The Importance of System Performance Monitoring

ByDaniel Gottilla

Business, IT consultants, system monitoring

The Importance of System Performance Monitoring

Not all of information technology support is about setting up your business’s IT infrastructure and doing damage control if a server collapses. A large portion of the work done by reputable IT consultants and consultant firms actually focuses on regular performance monitoring of your system to ensure that everything is working as it should.

In their most basic form, System Performance Monitoring is central to productivity. Most computer networks and servers operate based on available bandwidth, which determines how many users can access the server at the same time and how fast the connection will be. If there is any sort of error that occurs on the server – from a total loss to a slowdown caused by undetectable malware or other complications related to memory, disk or connectivity – your employees might experience slower connections, lost emails, or other productivity inhibitors. While these may not always cause your business to stop completely, they can cut into the work day and slow down the progress you make as an organization.

Additional concerns might occur in your software, operating systems, or even the hardware that makes up your systems. Any and all of these things might malfunction, which means that your IT system will not be working up to its full potential.

How Monitoring Helps Business

IT System Performance Monitoring can take a variety of forms, each one designed to address different issues with your system and server. Some are as simple as routine, automatic system inspections using open-source software, while others are as complex as physical testing of the system to find ways to enhance overall performance. In all cases, the end goal is a smooth-running approach to information technology that reduces the potential for error or major catastrophes later on down the road.

The one thing System Performance Monitoring does is to address issues that have their root in a poorly supported network. For example, a computer system that runs on a server meant for a smaller business may simply not have the capacity to support additional users, and the only solution may be a new infrastructure or increased bandwidth. What monitoring can do in this situation is assess how close your business is to reaching its threshold of support and alert you to the need for additional technology.

How Do I Know if I Need System Performance Monitoring?

Almost everyone needs some sort of regular system performance monitoring, no matter how small their organization. In most cases, smaller businesses can use software that automatically tests the system and provides alerts and if anything is found amiss. Many of these types of software can perform data backups and give you regular updates on the amount of server space or memory left on your system.

Larger organizations and those supporting large servers may need to look for more intensive solutions. However, because there is so much more at stake, the cost of a proprietary system is easily offset by the damage that might occur if something goes wrong.