2. USAGE CONSIDERATIONS › 2.3 Use Within the Information Structure › 2.3.4 Installation Environment Analysis › 2.3.4.3 Environment: Performance Management

2.3.4.3 Environment: Performance Management

 
Performance management is difficult to distinguish as a
discrete activity within the scope of network management.  In
general, the majority of work in the network area can be
categorized as either looking for areas where problems exist
or looking for ways to solve them.  These tasks are, of
course, at the heart of performance management.
 
Within the network, performance is defined in terms of the
service levels provided to the end-user.  Therefore, it is
mandatory that an installation define comprehensive service
objectives as a basis for the performance management effort.
 
Once the objectives have been defined, the network
performance group should track the actual service relative to
the objectives on a daily basis.  Service must be measured
over small increments of time to prevent averaging from
obscuring the peaks which constitute the problems.
 
The following sections suggest key data elements, exception
conditions, component reports, and sample analyses which may
be helpful in network performance management:
 
   1 - Performance Management Indicators
   2 - Performance Management Exceptions
   3 - Performance Management Reports
   4 - Performance Analysis