Does your network have a mind of its own? - Technology Information

Communications News, April, 2001 by Jonathan Chauvin-Blitt

Integrating intelligent patching into a network's topology and attaching analyzers bolsters competitiveness.

As an enterprise grows, so do the complexities of its networks--and the task of monitoring them becomes close to superhuman. Although network management may be hidden away from the procedures of everyday business, it is still critical to company operations. If the network is down, business is down, period. Outages clearly highlight the need for greater monitoring and control over the physical layer of today's networks. Enter the need for an intelligent network.

Intelligent networks provide IT managers and their staffs with the ability to know at all times where a network is located, how it is being used, who is using it, and when it is not working. Recent developments in these technologies have decreased infrastructure management and downtime costs and have streamlined the monitoring and troubleshooting processes.

Intelligent networks have the potential to save enterprises tens of thousands of dollars in the proper assessment and tracking of the physical layer itself. As much as 40% of core network switch ports may not be in use because of out-of-date physical layer records and inadequate network management tools. In addition, intelligent networks can facilitate time-consuming employee moves, adds and changes, and can protect the network from potentially malicious alterations.

EDUCATING YOUR NETWORK

Enterprises that have already invested millions of dollars in infrastructure need a way to easily and affordably add advanced monitoring and control systems to their networks. One of the easiest ways for a company to update its cabling systems is to push the intelligence to the patch panel level. By introducing sensor strips into the patch panel and modifying the patch cord with an additional wire that makes the connection between patched ports, companies can, on a real-time basis, monitor physical-layer port activity.

An analyzer connected to the patch panel interprets the connection and provides 100% real-time connectivity records. If a problem occurs, the software will pinpoint the location, immediately inform the network manager and automatically update the records when the situation is resolved.

There are two ways in which a company can integrate intelligent patching into its network topology. The optimal way of introducing this technology into an existing architecture is to begin replacing in-service patch panels in small quantities during off-peak work hours. While this might constitute a significant overall expense, intelligent panels can be installed for an incremental cost, with the analyzers added to the system at a later date.

STRATEGIC DEPLOYMENT

Realistically, not every company will expend the resources to employ such a system across its network. For those companies requiring a more customized approach, installing intelligent panels specifically in new and mission-critical cabling projects may offer a viable alternative. This type of strategic deployment will afford smaller companies a means of employing advanced network management capabilities previously only available to much larger enterprises. This method's greatest limitation, however, is its inability to deliver complete connectivity records, thereby reducing the overall effectiveness of the system.

Today, physical layer cabling is thought of as a business support system that facilitates the distribution of telecommunications and local area network services. It is seen as more of a foundation than as an integrated part of the whole communications system. The fit-and-forget approach to infrastructure, however, is changing as enterprises are recognizing the critical nature of these systems and demanding higher quality of service.

Due to the increasing market demand, intelligent physical layers will quickly become the norm in enterprise network management, setting the standards for future network deployments. As enterprises increasingly expand and rely on their networking infrastructure, efficiency and reliability of those networks become competitive issues. Therefore, network designers and managers should assess the benefits of deploying intelligent networks prior to planning and upgrading their data communications infrastructure. Only in this way can enterprises ensure they remain competitive in today's capital-constrained marketplace.

Chauvin-Blitt is the president of Americas for ITT Industries, Network Systems & Services, New York, NY.

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