IT resource monitoring

In business, time is money. And every second counts when it comes to your business’s web application. A slow web application not only frustrates customers and drives them away but also costs you money in lost sales and opportunities. But how can you tell if your web application is running slowly? And more importantly, how can you fix the problem?

The answer lies in resource monitoring. Resource monitoring is tracking and monitoring the use of physical and virtual resources in your IT environment. By understanding how your IT resources are being used, you can make more informed decisions about allocating your IT resources to meet the needs of your business.

Paessler PRTG Network Monitor: A comprehensive IT resource monitoring solution

Today, organizations rely on various IT resources to stay operational, from network devices and servers to applications and storage systems. Monitoring the performance of these critical resources is essential to ensuring they are always available when needed. Paessler PRTG Network Monitor is a comprehensive IT resource monitoring solution that provides visibility into the health and performance of your IT infrastructure.

Here are a few of the resources you can monitor using PRTG:

• Servers
• Websites and web applications
• Databases
• Network firewalls
• Cloud services

PRTG monitors all aspects of your organization’s IT infrastructure, including network devices, servers, applications, and storage systems. It provides real-time monitoring and alerts so that you can quickly address problems before they cause downtime. In addition, the extensive reporting capabilities of PRTG make it easy to track historical performance data and identify trends.

With PRTG, organizations can be confident that their IT resources are always running at peak performance.

Why is it essential to monitor the resources in your IT?

Managing and maintaining your IT resources can be challenging but it’s essential to ensure that you are monitoring your IT to avoid any potential problems. Here are a few reasons why you should monitor the resources in your IT.

Improved performance and efficiency

By gaining insights into how your resources are being used, you can make changes to improve performance and efficiency. For example, if you notice that one server is overloaded while others are underutilized, you can move some of the load to the other servers. You can use the SNMP CPU Load sensor of PRTG to get the CPU performance data from your servers.

Reduced costs

By monitoring your resources, you can avoid overprovisioning and reduce costs. For example, if you know that a specific resource is only used during peak times, you can purchase a smaller quantity or scale back on unnecessary features. You can get cost analysis for your cloud resources using cost sensors for AWS and Azure.

Increased visibility

Resource monitoring gives you increased visibility into your IT environment to identify issues before they cause problems. For example, if you see that one server is starting to run out of disk space, you can take actions to prevent the server from crashing. You can create real-time and interactive dashboards to get a bird’s-eye view of your IT resources.

Better decision making

With resource monitoring, you can collect data and generate reports to help you better allocate your resources. For example, if you’re trying to decide between two potential new applications, you can use resource utilization data to help make your decision. You can generate in-depth reports of your IT resources with reporting features of PRTG.

What information should you pay attention to when monitoring your resources?

Today, businesses are more reliant on technology than ever before. In most cases, this is a good thing as it increases efficiency, connectivity, and productivity. However, it also means that the consequences can be disastrous when something goes wrong with your IT infrastructure.

That’s why proactively monitoring your IT resources and performing regular maintenance is essential. But what information should you be paying attention to?

Here are a few key metrics:

1. Uptime
2. System performance
3. Security breaches
4. Help desk tickets
5. Maintenance costs

How does PRTG help you monitor these key metrics?

1. Uptime

Uptime is a measurement of how often your systems are up and running. The uptime percentage is calculated by taking the number of minutes your system was down in a specific time frame and dividing it by the total number of minutes your system was being monitored during that time frame. The downtime percentage is then subtracted from 100% to get the uptime percentage.

Generally, you want your uptime to be as close to 100% as possible. Reliability and customer satisfaction suffer when systems are down, so monitoring this metric closely and taking steps to minimize downtime is essential. PRTG offers the SNMP System Uptime sensor to get a detailed view of your system’s uptime over a given period.

2. System performance

System performance is a measurement of how well your systems are functioning. This metric can be determined using various indicators such as response time, throughput, and CPU utilization. Monitoring system performance allows you to identify bottlenecks and slowdowns before they cause significant problems. Additionally, paying attention to system performance can help you fine-tune your systems for optimal efficiency. PRTG provides the Core Health sensor to get a comprehensive view of your server’s core health metrics.

3. Security Breaches

With all the recent data breaches in the news, it’s no surprise that security is the top priority for many organizations. When monitoring your IT resources, pay close attention to any security breaches. By monitoring them, you can learn from past incidents and take steps to prevent them from happening again. You can leverage the WMI Security Center sensor and the SSL Security Check sensor to view your servers’ and websites’ security aspects.

4. Help desk tickets

The help desk is usually the first contact point for users that have problems with their systems or applications. As such, it’s a good indicator of overall system health. Pay attention to the number of help desk tickets that are being generated and the time it takes to resolve them. In either case, it’s crucial to investigate further and take corrective action.

PRTG comes with a built-in ticket system to help you manage customer requests and feedback quickly.

5. Maintenance Costs

Maintaining your IT infrastructure can be costly, so keeping an eye on maintenance costs is essential. If you see an increase in maintenance costs, try to determine what is causing it and take steps to bring those costs back down again. You can use cost sensors for AWS and Azure to get a cost analysis of your cloud resources.

By monitoring these five key metrics, you can get a good overview of your IT infrastructure and identify areas that need improvement. Doing so will help ensure that your systems are running efficiently while also helping to prevent any major problems from arising.

FAQ

What are the consequences of not monitoring your IT resources?

The consequences of not monitoring your IT resources can be disastrous. Systems can go down, performance can suffer, and security breaches can occur. Additionally, maintenance costs can get out of control if problems are not addressed promptly.

If you don’t monitor your IT resources, you risk significant problems going unnoticed until it’s too late. This can lead to data loss, decreased productivity, and unhappy customers. Get started with network and IT infrastructure monitoring now with PRTG.

How do you know your IT systems are performing optimally?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Every organization is different. What works for others may not work for you. However, some indicators that your IT systems are performing optimally include high uptime percentages, fast response times, and few help desk tickets. Additionally, if you do not see an increase in operational costs, that’s usually a good sign. You can leverage the vast selection of monitoring sensors that PRTG offers to get a single-pane view of your infrastructure.

What are some common causes of poor system performance?

Some common causes of poor system performance include hardware problems, software bugs, and user error. Additionally, inefficient processes and resource contention can lead to slowdowns and bottlenecks. If you notice your system performance suffering, it’s vital to investigate the cause so you can take corrective action.

What signs would indicate that your IT resources are overutilized or underutilized?

Some signs that your IT resources are overutilized include slow response times, high error rates, and increased help desk tickets. Additionally, if you’re seeing an increase in maintenance costs, that could indicate that your resources are being strained. On the other hand, if you notice that your system is idle for long periods, that could signal that your resources are underutilized.

How can business owners ensure they’re picking the right resource monitoring tool for their needs?

There is no single resource monitoring tool that is right for every business. The best way to find the right tool for your needs is to evaluate your specific requirements and compare those against the features offered by various tools.

When picking an IT resource monitoring tool, there are a few things to take into account:

• Your budget: Make sure you pick a solution that fits your budget.
• The features you need: Make sure the solution you choose has the features you need.
• The level of support you require: Make sure you pick a solution that provides the level of support you need.

PRTG is a monitoring solution for all your IT infrastructure resource monitoring requirements. You will be up and running in no time with its in-depth monitoring features, flexible pricing options, and world-class support.

Get started with PRTG today and see how easy it is to monitor your IT infrastructure.