What Is a Network Baseline & Why You Need One

Imagine driving to work every day on the same route. You know how long it typically takes, where traffic tends to slow down, and which shortcuts can save you time. But one day, your commute takes twice as long, and you’re left wondering – was it an accident, construction, or just bad luck? Knowing what’s “normal” for your commute helps you immediately recognize when something’s off and figure out why.

The same principle applies to your network. In this article, we’ll dive into what a network baseline is, why it’s critical, and how you can create and maintain one to keep your network at its best.

A network baseline is a snapshot of your network’s normal performance under typical operating conditions. It’s essentially a benchmark that helps you understand how your network behaves when everything is functioning as expected. By recording key metrics over time, you establish a point of reference that can be used to identify anomalies, diagnose issues, and assess the impact of any changes to your network. Having a network baseline is essential for ensuring performance, reliability, and consistency. Without it, identifying irregularities can feel like finding a needle in a haystack.

Screenshot from Obkio's Network Performance Monitoring Tool. The first graphs show a stable network performance baseline. The second graphs show the same monitoring session but with a deviation from the network baseline, signalling a network performance issue.

A network baseline is created by measuring and monitoring a variety of key network metrics associated to your network's performance. These network metrics give you a snapshot of how your network is performing at certain moments in time, from different points of view.

Here are some of these metrics:

• Bandwidth Usage: Bandwidth is the lifeblood of your network – it’s the amount of data your network transmits and receives over a given period. Tracking bandwidth usage helps you understand how resources are consumed during normal operations, identify potential bottlenecks, and plan for future scalability. For example, if your baseline shows high bandwidth consumption during specific hours, you can prepare for peak traffic times.
• Latency: Latency measures the time it takes for data packets to travel from one point to another, while jitter refers to the variability in packet delivery times. Low and consistent latency is critical for applications like video conferencing, VoIP, or online gaming.
• Jitter: Jitter, on the other hand, refers to the variability in packet delivery times. High jitter can cause inconsistencies in data flow, leading to issues like distorted audio, and choppy video in real-time applications.
• Packet Loss: Packet loss happens when data packets fail to reach their destination, leading to degraded performance or interruptions.
• Throughput: Throughput measures the actual rate of successful data delivery across the network.
• Application Performance Metrics: Your network supports countless applications, but not all are equally critical. A baseline should prioritize tracking performance metrics for business-critical applications – such as CRM software, collaboration tools, or cloud-based systems. This ensures that key tools maintain optimal performance and helps you pinpoint the root cause of slowdowns when they happen.

Screenshot from Obkio's Network Performance Monitoring Tool

Each of these metrics works together to create a historical point of comparison and paint a detailed picture of your network’s performance. By creating a network baseline, you’re essentially building a playbook for how your network should behave under ideal conditions. This playbook empowers you to:

• Spot unusual activity or performance drops, like traffic spikes, drops in throughput or increased packet loss.
• Assess how well your network supports business-critical applications.
• Make informed decisions when upgrading infrastructure or scaling operations.

So, what’s the purpose of establishing a network baseline? At its core, a network baseline helps you understand and maintain your network’s performance. It provides the foundation for effective monitoring, troubleshooting, and optimization, allowing you to deliver a seamless user experience while meeting your business goals.

Without a baseline, managing and understanding your network’s performance is like flying blind – you’re operating without clear insights into what’s normal or problematic. Let’s explore the specific reasons why every organization needs a network baseline:

A network baseline gives you a clear picture of your network’s standard performance, answering questions like:

• Is your bandwidth sufficient to support all users and applications?
• Are critical applications running smoothly?
• Is the network meeting the performance expectations of end-users and business operations?
• Are there specific times when network performance degrades?
• Are there any recurring patterns in network traffic usage?
• How does network performance vary across different locations or remote sites?
• Is your network prepared to handle future growth or increased demand?

By understanding these aspects, you can identify gaps between your network’s current state and what’s required for optimal performance, ensuring you’re not just meeting but exceeding expectations.

One of the biggest challenges in network monitoring is spotting network problems before they spiral out of control. A network baseline acts as your early warning system. By comparing real-time performance data against the network baseline, you can detect anomalies – such as sudden spikes in bandwidth usage or increased latency – and address them before they affect users. This proactive approach minimizes downtime and ensures uninterrupted service.

Every network evolves over time, whether through hardware upgrades, software updates, or the addition of new users or applications. A baseline lets you measure the impact of these changes with precision. For example, after deploying a new cloud-based application, you can compare current metrics to your baseline to determine whether it’s putting extra strain on your network or operating seamlessly.

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Critical business applications – such as CRM systems, video conferencing tools, and e-commerce platforms – rely on consistent network performance. A network baseline helps you ensure that these applications always perform at their best. By monitoring key application metrics against the baseline, you can identify and resolve issues that might disrupt essential operations.

When network problems arise, a baseline can significantly speed up the troubleshooting process. Instead of starting from scratch, you have a clear benchmark against which to compare.

For example, if latency spikes suddenly, you can refer to your network baseline to determine whether it’s a new issue or part of a recurring pattern. This context helps you pinpoint the root cause faster, so you can decrease the time it takes to troubleshoot, minimize downtime and also understand if this is a recurring problem that needs to be addressed more seriously.

The process of creating your network baseline essentially involves collecting a variety of network performance data (usually in the form of network metrics) over a certain period of time to create an average measurement of performance. As this process requires continuous monitoring and large amounts of data, it isn't typically something that network engineers or IT pros can take on themselves. They usually need some tools to help them out.

Let’s dive deeper into each step, incorporating practical examples and tools designed to simplify the process.

The foundation of any network baseline is data, and collecting that data efficiently requires a reliable network monitoring tool that can continuously monitor your network performance to collect and analyze network data for you. For this job, we recommend a tool like Obkio's Network Performance Monitoring, a synthetic, end-to-end network monitoring solution designed for proactive monitoring and troubleshooting.

With Obkio, you can:

• Deploy Monitoring Agents across key locations in your network to continuously measure performance from different network locations. This allows you to understand your performance baseline from multiple locations
• Continuously monitor your network using synthetic traffic. By generating synthetic traffic, Obkio allows you to monitor your network and create a baseline even during times when no real users are active. This allows you to be more proactive as it doesn't rely on packet capture of real traffic.
• Visualize data in real-time with user-friendly dashboards that highlight critical metrics and show you when your network performance degrades or when a network issue arises, with details about where and when it happened.
• Set up automated alerts for when network performance deviates from your baseline.

Imagine you manage a multi-office network and frequently experience complaints about slow application performance. Using Obkio, you can deploy agents in each office and monitor key metrics like latency and packet loss between locations. Over time, you’ll establish a clear baseline and quickly identify when issues arise – such as an overloaded connection during peak business hours.

The good news? You can create your network baseline very easily, even just using Obkio's 14-day free trial. Sign up, deploy Obkio with the intuitive onboarding wizard, and let Obkio collect all the data required to create your baseline.

It’s a great first step in understanding and auditing your network performance, setting you up for proactive troubleshooting and optimized performance monitoring.

• 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

To create a meaningful network baseline, you need to focus on metrics that directly impact your network’s health and user experience. Obkio collects data about this network metrics over time, aggregates the data and establishes your baseline:

• Bandwidth Usage: See how much data is being transmitted and ensure there’s enough capacity to handle peak usage periods.
• Latency and Jitter: Understand how quickly data moves through your network and whether inconsistent delivery times are affecting performance.
• Packet Loss: Track the percentage of data packets lost, a key indicator of network reliability.
• Throughput: Measure how much data your network can handle under typical conditions.
• Application Performance Metrics: Monitor specific apps like Microsoft Teams or Zoom to ensure they meet performance expectations.

If your organization relies on video conferencing, jitter and packet loss are critical metrics to track. By using Obkio, you can see exactly when and where these metrics exceed acceptable thresholds, ensuring your team has seamless video calls without lag or interruptions.

A network baseline is only as good as the data it’s built on. For network admins, this means capturing performance data over an extended period to account for typical patterns and outliers. With Obkio’s continuous monitoring, this process is automated and scalable.

When you're collecting network data, here are some things you need to look at:

• Daily Traffic Patterns: Capture peak usage times (e.g., mornings when employees log in or afternoons during video meetings).
• Seasonal Variations: Consider factors like increased e-commerce traffic during the holiday season or reduced usage during off-peak business periods.
• Recurring Issues: Identify persistent bottlenecks that only appear during specific activities, like backups or large file transfers.

If you're choosing to use a traditional packet capture network monitoring tool, then you need to consider these situations more carefully because packet capture-based solutions need real traffic to measure performance. So they will give you different measurements depending on how many users or applications are currently running on your network.

If you're using a synthetic network monitoring tool, it'll generate synthetic traffic for you, so you can always understand how your network handles high and low amounts of traffic, without relying on there actually being that real traffic in your network.

The final step is turning raw data into actionable insights. By analyzing the performance metrics collected, you can define acceptable thresholds for each metric. These thresholds act as your guide to detect anomalies or performance issues. For example, set limits for acceptable latency, packet loss, and bandwidth utilization based on your network’s typical performance. Regularly review and adjust these benchmarks as your network evolves to ensure they remain relevant and effective.

Obkio simplifies this by providing clear visualizations of your network's historical data, helping you identify what "normal" looks like. From there, you can set alerts for when metrics deviate from these thresholds.

Example:

• Latency Thresholds: If your average latency is 50ms, set a threshold at 70ms. If latency exceeds this, you’ll know something is impacting performance.
• Packet Loss Benchmarks: For VoIP, a packet loss rate above 1% can degrade call quality. Set alerts at 0.8% to proactively address potential issues.

Additionally, Obkio’s benchmarking capabilities allow you to compare your performance against industry standards or SLAs from your service provider, ensuring your network meets both internal and external expectations. You can do this because you can set your own thresholds depending on your company's needs. Obkio will give you recommendations but it's still in your control

As a network admin, you’re juggling multiple responsibilities, from maintaining uptime to supporting end-user needs. A strong network baseline created with a tool like Obkio empowers you to:

• Quickly diagnose issues when users report slow applications or dropped connections.
• Validate the success of network upgrades, such as increased bandwidth or new hardware.
• Proactively identify potential bottlenecks before they disrupt critical operations.

By following these steps, using the right tools, and focusing on relevant metrics, you’ll create a network baseline that acts as a powerful guide for ongoing performance management and troubleshooting.

Establishing a network baseline isn’t a one-time task – it’s a recurring practice that ensures your network continues to meet performance expectations as conditions change. Let’s explore the key moments when creating or updating a network baseline becomes essential.

When deploying a new network, creating a baseline is one of the first steps to ensure everything functions as intended. At this stage, a baseline helps you:

• Verify that the network’s initial performance meets design specifications.
• Establish “normal” metrics for bandwidth usage, latency, and packet loss under standard conditions.

If you’re deploying a network for a new branch office, setting up a baseline ensures that the initial configuration supports expected workloads like file sharing, video conferencing, and cloud-based applications.

Planning significant changes to your network? Establishing a baseline before implementing upgrades or modifications is crucial. A network baseline provides a performance snapshot under existing conditions, allowing you to compare pre- and post-change metrics. This ensures that the changes lead to the desired improvements without introducing new problems.

Example 1: Migrating from MPLS to SD-WAN

If your organization is migrating from a legacy MPLS network to a modern SD-WAN solution, a baseline helps you:

• Understand Current Performance: Measure latency, throughput, and packet loss on the MPLS network to set clear expectations for the SD-WAN implementation.
• Validate Post-Migration Success: After deployment, compare the SD-WAN metrics against the baseline to confirm improved performance, cost savings, or better failover capabilities.
• Pinpoint Issues: If there are unexpected drops in performance, the baseline provides a reference to troubleshoot whether the issue is with the SD-WAN configuration or external factors.

Graph from Obkio's Network Performance Monitoring Tool showing the moment a network changed from MPLS to SD-WAN.

Example 2: Upgrading to a Higher Bandwidth Connection

Let’s say your business is upgrading from a 100 Mbps Internet connection to a 1 Gbps fibre link to support growing demands from cloud services and video conferencing. The baseline established on the existing connection ensures you can:

• Validate reduced latency and higher throughput.
• Confirm that critical applications like video conferencing experience fewer disruptions.

Example 3: Introducing Cloud-Based Applications

When rolling out new SaaS applications, like Office 365 or Salesforce, a baseline helps:

• Assess Network Impact: Determine if the new applications create additional strain on bandwidth or latency.
• Ensure Smooth Adoption: Verify that user experience meets expectations post-deployment.

Once a significant issue is resolved, establishing a new baseline helps ensure the problem is truly fixed and hasn’t introduced new issues. It also creates a reference point to detect similar problems in the future.

After troubleshooting and resolving high packet loss affecting VoIP calls, creating a baseline ensures the network remains stable and that call quality stays consistent.

Regular audits are an essential part of maintaining a healthy network. During these audits, updating your baseline helps:

• Account for gradual changes in traffic patterns or application usage.
• Identify early warning signs of performance degradation.

A quarterly network assessment may reveal that increasing cloud application usage has led to higher bandwidth consumption. Updating your baseline ensures you stay proactive in managing network resources.

When onboarding new locations or remote users, baselining their network performance ensures they have the connectivity needed to remain productive.

If your company is integrating a remote team into the network, establishing a baseline can verify that VPN connections, cloud app access, and overall performance meet expectations.

Networks are dynamic, evolving with new technologies, user demands, and business needs. Periodic baseline updates ensure your benchmarks remain relevant and reflect current conditions.

Over time, seasonal traffic spikes or new application rollouts may affect network behaviour. Regularly updating your baseline ensures these changes are accounted for, giving you a current and accurate reference point.

The timing of baseline creation or updates is critical to maintaining network performance and avoiding disruptions. Whether you’re scaling your network, recovering from an issue, or planning for the future, baselines provide the foundation for informed decision-making and efficient troubleshooting.

For network admins, tools like Obkio simplify the process by automating baseline updates and providing real-time visibility into your network’s evolving needs. With a consistent practice of establishing baselines, you’ll be better equipped to keep your network performing at its peak.

Once a network baseline is established, it’s important to maintain it as an evolving reference. Networks are dynamic, and performance can shift over time due to changes in traffic, user behaviour, or infrastructure. By following these best practices, you’ll ensure your baseline remains accurate and useful.

1. Regularly Update the Network Baseline with Continuous Network Monitoring

A network baseline isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it solution. Continuous monitoring ensures your baseline reflects your network’s current state, accounting for new applications, user behaviour, and infrastructure updates.

• Why It’s Important: Regular updates capture trends and help identify emerging issues before they impact performance.
• Example: If your business rolls out a new video conferencing tool, consistent monitoring will highlight changes in bandwidth usage, allowing you to adjust the baseline accordingly.

Obkio’s real-time monitoring tools provide ongoing visibility into key metrics like latency, jitter, and packet loss. This helps keep your baseline up-to-date without requiring manual intervention.

2. Using Automation to Track Changes

Automation is a game-changer for maintaining accurate baselines. Automated monitoring tools can detect and record network performance changes, eliminating manual effort and reducing the risk of human error.

• Why It’s Important: Networks are complex, and manual tracking can be time-consuming. Automation ensures no detail is missed.
• Example: When a new office location is connected to the corporate network, automation tools can immediately assess its performance and integrate the data into the baseline.

Obkio leverages automation to monitor performance across multiple locations and applications, making it easy to track changes in real-time and adjust baselines dynamically.

3. Document and Report Historical Data

Maintaining detailed historical data is crucial for spotting trends and understanding how your network evolves over time. Documentation helps you analyze recurring issues, plan upgrades, and benchmark long-term performance.

• Why It’s Important: Historical data provides a deeper understanding of your network’s behaviour and helps troubleshoot recurring anomalies.
• Example: If a specific application experiences periodic performance drops, historical reports can help identify patterns related to traffic spikes or external events.

Obkio simplifies documentation with features like scheduled reports. These tools make it easy to share historical data with stakeholders and identify long-term trends.

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While establishing and maintaining a network baseline is crucial, the process comes with its own set of challenges. Networks are dynamic, complex systems, and creating an accurate baseline that reflects this complexity can be difficult. Let’s explore some of the most common hurdles network administrators face when establishing a network baseline and how to address them.

1. Dealing with Dynamic Networks

Networks are constantly evolving—new devices, applications, and users are added regularly, and existing infrastructure is often upgraded or reconfigured. This dynamic nature makes it challenging to establish a consistent baseline that reflects "normal" network performance at all times.

• Why It’s a Challenge: With frequent changes, it can be hard to define what “normal” looks like. A baseline could quickly become outdated if it’s not continuously updated to reflect new network elements and traffic patterns.
• How to Address It:
  • Use continuous network monitoring tools like Obkio to keep track of changes in real-time.
  • Regularly update baselines to account for infrastructure changes, software updates, or increased demand.
  • Set automated alerts for when significant changes in performance occur, so your baseline remains aligned with the network’s current state.

Obkio’s ability to monitor and track network performance across multiple locations and over time helps ensure your baseline stays current, even as your network evolves.

2. Handling Periodic Traffic Spikes

Many networks experience periodic traffic spikes, such as during specific times of day, seasonal events, or marketing campaigns. These spikes can distort your baseline, making it harder to understand normal network behaviour and identify performance issues.

• Why It’s a Challenge: Periodic spikes in traffic can create abnormal conditions that don’t reflect the typical network behaviour. This can skew your baseline, leading to inaccurate assessments of network health.
• How to Address It:
  • Monitor traffic trends over a long period to account for natural fluctuations and spikes.
  • Use traffic shaping or quality of service (QoS) mechanisms to prioritize critical applications during high-traffic periods.
  • If traffic spikes are expected, adjust the baseline during peak periods to reflect temporary conditions.

With Obkio, you can easily track traffic patterns over time and identify periods of high demand, allowing you to adjust your baseline accordingly and ensure it remains accurate even during busy times.

3. Managing Multiple Locations or Remote Networks

For organizations with multiple offices, remote teams, or branch locations, creating a single baseline can be difficult. Each location may have different network conditions, usage patterns, and performance expectations, which makes establishing a consistent baseline for the entire network complex.

• Why It’s a Challenge: Different locations may experience varying internet service providers, bandwidth limitations, or physical network conditions that affect performance. Comparing baseline metrics across sites can be challenging, especially if the network is spread across different geographical areas.
• How to Address It:
  • Create individual baselines for each location, accounting for their unique conditions.
  • Aggregate baseline data across all locations to get a holistic view of network performance.
  • Use centralized monitoring tools that can handle multi-site monitoring and provide a unified report on the entire network’s performance.

Obkio offers multi-location network monitoring, allowing you to track and compare network performance at each site individually while still maintaining an overall view of the network’s health. This ensures accurate baselines across all locations.

Now that you understand the importance of establishing and maintaining a network baseline, it’s time to take action. A solid baseline is essential for monitoring your network’s health, proactively addressing issues, and ensuring consistent performance across your organization.

The best way to establish your network baseline is by conducting a comprehensive network assessment. This assessment will give you the data you need to define your baseline accurately and help you detect potential performance issues before they affect your business.

To help you get started, we’ve created a free PDF guide that walks you through the process of conducting a network assessment and establishing a reliable baseline. It includes easy-to-follow steps and practical advice to ensure you get the most out of your baseline and keep your network running smoothly.

Establishing a network baseline doesn’t have to be complicated. With Obkio’s Network Performance Monitoring tool, you can easily collect the data you need, analyze performance metrics, and set benchmarks for your network—all in just a few clicks.

Get started today with Obkio’s 14-day free trial and see how effortless it is to monitor and optimize your network. Discover performance insights, detect issues faster, and keep your network running at its best.

👉 Start Your Free Trial Now and establish your network baseline today!