Network Diagramming Channel Feature

Managing and Diagramming Networks and Apps in the Cloud

By Ashok Bindra
TMCnet Contributor

Network diagramming in the cloud continues to become more challenging as cloud computing gets more complex. Some of these difficulties include lack of network capacity, over-stretched networking capacity between the LAN and the cloud, provider-to-provider networking problems, utilization of multiple cloud providers, network re-configuration and latency, and bottlenecks.

Simply put, any enterprise that does not keep up with the latest, most efficient technology is going to be left behind, says Dells cloud computing expert Matt Smith. In other words, according to Smith, it means that every department of an organization has to be subjected to a painstakingly, well diversified technological make-over. A good example is the bring your own device (BYOD) movement that is leading to ubiquitous mobile electronic devices.

Dell’s (News - Alert) cloud expert thinks that BYOD devices are motivating new levels of productivity and employee-employer/employee-the-world connectivity never before seen. As a result, it shows why enterprises need to maximize network diagramming as well as performance. Such amelioration, however, is possible only if specific best practices are proactively pursued, asserts Smith.

Some such practices involve setting up gateways, firewalls, anti-malware/viruses, data removal strategies, and strong passwords, replacing old data centers and out-of-date LAN technologies, using a combination of virtual/physical appliances for end-user-experience monitoring while outside the cloud, continuously verifying service level commitment by service provider(s), utilizing application dependency maps, as/when needed, opting for browser-based, agentless end-user-experience monitoring straddling different cloud models, and measuring network performance by way of any network path in order to pinpoint whether a problem should be attributed to CSP (News - Alert) or your environment.

It is also recommended to conduct end-to-end transaction analyses in order to ascertain the source of performance problems without delay. In addition, quickly identifying and managing performance bottlenecks in database tiers, application, etc., ascertaining if application performance is being negatively affected by the cloud, the network used to access such, or by your environment, setting up real-time alerts if/when throughput or network latency is negatively affecting performance, cost-effectively managing bandwidth requirements in migrating applications to the cloud, developing and  utilizing workable application dependency maps, and quickly identifying and addressing network misconfigurations are highly important.

One company that can help your network and application perform better in the cloud environment is OPNET. Its network diagramming and performance solution AppResponse Xpert will enable you to view detailed insight into the problems harming performance of your Web and non-Web applications.