Network and Infrastructure Management
Network and Infrastructure Management
Network and Infrastructure Management involves overseeing all the hardware, software, systems, and services that support an organization’s IT operations—ensuring everything is secure, efficient, and running reliably. It’s the backbone of IT, covering everything from routers to servers to virtualization.
🌐 What Is Network and Infrastructure Management?
It includes the design, monitoring, maintenance, and optimization of:
Network systems (LAN, WAN, Wi-Fi, firewalls, VPNs)
IT infrastructure (servers, switches, storage, virtualization, cloud platforms)
Connectivity & performance (internet, bandwidth, QoS)
Security & access control (firewall rules, VLANs, segmentation)
🔧 Key Areas of Responsibility
| Area | Examples |
|---|---|
| Network Management | Monitoring traffic, uptime, and performance; managing IP address allocations |
| Server Management | Patching, provisioning, monitoring uptime, backup and redundancy |
| Firewall & Security | Managing access control lists, intrusion prevention, VPNs |
| Storage Management | SAN/NAS setups, cloud storage, redundancy planning |
| Virtualization | Managing VMware, Hyper-V, or cloud VMs |
| Cloud Infrastructure | Provisioning and managing AWS, Azure, GCP environments |
| Monitoring & Alerting | Using tools to detect issues proactively (e.g., PRTG, Nagios, Zabbix) |
| Documentation & Change Management | Keeping detailed network diagrams and logs of infrastructure changes |
🛠️ Common Tools & Platforms
| Category | Tools |
|---|---|
| Network Monitoring | SolarWinds, PRTG, UptimeRobot, Nagios |
| Server Management | Microsoft System Center, Cockpit, Webmin |
| Configuration Management | Ansible, Puppet, Chef |
| Cloud & Virtualization | VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, AWS EC2 |
| Network Configuration & Security | Cisco Meraki, Fortinet, Palo Alto, pfSense |
| Infrastructure as Code (IaC) | Terraform, AWS CloudFormation |
📋 Best Practices
Proactive Monitoring – Identify issues before they impact users
Redundancy & Failover – Build in high availability for critical systems
Document Everything – Maintain clear, updated diagrams and policies
Automate routine tasks like configuration backups, alerts, and provisioning
Apply Patching & Updates – Regularly update firmware and OS/software
Enforce Security Policies – VLANs, ACLs, segmentation, MFA
Capacity Planning – Forecast usage and avoid resource bottlenecks
💡 Benefits of Strong Infrastructure Management
Minimizes downtime and outages
Improves security posture
Enables scalability and growth
Lowers operational costs through optimization and automation
Provides better visibility and control over IT assets