Why Unified Network Management Platform (UNMP)?

Wireless no longer plays second fiddle to the traditional wired network. IT deployments have evolved from basic configurations in conference rooms and corridors to large implementations covering entire buildings and campuses.

As IT departments continue the long transformation process to virtual and hybrid infrastructures, one factor remains constant – they need to know what is happening on their network, because without the network being up and performing well, nothing works. The key to operational efficiency means more automation and integrated management solutions, so that network managers and operators can focus on managing the network rather than managing the network management system.

A unified network management platform that provides a holistic perspective of all network assets can help network admins quickly diagnose and resolve issues on either network, ultimately improving performance and reducing operating expenses.

A unified network management product should make common network functions manageable from a single console. Such functions include planning, provisioning, configuring, monitoring (including performance, security and integrity monitoring), handling exceptions, logging and reporting. The console must also include elements that are unique to wireless management, such as connection reliability, spectrum management and monitoring, location and tracking functionality, and additional security concerns.

A unified network is one that integrates wired and wireless components, which share network elements and services where feasible, rather than existing as two separate networks. There is an industry trend toward unified networking as a way to deal with an increasingly mobile workforce accessing corporate networks remotely through a variety of devices, including smartphones and tablets as well as notebook and desktop computers.

The concept of unified network management has been discussed for years, so it is not quite an emerging technology. Network engineers can identify, configure, monitor, update and troubleshoot all of their wired and wireless network devices from a single integrated console. This approach — often referred to as a “single pane of glass” — eliminates the need for network admins to toggle between multiple network management tools to diagnose a performance issue or reconfigure devices.