IT Network Management: State and Local Governments Face New Challenges

Aug 2008 , Sponsored by CA, Inc.

Networking Now
Government today relies on information technology more than ever before. IT has become vital to the business of government. Thus the IT network has risen in importance. It's now crucial for networks to perform at a high level to provide both citizens and employees the 24/7 access and support they need and expect, whether filing taxes or dealing with urgent incidents and issues.

That's a huge challenge, especially as networks grow in size and complexity. Today's networks contain multiple technologies supplied by multiple vendors. And new components are added constantly.

Ensuring the reliability and performance of these networks demands a new level of diligence - and sophisticated network management tools. Government IT professionals need visibility into even the smallest network activities, regardless of whether they're managing thousands of connections or maintaining maximum productivity for smaller organizations. With everyone so reliant on the Net, slow response is often worse than no response.

CA has the right software tools for managing networks and keeping them as reliable and responsive as possible. CA technology equips IT departments to spot network and application issues and correct them before crucial government operations and services are disrupted.

Powerful Tools Bring Results
CA Network and Voice Management (CA NVM) provides optimal delivery of voice and data services through integrated fault and performance management. It gives the granular view needed to see an entire network in detail. With a consolidated view of all network elements, work proceeds in the most efficient manner possible, freeing staff for other critical duties. And CA's vendor- and platform-neutral approach makes CA NVM the right choice for nearly any system.

At the core of CA NVM are CA SPECTRUM ®, CA eHealth® and CA eHealth for Voice. CA SPECTRUM provides fault management featuring alarm notification, comprehensive root cause analysis, recommended fixes and more. CA eHealth manages network performance, documents service levels, provides key reports and aids capacity planning. CA eHealth for Voice enables delivery of reliable, toll-quality voice services.

The CA NVM tools fit within CA's Enterprise IT Management (EITM) vision, which provides cost-effective tools agencies need to govern, manage and secure their IT infrastructures and investments. These tools equip agencies to manage risk, improve service, control costs and align IT with business objectives. Ultimately they help make IT the go-to organization for delivering on the mission.

CA's Application Performance Management (APM) is designed for today's increasingly multifaceted application environment. Web-based and services-oriented systems are now composed of loosely coupled services that call on each other to provide the overall capability delivered to users. Interactions can be complex, and when one part of the system fails, performance degrades or entire transactions can be lost. Static testing doesn't address the dynamic nature of Web services, but by monitoring with APM, IT staff can get a real-time end-to-end view and quickly diagnose and fix problems.

In these complex network environments, there are many more chances for breakage. Mobile wireless applications; converged voice, data and video networks; public safety interoperability; and mounting information security threats are just some of the factors that make maintaining network reliability and security more crucial and more challenging. Meeting these challenges requires governments to have greater insight into, and governance of, their networks.

Getting It Done
With comprehensive network management, governments provide better services at lower costs, and improve communication internally and externally. Key to this is the ability to manage the entire network. With today's budget constraints and the need to do more with less, network management tools make even more sense because there are numerous efficiencies to be gained.