How to Improve Network Reliability
If the network is the backbone of any digital organization, then it’s not a big leap to conclude that network reliability is a crucial measure of that organization’s ability to operate effectively and competitively.
In this article, we’ll define network reliability in plain terms that even non-technical folks can understand – and why it’s so important. Plus, we’ll share actionable advice on the factors that affect network reliability and how to optimize it.
What is Network Reliability?
Here’s a straightforward definition of network reliability, courtesy of Scott Wheeler, Cloud Practice Lead at the consulting firm Asperitas:
“Network reliability refers to the ability of a network to remain operational and available for use, often expressed as a percentage of uptime,” Wheeler says.
Indeed, uptime is the fundamental measure of network reliability. When IT leaders and tech vendors talk about High-Availability services, for example, they usually refer to “five 9s”—or 99.999%—uptime, which would mean roughly five minutes of downtime per year.
(Of course, not every service aspires to that bar, and some uptime requirements or service level agreements might shave a “9” or more off the standard.)
There’s another question that other people in your organization – especially those in non-tech roles – are probably more concerned with: “Why should I care?”
And the answer is actually quite simple: Odds are, you can’t do your job without it.
“Network reliability is crucial because networks underpin most interactions between people and the services they rely on,” Wheeler says.
With that in mind, it’s important to give your network a regular check-up to ensure it's healthy and performing at optimal levels with minimal downtime.
Key Factors Affecting Network Reliability
Ensuring network reliability requires a thorough understanding of the different variables that impact performance and availability. Wheeler walked us through the fundamentals.
- Network Design & Architecture: IT pros are pretty familiar with the principle of “hope is not a plan” and its variations. The adage very much applies to networks: reliability should be planned for in the design/architecture phase as much as possible.
“Reliable networks are designed with redundancy in mind,” Wheeler says. “For example, a mesh topology provides high resilience to failures, ensuring that if one path fails, others can take over.”
- Monitoring: Strong network monitoring practices and tools are must-haves for reliability.
“Continuous network monitoring for issues like congestion, latency, and hardware failures allows for proactive management and quicker resolution of problems,” Wheeler says.
- Maintenance: As with virtually any IT system, routine and regularly scheduled maintenance is a must. That includes everything from software and firmware updates to patching to hardware inspections (and replacements when necessary). This helps reduce the possibility of downtime as a result of preventable failures on the network.
- Security: Network security is crucial to an organization’s overall posture, but it’s also vital simply to ensure that the network remains available, especially in an age where ransomware, DDoS attacks, phishing scams, and other external threats are commonplace.
“Implementing robust security measures, such as firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, data encryption, and access controls, is essential to maintaining network reliability,” Wheeler says.”
- Network Providers: Wheeler notes that selecting a reliable network connectivity provider or ISP is table stakes here, and adds that you’ll ideally have more than one for both internet and WAN connectivity.
- Network Hardware: Even as networks are increasingly defined and/or managed with code, they still rely on physical hardware to work. The quality and condition of that hardware, including cables, significantly impact reliability, Wheeler says. (Old or poor-quality hardware is more likely to fail.)
- Physical Environment: “Environmental factors like temperature, humidity, and dust can affect network hardware reliability, making it essential to control these conditions,” Wheeler advises.
- Network Capacity & Load Management: Finally, capacity planning and load management is key – an over-provisioned network might mean you’re overspending, but a lack of resources means your network is likely to fail when it’s needed most – and by the greatest number of users and applications.
Common Challenges in Maintaining Network Reliability
Before we highlight some tools and tips for boosting network reliability, let’s acknowledge some of the common challenges organizations face on this front.
For one, Wheeler notes that network upgrades – whether equipment, tooling, or other components – can be inherently challenging since administrators essentially need to keep the proverbial lights on while replacing the lightbulbs. An upgrade that takes the network down or otherwise disrupts service comes at an opportunity cost.
Second, it’s often a budget issue. IT teams are spread thin, network reliability isn’t the hottest or coolest tech trend, and Wheeler notes that redundancy – by definition – can mean doubling costs in some areas. This can be a tough sell during budget planning season.
Finally, Wheeler says that finding and retaining experienced network administrators is hard these days – they’re in demand, and the good ones know it.
Tools for Improving Network Reliability
In spite of those challenges, improving network reliability is an attainable goal. To maintain a reliable network, businesses must leverage advanced monitoring tools that detect issues early and offer real-time insights.
Here are some top tools designed to improve network reliability by providing proactive monitoring, automated alerts, and performance tracking:
- SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor: A subscription-based tool ($2,995 per year) ideal for enterprises with complex networks. It offers network health monitoring, customizable alerts, and detailed performance metrics, making it a robust solution for preventing downtime and optimizing network efficiency.
- Paessler PRTG Network Monitor: With flexible subscription plans starting at $1,799 per year, this tool is well-suited for SMBs and enterprises. It features bandwidth monitoring, SNMP traps, and customizable dashboards, providing a user-friendly interface for monitoring network activity in real time.
- Zabbix: A powerful open-source tool, Zabbix offers a free, flexible platform with capabilities such as customizable triggers and integrations. It's particularly beneficial for teams looking for cost-effective yet reliable network monitoring.
These tools equip IT teams with the ability to continuously monitor their network’s health, predict potential issues, and ensure optimal performance. By incorporating these solutions, businesses can minimize downtime and deliver consistent service quality.
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Network Reliability Best Practices & Strategies: 5 Tips
You’ve got a firm handle on the importance of network reliability, the variables that factor into performance and uptime, and an understanding of the common obstacles CTOs and their teams face in terms of effective network administration.
How about some tips and tricks for improving network reliability? Here are five network monitoring best practices to get you started:
- Prioritize Redundancy: Redundancy and reliability aren’t actually the same thing, but they go hand-in-hand when it comes to IT networks. If a single failure can take everything down, even for a matter of seconds, then you’re not redundant enough.
“Ensure redundancy in all aspects of the network, including hardware and connectivity, to minimize the impact of any single point of failure,” Wheeler says.
- Implement Robust Monitoring and Alerting: You can’t even really measure reliability – let alone improve it – if you’re not keeping close tabs on your network environment.
“Set up comprehensive monitoring and alerting systems to track network availability and usage, enabling quick responses to issues,” Wheeler says.
- Strengthen Your Security Posture: Like redundancy, network security and network reliability go hand-in-hand. The network is the front door (and windows, and back door…) to your organization for external threat actors who want to compromise your data and other assets for profit. Don’t skimp on security.
Firewalls, intrusion detection, encryption, identity management and other access controls, and the principle of least privilege are your friends here, Wheeler says. Zero trust architecture is as well.
- Plan For and Test Disaster Recovery: Stuff happens, as the old saying goes. (That’s the Rated PG version.) Expect it and plan for “stuff,” and you'll be more resilient when things go wrong.
“Develop and regularly test disaster recovery plans to ensure the network can be reliably restored in the event of a failure,” Wheeler says.
- Develop Continuous Training and Documentation: “Just figure it out” is the management equivalent of “hope as a strategy.” It could work out fine, but we wouldn’t bet money on it. Give your people the tools and knowledge they need to do their jobs. You can’t complain about failure if you set the team up for it.
“Provide ongoing training for network administrators and maintain comprehensive documentation to support and quickly resolve network issues,” Wheeler says.
Final Thoughts
Network reliability is, unfortunately, one of those IT pillars that people only really notice when there’s a problem. It doesn’t have the marquee appeal of generative AI or cloud-native application development. Don’t let that dissuade you – a reliable network is as vital as ever.
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