Zabbix is an open-source free network monitoring tool that combines network, server, cloud, application, and services monitoring into one unified solution. The autodiscovery feature automatically locates network devices and adds them to be monitored. The tool can also detect configuration changes automatically so you can tell if a network device has been updated.
Network monitoring templates make it easy to configure the program for monitoring. If you require more variety then you can access even more community templates form the Zabbix community site. To ensure that you can respond to alerts in time, Zabbix has a notification system.
Alerts are sent by email, SMS, messenger, jabber, or custom scripts to update you on evolving network security events. The notification content can be customized according to the recipient to make sure that the point of contact has everything they need to reopen intelligently. Zabbix is one of the top Linux network monitoring tools on the market. Autodiscovery and templates make the program straightforward to deploy.
The software for the package is installed on Linux , macOS , and Unix. You can download the software for free. Related post: Nagios vs Zabbix. Icinga is an open-source network monitoring tool that monitors the performance of your network, cloud-service, and data center. Having the choice between the two gives you the power to monitor however you want. You can log in to the GUI and use the dashboard to view an overview of performance management.
The dashboard displays whether there are any problems with performance or availability and color-codes them according to severity. Critical or Down network devices are marked in red. Extensions or Icinga Modules , allow you to add more functions to the program. For example, the Icinga Module for vSphere allows you to monitor virtual machines and host systems. There is a range of community-created plugins you can download for free from the Icinga Exchange. Overall, Icinga is a scalable solution that gives you control over how you manage your environment.
You can download the free trial version. Spiceworks Connectivity Dashboard is a popular free network monitoring software. Through the web-based GUI, you access the dashboard and monitor the availability of your network infrastructure in real-time. The software also comes with integrations with Spiceworks Inventory and Cloud Help Desk so that you can monitor your network inventory more effectively.
The alerts system lets you know about any performance fluctuations so you receive notifications via emai l. Spiceworks Connectivity Dashboard is ideal for smaller enterprises that are looking for an affordable network performance monitoring solution.
You can download the software for free to install on Windows. It is common in many IT departments to combine the functions of server, application, storage, and network management, because all of these elements are interdependent on ensuring successful delivery of services to end-users. Combined software packages containing monitoring tools can cover all of these elements of company infrastructure.
A network monitoring tool can be a small command-line utility, or a vast suite of services. Networking technology involves many different specialist functions. You also have to ensure that the network is secure and that the environmental conditions in the building are suitable for your equipment. In all, you need to keep on top of potential problems on the network and head them off. If failure does occur, try to catch it and fix it before it impacts the work of the users of the network.
If all measures fail, the help desk enables you to receive alerts from users to identify undetected problems. The tool has all the essential features you need to start monitoring your network including autodiscovery, dashboards, network maps, bandwidth monitoring, and an alerts system. Network monitoring is concerned with the performance of the devices that operate the network, such as switches and routers.
This activity is called network performance monitoring. The other main task of network monitoring examines traffic flow, this is called network traffic analysis. While some network traffic analysis tasks involve identifying the applications that generate or receive traffic, those monitoring functions are not concerned with whether the applications are running properly. Application performance monitoring watches whether applications are able to get all of the resources they need in order to function properly.
One of those resources is access to the network. All of the tools listed in this review are capable of monitoring networks remotely, that is, they can connect over the internet to another site and monitor all aspects of network performance. Remote monitoring can be performed just as easily by software resident on a cloud server as it can by software resident on a server in the same building as the network administrator.
There are two types of network monitors: packet sniffers, which sample network traffic, and network performance monitors, which collect network device reports. There are seven types of network monitoring systems:. Traffic monitoring tools are called traffic analyzers or NetFlow monitors.
While network performance monitors query network device statuses, traffic analyzers examine throughput data from network devices and also extract the headers of passing packets to quantify traffic by protocol, source, and destination. An SNMP agent needs to be resident on each device. All network device manufacturers ship their products with an SNMP agent already installed.
All that is lacking is the SNMP manager and this is the role that the network performance monitoring tool provides. It depends on your needs. Unless I misunderstood, SpiceWorks Network Monitoring has not been under development for several years. This was from a support person at SpiceWorks.
We have been pretty happy with it but are looking for something else due to the lack of development. Thank you for your comment. Thanks Tim, good list of tools. Thank you, Tim. It is the most complete list I saw. We actually tried many of the above. Some of them are pretty hard to use.
Some become too expensive when your network grows… Some do not have important features we needed. This one had all the features we needed out-of-box, also was easy to use. Yes, they have real-time monitoring, visualization and user defined alerts.
We started using it as simple desktop application for small size network and the same installation gradually grew into multi-user distributed system monitoring thousands of nodes including secure monitoring of our remote sites. The most cost effective solution They have free version as well. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Comparitech uses cookies. More info. Menu Close. We are reader supported and may receive a commission when you make purchases using the links on our site.
Network monitoring is something that every connected organization should be doing. However, with such a huge range of network monitoring software and tools, choosing the right one for your environment and budget can be challenging. In this post, we compare and rank the best network monitoring tools. Tim Keary Network administration expert. Most network security issues arise when configurations are changed and SolarWinds NPM identifies these and can automatically resolve many.
Alongside solid vulnerability scanning and advanced options to create and monitor policies, this is by far the top choice for network monitoring systems. Get a day free trial.
Helps you get to the bottom of DNS, app and infrastructure issues. Runs on Linux or a physical appliance. Installs on Windows Server. Nagios Core One of the top open-source network monitoring tools. Includes a dashboard view, alerts system, community plugins, and more. Includes an alerts system and community plugins. Icinga Open source network monitoring system with a DSL. Includes extensions. Spiceworks Connectivity Dashboard Free network monitoring software with a high-quality dashboard and simple alert system.
What should you look for when choosing network monitoring tools and software? We reviewed the network monitoring tools and software market and analyzed the options based on the following criteria: An autodiscovery system to log all network devices A network topology mapper The ability to collect live network devices statuses by using SNMP A facility to analyze network performance over time Graphical interpretation of data, such as charts and graphs A free trial period, a demo, or a money-back guarantee for no-risk assessment A good price that reflects value for money when compared to the functions offered.
Pros: Designed with large and enterprise networks in mind Supports auto-discovery that builds network topology maps and inventory lists in real-time based on devices that enter the network Has some of the best alerting features that balance effectiveness with ease of use Supports both SNMP monitoring as well as packet analysis, giving you more control over monitoring than similar tools Uses drag and drop widgets to customize the look and feel of the dashboard Robust reporting system with pre-configured compliance templates.
Cons: This is a feature-rich enterprise tool, small LANs and operations may find it overwhelming. 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. Pros: Has one of the most intuitive interfaces among other network monitoring tools Cloud-based SaaS product allows monitoring with no server deployments or onboarding costs Can monitor both internally and externally giving network admins a holistic view of network performance and accessibility Supports auto-discovery that builds network topology maps on the fly Changes made to the network are reflected in near real-time Allows businesses to scale their monitoring efforts reliably through flexible pricing options.
Cons: Would like to see a longer trial period for more advanced testing. Pros: Designed to work right away, features over customizable widgets to build unique dashboards and reports Leverages autodiscover to find, inventory, and map new devices Uses intelligent alerting to reduce false positives and eliminate alert fatigue across larger networks Supports email, SMS, and webhook for numerous alerting channels Integrates well in the ManageEngine ecosystem with their other products.
Cons: Is a feature-rich tool that will require a time investment to properly learn. Key features: All-in-one solution with automatic network discovery Real-time application and network device monitor Powerful reporting, analytics, and alerts. Pros: One of the most holistic monitoring tools available, supporting networks, infrastructure, and real user monitoring in a single platform Uses real-time data to discover devices and build charts, network maps, and inventory reports Is one of the most user-friendly network monitoring tools available User monitoring can help bridge the gap between technical issues, user behavior, and business metrics Supports a freeware version for testing.
Pros: Both network performance and bandwidth utilization monitoring Locally hosted software A good deal for small businesses Alerts for device problems Integrated server and application performance monitoring. Cons: This is a copy of Nagios Core, which is an impressive rival.
Pros: Automatic device discovery and network topology mapping Tracks network device statuses with SNMP Identifies traffic throughput at each device Alerts that can be forwarded as notifications by email Processes device status alerts. Cons: The free trial only lasts two weeks. Pros: The monitoring package is able to monitor many networks on different sites and unify their data The console is browser-based and can be accessed from anywhere This system offers out-of-the-box performance thresholds but it is also possible to create new rules Automated system asset inventory creation and maintenance Traffic analysis features in the higher plan.
Cons: This service is the only package offered by Auvik, so there are no related services to add on. Pros: Uses a combination of packet sniffing, WMI, and SNMP to report network performance data Full customizable dashboard is great for both lone administrators as well as NOC teams Drag and drop editor makes it easy to build custom views and reports Supports a wide range of alert mediums such as SMS, email, and third-party integrations into platforms like Slack Each sensor is specifically designed to monitor each application, for example, there are prebuilt sensors whose specific purpose is to capture and monitor VoIP activity Supports a freeware version.
Cons: Is a very comprehensive platform with many features and moving parts that require time to learn. Pros: Open-source transparent tool Simple, yet informative interface Flexible alerting options support SMS and email Robust API backend makes it a great option for developers who want to integrate their own custom applications.
Cons: Open-source version lacks quality support found in paid products Installation can be technical and complex. Pros: Transparent open-source tool Can be configured via GUI or DSL, making it a good choice for admins who enjoy CLI tools Supports built-in visual reporting Modules allow for different functionality, keeping the base installation sleek and lightweight Can run on Linux as well as Windows operating systems.
Cons: Reliant upon the open-source community for support and updates Designed for more technical users, other options have better out-of-box features. Pros: Completely free tool Web-based dashboard allows access from virtually anywhere Integrates well into other Spiceworks tools like Spiceworks Inventory and Cloud Desk Alerts are configured by default, allowing users to get actionable insights right away.
Cons: Interface could be less crowded, specifically around the home dashboard Would like to see more alerting features Lacks integrations into other solutions outside of the Spiceworks ecosystem. What is the difference between network monitoring and application performance monitoring? What is the best remote network monitoring tool? What are the types of network monitoring software? Performance testers — Issue commands, such as Ping and Traceroute to gather statistics. Protocol analyzers — Based on packet sniffers for LANs.
Wireless sniffers — Based on packet sniffers for wireless networks. Firewalls — Read packets traveling through the network boundary. Intrusion detection systems — Identify standard and anomalous traffic patterns. SIEM tools — Examine log files for signs of security breaches. How do I monitor all network traffic?
How does a network monitoring tool work? What makes a good network monitoring tool? A good network monitoring tool should include: An autodiscovery function to compile a network inventory An automated network topology mapper Drill-down views giving a network performance summary and then statistics per device type through to each individual network device Performance expectation thresholds that define acceptable performance.
An alerting mechanism so that operators will be drawn to the dashboard if a problem arises. Color-coded data visualization to aid rapid status recognition. Pre-written report templates to automatically extract key network performance statistics for analysis and presentations. By taking into account these criteria and ensuring to include free options, we derived a number of useful PC monitors that we are happy to recommend.
SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor NPM , is a network monitoring tool that monitors the performance and availability of nodes throughout your network.
The platform automatically discovers SNMP-enabled devices so that you can monitor them. Discovered devices can then be viewed as a map so you can see how your nodes connect to the network from a topological perspective.
From the dashboard , you can monitor metrics such as CPU load, memory utilization, response time, and more. Performance data can be viewed through a range of visual elements including dials and graphs. Email and SMS alerts notify you when performance conditions change. For example, if the CPU Utilization of a computer is too high then the program will tell you.
These notifications also include additional information to help you kickstart the troubleshooting process. You can turn off non-critical alerts outside of working hours. You can download the day free trial. Paessler PRTG Network Monitor is a network monitoring platform that displays information from your computers including CPU utilization, temperature, memory usage, and bandwidth in real-time.
The user can monitor Windows, Linux, and Mac computers through the dashboard and view performance data in the form of sensors. Sensors show you performance data for specific metrics with dials that highlight live and historical performance data. Sensors can also be configured with alerts. For instance, you can set an alert to receive a notification if CPU usage matches certain trigger conditions. PRTG Network Monitor is ideal for organizations looking for a premium hardware monitoring solution with competitive scalable pricing options.
See also: Best Hardware Monitoring Tools. ManageEngine OpManager is a network monitoring solution that can monitor the availability, response time, CPU, memory, and disk usage of nodes and servers in real-time.
You can create your own network monitors to track various segments of your infrastructure. For instance, you can configure the Interval and Units the monitor uses and whether you need alerts. With the threshold-based alerts system, you have complete control over when you receive an alert. To eliminate false alerts you can set alerts to ignore a certain number of violations before creating an alert. ManageEngine OpManager is an excellent starting point for enterprises looking for an all-in-one hardware monitoring solution.
The software is available for Windows and Linux. You can download the free trial. Zabbix is an open-source infrastructure monitor that can monitor a range of performance and health metrics.
Zabbix shows the user device status, temperature, CPU, memory utilization, fan state, power supply, and more. Getting starting monitoring with the program is also very easy due to the autodiscovery feature, which automatically discovers devices throughout your network. Similarly, device templates allow you to configure the platform to monitor devices more efficiently. There are also plugins available from the Zabbix Share site with additional templates.
Email, SMS, Jabber, eZ texting, and custom alert scripts allow you to receive notifications when performance conditions change. Alerts are customizable so that you can enter information such as Date and time, Hostname, Item value, Trigger value, Host profile, User macros, Escalation history, and more. Custom alert messages give you the information you need to be able to follow up effectively. You can download the tool for free. HW Monitor is a hardware monitoring tool for Windows that monitors the voltage, temperate, and fan speed of PCs.
The standard version is available for free, and there is an upgraded version called HWMonitor Pro that offers additional features. The Pro version provides you with additional features like remote monitoring , which allows you to monitor multiple PCs or Android devices remotely.
You can also create graphs to view performance data in context. The Pro version supports up to 20 connections. You can download the program for free from this link here.
Visualization options like graphs enable you to have a complete perspective of what is going on. The tool can be configured according to your requirements with relative ease.
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