The A-Z Of Network Operations (NetOps)

Here is a riddle for you!

Which top-secret, independent, intelligent agency is disguised as a classical chain of tailor shops?
Anyone?

No?

Let us help you with a hint: the agency is dedicated to upholding peace and protecting the world from terrorists and other major threats.

Bingo! The Kingsman agency.

What would your reaction be if we said the Kingsman agency is more or less like Network Operations? Perplexed?

Well, the Kingsman agency works on three technological pillars to accomplish any mission - automation, virtualization and integration of all possible new technologies. This lets the agency help its agents to work with precision and speed toward their end goals – saving the world!

Similarly, Network Operations incorporate automation and virtualization technologies that are integrated to streamline operations. NetOps has its own three pillars – network virtualization, network automation and AI-based network tools – that help networking teams run modern networks and minimize manual intervention. The pillars also allow the networking teams to extend beyond on-premises networks to virtual networks connected to public and private clouds.

Sounds exciting, right? If you’re prepared to adapt and learn, let’s unwrap Network Operations; its origin, importance, benefits and bright future!
 

Let’s Begin With What Is Network Operations?

Do you know the Kingsman agency maintains peace in the world by managing strategies that rely on automating and optimizing processes to achieve tasks with speed and accuracy? Well, now you do! Network Operations works similarly to the Kingsman agency. Network Operations or NetOps is a network management strategy for automating and optimizing processes in an organization.

What’s even more intriguing is that just like Kingsman agency, NetOps relies on a single team to plan, deploy, secure and update enterprise networking hardware and software. By reducing networking siloes, it improves opportunities for optimization and integration so the team can look at the network as a whole, rather than in individual parts.

Additionally, NetOps uses agile methodologies to break a network into several parts, which support more efficient automation, security, performance monitoring, updates and patching, as well as data collection and management of the network as a whole. Do you need more?

Well, now that you know about Network Operations, let’s dig deeper into the past of NetOps.
 

Origin Of Network Operations

The way networks are managed and operate today is nothing like the fragmented, manual processes that have been followed in the past. Here is a glimpse into the past to the present of NetOps.
 

• The Birth Of Networks 

  The history of Network Operations dates back to the late 1960s when the concept of data communications between computers began. The Local Area Network (LAN) soon replaced the previous model of a centralized computing node and its terminals. At the same time, the development of TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) and Ethernet further stimulated the growth of networking in enterprises. Soon, operating systems were developed to handle the interconnection of various networks without any security issues.

• Arrival Of UNIX

  After a failed attempt to develop Multics, a large and complex networking system, in 1969, Dennis Ritchie developed the C programming language, allowing UNIX to become the first portable operating system.

• Netware Enters

  Novell became a pioneer in the network operating system in 1986 with the release of the Netware S-Net device. This turned the IBM XT, a popular personal computer, into a file-sharing system. Novell also developed its Network Operating System (NOS) called Netware simultaneously.

• Current Era 

  Today, the major players in the NetOps market are Windows, Netware (current version 6.5) and CISCO IOS (Internetwork Operating System). Unix-based networking systems such as Linux or BSD Unix are also popular today.

After knowing the origin, it’s time to know the working of NetOps in the next section.
 

Working Of Network Operations

   

Stage 1: Monitor

A network operator will monitor and troubleshoot network communication and other issues through diagnostic tools and network management. The tool will do timely checks on both wireless and wired
network infrastructure equipment and provide necessary assistance for its maintenance.

Stage 2: Test

The network operator then tests the network services functions to develop alternate routing scenarios in the event of network issues.

Stage 3: Evaluate

The last stage is to evaluate and rectify any technical problem that arises in the existing or new networks. (Note – It is not an overnight practice. NetOps should be followed persistently in any organization.)

The next section elaborates on why you should put consistent efforts into Network Operations. Stay tuned!
 

Importance Of Network Operations

Do you remember the scene in Kingsman where Richmond Valentine, an internet billionaire and philanthropist, transmitted neurological waves via SIM cards to make human beings more aggressive? If you remember this, then you might also remember that the Kingsman agency saved the world from him. This incident showcases the importance of the Kingsman agency to the world. Now that you know the importance of the Kingsman agency, let’s move forward and know the importance of Network Operations.

Modern businesses are upgrading their networks to provide applications and services faster and more reliably. The NetOps transformation is taking place to address shortcomings in networks by making them more responsive and adaptable. Moreover, NetOps helps organizations respond quickly and consistently to new requests and events while minimizing manual intervention using network automation, orchestration and virtualization. The gist is switching to the NetOps approach is that it provides clear business advantages, including faster service delivery and enhanced data security.
After knowing its importance, the next section brings the benefits of Network Operations.
 

Benefits Of Network Operations

The world is changing. There is a reason why organizations are switching to NetOps. Let’s raise the curtain on the benefits of NetOps:
 

• Faster Provisioning And Deployment

  NetOps teams can provision and deploy network devices more quickly because routers, switches and network security are virtualized rather than physically deployed as part of the network infrastructure.

• Consistent Improvement

  Automated network management supports continuous improvement as well as new applications and services.

• Proactive Remediation

  By using AI-based network monitoring tools, NetOps teams can proactively identify and remediate network performance and security issues.

• Easy Troubleshooting

  NetOps uses AI for IT operations and Network Detection and Response (NDR) tools to speed up network troubleshooting.

• Enhanced Visibility And Network Analytics

  Network monitoring and analytics are provided via Machine Learning (ML) tools, which monitor network health and provide comprehensive visibility.

We are not done yet; the bright future of Network Operations is in the following section.
 

The Bright Future Of Network Operations

Network Operations teams usually employ network performance monitoring tools to manage enterprise network performance. However, as network usage and deployments have grown, many organizations are seeking alternative performance monitoring methods.

AIOps (Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations) adoption is the future of network health monitoring. The complexity of public and private clouds, as well as advances in edge computing, has increased network congestion and bottlenecks. Teams are now realizing that the amount of collected network data about its performance will become so large that it will overwhelm their ability to process it. Hence, AIOps tools that automatically analyze data and deliver fixes for network performance issues in real time will be a much-needed solution.

Another future approach could be Network Function Virtualization (NFV), a way to virtualize network services such as routers, firewalls, etc. Service providers can deploy new network services and applications on demand using NFV, thereby improving the scalability and agility of NetOps.
 

It's A Wrap

Operating a network in an optimal state at all times can be challenging. Any company that operates its network needs to have processes in place so it can monitor and manage its network, detect issues and take corrective action before any problems become major outages. Network Operations involve everything from monitoring performance and uptime to analyzing traffic logs and making recommendations for improving efficiency.