The Best Network Monitoring Software 2024

What are networking monitoring tools?

Network monitoring tools are software applications or hardware devices used to observe and manage computer networks. These tools help IT professionals monitor the performance, availability, and security of network devices, services, and applications. Here are some common features and functionalities of network monitoring tools:

1. Device Monitoring: Network monitoring tools continuously monitor network devices such as routers, switches, servers, firewalls, and access points for availability, performance metrics, and health status.
2. Traffic Analysis: These tools analyze network traffic in real-time to identify bandwidth usage, network congestion, packet loss, latency, and other performance issues. They provide insights into network utilization patterns and help troubleshoot connectivity problems.
3. Alerting and Notifications: Network monitoring tools generate alerts and notifications when predefined thresholds or conditions are met, such as high CPU usage, network downtime, or security breaches. Alerts can be sent via email, SMS, or mobile apps to notify IT staff of potential issues.
4. Performance Metrics: These tools collect and display performance metrics such as CPU usage, memory utilization, disk space, network latency, and response times for network devices and services. Performance dashboards provide visual representations of key metrics for easy analysis.
5. Network Mapping: Network monitoring tools create maps or diagrams of network topology, showing the interconnections between devices and their relationships. Network maps help visualize network architecture and identify potential points of failure or bottlenecks.
6. Configuration Management: Some network monitoring tools include configuration management features to track changes made to network devices, such as firmware updates, configuration modifications, and software installations. Configuration management helps ensure compliance and maintain network integrity.
7. Security Monitoring: Network monitoring tools monitor network traffic for suspicious activity, intrusion attempts, malware infections, and other security threats. They provide intrusion detection, firewall monitoring, and threat intelligence to protect against cyber threats.
8. Packet Capture and Analysis: Advanced network monitoring tools offer packet capture and analysis capabilities to inspect individual network packets for protocol analysis, troubleshooting, and forensic analysis. Packet analyzers help diagnose network issues and identify root causes of problems.
9. Compliance Reporting: Network monitoring tools generate compliance reports to demonstrate adherence to industry standards, regulatory requirements, and internal policies. Compliance reports provide evidence of network security measures, performance benchmarks, and audit trails.
10. Scalability and Flexibility: Network monitoring tools should be scalable to accommodate growing network infrastructure and flexible to support different types of networks, including wired, wireless, and cloud-based environments.

Overall, network monitoring tools play a crucial role in maintaining the health, performance, and security of computer networks by providing real-time visibility, proactive alerts, and actionable insights for IT teams.

The Best 10 Network Monitoring Software 2024

1. SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor (NPM): SolarWinds NPM is a comprehensive network monitoring tool that offers features for real-time performance monitoring, fault detection, and network mapping. It provides customizable dashboards, alerts, and reports to help IT professionals optimize network performance and troubleshoot issues quickly.
2. PRTG Network Monitor: PRTG Network Monitor is an all-in-one network monitoring solution that offers features for monitoring network devices, bandwidth usage, applications, and services. It provides customizable sensors, dashboards, and notifications to keep IT teams informed about the health and performance of their networks.
3. Nagios XI: Nagios XI is a powerful network monitoring platform that offers features for monitoring infrastructure, applications, and services across on-premises and cloud environments. It provides customizable dashboards, alerting, and reporting capabilities to ensure the reliability and availability of critical IT systems.
4. ManageEngine OpManager: ManageEngine OpManager is a network monitoring and management software that offers features for monitoring network devices, servers, applications, and virtual machines. It provides automated discovery, performance monitoring, and fault management tools to streamline network operations.
5. Zabbix: Zabbix is an open-source network monitoring solution that offers features for monitoring network devices, servers, applications, and cloud services. It provides real-time monitoring, alerting, and reporting capabilities to help IT teams proactively manage their infrastructure and ensure high availability.
6. Icinga: Icinga is an open-source network monitoring platform that offers features for monitoring network devices, servers, and applications. It provides customizable dashboards, alerting, and reporting capabilities to help IT teams monitor and manage their infrastructure effectively.
7. Observium: Observium is a network monitoring and management platform that offers features for monitoring network devices, servers, and applications. It provides real-time visibility, performance metrics, and historical data to help IT teams troubleshoot issues and optimize network performance.
8. Dynatrace: Dynatrace is an application performance monitoring (APM) solution that offers features for monitoring the performance and availability of applications, microservices, and infrastructure. It provides AI-powered insights, root cause analysis, and automatic problem detection to help IT teams deliver exceptional user experiences.
9. AppNeta: AppNeta is a network performance monitoring solution that offers features for monitoring end-user experience, application performance, and network infrastructure. It provides real-time visibility, diagnostics, and reporting to help IT teams optimize network performance and troubleshoot issues.
10. Cisco Prime Infrastructure: Cisco Prime Infrastructure is a network management solution that offers features for monitoring, troubleshooting, and optimizing Cisco network devices and infrastructure. It provides centralized management, configuration, and performance monitoring tools to simplify network operations.

These are just a few examples of the best network monitoring software options available in 2024. When selecting a network monitoring solution for your organization, consider factors such as your specific requirements, budget, scalability, and integration capabilities. Be sure to evaluate demos, request references, and read reviews to find the solution that best fits your organization's needs and helps you maintain a reliable and high-performance network infrastructure.