Cisco Cisco Prime Infrastructure 3.0 White Paper
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©2015 Enterprise Management Associates, Inc. All Rights Reserved. | www.enterprisemanagement.com
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Managing Networks Today:
Network Management Megatrends 2014 Research Highlights
Finding: No Single “Source of Truth”
Which types of data are the most common, and which are most valuable for network availability and
performance monitoring? Our research findings, shown in Figure 2, indicate that there is no one
single data source to satisfy the needs. Further, there is great diversity in approaches. Only log data
achieved a majority use level, and then only barely so. Further, the size of the managed network had
a strong influence on preferences. For example, while log files are highly relevant across networks of
all sizes, management system APIs are most preferred for managing very large networks. Also, smaller
networks tend to require less data diversity. EMA recommends network management strategies that
take advantage of as many data sources as possible to ensure completeness of visibility and effective
issue recognition.
performance monitoring? Our research findings, shown in Figure 2, indicate that there is no one
single data source to satisfy the needs. Further, there is great diversity in approaches. Only log data
achieved a majority use level, and then only barely so. Further, the size of the managed network had
a strong influence on preferences. For example, while log files are highly relevant across networks of
all sizes, management system APIs are most preferred for managing very large networks. Also, smaller
networks tend to require less data diversity. EMA recommends network management strategies that
take advantage of as many data sources as possible to ensure completeness of visibility and effective
issue recognition.
Sample Size = 246
56%
41%
42%
27%
30%
24%
23%
7%
60%
40%
45%
46%
44%
44%
30%
6%
62%
65%
42%
43%
38%
42%
35%
8%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Log Files
Management system APIs
Packet inspection
NetFlow/sFlow/IPFIX
Device APIs
SNMP MIBs/traps
Synthetic test
None of the Above
Which of the following data sources is your organization using/planning
for
sustained network availability and performance monitoring?
(by managed environment size)
small (<1,001)
med (1,001-5,000)
large (5,001+)
# Network Devices
Figure 2. Data sources in use or planned for sustained network availability and performance monitoring