Agent-Based Network Monitoring: Monitoring Distributed Networks

Network monitoring has long been a cornerstone of IT management, providing insights into network activity, performance metrics, and potential issues. However, traditional network monitoring methods often need to catch up to keep pace with the dynamic and complex nature of modern networks.

As organizations strive to optimize network performance, minimize downtime, and enhance overall reliability, the role of proactive agent-based network monitoring software like Obkio becomes increasingly crucial. In this article, we will cover all that you need to know about Network Monitoring Agents and how they are revolutionizing IT management, particularly in the context of Obkio's network performance monitoring tool.

At its core, agent-based network monitoring involves deploying software or hardware agents on various network locations such as head offices and data centers, as well as network devices, such as routers, switches, and servers.

Agent-Based Network Monitoring uses Monitoring Agents, a software component, usually a small application, that resides on-premise and gathers data between network locations. Monitoring Agents are deployed at key network locations where businesses want to monitor network performance.

Following the deployment, Monitoring Agents collect data and that data is sent back to the monitoring station by the monitoring station's request or a policy inside the local agent. By using this technique, the agent becomes extremely lightweight while yet having access to fine-grained metrics for enhanced monitoring, alerting, and reporting, as well as more in-depth root-cause investigation and troubleshooting.

One of the defining characteristics of agent-based network monitoring is its ability to offer granular insights into network behaviour. By deploying agents at strategic points throughout the network infrastructure, organizations can gain visibility into traffic patterns, identify bottlenecks, and pinpoint potential issues before they escalate. This proactive approach enables IT teams to take preemptive action, minimizing downtime and optimizing network performance.

Furthermore, the network monitoring agents are highly customizable, allowing enterprises to deploy Monitoring Agents wherever they please, and tailor monitoring parameters to suit their specific needs. From setting thresholds for performance metrics to defining alerting mechanisms, administrators have the flexibility to configure monitoring agents according to their unique network requirements.

Network Monitoring Agent is a special piece of software designed for measuring the availability and performance of applications and networks. They are deployed across various network locations and devices to collect and analyze data related to network performance. These agents act as the eyes and ears of the network admin, continuously monitoring traffic, latency, packet loss, and other key metrics.

Designed to operate in real-time, network monitor agents gather data from network endpoints and transmit it to a centralized monitoring system for analysis. Unlike traditional monitoring methods that rely on passive data collection techniques, such as SNMP, network agents take an active approach, providing organizations with up-to-the-minute insights into network activity.

Once deployed, they operate silently in the background, collecting data without imposing significant overhead on network resources.

Key features of network monitoring agents include:

• Real-time Monitoring: Network monitoring agents continuously track network activity in real-time, providing organizations with immediate visibility into performance metrics.
• Granular Data Collection: By capturing detailed data on network traffic, latency, and packet loss, monitoring agents enable organizations to identify and address issues with precision.
• Customizable Configuration: Network monitoring agents can be configured to monitor specific aspects of the network, allowing organizations to tailor monitoring parameters to their unique requirements.
• Low Overhead: Designed to operate with minimal impact on network resources, monitoring agents are lightweight and non-intrusive, ensuring optimal network performance.

As an end-to-end, distributed network monitoring solution, Obkio facilitates network monitoring and troubleshooting for businesses of all sizes in a variety of sectors, including banking, manufacturing, professional services, and more. Obkio’s platform offers a full range of network monitoring features that enable users to locate, evaluate, and fix network problems before they affect end users.

Obkio monitors all ends of your network, from WAN to LAN, by simulating real-user behaviour using synthetic traffic (UDP packets). In order to continuously monitor network performance and measure network metrics, Monitoring Agents are deployed at strategic network sites and exchange synthetic traffic every 500ms.

All users have access to a wide range of Obkio Monitoring Agent Types. This gives you the freedom to keep an eye on your network in any setting you want.

Among the Agent Types are:

Either a virtual machine or a barebones system, the Software Agent is installed directly on a new or pre-existing system. The agent is automatically kept up to date once installed, just like all other agent kinds. Users are always responsible for updating the operating system.

Four versions of the Software Agent are available:

• Linux Software Agent: This agent installs with a single command line that you must paste into a terminal and runs on a Linux server or desktop. For Linux servers (on-premise or in the cloud), the Linux Software Agent is ideal. Any contemporary Linux distribution, including CentOS 7+, Redhat, Debian, and Ubuntu, may run it. The Linux Obkio Agent Installation Guide explains the installation process.
• Windows Software Agent: Desktop versions of Windows 8 and 10 (64-bit) come with the Windows Software Agent installed. For Windows Desktop, the Windows Software Agent is ideal for both on-site and remote workers. Using automated deployment techniques, it may be installed in large quantities and is entirely transparent to the end user. It is not the ideal option for servers, though, due to a few drawbacks. Visit the Windows Obkio Agent Installation Guide to learn how to install it.
• macOS Software Agent: Suitable for any workstation or device running macOS, the macOS Software Agent is installed on Mac computers (MacBook, iMac, Mac, Mac Studio). The macOS Agent is ideal for remote network monitoring and offers a quick and easy installation process. Go to the macOS Obkio Agent Installation Guide to learn how to install it.
• Docker Software Agent: A Dockerhub Image is available for those who are familiar with Docker. The image works well with container infrastructures like Kubernetes, Docker Swarm, AWS ECS, and others because it may be utilized with or without permanent storage. Additionally, it works with any desktop or server that supports Docker containers. Follow the Docker Obkio Agent Installation Guide to learn how to install it.

The hardware device is plug-and-play, which makes it ideal for branch offices without IT servers. Each hardware appliance just needs the Power and Ethernet wires to be plugged in. Since everything is done through the Obkio App, there is no configuration that needs to be done on the physical appliance alone. Printing a serial number on the hardware appliance allows for the association (or pairing) of the hardware appliance with the agent. See the Hardware Agent Installation Guide for installation instructions.

Numerous hypervisors on the market are compatible with the Virtual Appliance agent. Like the hardware appliance, the virtual appliance requires relatively little maintenance because the Obkio systems handle the OS updates.

• Hyper-V: Ideal for servers that use the hypervisor Hyper-V. The Hyper-V Obkio Agent Installation Guide explains the installation process.
• VMware: Ideal for systems that use the VMware hypervisor. Check the VMware Obkio Agent Installation Guide to learn how to install it.

Because they are already installed, these monitoring agents are the easiest to use! They are run globally by third-party service providers and the Obkio Support Team. The Public Agent Monitoring Directory has the entire list. The Public Monitoring Agent Installation Guide contains installation instructions.

We are thrilled to announce that Obkio recently launched a brand-new AWS - Canada West Public Monitoring Agent, just one month after AWS revealed plans to build its first data center in Western Canada (and second in the country).

Installing monitoring agents typically occurs in the same location as the IT infrastructure (data centers & cloud environments) and users (head, branch, and home offices). Large businesses can install multiple agents to increase visibility, though often just one agent is needed per location.

This is especially beneficial for large, distributed network architectures, with various remote branches, locations and users. Businesses can install monitoring agents at all remote locations, and analyze performance data from Obkio’s centralized SaaS app. It’s like having a network admin at every location.

Installed agents don't need to interact with users to receive software updates and configuration from our cloud platform.

While there are many different kinds of synthetic monitoring, Obkio's network experts are pros at using monitoring agents to monitor and troubleshoot network performance.

With the help of Obkio's Network Monitoring Tool, users can effectively monitor continuous, end-to-end network performance from the standpoint of the end user. Obkio is a straightforward and easy-to-use synthetic agent-based network monitoring software that prevents collecting any actual user information or overloading your network.

So what are you waiting for? It's time to unlock the full potential of your network with robust network agents!

• 14-day free trial of all premium features
• Deploy in just 10 minutes
• Monitor performance in all key network locations
• Measure real-time network metrics
• Identify and troubleshoot live network problems

Install Monitoring Agents in strategic network sites, such as clouds, branch offices, and main offices. For a comprehensive end-to-end performance monitoring solution, an agent can be put at the far end of the LAN network or next to the firewall to monitor ISP performance (WAN).

Subsequently, the Agents simulate user traffic exchanges with one another to assess network and application performance.

Synthetic monitoring allows you to monitor end-user experience by mimicking end-user traffic (in the form of UDP packets) on your network through the use of monitoring agents. Data on response times and end-user experience measures, such as QoS (Quality of Experience), are available through the traffic exchanged between agents.

You have a unique opportunity to monitor parts of your network or application that may have low or no real user traffic by using Obkio's synthetic monitoring tool. This guarantees a comprehensive, end-to-end picture of your network's functionality.

A significant portion of employees at many organizations are working from home as a result of the shift in workplace culture. Employees can set up monitoring agents at their home offices to monitor network performance between their home office and their business's head office, without requiring large quantities of traffic, in the event that local IT professionals are unable to fix network issues at remote offices.

In order to evaluate the performance and health of a network, network monitoring typically entails tracking traffic on the network and measuring a range of different network metrics.

Obkio measures network metrics like the following by sending UDP packets between the Agents every 500 ms:

Latency: The time it takes for a data packet to get from one location in a network to another is known as latency. It is frequently expressed in milliseconds (ms) and is influenced by a number of variables, including processor delays, device distance, and network congestion.

Jitter: Jitter is the fluctuation in the time intervals between data packets as they move across a network. It can degrade the quality of real-time communications such as VoIP (voice over internet protocol) or video conferencing. It is also measured in milliseconds (ms).

Packet loss: It is the result of data packets not arriving at their intended location. Numerous factors, including network congestion or malfunctioning network hardware, may cause this. VoIP and video streaming are two real-time applications where packet loss can cause performance issues.

Packet duplication: When the same packet is received at the destination more than once, it is known as packet duplication. This might result in decreased performance and network congestion and can be caused by equipment malfunctions or network problems.

Packet reordering: When packets arrive at their destination out of sequence, packet reordering takes place. Real-time applications such as VoIP and video conferencing may experience disturbances due to packets taking divergent paths over the network.

VoIP Quality: A voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) system's overall performance is gauged by its VoIP quality. Among other things, it can be impacted by latency, jitter, packet loss, and network congestion. Some indicators, such as MOS (mean opinion score), R-factor, and packet loss rate, are commonly used to assess VoIP quality.

As highlighted earlier, the goal is to detect and address network issues before they impact end-users. While passive monitoring methods may include alerting capabilities, employing synthetic monitoring with network agents proves highly effective in promptly notifying the team of any emerging issues or warning signs.

With Obkio’s network performance monitoring solution, you can set up automatic notifications to alert you the moment an issue arises. These alerts provide essential details such as the severity level, the location of the problem, and the exact time of occurrence, empowering your team with actionable information for swift network troubleshooting.

Distributed networks are complex infrastructures where network resources are spread across multiple locations, including remote offices, cloud services, and data centers. Managing such networks poses unique challenges, including ensuring consistent performance, monitoring diverse endpoints, and detecting issues across the entire network.

Agent-based network monitoring emerges as a key solution for addressing these challenges, serving as a powerful tool for managing distributed networks effectively. At the forefront of this approach is Obkio's network performance monitoring tool, which is tailored to meet the specific needs of distributed network environments.

One of the primary advantages of agent-based network monitoring for distributed networks is its ability to provide comprehensive visibility across all network endpoints. By deploying monitoring agents at various locations within the network, businesses can monitor every end of their distributed infrastructure in real-time. This ensures that no endpoint goes unnoticed, allowing network admins to proactively detect and address issues before they impact network performance or user experience.

In addition to real-time monitoring and centralized analysis, agent-based network monitoring offers several other advantages for distributed networks:

Scalability: Agent-based solutions like Obkio's can scale effortlessly to accommodate the growing needs of distributed networks, ensuring consistent monitoring coverage across all locations. All you need to do is add additional network agents to new locations.

Flexibility: With the ability to customize monitoring parameters and configure alerts based on specific network requirements, agent-based network monitoring offers unparalleled flexibility for managing distributed environments.

Reliability: By continuously monitoring network endpoints and detecting issues in real-time, agent-based network monitoring enhances the reliability of distributed networks, minimizing downtime and optimizing performance.

Moreover, agent-based network monitoring enables businesses to centralize their monitoring efforts through a single, unified platform. With Obkio's centralized application, organizations can analyze data collected by monitoring agents across distributed locations, gaining valuable insights into network performance, traffic patterns, and potential bottlenecks.

How to Monitor Distributed Networks: The Essential Guide

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The more detailed data that agent-based solutions provide is one of the main advantages of adopting them. This makes it possible for the monitoring system to gather comprehensive metrics on the hardware, servers, log files, and individual processes.

With this deeper level of system and service measurements, you can do more sophisticated alerting, complete historical data for trending, and granular root-cause analysis. You can also get improved reporting. This results in more precise capacity planning, quicker Mean-Time-To-Repair (MTTR) for service issues, and visibility into system behaviour for performance optimization.

Better performance, simpler monitoring, reduced downtime, and happier users are the ultimate results. Agent-based network monitoring offers a myriad of benefits over traditional monitoring methods, making it a preferred choice for modern network management. Here are some key advantages:

Real-Time Visibility: One of the primary benefits of agent-based network monitoring is its ability to provide real-time visibility into network performance. By continuously monitoring network activity with monitoring agents, organizations can quickly detect and respond to issues as they arise, minimizing downtime and ensuring optimal performance.

Proactive Management: With agent-based monitoring, organizations can take a proactive approach to network management. By leveraging real-time data and customizable alerting mechanisms, administrators can address potential issues before they impact network performance, enhancing reliability and uptime.

Performance Optimization: Armed with real-time insights into network performance, organizations can take proactive steps to optimize network resources and mitigate potential issues. By identifying and addressing bottlenecks, latency issues, and other performance constraints, Obkio’s solution helps organizations maximize network efficiency and reliability.

SLA Compliance: Proactive network monitoring has benefits that ensure business activities are uninterrupted, meet service level agreements (SLAs), and keep problems from creating major disruptions. This method substitutes simulated user traffic for actual user traffic, hence reducing the requirement for costly hardware and infrastructure. It reduces network traffic and assists in averting expensive outages.

Improved Security: As worries about data security and privacy increase, synthetic monitoring becomes a better choice for companies looking to keep an eye on network performance, spot problems, and improve end-user experience without having to examine real user traffic.

Scalability: Agent-based monitoring software is highly scalable, making it suitable for organizations of all sizes. Whether managing a small office network or a large enterprise infrastructure, you can deploy additional network agents and scale to meet the demands of evolving network environments, ensuring consistent performance and reliability.

Application in the E-Commerce Sector:

One of the best ways to evaluate the performance of e-commerce websites is to utilize agents' synthetic network monitoring, which simulates user interactions with key features like checkouts and shopping carts. To improve your consumers' e-commerce experience, pinpoint problems like lengthy page loads or glitches throughout the checkout process.

This ensures that critical user paths function optimally and alerts you to any issues that can compromise conversion rates or user experience.

One of two methods is used to implement agentless monitoring: either by examining network packets that are passing between service components directly or by using a remote API made available by the platform or service under observation. It is common practice to use network packet analysis in conjunction with an agent-based or agentless monitoring system.

While network analysis offers information on service availability and performance, it does not offer comprehensive metrics on the servers that support the application services that communicate over the network. Network traffic analysis is commonly included in end-user experience monitoring.

Agentless server and network device monitoring is often carried out with SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol). WMI, or Windows Management Instrumentation, is commonly used with Windows servers and offers a far superior collection of metrics than SNMP monitoring by itself can provide. It should be noted that agentless monitors can also be used to thoroughly monitor VMware deployments.

Organizations often face the decision between adopting agent-based network monitoring or relying on agentless alternatives. Let's explore the key differences between these two approaches:

Pros:

• More thorough and detailed data collecting for sophisticated reporting, alerting, and monitoring.
• Proactive network monitoring that uses automated processes to prevent downtime and performance issues.
• More tightly integrated services, allowing to manage services and crucial applications remotely.
• Monitoring's adaptability to non-standard metrics.
• Reduced chance of unavailability.

Cons:

• The requirement to install and maintain agents on systems (complexity depends on the solution provider that you choose).
• In certain companies, internal permission is required before deploying on production systems.
• Solution's upfront license costs.

Pros:

• Compared to SNMP alone, WMI plus VMware agentless monitoring is more powerful.
• Reduced software acquisition costs.
• Lightweight and requires no client application to run or install. Usually it doesn't require any more resources.

Cons:

• Absence of detailed metrics for reporting, alerting, proactive monitoring, and analysis.
• Put vital servers and apps at risk of breakdowns and poor performance.
• Can be impacted by problems with networking.
• Deploying WAN/VPN can be difficult or non-functional.
• No capacity to expand for the gathering of customized server, service, or application metrics.

In a nutshell, the debate between agent-based and agentless network monitoring continues to shape the landscape of modern IT operations. However, in today's dynamic and distributed network environments, the scales are tipping in favour of agent-based solutions.

With the rise of distributed network infrastructures, characterized by cloud adoption, remote workforces, and interconnected systems, the need for tailored monitoring approaches has never been more clear. Agent-based network monitoring solutions offer the flexibility, granularity, and proactive capabilities required to effectively manage these distributed networks.

As a result, more and more companies are making the switch to agent-based network monitoring solutions, recognizing their ability to provide real-time insights, optimize performance, and ensure the seamless operation of distributed infrastructures. In contrast to the limitations of traditional agentless monitoring approaches, agent-based network monitoring software is better equipped to meet the demands of modern network environments.

Put It to the Test: Trying Is the Ultimate Way to Learn!

If you want to join the growing number of enterprises benefiting from modern agent-based solutions, the time is now!

Networks may be complex. But Obkio makes network monitoring easy. Monitor, measure, pinpoint, troubleshoot, and solve network problems.

• 14-day free trial of all premium features
• Deploy in just 10 minutes
• Monitor performance in all key network locations
• Measure real-time network metrics
• Identify and troubleshoot live network problems