Avoid Clogging Up Your Network with IP Clocks

One of the biggest concerns among IT administrators in all facilities is the risk of overloading their network with useless, yet maintenance-demanding devices. In the mind of the IT admin, for every device you hook up to your facility’s network, your life will become more difficult. And this is true in many situations—the more equipment the IT admin must maintain and monitor will inherently provide them with more responsibility. However, there are some products out there that the IT admin can integrate into their already busy network, but not increase their workload. One of these products is the IP clock.

The IT administrator has so many things to keep track of during the day. Phone systems, time attendance, computer systems, and security systems are all part of their busy schedule. Usually they’ll be reluctant to add more devices to this already long list. But when making the addition of an IP clock system to a facility’s network, maintenance and monitoring is almost non-existent. The clocks integrate with the network seamlessly without the need for local powering. After their installation, the IP clocks essentially take care of themselves—it’s the clock system that you set up once and seem to forget it’s there. The clocks are constantly receiving time updates from an NTP server over the network, which keeps all the time displays in the building accurate. Administrators will not be making constant check-ups on the accuracy of the system and can focus more time on the other networked devices in the facility. With IP clocks, it’s easy to forget that this high-tech clock system is even on your network.

In the rare event that the IP clocks must be monitored or maintained, most systems have certain features in place that prevent the IT admin from having to anticipate this need for attention. For example, some IP clocks have a built-in email notification feature—providing an email to the IT admin when a clock malfunctions. Instead of periodically checking for problems in the system, the email notification allows the user stay updated at all times with their clock system. This way, they can focus on all the other devices on the network and avoid delegating any time throughout their busy day to the monitoring or maintenance of the clock system.

With IP clocks, IT administrators have the ability to put that extra piece of equipment onto their network without the worry of overloading it. Many times, they’ll look at new networked device as just another responsibility to add to the list. However, when IP clocks are eventually installed and running on your network, maintenance and monitoring is almost non-existent. And when it actually is time to pay some attention to the IP clocks, email notifications prevent the IT admin from having to constantly wonder when that time will come. With IP clocks, IT administrators of all facilities will find that a networked clock system will not add on to that laundry list of maintenance and monitoring for all other networked devices.