, etc.

Workflow not only helps IT admins manage device-level fault management operations, but also supports fault management for processes and services that run on these devices. The success of a well-defined Cisco management strategy depends on the level of visibility network admins have on their Cisco infrastructure. These network visualization tools help admins gain a holistic view of their Cisco network organization. They can also help admins identify the potential impact of a fault in a Cisco device, understand dependencies and data flow between various Cisco devices, etc.

Want to learn how OpManager's visualization tools can help you gain a better visual of your Cisco network environment? Request a free demo now! Network Assistant is made by Cisco for both wired and wireless network management.

Its useful features include network discovery and the ability to create a topology map, so you can visualize your network devices and connections. You can use Cisco Network Assistant to perform configuration and device management, or as one of your Cisco troubleshooting tools for common networking issues. The tool allows network administrators to manage their Cisco network devices in a centralized panel.

It provides basic health monitoring and uses Cisco Active Advisor to give extra details on device life cycles, allowing you to view warranty and contract information, any product advisories about the device, and end-of-life notifications. It includes event notifications for any errors in your network, and you can set thresholds for alarms to be sent in the case of major problems. Large enterprises will need additional software or a more comprehensive tool.

As a free product, it offers a starting point while you make your case for management to fund a professional solution. Spiceworks Network Monitor is another good, free option for smaller businesses lacking the budget for a premium solution. The tool is easy to set up and installs quickly. It provides network insights in real time, so you can spot performance issues or errors on critical devices before they become major problems for your end users. The Spiceworks real-time dashboard is intuitive and comprehensive: it shows everything clearly in one place, enabling you to gain a broad picture of network performance.

Spiceworks is an active online community with millions of IT professionals and hundreds of tech vendors, including Cisco. This means through the Spiceworks interface you have access to help not only from Spiceworks users, but also from Cisco representatives. By implementing Cisco network monitoring tools, IT professionals can automate what would otherwise be a lengthy and tedious process. For small businesses looking into how to monitor Cisco switches and other devices, you may find a free tool is enough.

Performance: When you have several devices on your network, small changes in the performance of one device can majorly affect the performance of others. These issues can radically affect how efficient and productive your employees are. Security: One of the most crucial parts of network administration is keeping your network and enterprise data secure.

Undetected breaches could rapidly spread through your systems, wreaking havoc on your network, and data leaks could cause major losses to your company in terms of both reputation and money. Monitoring can be vital in detecting security threats before they take over your entire network. You can schedule automatic network discoveries through OpManager—view scheduled and on-demand network maps on customizable ManageEngine dashboards. Monitor, analyze, and troubleshoot existing and potential network problems with this option from ManageEngine.

Datadog is a cloud-based tool built to discover network devices and their connections, then draw a network topology diagram. Use this map to quickly spot inconsistencies and changes in data.

You can also view live device statuses, capture packets, and analyze utilities with the Datadog network performance management tool. Datadog is designed with auto-discovery features used to generate device inventories and form indexes of your key tasks. These are designed to automatically adjust to network changes, keeping you up to date. Datadog enables you to store traffic on the cloud server for historical analysis.

This could let you investigate root causes after problems are solved and inform the implementation of preventative measures. Datadog also enables you to create alerts based on thresholds, which are automatically collected and adjusted through machine learning. Access a day free trial. Paessler PRTG is advanced network performance management software designed to collect network data from all devices, systems, and applications in your network.

PRTG is built to display this information in a hierarchical view for the utmost organization. Create rich visualizations with the PRTG map designer, which are created to integrate all network components together for in-depth analysis. These visualizations include charts, lists, graphs, and more with easy-to-detect icons.

PRTG is designed to fully support these visuals without additional plug-ins. PRTG also supports in-depth reports, which you could run on-demand and schedule daily, weekly, or monthly—plus, easily export these reports as PDF or HTML forms among others to simplify network performance management and collaboration.

But how is all this data leveraged to make actual decisions about pay and promotion? These are open questions that are still being tested. The good news is that the increase in the quantity and quality of data gives organizations more information on performance and better-quality data with which to identify high performers and make appropriate pay, promotion, and other rewards decisions. Better-quality data also makes course corrections easier for both individuals and the PM system itself.

But the work continues, and many organizations find this the hardest aspect of PM to transform. While most companies may wish to create a single, simple PM system across the organization, many are finding that doing this is challenging in practice. At many global companies, regulatory or cultural factors restrict many PM innovations, and can even require organizations to maintain ratings.

Adidas Group, for instance, found that its employees in Asia wanted a more traditional, structured approach, while US workers wanted a more agile process. Finding the right solution takes time and commitment. In its research, the NeuroLeadership Institute found that 88 percent of companies took two years to gain significant traction with a new PM system. Training and change management are the most important elements of success in this endeavor.

Habits and culture change slowly and through persistence. Given this ferment of experimentation, it is not surprising that the HR software industry is finding itself in flux.

In many ways, HR departments are ahead of HR technology providers. The vast majority of PM software tools, including those developed by market leaders and major human capital management cloud vendors, were developed around the old once-a-year model.

Still, a small but growing segment of the PM tools market is leading the world of HR software in a completely new direction. The dominant characteristics of newer tools include:. As the PM revolution gathers speed, the final chapter has yet to be written. Most businesses today believe they have permission to reinvent, experiment, and innovate with PM systems.

A few short years ago, this was not true. Now, the weight of experience and the clear benefits for both organizations and employees have pushed this trend dramatically forward. Companies are exploring and finding what works for their highly individualized situations. It is an exciting evolution—pioneered by the foresight and courage of a few innovative organizations several years ago.

Patagonia, a designer and manufacturer of outdoor apparel and accessories, embarked on a new, team-centric performance program two years ago. Today, Patagonia encourages individuals to set financial and stretch goals using the OKR methodology and to check in at least quarterly with their managers.

The company has eliminated year-end ratings. Bonuses are based on goal attainment, and base pay is allocated according to skills and relative performance.

The entire process has been implemented through a mobile app called HighGround. These developments did not happen overnight. For Patagonia, transforming PM took years of rethinking, retraining, and reeducating employees.

Now that effort has paid off. The new PM process has generated better financial performance, improved individual performance, and strengthened engagement. Patagonia has shown that people and teams who participate more regularly in check-ins and feedback outperform their peers on a wide range of financial and talent measures. Other organizations that revolutionized performance management several years ago are still reaping significant rewards.

Since the new approach is a continuous performance process, either managers or direct reports can request a check-in at any point during the year.

Using its engagement survey from as the baseline, Adobe continues to monitor the progress and effectiveness of its Check-in program.