Managed Services

What Are Network and Server Capacity Planning?

Network and server capacity planning empower organizations to optimize their resources and performance now and in the future. Network and server capacity planning are critical for businesses that want to maintain smooth operations, ensure user satisfaction and manage successful expansion.

Capacity Planning Defined

Capacity planning enables you to predict needed resources to improve user satisfaction. It helps you create response time goals, test different network architectures and try out server capacities so you can prepare to meet current and future system demands.

What Is Network Capacity Planning?

Network capacity planning is the ongoing process of monitoring and preparing for network use. This capacity planning helps you have sufficient network capacity to meet needs such as stable connections and fast internet speed so users can enjoy reliable network performance.

What Is Server Capacity Planning?

Server capacity planning ensures your server bandwidth can handle application and user demands while maintaining speed and consistent connection. It helps you review current needs, estimate future demands and determine what resources you will need, such as CPU, memory and storage.

How Do Network and Server Capacity Planning Relate?

Network and server capacity planning go hand in hand when you need to resolve system-level issues that affect user experience. Capacity planning for networks and servers can help you address performance metrics such as:

• Throughput: Throughput refers to the number of transactions your system can handle during a specific period. Low throughput means low response times and decreased user satisfaction. Low throughput can result from a few different things, such as too little bandwidth within your network or too little resources in your server architecture.
• Latency: Latency is the time it takes for a request to travel through your system, or how fast your system can respond to user and application demands. If your latency is high, user response times will be slow. Reviewing your network and your server capacities will help you address areas that affect latency.

While network and server capacity planning have their differences, they work in tandem to support your system through current and future demands for optimal user experiences.

Why Do Network and Server Capacity Planning Matter?

Server and network capacity planning are vital for companies that want to ensure their operations continue to run smoothly and efficiently with minimal to no interruptions or outages. They monitor performance and identify improvement areas so your organization can continue to meet demands and encourage consistent, optimal workflows.

With proper server and network capacity planning, your business can experience benefits such as:

• Improved performance: Understanding your server and network capacity and making plans to use them effectively enables your business to predict bottlenecks, overcome issues and stop lags for optimal performance.
• Increased productivity: Network and server capacity planning allow organizations to improve efficiency and productivity by ensuring your network and server can easily accommodate user and application demands.
• Enhanced user experience: Managing network and server capacity and maintaining sufficient resources enables you to reduce issues that impact employee and customer satisfaction.
• Expanded growth opportunities: Network and server capacity planning provide insights into your existing structure so you can effectively implement digital innovations that propel your business forward.
• Saved expenses: Your organization can save costs on overall network and server infrastructure by optimizing usage and resources and locating consolidation or resource-sharing opportunities.

How Can a Managed IT Service Provider Help?

A managed service provider (MSP) takes on your organization’s IT needs, including network and server capacity planning. They can manage the entire capacity planning process for you, enabling your company to focus on other essential business operations while still enjoying all the benefits of comprehensive capacity planning.

What an MSP Does for Server and Network Capacity Planning

Managed service providers handle all your server and network capacity needs, especially when you need to supplement your in-house workforce and resources. They assist with network and server capacity planning tasks such as:

• Reviewing your current server and network infrastructure, usage and requirements
• Identifying improvement areas and bottlenecks
• Creating capacity plans that address your unique network demands
• Managing network and server capacity planning and initiatives on your behalf
• Monitoring ongoing network and server performance

Benefits Your Organization Will Experience With an MSP

MSPs have the resources, expertise and experience to understand your network and server needs. They can develop comprehensive plans to satisfy your network and server demands and continually manage and improve your capacity. Partnering with a professional MSP for network and server capacity planning enables your business to:

• Improve data security
• Increase uptime and productivity
• Enjoy cost savings
• Scale operations

Connect With the Experts at Kirbtech Today

Let the IT professionals at Kirbtech handle your network and server capacity planning needs. We have the expertise and resources to help small to medium-sized businesses experience optimal performance now and in the future as demands evolve and grow. Contact us online to learn more about our managed IT services.