What Is Networking Software?

Techwalla may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.
Image Credit: Wenjie Dong/E+/GettyImages

Networking software powers the vast majority of today's corporations, businesses and other large organizations. The ability to efficiently organize content sharing, communication and security among a large group of users and devices can not only improve productivity but also help everyone involved reach their own potential within their workspace. When networks are being established, networking software is deployed to allow administrators to quickly customize or adjust elements of the larger framework as needed. A closer look at modern networking software shows how these programs function.

Advertisement

The Basics of Network Software

Video of the Day

If you are new to network software, it is important to distinguish between "network software" and a client-side "software application." Network software is primarily intended for administrator use, while software applications allow users working within the network to complete their necessary tasks. The two concepts, while sharing similar terminology, are unique.

Advertisement

Video of the Day

When network software is used correctly, it cannot be accessed or even seen by end users. Network software facilitates the actions of the end user, rather than acting as a tool that they can use. When network software is deployed, a network administrator (usually defined as the person in charge of maintaining the network) can view all the simultaneous connections occurring within the network and set specific permissions for users requesting access to the network. Network administrators can also use network software to add or remove individual users from the network quickly. This can be especially useful in the event of a new employee hire or employee termination.

Advertisement

Analysis of Network Software

When networking software is deployed within a hardware framework, it is considered to be Software Defined Networking or SDN. Within the world of software-defined networking, an SDN controller is deployed by the network administrator to engage with end-user devices. The control logic of the network is partitioned away from end users in such a way that the architecture of the network cannot be affected by their actions.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Through the use of "northbound" and "southbound" APIs, the SDN controller can engage with end-user devices and receive feedback from said hardware. This is made possible through a series of switches and routers placed strategically throughout the network itself.

Some of the more popular examples of networking software include Logic Monitor, Datadog, Vallum Halo Manager and ConnectWise, among others. As always, it is recommended that you take the time to explore all the various options available and consult customer reviews before deciding on a particular product.

Advertisement

Advertisement

references

Report an Issue

screenshot of the current page

Screenshot loading...