Evolving technology has changed the face of network management. While network monitoring and application performance management (APM) agents continue to collect data and cloud computing, IT is now seeing an increased emphasis on log management software that can help analyze the performance of that data.

Logs now deliver data that can be correlated with other data to customize performance from server to end-user. Materials for performance analysis include network performance monitoring, application performance monitoring, and a variety of other metrics. The logs also provide security information and event management (SIEM), which is more important as cybersecurity threats in the network.

Monitoring Network Complexity

Network metrics in the cloud are reported by the cloud provider, but the reality is different. The end-user experience when using the network requires other metrics because cloud providers tend to provide visibility of the network services they serve only but no reports on other things that internet users also need. Even network performance is also poorly explained from cloud provider metrics.

Network performance today is determined by the context of the application that implements the business services that an enterprise relies on. The context is a moving target, along with almost constant software infrastructure changes. Because of this, network monitoring is always evolving with the development of software and other related technologies.

The evolution in technology is rapid and seems to require constant change. This reality is driving significant growth. Network monitoring is now required to be able to monitor the complexities that occur in the network so that network performance can be fully measured.

Multiple Sides of a Dynamic Log

Log management and analytics management are very dynamic, offering new functionality that is customized to provide a targeted view of the network and applications. The following are some of the widely used log management:

  • Observational log management includes Cribl, DataDog, Elastic, Grafana, Graylog, IBM Instana, New Relic, Sumo Logic, Riverbed, and others.
  • APM companies such as Broadcom, BMC, Dynatrace, and others have also adopted observability.
  • Most instrumental today are cloud providers, led by AWS, Google, and Microsoft. All three manage observability data within their respective clouds and sometimes outside their clouds.
  • In addition, various older network performance vendors, including Cisco, NetScout, ManageEngine, SolarWinds, and others, also play an important role in the market.

Security-related upgrades and cloud migration account for most of the product activity in the network. Overall, the industry continues to address the cost, complexity, and volume of information issues that go along with the wider use of log management in multiclouds.

More Data Metrics to Understand

To better monitor a network, there are actually more data metrics to understand. Once cloud environments and SaaS (software-as-a-service) providers are added, everything in the network becomes much more complex. There is more data to absorb in a single network, then to parse and to really understand. Metrics can be measured in terms of APM, network, and security.

Graylog, which started as an opensource machine data analysis tool project, is now focusing more on SIEM and log management solutions. Graylog has also acquired API Security Solution from Resurface.io to enhance API security tools.

Network performance technology has now gone far beyond its initial use in terms of troubleshooting. Network monitoring tools are rapidly evolving along with the complexity of the environment. Leveraging centralized log management allows operations teams to correlate and understand anomalies and data transfers between systems and from cloud to cloud.

One of the issues faced is the technically incompatible monolithic metrics systems and cloud-native microservices systems. Tracking and correlating these kinds of diverse data points is one of the reasons behind Graylog’s move to acquire new API security tools. By doing so, Graylog can address even more complex issues than before.

Correlation of Log Data and Cloud

There is more network performance data today than ever before. It is not easy to correlate this growing amount of data. Moreover, the types of data are increasingly diverse. Stable features in technology evolution are also increasingly needed in network monitoring. As a result, performance and other metrics end up in chaos whenever there is a major change in the computing paradigm, from mainframes to micro-cloud native services, and so on.

Grafana Labs originally grew out of an effort to visualize time series data, which led to the Grafana Cloud observation platform. It combines logs, visualization, metrics, and several other capabilities. Grafana Labs then acquired Asserts.AI, an effort made to help correlate system component metrics and to alert operations teams to necessary performance trends. The less visibility a company has, the more it continues to pay.

What Happens After the Data Flood?

The flood of log data in modern machines can hold companies back. These days, log data can include user activity data for market planning and travel to big data or data warehouses. This data flood fact points to an increased emphasis on an ecosystem approach to performance management seen through the lens of transactions.

Logs are used for many reasons, including performance management. There are companies that use Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), others still use NetFlow. Some still use synthetic transactions that focus on user experience. Of course, many still use the data packets themselves as a source across the network.

Log management is also part of the portfolio, along with key integrations. Network performance management is truly at a crossroads for many companies. This is due to complexity, number of vendors, volume of network traffic, and the importance of migration from one location to another.

Knowing the Context of Network Monitoring Implementation

The steps that need to be taken now are to apply analysis to network data, which requires very precise data collection. This is clearly not easy because the amount of data is increasing. Network users and vendors have begun to face the “boil the ocean” syndrome, where intensive collection of available data has proven to be very difficult and unaffordable for customers.

Collecting data in the network and monitoring it does require high precision. Therefore, use a network monitoring service that is definitely of high quality, such as Netmonk Prime. Having a mission to improve a better monitoring experience, you can rely on Netmonk Prime to monitor the company’s IT needs, such as networks, servers, and Web/API. Also supported by various superior features such as real-time alerts via the Telegram application or e-mail, effortless reporting that makes it easy for users to report in PDF format, and a dashboard display that is easy to understand by the IT team and managerial team.Netmonk Prime has been trusted by more than 1000 users from companies in Indonesia. Interested in trying and proving it? Try the demo for 14 days FREE by visiting our website and requesting a quote by filling out the quote form, and see for yourself how easy it is.