Does Your Remote Monitoring System Have These 5 Essential Features?

Do you have mission-critical gear located at your distant remote sites? When there's a problem with this equipment, how do you know? When your network comes crashing down? When your customers call in and complain about a loss of service?

It's unacceptable for your customers to know about a problem with your equipment before you do. But without a man stationed at each of your remote sites, how can you possibly know the status of your equipment? The answer is simple.

Using Remote Monitoring to Achieve Greater Network Visibility
By deploying remote monitoring equipment at your remote sites, you'll now have the visibility you need to have full control over your network. Rather than periodically checking your equipment or hearing first from your customers, you can be the first to know about an emergency.

You can remotely monitor your equipment for critical conditions that may affect your gear.

With a good remote monitoring system you'll be able to promptly respond to network problems - and fix them before they cause serious damage. They key word here, though, is "good." You have to use the right monitoring solution - choosing a poorly designed or limited system will only trick you into a false sense of security. You'll think your network is protected, but in reality, your limited solution is leaving you vulnerable.

If you want the best monitoring system you can get, then you'll want to look for these 5 essential features:

1. Live analog monitoring - Without the right analog sensor technology you can't monitor critical environmental conditions. A basic discrete sensor can only provide you with binary "on/off" information (for example it can only tell you if the temperature has risen past a certain point or if your battery levels have dropped below a certain point). Discrete sensors are limited, so make sure you have live analog monitoring. Analog sensors can give you precise readings (for example, the temperature of your server room is 84.2 degrees or the battery level has dropped to 8%).
2. Multiple alert methods - Monitoring systems that only provide internal alerts to your NOC don't give you any versatility. What if your servers overheat at 2am, frying all of your valuable equipment before you show up to work the next morning? Support for 24/7 alert capability (via email, pages, voice alerts, or SMS text messages) is critical - because emergencies don't keep standard business hours.
3. Easy-to-use setup and configuration - A good monitoring system won't require excess training to use, nor will it create confusion in your employees when they try to manage alarms. Simple plug 'n' play setup with an easy-to-use graphical web interface are essential features of any good remote monitoring system. Using a web interface allows you to manage your alarm network from any computer - without the extra hassle.
4. Backup data transport - Don't rely solely on your primary network to report alarms. If there are any problems with your data transport, you'll lose critical visibility of your remote sites - exactly when you need them most. Your alarm notification system should support backup method of transporting data - dialup, wireless, fiber, etc. The right backup reporting guarantees your network is still monitored even if your primary data transport goes down.
5. Reliable hardware - The last piece of equipment to fail should be your remote monitoring system. Your network won't really be secure if you're using hardware that isn't built to last. Don't settle for anything less than industrial-grade hardware. You can't afford to leave your network's security in the hands of cheaply built equipment that's not ready for the job.

Finding the Right Monitoring Remote
Can you picture how much easier your network will be to manage if you were able to view the status of all your sites? With a remote monitoring system, you'll no longer have rude surprises when there's a problem with your network. You can guarantee you'll be the first person to know about an emergency - not the last.

You're serious about protecting your network uptime (and your bottom line), which is why I recommend taking a few minutes to download and read the free Network Alarm Monitoring Fundamentals White Paper.

Download your free Network Alarm Monitoring Fundamentals White Paper!

This free guide will teach you the basics about alarm monitoring. This way your remote monitoring project will be filled with success - not sunk costs, delays, and headaches. You'll learn things like...

• What equipment you must monitor...
• How to design an alarm system to meet your current and future needs...
• How to minimize transition costs...

Don't let your remote monitoring project turn into a nightmare - contact the remote monitoring experts at DPS Telecom for a free consultation. They'll answer your questions, help you design a monitoring solution for your network, or even provide you with a free ROI analysis.

To start protecting your network...

• Call 1-800-693-0351
• Email sales@dpstele.com
• Use the box below to submit a fast information request to Mac Smith - a monitoring specialist who can help you with your remote monitoring project