How to analyze your company’s network to ensure its performance?

In previous articles we talked about the importance of monitoring systems to find their security gaps. In this way, we can solve them before cybercriminals can take advantage of them to infect them. The same applies to your company’s network; performing a periodic analysis of it will allow you to ensure its proper functioning, to avoid its paralysis, which could affect the development and productivity of your business activity.

In today’s article, we are going to see how to make an analysis of your company’s network and all the factors involved.

To get started….

Why is it important to perform these analyses?

Thanks to network analysis or audits, you can obtain information about its status, being able to detect errors, security breaches, obsolete infrastructures, threats, etc. A way to detect possible failures before they occur, avoiding the paralysis of the system.

How to perform an analysis or audit of your company’s network: Factors involved.

For a good analysis of your network, it is important to take into account the following aspects that make up your entire network.

Audit of the entire IT infrastructure

Thanks to this audit, a check and review of all the hardware elements of the company can be made.

In Cybermatters we have developed a very quick test, so that you can know the security level of your company. An audit to easily and effectively detect security breaches in your system, in order to remedy them.

Check the status of the server and communications room.

This room is where all the IT equipment is housed: servers, Firewalls, Routers, main switches, patch panel…. In fact it is where all the basic elements or devices of the network and IT infrastructure are located.

To make the analysis of this room should be taken into account:

• Ambient temperature.

• Dust and cleanliness of devices.

• States of cables and organization of cables and devices in rack cabinets.

• Internet access: Router, Firewall, etc.

The main router is in charge of providing internet access in the company, for this, it is important to ensure that the provider offers the most stable, secure and fast connection possible, as well as, works with the latest technology.

Some of the most important aspects to analyze:

• Bandwidth control?

• Gigabit ethernet ports?

• Wiring of the correct category?

Switches used by the company

The Switch is the device that allows you to intelligently distribute the information through the different devices that are connected to the network via ethernet. One of the main checks that you will have to perform on the Switch is to verify that it is not limiting the transfer speed.

For example, there are some obsolete Switches that are not capable of transmitting at 1000 Mbps and are limiting the communication of the enterprise network.

Checking the AP access points

These are responsible for distributing WI-FI throughout the company. In order to do so, they connect to an ethernet point on the network and generate the signal, thus enabling its connection.

For this to happen, these devices must be placed correctly, to ensure that the WI-FI will reach any point, area or zone of the company.

Other important aspects to take into account:

The type of wiring also matters

It is recommended that the cable used be category 5e, 6 or higher, to avoid limiting the data transfer capacity over the network.

Regarding the cabling, it is also important to check the RJ45 connectors and rosettes of the cables and rosettes.

Do you have UPS?

Having a UPS is important, because in the event of a power failure, thanks to the UPS, you will have enough time to make backup copies of the system, thus avoiding the loss of information.

Take care of your server and computers

To ensure the proper functioning of a server and that it does not present failures, you must take into account aspects such as:

• Location: It is important that it can be easily accessed if necessary.

• Gigabit connection.

• Must be connected to a UPS.

• Optimal cooling.

Analysis of network-connected devices.

By performing this analysis, it is possible to know which devices are connected to the network and whether they are authorized to do so or not. A way to ensure the security of the devices as well as the entire IT infrastructure.

Network security

Ensuring the cybersecurity of systems is critical to prevent malware from entering a company’s IT infrastructure. To this end, conducting regular audits to detect vulnerabilities and security gaps in a system.

Such an audit involves:

• Review of logical scheme of the network.

• Revision of passwords.

• Review of protection software such as anti-malware and software firewalls.

• Review of local, network or cloud backup and disaster recovery systems.

• Availability of an alternative internet access system in case the main access is unavailable.

The performance of these analyses is important to ensure the correct functioning of the network 365 days a year, to avoid interruptions in the development of the company’s business activity. Do you know what it means to have your equipment down for eight hours? With audits, you can easily and quickly detect failures and attacks on your network, to act immediately and ensure the continuity of your business.

Do you need help with the analysis and monitoring of your company’s network and systems? We will be happy to help you. Shall we have a coffee?