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Providing administrators with real-time data about the status and effectiveness of their network is a crucial aspect of network monitoring. Like a watchdog, administrators may keep issues from becoming worse by closely tracking the network’s vitals. Having network monitoring is like having a trustworthy companion by your side, offering complete visibility into every corner of your network infrastructure, when viewed through the lens of human experience.
Envision a world where you can easily scan all the devices connected to your network, monitor the data flowing between them, and fix any problems you find quickly. In addition to improving efficiency, this degree of detail protects against performance issues and the dreaded outages. The main idea behind network monitoring is that it provides a bird’s-eye view of your network, making it easier to handle its intricacies.
Also, by using network monitoring, your IT teams can finally escape the monotony of manual labour and devote their time and energy to higher-level, strategic projects. It’s similar to simplifying processes, which frees up important funds that may be used for expansion and innovation. Envision a world where your IT staff is free to take on high-impact projects that propel your company ahead, rather than being weighed down by monotonous activities.
The function that network monitoring plays in strengthening cybersecurity defences is one of the most convincing advantages. Through thorough monitoring of network activity, any irregularities or possible security risks are quickly identified, enabling quick action. By taking this preventative measure, you can learn more about your network’s baseline performance and reduce the amount of time it takes to find security threats. So, it’s less of a mystery whether an anomaly is a trivial bug or a serious threat to system security when it appears.
What is a Network Monitoring Tool?
Software or hardware that has been made to check on and keep an eye on the health and performance of a computer network is called a network monitoring tool or solution. It is very important to have these tools to keep a network running smoothly, safely, and reliably. Tools for network tracking collect data from many devices and parts of a network, like routers, switches, servers, and other network devices. To give network managers information about how the network is working.
Best Network Monitoring Software Comparison Table
Network monitoring is vital for all networked organizations. More of these companies are adopting a hybrid work style, meaning employees spend more time at home. This makes network management more harder. However, networking monitoring tools and solutions alleviate these issues. This article defines a network monitoring solution and lists some of the many tools and solutions available. Help you choose the right option for your company.
Feature | Icinga | NinjaOne | OpManager | Domotz | Zabbix |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Primary Focus | IT infrastructure monitoring | Unified IT management | Network & Server Monitoring | Remote device monitoring & management | Enterprise-level monitoring |
Deployment | On-premise, Cloud | Cloud | On-premise, Cloud | Cloud | On-premise, Cloud |
Scalability | Highly scalable | Scales with your business | Highly Scalable | Scalable | Highly scalable |
Supported Devices | Wide range of devices and systems | Wide range of IT devices | Network devices, servers, applications | Smart home devices, Network devices, servers | Wide range of devices and systems |
Alerting | Flexible alerting options | Customizable alerts | Customizable alerts and reporting | Real-time alerts | Flexible notifications and escalations |
Reporting | Customizable reports and dashboards | Pre-built and custom reports | Extensive reporting and dashboards | Real-time and historical reports | Customizable reports and dashboards |
Best Network Monitoring Software
Almost all organisations need network monitoring, therefore picking the right technology is crucial. However, the wide variety of tools makes it difficult to comprehend their pros and cons and when they’re best used. We’ve included some of the best network monitoring software on the market, with different features and functions.
Icinga

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Monitoring | Real-time monitoring of network infrastructure |
Alerting | Immediate alerts for potential issues and outages |
Dashboards | Customizable dashboards for performance visualization |
Scalability | Scalable architecture to accommodate growing networks |
Reporting | Comprehensive reporting for performance analysis |
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As well as strong tracking tools, Icinga gives you a lot of ways to make it your own. One thing that has helped me a lot is keeping a close eye on our technology, like servers, apps, and network devices. To get everything up and going smoothly, though, setting up and managing Icinga can be a bit of a technical challenge.
The Good
- Real-time network monitoring
- Instant alerts for issue detection
- Customizable dashboards for visualization
- Scalable architecture
- Detailed reporting for analysis
The Bad
- Steeper learning curve for setup
- Requires technical expertise for configuration
- Some advanced features may require additional setup
NinjaOne

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Monitoring | Continuous monitoring of networks, devices, and applications |
Automation | Automated remediation actions for identified issues |
Asset Management | Inventory and tracking of network assets |
Collaboration | Collaboration tools for team communication and coordination |
Reporting | Reporting and analytics for performance evaluation |
NinjaOne, which used to be called NinjaRMM, is the next one. NinjaOne, unlike some other monitoring tools, does more than just watch. It’s an endpoint management platform that does everything in one place. For IT chores, it’s like having a Swiss Army knife: you can patch, access your desktop remotely, and use the service desk. It might cost more than some other choices, but I think the easier workflows it provides are worth the extra money.
The Good
- Comprehensive monitoring capabilities
- Automated remediation for efficiency
- Asset management for inventory tracking
- Collaboration tools for teamwork
- Detailed reporting and analytics
The Bad
- Pricing may be high for some users
- Initial setup complexity
- Advanced features may require additional training
OpManager

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Network Monitoring | Monitoring of network devices, bandwidth, and traffic |
Performance Management | Management of network performance and health |
Fault Management | Detection and resolution of network faults and issues |
Virtualization Monitoring | Monitoring of virtualized environments |
Scalability | Scalable solution suitable for small to large networks |
Another tool I’ve used in real life is OpManager from ManageEngine. There are a lot of automation features built into it, and it’s designed to watch networks and infrastructure. Its user-friendly design makes it easy to do things like finding networks and raising alerts. What’s more, it’s flexible, which means it can grow with your business without stopping.
The Good
- Comprehensive network monitoring
- Performance and fault management features
- Virtualization monitoring capabilities
- Scalable solution for networks of all sizes
- User-friendly interface
The Bad
- Initial setup can be time-consuming
- Some advanced features may require additional licensing
- Support response time may vary
Domotz

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Remote Monitoring | Remote monitoring and management of networks and devices |
Alerts & Notifications | Immediate alerts for network issues and outages |
Network Mapping | Visualization of network topology and device locations |
Remote Access | Secure remote access to devices for troubleshooting |
API Integration | Integration with third-party systems via API |
Domotz has been one of the best performers for me. Its cloud-based method makes it easy to keep an eye on networks that are spread out in different places. It’s a proactive manager’s dream, with real-time info and helpful visualisations. Still, the fact that it focuses on remote tracking means that it might not work well with all setups, especially if your on-site setups are complicated.
The Good
- Remote monitoring and management capabilities
- Instant alerts for issue detection
- Network mapping for visualization
- Secure remote access for troubleshooting
- API integration for customization
The Bad
- Interface may be overwhelming for beginners
- Advanced features may require additional setup
Zabbix

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Monitoring | Monitoring of servers, networks, and applications |
Alerting | Immediate alerts for identified issues and anomalies |
Visualization | Customizable dashboards and graphs for performance analysis |
Scalability | Scalable architecture suitable for large environments |
Automation | Automated actions for issue resolution and maintenance |
Another open-source gem that has taught me a lot is Zabbix. Zabbix can watch networks, servers, apps, and the cloud in a wide range of ways. One of the best things about it is that it can be easily expanded and works with many systems. To use Zabbix, you need specialised knowledge for setup and maintenance, just like with Icinga.
The Good
- Comprehensive monitoring of servers, networks, and applications
- Instant alerts for issue detection
- Customizable visualization options
- Scalable architecture for large environments
- Automation for efficient issue resolution
The Bad
- Steeper learning curve for setup and configuration
- Requires dedicated resources for maintenance
- Interface may not be intuitive for beginners
Key Features to Look for in Network Monitoring Software
Providing administrators with real-time data about the status and effectiveness of their network is a crucial aspect of network monitoring. Like a watchdog, administrators may keep issues from getting worse by closely tracking the system’s vitals.
- The program should be able to automatically find all of the network’s devices, such as printers, terminals, routers, switches, and servers. Accurate and thorough monitoring of network assets is guaranteed by this capability.
- When the program detects abnormalities or problems with the network, it should be able to notify the IT administrators and support personnel through customizable alerting and notification techniques. Timely response and resolution are made possible by alerts being provided via various communication channels such as email, SMS, SNMP traps, and more.
- You can see trends and data on your network’s performance graphically with the help of customizable dashboards and reports provided by network monitoring software. Capacity planning, trend analysis, and compliance reporting all benefit from reports that provide in-depth analysis and historical data, while dashboards give quick insights into important parameters.
- Features of topology mapping show the network’s physical and logical architecture, including the linkages, dependencies, and connections between devices. The IT staff is better able to comprehend the network’s design, locate possible bottlenecks, and resolve connectivity problems with the use of this visual representation.
- Software should have the ability to monitor and analyse traffic and bandwidth in order to keep tabs on network usage, find apps that use a lot of bandwidth, and locate congestion points. In order to maximize network performance and provide enough capacity for mission-critical applications, this feature is required.
- Search for network monitoring software that can be easily integrated with other systems used for IT management. This includes platforms for IT service management (ITSM), cloud monitoring tools, configuration management databases (CMDBs), and help desk software. Automation, data exchange, and simplified workflows are all possible thanks to integration in the IT world.
- Performance and scalability: Whether your company is running a small network or a huge corporation, you need software that can grow with your network. To adapt to new needs and enable expansion, scalable solutions should be deployable in a variety of ways, have high availability, and support distributed architectures.
Questions and Answers
Using SolarWinds Bandwidth Analyzer Pack (BAP) is the gold standard for monitoring network traffic. With BAP, your network traffic insights from all of your devices will be automatically checked and compiled in one place, and if anything out of the ordinary happens, you will be notified.
Network speed, most-used chats, bandwidth usage, and peak usage times are just a few of the important traffic data that NetFlow Analyzer can track. This software for monitoring network traffic in real-time is easy to set up and use.