Network Monitoring is the usage of a system that continuously monitors a computer network for slow or failing components and notifies the network administrator in the event of outages or other problems. Network management includes network monitoring.
Network monitoring is something that every connected business should undertake. However, with so many different network monitoring software and tools to choose from, it can be difficult to find the best one for your needs and budget. We compare and rank the top network monitoring tools in this article.
A Network Monitoring Software is a system designed to monitor and manage the network traffic flow through a network . It is mostly used by network administrators and security personnel to monitor network operations. It automates the majority of network monitoring tasks and workflows.
It can be tough to choose network monitoring software because there are so many options. Comprehensive network monitoring solutions provide you with the visibility you need to manage your devices and ensure they’re ready when you need them.
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With so many issues in network management, it’s no surprise that “network management tools” encompass such a diverse set of technologies. A LAN analyzer or packet sniffer, for example, is a network tool that taps the network to allow you to observe data as it travels, but it won’t monitor all of the parameters you need to monitor in your role as a network manager.
Taking these variables into account, this tutorial will go through a variety of network monitoring tools that may help you keep track of your network’s performance, regardless of its size or configuration.
Our List Of Best Network Monitoring Software.
We look at a variety of network monitoring software and tools for Windows, Mac, and Linux, including free, paid, and open-source options. We’ve also included a summary of the most important features in each sector to assist you in selecting the best solution for your network.
Network Performance Monitor by SolarWinds:
It’s a lot more than just a scanner. The majority of network security vulnerabilities originate when configurations are updated, and SolarWinds NPM detects and resolves many of them automatically. This is by far the best choice for network monitoring systems, with solid vulnerability scanning and advanced tools for creating and monitoring policies. Sign up for a free trial.
Key Features:
- SNMP monitoring
- Automatically discovers connected network devices
- Network packet analysis
- Intelligent network maps with NetPath
- Create WiFi heat maps
- Alerts system
- Reports system
Network Performance Monitoring by Datadog:
Provides a clear visual representation of your network components as well as the network traffic flows between them. Helps you troubleshoot DNS, app, and infrastructure problems. Sign up for a free trial.
Key Features:
- Live network mapping and protocol analysis
- Alerts on performance thresholds that are adjusted through machine learning
- Correlation with data from SNMP and other sources
Auvik:
This SaaS system is built around a network mapper and comes in two different plan levels, each including system management capabilities. Sign up for a free trial.
Key features:
- Automated setup
- Network mapping
- Resource utilization alerts
- Configuration management
ManageEngine OpManager:
SNMP devices, switches, servers, and virtualized network services can all be monitored using this network monitor. Sign up for a free trial.
Key features:
- Automatic discovery
- Network mapping
- SNMP monitoring
- Email and SMS alerts
- Customizable dashboards
Site24x7 Network Monitoring:
A cloud-based solution that combines IT infrastructure, apps, and user behavior monitoring. Sign up for a free trial.
Key features:
- All-in-one solution with automatic network discovery
- Real-time application and network device monitor
- Powerful reporting, analytics, and alerts
Checkmk:
This is a system-wide monitoring service, not just for networks, with free and premium versions available. It’s possible to run it on Linux or as a physical appliance. Sign up for free trial.
Key features:
- Monitors servers and applications as well as networks
- Network discovery
- Network topology map
- Wired and wireless networks
WhatsUp Gold by Progress:
A network performance monitor that uses SNMP to monitor network device health and may be expanded to monitor other resources with premium add-ons. Installs on a Windows Server environment. Sign up for a free trial.
Key features:
- SNMP-based
- Status alerts
- Network discovery
- Automated network mapping
- Diagnostic tools
PRTG Network Monitor by Paessler:
Free network monitoring program that monitors your network using SNMP, packet sniffing, and WMI. Sign up for a free trial.
Key features:
- SNMP monitoring
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Scan for network devices by IP segment
- Custom dashboards
- Threshold-based alerts system
- Reports system
- Customizable network maps
The most effective network monitoring software
We examined at major network management platform capabilities including SNMP, network mapping, uptime/downtime, alerting, bandwidth monitoring, network health, dashboards, and more as part of our comparison to highlight products that offer a great user experience.
When choosing a network monitoring software, what should you look for?
We looked at the market for network monitoring tools and software and compared the possibilities using the following criteria:
- To log all network devices, an autodiscovery system is used.
- A topology mapper for networks.
- The ability to utilize SNMP to collect live network device statuses.
- A tool for tracking network performance over time.
- Data visualization in the form of charts and graphs.
- For a risk-free evaluation, offer a free trial period, a demo, or a money-back guarantee.
- A reasonable price that demonstrates good value for money when compared to the services provided.
What makes a good network monitoring tool?
A good network monitoring tool should offer the following features:
- A network inventory can be built using an autodiscovery function.
- A network topology mapper that is automated.
- Drill-down views provide a network performance overview, as well as information by device type and individual network devices.
- Thresholds for acceptable performance that determine acceptable performance.
- If an issue occurs, an alerting system will pull operators to the dashboard.
- Data visualization with color coding to aid in speedy state detection.
- Automatically extract critical network performance statistics for study and presentations using pre-written report templates.
Conclusion
Because all of these parts are dependant on guaranteeing the delivery of services to end-users, many IT departments combine the duties of server, application, storage, and network management. All of these aspects of a company’s infrastructure can be covered by bundled software packages that include monitoring tools. A network monitoring tool might be as simple as a command-line program or as complex as a whole suite of services.
