8 key attributes of effective network change management software

Table of Contents

• What is network configuration and change management?
• Why is network change management important?
• Strategic approaches to network change management in digital transformation
  • 1. Avoid the risks of making changes without a plan 
  • 2. Introduce collaborative feedback loops
  • 3. Enhance network stability via configuration change tracking 
  • 4. Reduce the risk of unauthorized access with RBAC
  • 5. Compare configuration for effective network change management 
  • 6. Label all configuration changes to enhance efficiency
  • 7. Invest time in documenting the changes
  • 8. Keep backup and rollback plans
• Network change management strategies with Virima for digital transformation
  • Automated discovery and CMDB integration
  • Virima Visual Impact Display (ViVID™)
  • ViVID™ service mapping
• Optimizing network configuration and change management for peak performance

The global Network Configuration and Change Management (NCCM) Market report indicates consistent growth in 2024. The report projects that the growth will continue upward until 2032. As businesses grow and network environments become increasingly complex, manual network change management becomes impractical and error-prone. 

Imagine a network admin grappling with the daunting task of managing 5,000 devices in a multi-vendor environment. One mistake could cause a lot of downtime. Finding the problem by looking through lots of code is very hard.

In contrast, automated network configuration and change management (NCCM) tools streamline these processes and mitigate risks. Moreover, by adopting strategic change management best practices, organizations can significantly enhance network efficiency, reduce vulnerabilities, and ensure smoother digital transitions. 

In this blog, we’ll dive into the world of network configuration and change management strategies. In addition, you’ll also discover how to future-proof your digital transformation efforts.

What is network configuration and change management?

NCCM stands for network configuration and change management. It aims to enhance digital networks by optimizing and configuring processes. Essentially, it centralizes administration, management, and monitoring of backups into a single platform. 

This tool handles daily configuration tasks and is increasingly crucial as businesses grow. Hence network change management minimizes errors and enables employees to work more efficiently. Moreover, it also notifies administrators of any network changes promptly to ensure prompt action. 

Altogether, network change management plays a vital role in IT departments across various sectors. Thus, change management software plays a significant role in several organizations, enterprises, governments, and service providers as well. Overall, it supports performance enhancement and minimizing network IT downtime.

Why is network change management important?

Bain’s research says that only 8% of global companies manage to achieve their targeted business outcomes. Despite the challenges, achieving success is feasible with the right network configuration and change management tools. That’s why understanding the NCCM network is essential for realizing your organizational goals effectively.

Network change management is crucial for several reasons:

• It ensures network stability and reliability by standardizing configurations.
• Furthermore, it enhances security by enforcing policies and applying updates consistently.
• It also facilitates compliance with regulatory standards through documentation and verification.
• Then, it improves efficiency by automating configuration management tasks.
• Moreover, it supports reliability by managing configurations across growing networks.
• At last, it enables quick disaster recovery with configuration backups.

Strategic approaches to network change management in digital transformation

1. Avoid the risks of making changes without a plan

In digital transformation, one effective strategy for network change management is meticulous planning and systematic implementation. This approach involves carefully planning each step and then methodically carrying out those plans. You can make use of tools like service mapping during network change to assess the potential impact of proposed changes. By doing this, organizations can identify potential risks and challenges early and minimize disruptions.

This strategic method with suitable change management software ensures that the transformation process is efficient and effective. By following a structured approach, organizations can confidently navigate the complexities of network change management, ultimately achieving successful digital transformations.

2. Introduce collaborative feedback loops

Implementing a peer review process is a strategic approach to network change management during digital transformation. In this approach, colleagues review each other’s work before finalizing it.

First, team members share their ideas and progress. Then, peers provide feedback and suggestions. This step considers everyone’s input and improves the quality of the work.

3. Enhance network stability via configuration change tracking

Configuration change tracking is crucial for network change management during digital amendment implementation. This strategy involves constantly monitoring all configuration changes in real-time with the help of change management software. By doing this, businesses can efficiently manage changes and avoid human errors that could lead to significant losses. Manually tracking each device in a large network is nearly impossible. 

In contrast, real-time change notifications inform administrators immediately about any changes made. Furthermore, administrators also learn when changes occur and who made them.

To make your job easier with real-time alerts, you can opt for Virima. Virima is an end-to-end IT management resolution that effectively handles changes. Integrating Virima with system monitoring and ITSM platforms provides near real-time alerts and incident response visibility. As a result, proactive monitoring greatly enhances network stability and security.

4. Reduce the risk of unauthorized access with RBAC

Role-based access control (RBAC) makes network change management much easier during digital transformation. With RBAC, administrators keep control of large enterprise networks. If everyone had the same access, things would get chaotic. Instead, administrators assign specific roles, like operators and admins. 

This way, administrators approve or reject changes suggested by operators, who only handle certain devices. This reduces the risk of unauthorized or unnecessary changes in change management software. By requiring all changes to go through an approval process, RBAC keeps the network safe and stable. Thus, RBAC is crucial for preventing unwanted changes and ensuring a smooth-running network.

5. Compare configuration for effective network change management

Managing network changes can be challenging, especially when new configurations cause problems. Traditionally, administrators manually review every line of configuration files to identify the root cause of an issue. This strategy is time-consuming and complex. 

However, using a side-by-side configuration comparison can significantly streamline this process. This method allows administrators to easily compare different configurations or versions of devices. Thus, this network configuration and change management method clearly highlight any amendment or additions. 

By comparing an unstable network configuration with a previously stable version, admins can quickly pinpoint and resolve the issue. This approach reduces management overhead and minimizes downtime, making network change management more efficient and effective.

6. Label all configuration changes to enhance efficiency

Labeling configuration versions is a crucial strategy in network change management, especially during digital transformation. It simplifies the process for administrators to identify the latest and baseline configuration versions quickly. This change management software practice is particularly beneficial in large enterprise networks, where configuration files undergo frequent changes.

For example, consider a scenario where administrators update a server’s configuration multiple times to improve security settings. If there are 30 different updates, administrators might struggle to track each one manually. 

Labeling these updates as versions one through 30 allows them to effortlessly locate a particular version. This systematic network configuration and change management approach enhances efficiency and reduces errors. Thereby the change management software ensures smoother network management and quicker issue resolution.

7. Invest time in documenting the changes

Effective network change management involves documenting all modifications as a key strategy. During any change management strategy, using change management software becomes crucial. It helps in structuring and organizing documentation of every change made in the network. 

Using tools like Virima Visual Impact Display (ViVID™), users can generate personalized views and reports. These reports can be exported and included in documentation, offering valuable insights into network change management.

By keeping thorough records in the change software, network engineers create a clear roadmap of how the network evolves over time. This proactive approach speeds up problem-solving and ensures consistency in managing the network. Investing time in documenting changes pays off by reducing the time spent on troubleshooting. It also frees up more time for innovation and improvement.

8. Keep backup and rollback plans

When managing network changes, you must prepare for the unexpected. Despite business continuity planning and reviews, issues can still occur suddenly. Therefore, keeping backups of configurations for all network devices is essential in the network configuration and change management cycle. These backups act as a safety net, allowing quick recovery if problems arise. 

Equally important is having a clear plan to revert changes. This plan outlines the steps needed to undo alterations effectively. Furthermore, utilizing change management software can greatly facilitate the process. 

These change management software provide a structured approach to tracking and implementing changes. They enhance control and reduce risks by offering IT visibility into the entire change process.  

Network change management strategies with Virima for digital transformation

Virima enhances network change management for digital transformation with powerful strategies. Their approach integrates advanced tools and meticulous change impact analysis to boost IT service management.

Automated discovery and CMDB integration

Virima facilitates automated IT discovery of configuration changes and enables one-click updates to the Configuration Management Database (CMDB). This streamlined approach ensures accurate and up-to-date documentation of IT assets and configurations.

Virima Visual Impact Display (ViVID™)

Moreover, Virima Visual Impact Display (ViVID™) offers near real-time visibility into network change impacts. This dynamic tool visualizes IT infrastructure interdependencies, helping stakeholders identify risks quickly.

ViVID™ service mapping

By leveraging Virima’s service mapping and ViVID™ capabilities, organizations can navigate complex IT environments more effectively. Service mapping uncovers intricate interdependencies, while ViVID’s visual insights facilitate precise planning and execution of network changes aligned with business objectives.

Optimizing network configuration and change management for peak performance

In conclusion, mastering network configuration change management is crucial for efficient network operations. Organizations can strengthen their networks by using strong strategies and advanced Virima change management software. 

Additionally, choosing a comprehensive solution like Virima can transform how network change management works. Thereby leading to operational excellence and strategic progress. By implementing these approaches and effective change management software tools, businesses can navigate network changes effectively, reducing disruptions and improving IT efficiency. 

Explore how Virima can optimize your network configuration and change management. Schedule a demo today to find out more!