As networks grow, so do the number of tickets and helpdesk requests you’ll receive. To stay proactive and fix problems before they cause downtime, administrators turn to network device monitoring to simplify their day-to-day tasks.

This all can be controlled with the help of network monitoring devices that pinpoint problems, provide root cause analysis, and generally make an administrator’s life easier.

Here is our list of the best network device monitoring tools:

1. Auvik – EDITOR’S CHOICE A cloud-based SaaS platform that offers a network monitoring service based on SNMP to collect device health data. A higher edition also provides network traffic monitoring. Get a 14-day free trial.
2. SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor – FREE TRIAL This SNMP-based on-premises system can track performance for physical and virtual systems. Runs on Windows Server and is available for a 30-day free trial.
3. ManageEngine Device Monitor Get network and server monitoring with this package, called OpManager, that is available for Windows Server, Linux, AWS, and Azure.
4. Datadog Monitoring A cloud-based platform that provides a Network Device Monitoring module and a Network Performance Monitoring unit to track traffic issues.
5. Checkmk This package provides network device and server monitoring, traffic analysis, and infrastructure monitoring. Runs on Linux or Docker or is shipped as an appliance.
6. Pr0gress WhatsUpGold This network performance monitor tracks device statuses with SNMP and it can be expanded by modules that implement traffic analysis and virtualization monitoring, among others. Runs on Windows Server.
7. Zabbix A free, full-stack monitoring package that includes SNMP-based device monitoring as well as traffic, server, and application monitoring. Runs on Linux, Docker, or cloud platforms.
8. Icinga A free monitoring package that includes network device monitoring that discovers, documents, and maps those devices as well as watching their statuses. Runs on Linux, Windows, and AWS.
9. Domotz A cloud-based SaaS package that monitors LANs, wireless networks, servers, virtualizations, and network connections.

Let’s explore a bit more about network monitoring, and then touch on some of the best network monitoring tools on the market today.

What is network monitoring?

All the enterprises we see, are trying to cover all their campaigns and sales digitally. But for it, they need a strong networking system that can maintain the entire process.

Here comes the network monitoring that constantly looks for the problems that are coming maybe like low traffic, speed, or missing out a component.

There are tools or software introduced for this process. When they are installed in the system, they regularly monitor all the work and notify the administrators about issues via emails and messages.

Is it necessary to choose a network monitoring software?

Controlling all the systems of a large organization manually can be a challenging task. You can’t figure out every single problem without a proper networking system.

If a problem occurs in the backend, you will have to check out each connection separately. It will take a lot of time and struggle.

But with the help of network monitoring tools, administrators can shift their attention to other manual tasks.

Benefits of Network Monitoring

Let’s dive deep and talk about the benefits that you can expect from network monitoring tools.

• Fix issues faster Time is money. So, you have to utilize the time in the best way you can and networking tools can be a big edge in this regard. Instead of looking for each problem manually, you can install a network monitoring tool. It keeps the administrators updated all the time. Administrators can also fix problems automatically, removing the need for manual helpdesk tickets.
• Identify the threats Network Monitoring tools can alert administrators to threats before they infect an entire network. Thus, the IT team can troubleshoot that issue and resolve the problem immediately. This not only helps stay proactive but also gives support technicians a prioritized look at what needs to be done first.
• Reduce the effort of the IT team Installing network monitoring tools can reduce the efforts of the IT team through automation and large-scale orchestration. This enables smaller teams to manage more without worrying about burnout or high churn when implemented correctly.
• Network load optimization One factor that users have to note about these monitoring tools is that they can help you boost work productivity by using monitoring tools that provide root cause analysis. Optimization of the network generates better results that directly impact the users’ experience.

The Best Network Monitoring Tools

There are multiple network monitoring tools and each one has its strengths and weaknesses, with each best suited for a particular set of tasks. For example, some tools are great for understanding the flow of traffic through a network, while others are great for troubleshooting specific network issues.

Below is our list of the best network device monitoring tools.

1. Auvik – FREE TRIAL

Auvik is another cloud-based management system that can monitor all the devices by giving them a proper map and controlling that entire network.

Key Features

• This monitoring service can control multiple networks and get access to their data to unify them and keep them combined.
• Provides you with two plans is “Essential and Performance”. These two tactics can help to figure out traffic volume.
• This service starts up with a network discovery process that provides all the base information which is required to monitor your work.
• The biggest perk of using this service is that it provides the feature of remote system monitoring.
• It alerts the administration in advance of any problem is taking place. This makes the network more secure and the working remains in a flow.

This amazing tool can monitor multiple devices and centralize them. Due to this feature, users think of it as an ideal choice for monitoring WAN.

The remote monitoring system enables it to control all the devices remotely. It works on the system of threshold that generates the alert to keep the devices active all the time.

One more thing about Auvik is that you can expand it with the help of a third-party tool for traffic analysis and better management.

Auvik is available for a 14-day free trial.

2. SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor – FREE TRIAL

SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor is a great option for organizations that need a comprehensive solution for network monitoring. It provides detailed insights into network traffic and performance that can help identify issues before they become problems.

Key Features

• It can automatically figure out all the connected devices in very little time.
• With the help of this monitoring tool, you can analyze the network packets.
• The alert system of the SolarWinds tool is one of the best features that keep the administrators aware all the time.
• This online tool is very effective to use which makes it the prior choice for every user.
• It can handle the networking system of large enterprises as the tool is designed by keeping these elements in mind.

It also includes a wide variety of features that make it suitable for different tasks, such as network troubleshooting and application debugging.

Users can set trigger conditions for alerts with the help of a custom alarm system. This can be a handy factor to monitor all the networks and figure out the problems quickly.

The working of this custom alert system is quite simple and fast. Once this system gets alert, it will send the message via SMS or email.

You can register for a 30-day free trial.

SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor Get a 30-day FREE Trial

3. ManageEngine Device Monitor

The network monitoring suite by ManageEngine is a strong second option for monitoring the performance of network machines, devices, and routers in real-time.

Key Features

• Automatic discovery of this tool allows users to find out new devices that are added to your network.
• Users can get help from the network mapping feature for better visibility and to discover new maps automatically.
• It offers over 200 gadgets to customize your dashboard.
•  To change the channel and move to the other networks, you can go for the SMS and email feature.
• Simple infra-structure makes it more convenient to use even with several attributes and customizable gadgets.

SNMP keeps you updated with device metrics and different conditions throughout the network. This feature keeps the administration alert and automatically discovers newly added devices

It is an all-in-one monitoring system with a simple interface, making it great for both naive and experienced sysadmin.

The alert system keeps you aware of all the threats and responds to you quickly on the performance changes. It keeps you updated on all the threats via sending emails and SMS.

4. Datadog Monitoring

Datadog is a cloud-based monitoring service that provides information about traffic flow and alerts while there any fault occurs.

Key Features

• One of the best elements of Datadog is that it has a simple interface among all other best networking tools.
• To build the network topology map, you can go for the auto-discovery feature.
• Agility is also an important factor of this network monitoring service provider that allows the business to monitor all their activities with flexibility.
• It includes cloud resources that able it to merge multiple sites and monitor them all at the same time.
• Helps in analyzing all the live networks and maps by using the topology map function.

It works by exploring the network deeply and collecting continuous insights on each device. Once you connect all the devices, you can monitor them all at once through a simple centralized dashboard.

The best thing that users get in this online service provider is that it allows them to adjust the network inventory. This becomes a supportive factor in exploring the changes made in the network.

Users can analyze the traffic volume, history, and conversations among other networks. By this element, a user can figure out where problems occur and pinpoint the source of particular traffic.

5. Checkmk

Checkmk is a network monitoring package that allows you to track the performance of servers, applications, and all other networks. It searches the network and identifies all the devices connected to the network.

Key Features

• Using the monitoring tool of Checkmk, users can get a live network map.
• You can install wired and wireless devices with this monitoring tool. This is an additional element that can create ease for the users.
• It alerts from the problems that are occurring in the network. It leads to taking immediate action and stopping those faults that could create big issues.
• Compatible for both LAN and wireless services that make it more beneficial. Users can discover network and topology maps from here.
• All of the basic features of this network monitoring tool are free. This could help the small businesses that do have not enough amount to spend on paid services.

On the dashboard, users get a feature to overview all the activities of different devices. This monitoring tool has several options to check the individual report of each device.

One more benefit that users can get from here is bandwidth monitoring. This feature tells you in advance which device or cable is not compatible with the network.

6. Progress WhatsUp Gold

WhatsUp Gold is another top network monitoring system that is introduced by a progress software corporation and it uses a Single Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

Key Features

• This is an SNMP-based tool that tells the health of network devices. It monitors all the devices very deeply.
• It alerts you with all the threats and the emails are forwarded automatically as a notification.
• The network topology allows it to point out all the devices automatically. It tracks the working of all networks via SNMP.
• It covers LANs, wireless, and other internet connections remotely.

This tool includes an auto-discovery module that allows monitoring the device record and then making changes in the devices as per requirement.

Like other top tools, it also uses network topology mapping that helps to create the network map automatically and keep the record of each device.

The best element of WhatsUp Gold is that it figures out the traffic on a device. Users can get the volume and region along with the conversation via this tool.

7. Zabbix

Zabbix is another network monitoring tool that combines all the networks, servers, and applications into a unified system. So, it is the best way to connect every device on a single network.

Key Features

• The application and server monitoring features of Zabbix make it easy to figure out devices.
• It has a notification system that can alert users via messages, text, jabber, and custom transcript.
• This tool provides templates so users can have a quick insight into all the features of this tool and their work.
• Users can get the automatic configuration of all the changes that are made in the network.
• Auto-discovery feature allows detecting all the devices that are connected to the network.

It can also figure out all the configuration changes which tell automatically that the device has been updated.

To keep the users updated and alert them, this monitoring tool ensures to send notifications via SMS, emails, or custom scripts. This notification feature can also be customized by the users.

One more element that can benefit the users is the help of auto locating which detects all the new devices that are connected to the network.

8. Icinga

Icinga is an open-source monitoring tool that checks the performance of a system or cloud storage. It is a web-based software that is configured via GUI or DSL.

Key Features

• This monitoring tool is compatible everywhere. Whether you are using Windows or Linux, it can run on every platform.
• Icinga modules allow the users to add more functions and run them in the devices to get extra details.
• The network monitoring tool by Icinga supports built-in visual reporting.

GUI plays the role of showing the performance of each device. You have to open the dashboard and check the performance management there. You can figure out whether there is any problem in the network or each matter is going normal.

Once you get an idea about the working of each feature, it would be easy to manage all the networks and monitor them. It also offers an extension module through which users can add more functions and customize the network at their ease.

9. Domotz

Domotz is another cloud-based network monitoring tool with numerous features. The information given to this tool remains safe.

Key Features

• By using this monitoring tool, you can merge multiple devices on a single network and properly manage them.
• Users can get access to the previous data quite easily. This feature makes it more secure and reliable for usage.
• The encryption feature offered by this tool helps to protect the interaction between devices and networks.

This tool allows configuring the SNMP sensors and alerts. The users can also set their alerts as per need. This makes it easy for them to monitor the tool in their way.

Users can get the historical data from this device because all the records are saved as a backup in cloud storage.

The best element about this tool is that it contains network and endpoint supervising tools that facilitate reducing the workload and managing the network in a better way.

Bottom Line

To better manage your organization’s system and make the network flow efficient, network monitoring tools and software are a must for any growing organization. Several network monitoring tools can help system administrators keep track of network traffic and performance.

These tools can provide valuable insights into the operation of a network and can help identify issues before they become problems. Some of the best among them are discussed in this article and we hope that the information regarding these network monitoring devices would be beneficial for you.

Network Device Monitoring Tools FAQs