Enterprise networks require sufficient network bandwidth to support critical applications and smooth business. Bandwidth management and network monitoring are needed to continuously monitor network performance. What exactly is the function of bandwidth in the network and how to manage network performance in the midst of increasing consumer bandwidth?

Understanding Bandwidth in Networks

Bandwidth is a measurement of data transfer capacity in a network. Bandwidth is roughly the same as an internet network, more data can flow smoothly on wider roads. Increased bandwidth will result in higher speeds and smoother performance. 

As a company grows in scale, the demand for data transfer will be higher. Therefore, a higher bandwidth network is needed from various sectors of the company if business is to run smoothly. 

Factors that Hinder Efficient Use of Network Bandwidth

Network administrators and architects design their networks to have sufficient bandwidth. However, even if the network has enough capacity, it may not be using the bandwidth efficiently. There are often network bottlenecks and congestion that cause problems such as latency and slow response times. 

Here are some factors that hinder the efficient use of network bandwidth:

  • Routers, switches, and ethernet cables that are too old or outdated. 
  • Improper cabling strategy. 
  • Software bugs.
  • Malware occurrence. 
  • Large applications that consume more memory, backup, and network resources.
  • Improper bandwidth allocation for applications.
  • Weak network design. 
  • Poor Virtual LAN (VLAN) management. 

Tips for Managing Network Performance Amidst Increased Consumer Bandwidth

When calculating bandwidth requirements, network teams are certainly wary of not having enough bandwidth to support application usage and the number of users on their network. On the other hand, network admins are also careful to avoid over-provisioning bandwidth, which is also not good because it can waste money on capacity that the company doesn’t really need. 

The following are some tips for efficiently using bandwidth and managing your network in the midst of increasing consumer bandwidth:

1. Assessing and Monitoring Network Traffic

To optimize network performance and increase bandwidth, network teams need to understand the traffic patterns that occur within the network. This involves identifying bottlenecks, detecting anomalies, and making data-driven decisions to improve performance. 

To effectively assess and monitor network traffic, the following steps need to be taken:

  • Select the right data source
  • Identify key network applications
  • Implement a network monitoring solution. 

By following these three steps, your enterprise network team will be able to build a robust network monitoring system to help monitor network performance and make informed decisions to optimize bandwidth. 

2. Update Router Firmware and Optimize Settings

Updating the router firmware and optimizing its settings can significantly increase network bandwidth. Here’s how to update the router firmware properly:

  • Check the manufacturer’s website to check for firmware updates
  • Download the latest update file for the router model being used
  • Log in to the router using the IP address
  • Upload the downloaded update file to the router 
  • Reboot the router to complete the update process. 

After that, optimize the router settings to improve network performance. The method is as follows:

  • Switch Wi-Fi channel to a less congested one
  • Enable Quality of Service (QoS) to prioritize traffic to critical applications
  • Set up guest networks to separate traffic to prevent bandwidth abuse 
  • Limit device connections to prevent bandwidth saturation. 

If the router is running with the most recent firmware and using optimized settings, it will result in improved network performance and increased bandwidth resulting in smoother overall performance. 

3. Implement Quality of Service (QoS) Policy

Implementing a QoS policy is critical to optimizing a network. QoS policies allow network administrators to prioritize certain types of traffic, thus ensuring critical applications receive the necessary bandwidth and resources. 

How to implement QoS is as follows:

  • Identify critical applications that require more priority handling and more resource allocation. 
  • Classify traffic into categories based on priority, so that critical applications can receive the necessary resources. 
  • Configure QoS settings on network devices such as routers and switches to prioritize traffic accordingly. 
  • Continuously monitor network performance and adjust QoS policies as needed to ensure optimal performance. 

4. Utilize Load Balancing Techniques

Load balancing is an important technique for optimizing networks and ensuring efficient bandwidth. With this technique, no single server is overwhelmed by incoming requests. By distributing incoming traffic across multiple servers, load balancing can improve availability, scalability, and application performance. 

5. Upgrade to Higher Performance Hardware

Upgrading the hardware used by the company is also very important because it can significantly improve network performance. With the increasing demand for modern business applications, traditional networks will struggle to keep up. Not only will the performance increase, but quality hardware will also increase security. 

6. Reduce Network Congestion with Traffic Shaping

A congested network can have a very significant impact on performance. Delays and reduced productivity are the result of network congestion. To reduce this problem, implement traffic shaping, a bandwidth management technique that regulates the amount of incoming and outgoing data on the network. It also categorizes, queues, and directs traffic according to network policies. 

7. Periodic Network Maintenance and Upgrades

Finally, network maintenance and upgrades are essential to ensure optimal network performance and prevent bandwidth problems. The network team should regularly monitor network performance, identify bottlenecks, and analyze bandwidth usage to detect potential problems before they occur. 

Regular maintenance helps prevent network downtime, reduces the risk of security breaches, and ensures that the network is running efficiently. Regular maintenance also allows the network team to identify and address issues before they affect network performance. 

Software and hardware also need to be updated to keep the network running smoothly. Outdated software and hardware can lead to compatibility issues, security vulnerabilities, and poor network performance. Updating firmware, software, and hardware regularly can increase network speed, reduce latency, and improve performance. Bandwidth management and network monitoring are indispensable in an enterprise network so that it is always smooth and can serve customers well. Use a reliable network monitoring tool such as Netmonk from Telkom Indonesia. Already used by various large companies in the country, just check Netmonk products on the website!