Every IT Manager knows that selecting the proper network equipment and properly installing it is only half the battle. result of ban network maintenance management Maintaining the highest efficiency levels for all of the equipment as well as ensuring that your networking equipment has the longest possible lifespan are just as important. How can it be done? Although the answer is a simple one, it is not always obvious. The key is maintenance management!

Most IT professionals are aware of manufacturer programs like Cisco SMARTnet and Juniper J-Care. It is common knowledge that purchasing these maintenance contracts for your equipment will guarantee a repair or replacement if you have a failure. Which is wonderful to have in conjunction with keeping spares on hand. However, is that really all that these expensive maintenance contracts are really good for, replacements?

The answer is, not really. Programs like SMARTnet and J-Care not only provide hardware maintenance when an equipment failure occurs, they also provide important software updates that enable the routers, switches and firewalls you are running, to perform at their highest efficiency levels. Many IT professionals are unaware of this or simply do not have the time to go through all of their equipment and download software updates. An IT Managers’ time is precious, if he or she tries to take on every task that needed to be done within their network, their head would surely explode.

network equipment maintenanceThis is where a network maintenance manager comes into play. It is important for every IT Manager to have a person who is responsible for managing all of the maintenance that the network requires. Maintaining a network, be it big or small, requires more than just downloading software and calling the manufacturer for repairs. There are other important maintenance procedures that need to be monitored. Things like keeping software licenses current, managing the warranties on all of the equipment, and keeping all of the equipment in the network clean and easily accessible.

 

The fact of the matter is that many companies are experiencing decreased network performance and ever increasing costs due to the absence of a dedicated network maintenance manager. Having a network maintenance strategy along with someone to implement it, will ensure that all running network equipment has a current support contract, warranty and up to date licenses. It will also be their responsibility to confirm that the company is no longer paying for support contracts on equipment that has been decommissioned. In short, having a dedicated network equipment maintenance manager will save your company tens of thousands of dollars.

So I ask you… are you using your maintenance programs to their full potential? Is there someone dedicated to managing all of the maintenance for the equipment housed in your network? If you are unsure, or the answer is no, then it is time to re-evaluate your maintenance management strategy and focus more on your networks needs.

Want to know more about what you can do to ensure that your network is being properly maintained?

data center management