The backend system of every organization is complex and unique, so it can be challenging to find the right IT infrastructure monitoring solution that works with one’s network and systems.
There are two main ways to implement infrastructure monitoring:
- Hire a third-party service to install and monitor your infrastructure
- Purchase and install your own infrastructure monitoring tools yourself
Whichever option you decide on, it is important to implement a solution for monitoring your entire IT infrastructure. A few things to consider when determining the right infrastructure monitoring solution for your business are what aspects of your system you wish to focus on, including:
Performance/Availability → Applications
Utilization/Depletion → Operating systems
Physical Health → Hardware
Bandwidth Consumption/Errors → Network
Hiring an Infrastructure Monitoring Service
There are various kinds of monitoring services that are offered, and it all depends on what an organization is looking for. Are they looking to monitor the network or the entire infrastructure? Are they looking to examine their servers (RAM, memory utilization, etc.) or monitor their applications (Outlook Mail, accounting packages)? Do they want a point solution or an infrastructure solution?
There are many advantages of Infrastructure Monitoring as a Service (IM. Cost efficiency, flexibility, and scalability to name a few. Hiring a third-party service can save an organization from spending a great deal of money on maintaining network equipment and hardware, or constantly upgrading their software. Monitoring providers offer the best technology, servers, and storage to cater to their client’s needs.
One of the biggest advantages of hiring a service is that they are professionals with the tools and the knowledge to pinpoint which areas need monitoring. When a client signs up for an infrastructure monitoring service, the key network servers, routers, and switches all get monitored. Simply put, it is a package deal that encompasses all aspects of network monitoring. Once a client is onboarded, all the assets and resources of the third-party service are available to the client organization including IT specialists. This is a reliable option and the integration of the monitoring services is seamless.
However, there can be a few disadvantages of hiring a service. Organizations need to hire a capable, quality company with experience and good personnel. The provider must possess all the knowledge, expertise, and tools needed to effectively monitor a large organization. When researching for the right provider, organizations should find a company with notable clientele and check that the providers are domestic rather than offshore. Around the clock monitoring is also essential, ensuring that there are always eyes on your entire IT infrastructure.
Buying & Managing Infrastructure Monitoring Tool Yourself
When finding an infrastructure monitoring solution, you should tailor your search to a network solution that meets your business needs. Some organizations are successful in implementing in-house infrastructure monitoring, while others are not.
Full disclosure, buying the tool is the easiest step. Setting it up and managing is the hard part.
One advantage of installing monitoring tools on your own is that you won’t need to rely on a third-party company. Being strictly in-house has its benefits; there is no over-dependence on the provider for your data and there are no security and user-privacy problems that come with hiring a third-party service.
On the flip side, buying your own tools and implementing them can be financially draining. An organization would need to employ a considerable number of people… people who know how to use the tools, people to monitor it, people who can train others to use the tools, etc. If an organization has the money, resources, and the support of their management team, they are more than capable of succeeding. However, if an organization is lacking in resources and support to pull through, it will be nothing more than a costly, failed project.
Simply put, buying a monitoring tool is like buying lumber and other materials to build a house. Buying an infrastructure monitoring service is just buying the house.
ODIN360 Infrastructure Monitoring
ODIN 360 is Alvaka’s 24×7 hybrid infrastructure monitoring solution provided by US-based engineers. The platform offers full visibility on a comprehensive view of the infrastructure, offering insights easily accessible in real-time dashboards. The agentless technology also adds no weight to IT infrastructure and is both scalable and adaptable to business needs.
Smoke testing is a term used to describe the testing process for servers after patches are applied. 
Estimating an average time for patching servers and PCs can be a bit tricky. It can vary from one month to the next, depending upon the number and complexity of the patches released by your software vendors. You must consider all versions of operating systems and have a complete inventory of all your application software to do this job correctly. Our experience has shown that manual patching of systems takes on average of about 1.5 hours each.
This is a basic cost calculator for you to compute your typical monthly cost for patching your servers, PCs, laptops, tablets and associated application software. It also forms the basis for you to begin calculating your Return on Investment for software patching, or for comparison with alternatives to the manual process of patching operating systems and application software—such as Patch Management as a Service, also known as Vulnerability Management as a Service.