When you see the spinning wheel of death or your users repeatedly request your help to rid their laptops of the bad omen, you need a plan to address your internet speed. 
A common mistake many IT managers make is increasing bandwidth before assessing if that is the root of the problem.
Faster internet doesn’t necessarily mean better user speed because your internet connection is much more complex than just how much bandwidth your contract includes.
The KR Group has seen too many times where businesses upgrade their internet contract without digging deep into their network and checking if the connection is the source of the problem.
Unfortunately, many of these companies end up having the same connection issues despite paying more for their internet.
How can you avoid this same pitfall?
Conducting a layer 7 analysis provides insight into your network traffic and will guide your decisions on upgrading the internet connection or networking hardware.
What Is a Layer 7 Analysis?
In the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Model, seven abstract layers encompass the communications between computing systems. This organizational structure provides a universal set of rules, so products and services have can work together with different operating backgrounds.
The seventh layer in the OSI Model is the application piece of your network. Here, you can find information about what users are doing while connected to the internet.
This includes information about client type, request destination (down to individual URL), number of consecutive requests, and more.
When you perform a layer 7 analysis, you gather detailed insight and complete visibility of how employees use your network by looking at all seven networking layers. You can use this information to set security policies and prioritize internet traffic.
Ultimately, a layer 7 analysis helps you determine if you’re sizing your internet connection properly and configuring traffic appropriately.
Later, you’ll read more about how to accomplish this, but for now, you should know that you’re able to look at historical network traffic to predict how and when your bandwidth is used.
Getting Started with a Layer 7 Analysis
A layer 7 analysis is unparalleled in its ability to look at the different components of your network and how your company uses the internet. 
There are many reasons to conduct one, but for this article, we’re going to focus on this process as it relates to addressing internet connection issues.
The amount of visibility you’ll gain from a layer 7 analysis allows you to see crucial information, such as how much bandwidth you use and what applications use the most data.
Then, you can take this information and make data-driven decisions when it comes to renewing or upgrading your internet contract and related hardware.
We know what you’re asking now. How do you get started with this process?
Let’s break this down into the following three steps:
- Have the hardware for a layer 7 analysis
- Outsourcing your layer 7 analysis
- Interpreting the results of a layer 7 analysis
Together, this process will help you better understand your network traffic and give you the insight to make the best decisions for your business.
Step #1: Have the hardware for a layer 7 analysis.
To conduct a layer 7 analysis, you’ll need a firewall that’s capable of the task.
While this feature is becoming increasingly common, not all firewalls have it, so don’t assume yours does.
If you don’t have a firewall compatible with this process, you’ll need to acquire one for the project.
(At The KR Group, Meraki firewalls are our go-to solution, so we’ll reference them throughout the remainder of this section. However, many of the same points apply to any firewall capable of layer 7 analysis and IT engineers knowledgeable of that device.)
With Meraki, you can request a free trial of a single solution. The purpose of this program – aptly named Try and Buy – is to allow you to test a product before committing to it.
This trial lasts 14 days. Then, you need to decide to return or purchase the product.
The good news is two weeks is a good window of time for a layer 7 analysis, so you can request a free trial of a Meraki firewall and use it exclusively for the layer 7 analysis if you choose.
Along with a compatible firewall, you’ll also want to know the best time to analyze because the goal is to see your network at its busiest and slowest.
Coordinate your layer 7 analysis when you have the most users in the office, your production is maxed out, and you’ve noticed trends of slow connectivity.
Step #2: Determine who will manage your layer 7 analysis.
Now that you understand the value of a layer 7 analysis, you need to decide who is going to conduct it. 
If you have the resources, you can delegate this task to the network administrator.
However, realistically, your department may be busy solving everyday IT problems and doesn’t have the time to conduct a layer 7 analysis.
If this describes how you’re feeling, know you have other options, such as:
1. An IT liaison
If you have an established working relationship with an IT partner, such as a managed service provider, you can ask them to perform this task and even send them a link to this article.
2. A security adviser
Another option is to have a security adviser look into your network traffic during an organization’s assessment.
For example, The KR Group includes a layer 7 analysis during our Hive Security Assessments.
3. An IT consultant
If you don’t have an IT liaison or a security adviser but still lack time to do the analysis in-house, find a trusted IT consultant who can work with you.
IT consultants are trained in this process to efficiently dig into the weeds without needing to escalate components of the task.
When you work with an IT consultant, they can take your network usage information and find potential ISPs to address any gaps discovered.
Additionally, IT consultants can negotiate better deals than if you were to research ISPs and contracts on your own.
In other words, outsourcing a layer 7 analysis and subsequent contract search gives you more time, better outcomes, and competitive pricing.
Step #3: Interpret the results of a layer 7 analysis
Once two weeks have passed of the firewall analyzing your traffic – and of you reassuring users that better internet is in the works – it’s time to explore what the layer 7 analysis found.
Keep in mind this data should reflect your network at its worst. Some of the data you should take away from the layer 7 analysis include:
- An average of how much bandwidth you use at a single point in time
- The maximum amount of bandwidth used at one time
- Which applications require the most bandwidth
- Which applications are experiencing performance problems due to lack of bandwidth or misconfigured prioritization
All of this information will guide your decisions about load balancing, traffic prioritization, and bandwidth requirements.
Using a Layer 7 Analysis to Benefit Your Network
A layer 7 analysis is truly the best way to get to the bottom of networking issues.
By looking at traffic at the application level, you’ll get the most amount of information to explain why your users keep seeing the spinning wheel of death.
First, determine you have the proper hardware and designate a person or partner responsible for the process. Then, you can get started with the layer 7 analysis.
After you’ve collected a sufficient amount of data, you can start parsing through the information to see what traffic looks like within your network.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the technical aspects or the time involved to conduct a layer 7 analysis, know you have options for help.
If you’re interested in having The KR Group assist with this process, fill out this brief questionnaire to give us an idea of what you’re looking for, and we’ll get back to you to start coordinating your layer 7 analysis.
