Posted on July 21, 2021
How-To Guides
When it comes to the Internet, you can’t have too much of a good thing. Unfortunately, network testing is one of those things that fall into this category.
Not only does it allow your company to be more responsive in the event of an outage or downtime. But it also allows for better maintenance and optimization of your network as well.
We’ll explore the necessity of network testing in this modern digital age. This is so that you can better optimize your business for security and safety.
So whenever you’re ready to dive deep into the intricacies of network testing, keep reading.
Network testing is a way to verify the stability of your network. One can do it on both hardware and software. But it is mainly concerned with testing how well the physical connection works.
This type of test aims to identify any issues that could potentially impact the quality of service. This is to avoid them from happening when it counts.
Network tests are accomplished by configuring devices or running simulated traffic through routers. This is to represent your actual customers’ connections into the company’s internet infrastructure.
Any company that sells services over the internet is likely to have a network that needs testing. These companies are typically ISPs, VPN providers, Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), Cloud Computing service providers, and many more.
As an example, when Netflix’s CDN suffered outages in April 2012 due to errors caused by software quality issues, they reported losses of close to 100 million dollars as their customers were unable to access content for hours on end.
Network Testing is critical because it can identify problems before they happen. In addition, it will provide peace of mind knowing everything will work well if needed!
Network Testing is not the only way to catch errors in your network, but one can do it quickly and inexpensively.
While there are other ways to find flaws in a network (i.e., system testing), such as stress testing or load testing, they usually take much longer than Network Test’s short time frame! This means less vulnerability for an issue to crop up before you’re aware of it.
This could mean big losses if something goes wrong with your business because you weren’t ready! You’ll also know exactly what needs fixing when problems do arise. All by doing simple tests beforehand so you won’t have any unpleasant surprises.
What’s the best time to network test? There are some rules of thumb for when it may be a good idea to run your tests.
For example, if you’re implementing new software or hardware and have already planned out how those systems will affect other networks they’ll need access to, you should do preliminary testing before installation.
The best time to network test is before new software or hardware installations. Of course, this will vary for every business and enterprise. There truly is no best time, but there is the best time for certain circumstances.
To understand the necessity of network testing, it’s important to examine the many benefits that come with it. The benefits are the direct outcome of what comes from network testing in your use case.
The user can identify any weaknesses that may exist in a network. This will allow the IT staff to fix these issues before users experience them.
A company can avoid costly purchases by uncovering bugs through this type of testing. Thus, resulting in required upgrades or fixes, thus saving money over time.
After identifying security vulnerabilities, you could put role-based access control into place. Not to mention new firewall rules so only authorized personnel can see sensitive data stored.
Network testing covers just about every facet of an IT infrastructure. This is because each part depends on one another to function properly.
Furthermore, it’ll allow an organization to discover and update any outdated software. But also improve hardware if issues appear when conducting a network test.
Network testing is essential for crucial IT infrastructure systems. This is because they’re responsible for data storage, holding sensitive information about employees. For instance, Social Security numbers or credit card details.
There is a solution to protect this info from being hacked into by unauthorized users inside the company’s firewall.
You will want to conduct frequent security audits. In our opinion, do them once every quarter. This is so there are no surprises when something happens unexpectedly.
Security auditing helps avoid costly risks of downtime and potential loss. And as a result, you mustn’t neglect your IT infrastructure. It is critical to the resolution of your enterprise.
When conducting network testing or any other type of security audit for that matter, to come up with successful recommendations on how often and when they should be done, several factors need to be taken into consideration: the size of the company, how much data is stored on their server systems (if one can find this information), what kind of access control mechanisms have been put in place, etc.
For example, if the company has no employees who work remotely, there’s really no reason why remote office networks would ever need testing unless someone were talking about sending over an outside vendor to do some updates without notice.
However, if they have many remote employees, the company should conduct testing frequently. This is to assess any vulnerabilities that those remote connections may have created.
The size of a company also plays an important role, as does how often the data on their server systems changes (if it can be determined). If there’s no change, or if they only store small amounts of information, then again – there might not need to conduct security tests very often.
However, if they’re handling large volumes of sensitive and confidential client information, for example, it would make sense that these companies would schedule regular audits. Again, this is to take all necessary precautions when accessing this type of material.
Lastly, what kind of access control mechanisms have been put into place is another factor that needs to be considered. Specifically before deciding how often to conduct network testing.
Some of the access control can be as simple as a username and password. It can also be biometric access control with fingerprints.
To see success with network testing, you must be diligent in its execution. This means that you need to be on the lookout for anomalies and security breaches.
The following advice will help keep your network testing running smoothly:
Ensure all testing occurs in a controlled environment with a closed system. This is so that no unauthorized changes can occur as the test progresses. This will ensure accurate results for whatever it may be being tested.
Establish what type of tests should occur regularly and discover how often they need to happen. This should originate from company policy or industry-standard practices.
For example, if one client handles confidential information such as credit card numbers, these companies would likely conduct more extensive regular audits than another client who does not require this level of protection. Therefore, it’s important to know exactly where data resides before deciding on an appropriate level of audit.
Understand what to look for in the results. Please find out how these audits will help your company or clients and improve their workflow.
Experiment with different levels of testing. This will help find the right balance for your company.
Test results will assist in feedback loops based on customer needs. They may also help companies pivot their business model or innovate and change how they work.
Find common ground between what is best for customers and what works well for employees. Consider both sides as a priority.
You have discovered the importance and value of network testing. Now you are that much closer to finally implementing it in your business structure. Without network testing, you are to your own devices without much to lean on.
If you’re interested in upgrading your security and ensuring your business is free from vulnerability, get in touch with us, and we will accommodate your needs.
We provide Security as a Service with various full-scale solutions that can resolve most of the common pain points for any digital business. Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions.