Do I Need A Network Assessment? The Short Answer is Yes- Your Business Depends on It
What is a Network Assessment?
A network assessment is a comprehensive analysis of your network that can give you a better understanding of your network infrastructure, security, and IT processes. Some of the elements that a network assessment involves looking at are the network devices that are running on your network, assessing the performance of the network, looking into upgrades, reviewing network architecture, and assessing security. It is important that when getting your paid network assessment, it is run by a qualified managed service provider to ensure they do a thorough analysis of your infrastructure and create accurate, tailored solutions using their industry knowledge.
Why get a network assessment?
Network assessments give users a descriptive analysis of your network, so that opportunities for improvement can be identified. It is common for organizations to have no idea what is taking place on all their networks. This is scary because it means you are blind to any inefficiencies or security threats that could be growing. By getting an assessment of all your devices, you can receive a full analysis of any network irregularities or vulnerability issues at your endpoints. Having a network assessment is imperative in some highly regulated industries, especially those where federal and state laws require your business to have a comprehensive plan for personally identifiable information.
Once you have a full assessment of your network, most of the information will be hard to interpret unless you are an expert. For this reason, it is imperative to have a knowledgeable managed service provider who can translate the findings for you and make sure the best tools and processes are used for your network and its infrastructure.
What are some of the things a network assessment looks into?
- Performance inefficiencies
- Security issues and blind spots
- Network infrastructure design issues
- Server and Storage status
Some examples include:
- Identify company process for password expiration. The longer your old password goes without changing, the greater the risk you have of passwords getting compromised.
- Determine if your operating system is still supported by the manufacturer.
- Identify lingering user accounts that have not been deactivated or removed properly that could be a potential security risk.
- Discover operating systems active in your environment that may be beyond support and a potential security risk.
- Identify critical asset age and warranty status, along with proper software patches in place.
A network assessment gives you a 360° view of your network infrastructure and allows your IT provider to isolate network security vulnerabilities that could compromise company success. This precipitates a C-level conversation that lays out an infrastructure budget and plan for the next 3-5 years. This paid assessment is a critical way to ensure your company data does not get into the wrong hands.