Looking for the perfect Network Software for your business?
It’s out there – especially as 2023 rolls in and technology soars to an all-time high!
How do you sort through the sea of options?
What will work best for your company’s size, requirements, and budget?
We have rounded up the best of the best the software world has to offer.
When selecting our top picks, there were a few must-haves we used to judge by. The initial installation is critical, as is the user-friendliness of the interface. Reporting when using the software to manage your delicate networks should be relatively easy, allowing organizations of any size to see potential threats. And finally, cost is always important.
What is Network Software?
If you know you need network software but are in need of a little bit of clarity – we understand. Network software is used to monitor and manage an organization’s network to keep it healthy and working properly. The software can help you detect warning areas and analyze your network for speed, accuracy, and security. Even a little bit of downtime – thanks to a faulty network – can cause a business to crumble in security, revenue, and productivity.
The Best Network Software
Our methodology for selecting network monitoring tools and software
We reviewed various monitoring tools 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
Understanding the importance of network management software, here are our top picks for 2023.
Atera – FREE TRIAL
Atera offers all of the software that a managed service provider (MSP) needs this includes remote monitoring and management (RMM) systems. These tools include a live network monitor.
The service is a cloud-based system that requires agents to be installed on-site. The network agent acts as an SNMP Manager and gathers reports from device monitors that are built-in by the manufacturer.
The live network monitor uses throughput information reported by the device agents to plot a throughput graph. The network monitoring dashboard is colorful and easy to read.
One section of the dashboard shows a list of alerts. These relate to two sources of analysis. The first of these is a problem detected by one of the device agents. The second is a series of performance thresholds that are placed on the metrics that Atera gathers.
The performance thresholds are set at levels so that technicians have time to fix gathering problems before the network performance impairment is noticeable by the users.
The alerts can be sent to technicians as emails, so the operators don’t have to pay any attention to the network monitoring screen, they only need to look at a specific client’s network if an alert is raised. This mechanism makes it possible for one technician to manage many networks simultaneously.
Pros:
- Lightweight cloud-based tool
- Built with MSPs in mind, and includes RMM and PSA tools built-in
- The framework is highly customizable, making Atera extremely flexible
- Can scale and support multiple databases in a multi-tenant environment
- Packaged pricing makes Atera accessible to any size business
Cons:
- Atera is MSP focused, smaller organizations may not use all multi-tenant features
Atera is a subscription service with three plan levels. Prices are set for monthly or yearly payments with the annual payment plan working out cheaper per month. You can get a free trial to assess Atera.
Official Site: https://www.atera.com/
Download: https://www.atera.com/signup/
LogicMonitor
Known for being an all-around great solution for network software, LogicMonitor has most of what you need.
The software is quickly installed, using its LogicMonitor Collector to collect your network devices automatically. It almost immediately begins to monitor those devices using an interface that is both comprehensive yet easy to digest.
The dashboard is easy to customize to fit specific business needs. Each metric including disc space usage and network packet rates are in drag-and-drop widgets that can be placed anywhere on the dashboard for easy viewing.
When it comes to reporting, LogicMonitor has the ability to alert whoever is responsible for certain security or network problems, without your help. Reports can be built on any measure and saved into folders for easy access.
However, you must know what you are looking for to properly use the reporting module. For beginners, the reporting module may not be the best option.
Pros:
- Monitors application performance via the cloud
- Can monitor assets in hybrid cloud environments
- The dashboard can be customized and saved, great for different NOC teams or individual users
- Better suited for enterprises and MSPs
Cons:
- The trial is only 14 days, would like to see a longer testing period
LogicMonitor’s pricing varies depending on the tier that you choose.
There are three tiers including Starter, Pro, and Enterprise, each including their own quote process, data retention, and levels of storage. Upfront pricing is unavailable, and you must call LogicMonitor to get a quote for the service you need.
LogicMonitor’s interface is easy to use and completely customizable, with an easy way to measure each metric you will need. Pricing is available for any size of business and organization, as well as a 14-day free trial for new users. Even though the reporting module is difficult to use, LogicMonitor still receives one of the highest scores on our list: four out of five stars.
Official Site: https://www.logicmonitor.com
Download: https://www.logicmonitor.com/signup
Datadog
Datadog has made it to our list due to its easy-to-use interface and reporting modules.
Installing can be a bit hectic to get started, however, which may cause a lag in your network monitoring efforts.
Datadog gives you access to two different types of dashboards including TimeBoards and Screenboards. TimeBoards are great for troubleshooting network problems while ScreenBoards are perfect for showing status. You have major flexibility here for what you choose to view on the interface.
Datadog focuses on real-time monitoring, so a traditional reporting method isn’t available.
However, Datadog has capabilities for analysis that are more than traditional, even offering a way to create a query based on specific criteria. There isn’t a way to print or export these reports for safe-keeping though.
Pros:
- Excellent graphic options for monitoring multiple metrics
- Highly customizable dashboards, great for NOC teams
- Cloud-based monitoring, can be accessible from anywhere
- 400+ integrations can support nearly any database deployment
- Highly scalable – can work in any size environment
Cons:
- Would like to see a longer trial period
Datadog’s pricing is great at only $15.00 per month with a 14-day free trial of the software.
However, other costs may add up depending on what you currently have on hand. You must have a software agent installed first, prior to using Datadog. If you don’t, you will need to purchase one which could cost you up to two-hundred-dollars.
Datadog has been rated a three-and-a-half out of five stars for its easy-to-use functionality and analysis.
However, with its learning curve and lack of traditional reporting, it loses some points in our book. It is still a great choice for small businesses looking to be alerted when the network experiences trouble or large companies who already have the IT necessary to use the automation tools.
Official Site: https://www.datadoghq.com/
Download: https://www.datadoghq.com/
Click the Sign Up button to get started!
Conclusion
There you have it – the perfect mix of network management, easy-to-use interface, and pricing for all your network needs. While there are other great tools available, these are three of the best on the market for 2023.
Still not convinced?
Please be sure to check out our other reviews to find the best network monitoring software for your business.
Network Software FAQs
What are some popular network software products?
Some popular network software products include SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor, Cisco Prime Infrastructure, Nagios, Wireshark, and Splunk.
What are some common features of network software?
Common features of network software include network discovery and mapping, real-time monitoring and alerts, performance and availability reporting, configuration management, and remote access and control.
What are some common network software integration challenges?
Common network software integration challenges include compatibility issues with existing hardware and software, complex configurations and dependencies, and lack of interoperability between different network software products.
