Reliable Methodologies & Tools to Visualise Network Performance Data
Today’s business reality demonstrates a growing demand for high-quality visualization and interpretation of complex network data. However, working on its analysis and communicating it to stakeholders doesn’t require any sophisticated skills or talents.
Even as networks become increasingly complex, you can transform performance data into actionable insights on your own and without extra help.
All you need are proven methodologies and smart online tools. With their help, you can bridge the gap between technical specialists and business stakeholders.
Let’s explore some of the most efficient methodologies and tools right away.
What is network visualization?
Network data visualization is the process of creating graphical representations of this data properly and clearly. It can be used to plan and design network changes, analyze and solve problems, identify and optimize bottlenecks, detect and mitigate risks, and communicate with a team and stakeholders.
Below, you’ll find some robust methodologies that help to represent such data smoothly.
Impressive methodologies for smart network performance visualization
The variety of available methodologies and online tools will not leave your stakeholders without a clear visualization of even the most complex data. The main thing is to decide on the appropriate option.
It can actually be the most popular methodology or some niche approach, a highly specialized analytical tool or universal project management scheduling software. Overall, it should be useful for both your stakeholders and you.
Let’s look at the options.
Hierarchical structures
Hierarchical structures logically organize nodes in a directed flow from a root node down through branches. This approach is also called a tree layout.
If you need to capture data that can be structured smoothly from top to bottom/left to right or has parent-child relationships, this methodology looks ideal. It includes clear levels and branches, so it’s easy to read and visualize even the most complex data on it.
Tree layouts are usually well received by stakeholders because they map well to familiar ideas such as organizational charts.
Adjacency matrices
This type of matrix visualizes the relationships between data in a convenient tabular format, where columns and rows contain cells and nodes. It helps to quantitatively compare parts of a network, rather than explore the structure organically.
Users choose these matrices when they need to represent large and complex networks without visual chaos. It’s easy to see symmetry, clusters, or missing connections there.
However, when choosing such matrices, you should be sure that your stakeholders are familiar with mathematical visuals. If you use color shading or heat maps, adjacency matrices will look more accessible.
Node-link diagrams
Another common way to present complex network data to stakeholders is using a node-link diagram.
For many, this is the most accessible, intuitive, and simple approach, where nodes represent entities and links form relationships between them.
Understanding these diagrams doesn’t require any special training or knowledge from stakeholders. They are essentially a simple system of dots connected by lines.
However, it’s vital to understand that as your network becomes denser, this diagram can quickly become cluttered and difficult to understand.
Geospatial network maps
These network maps can be pretty informative in reflecting relationships between data, especially when locations are involved.
They provide valuable information that helps make important decisions about facility planning and resource allocation. Such systems often contain nodes, graphs, and relationships. However, if there are too many nodes, a map can become cluttered and overlapping.
This methodology is appreciated by many stakeholders as they can intuitively understand such a map.
Using one or more of these methodologies will make the visualization of complex data much easier. And choosing the right tool will help you perfect the process.
Below are 5 efficient tools to consider.
5 network visualization tools tested by experts
Visualizing complex data and metrics is no longer a problem, as there are many smart solutions available to help with it.
Each tool has different capabilities and features, so the final choice will depend on your specific needs.
1. ThousandEyes
Users choose ThousandEyes when they need advanced visualization capabilities for modern distributed networks and cloud services. The tool combines powerful visualization and active network testing. It reflects performance metrics across complex hybrid environments.
With its help, users create interactive maps that reflect how traffic flows between network endpoints. They can easily reveal bottlenecks or complex routing issues.
2. Grafana
Grafana also professionally assists in creating dashboards of different network overviews and summaries. You get robust features to thoroughly explore, query, monitor, and alert your data.
This flexible tool proposes exceptional time-series visualization. It makes it a perfect choice for monitoring network metrics that can change frequently over time.
You also get an extensive library with smart graphs and views for effective visualization. The options can be combined into cohesive dashboards. Therefore, you can satisfy various stakeholder needs.
3. Tableau
This powerful tool looks useful for generating smart charts of network quantitative and qualitative aspects. It proposes advanced features to visualize, filter, connect, and aggregate different information effectively.
Tableau comes with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that looks clear even for users who have no specific skills to prepare detailed visualizations of complex network data. It perfectly displays data with exceptional ease of use. It makes it valuable for sharing network performance data with stakeholders.
4. Gephi
This popular solution suits many data analysts and scientists as it allows for interacting with representation styles and manipulating various structures, colors, and shapes to reveal hidden patterns.
Its purpose is to assist data analysts in making proper hypotheses, discovering patterns, and isolating structural faults during data sourcing.
You can consider this tool as a complementary solution to traditional statistics viewers.
5. Cytoscape
Another useful platform for complex network data visualization is Cytoscape. Although it was originally designed for biological interactions, now it is a popular platform for complex network visualization and metrics analysis.
The software is valued for a simple yet powerful set of features for data analysis, integration, and visualization. Additional capabilities are available as plugins.
It seems that this is all. Of course, you can consider and test other solutions.
Turn network complexity into meaningful communication
Visualizing network performance metrics is a source of conversation between you and your stakeholders, at its core.
If your complex data remains inaccessible to the general public, then such data will have little value.
To make it understandable and valuable to stakeholders, take care of effective visualization.
You can easily achieve it with the help of powerful methodologies and tools that transform technical complexity into clarity. It will increase the chances of making informed decisions and avoiding mistakes.