When something goes wrong with your vehicle, you probably take it in to be worked on by a mechanic, who can quickly diagnose the problem and take the steps necessary to correct it. Often, the problem isn’t the part itself, but the way that you maintain the car. For example, if you don’t change the oil regularly, the dirty oil will eventually damage the engine, causing more headaches (and a bigger repair bill) than had you just taken the 30 minutes to get the oil changed in the first place.
In many ways, your IT network is similar to your car. All of the parts of your network must be working properly in order for it to work efficiently, or even at all. If one part isn’t working up to par, or stops working altogether, the effects can ripple through the entire network — even causing it to shut down altogether. And much like serious problems in your automobile can be prevented by following the maintenance schedule and working with a qualified mechanic to find and fix small problems before they become big ones, serious problems in your network can be prevented by regular monitoring and maintenance.