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Network latency: Using network traffic monitoring tools for optimal performance


Seamless network performance is the cornerstone of business success. However, network latency—the delay in data transfer initiation—can greatly hinder user experiences, decrease productivity, and even incur financial losses. For businesses aspiring to thrive, it is crucial to address and resolve network latency issues. In this context, network traffic monitoring tools emerge as pivotal solutions. 

What is network latency? 

Network latency is the time it takes for a data packet to reach the destination from the source. In simpler terms, it is the delay that occurs in communication over a network. High latency can lead to noticeable delays and affect the performance of online applications, making activities such as online shopping, gaming, and remote work less efficient and more frustrating for users. Various factors influence latency, including the quality of the network connection and the efficiency of data routing and handling by network devices.
In this blog, we delve into a few practical use cases and examples of how you can leverage network traffic monitoring tools to combat network latency effectively.

Optimizing web applications

Situation
Consider an e-commerce platform experiencing slow loading times, particularly during periods of increased traffic, which leads to customer dissatisfaction and decreased sales.
Solution
By employing a network monitoring tool like Site24x7, the organization can pinpoint the exact sources of latency and gain insights about the WAN's performance. Site24x7 can monitor the WAN and identify the path with high round-trip times. Consequently, the company can make an informed decision to employ an optimized network path. A network monitoring tool also facilitates real-time tracking to ensure this adjustment yields the desired decrease in latency.

Enhancing online gaming experiences

Situation
An online gaming company faces complaints about lag and connectivity issues negatively affecting gaming experiences.
Solution 
Using network monitoring tools allows the gaming company to assess its infrastructure's capacity and pinpoint the exact locations of bottlenecks. These insights can guide infrastructure upgrades and network bandwidth adjustments, ensuring increased connection stability and reduced latency. 

Improving remote work connectivity

Situation
A company with a widespread remote workforce struggles with VPN connectivity, causing delays and inefficiency.
Solution
By employing network monitoring tools, the IT department can gain a comprehensive view of the network's performance, including the VPN connections. This facilitates taking a strategic approach to network adjustments, such as implementing split tunneling or tweaking network configurations, and allows for the setup of regional access points based on data insights, directly tackling latency issues.

How to reduce network latency

Network latency can arise from various factors, both controllable and uncontrollable. The key to resolving these factors lies in automating the identification of issues. Site24x7 identifies and addresses latency issues within a network by continuously monitoring traffic flows. It leverages AI to help you identify bandwidth hogs, malfunctioning network devices, and device configuration errors that contribute to latency.
​Additionally, Site24x7 can check if your devices are compliant and if there are any firmware vulnerabilities that require patch fixes. Based on this data, IT professionals can make informed decisions about rerouting traffic, upgrading hardware, or adjusting configurations to mitigate the impacts of delays.