Capacity Planning

The ZettaView Systems solution offers a new way to plan for network growth. The network baselining features of ZettaView effectively document the ebbs and flows of the network under normal operating conditions.

• Engineer traffic to better utilize existing network resources
• Stop inappropriate network use by monitoring and curtailing misuse of network resources
• Reduce network congestion by accurately forecasting and anticipating network growth and bandwidth needs
• Avoid expensive network upgrades and enhancements through intimate knowledge of current network configurations and available resources
• More efficiently roll out new applications by establishing peak usage bandwidth measurements and planning accordingly

The first part of the baselining process involves the ZettaView probe monitoring the desired network segment for an extended period. A good sample of network traffic has to be obtained to account for unexpected peaks and other network anomalies. The user can analyze the data to find which times of day peak usages occur, which protocols dominate network traffic and other factors that contribute to a typical day on the network. This knowledge of the network for a typical day also allows the network professional to more easily recognize deviations from the norm and more quickly begin the troubleshooting process.

Once a baseline has been attained, the IT manager can use this knowledge to predict the effect that new applications will have upon the network. This knowledge can also help the IT manager better plan for growth by allowing him or her to buy the proper amount of bandwidth for the network.

A common cause of wasted resources is a lack of knowledge about the network itself. Having a better idea of when and where bandwidth is being used, through the implementation of ZettaView, can greatly reduce network costs.