Tools for managing and monitoring networks provide crucial information for optimising performance and avoiding interruptions for your business.
Hackers attacking internet companies increased dramatically during the 2020 pandemic. There has been no less upheaval in 2023. The war between Ukraine and Russia, rising global poverty, and global “food insecurity”, according to John Wilson of Agari's Threat Research, “are major contributors”.
Tools for managing and monitoring networks are computer programs that can collect data about a network and its components and share that data with other hosted IT systems.
So you’re prepared, in this post, we will go through the top 10 tools that can be used in 2023; as well as the most important features that your network administration and monitoring application should have.
Table of Contents:
- The UK’s 10 Best Network Monitoring Tools Compared
- 🛰️ 1. Auvik
- 🛰️ 2. Domotz
- 🛰️ 3. Datadog
- 🛰️ 4. Entuity by Park Place Technologies
- 🛰️ 5. OpManager by ManageEngine
- 🛰️ 6. Paessler PRTG
- 🛰️ 7. Nagios XI
- 🛰️ 8. SolarWinds
- 🛰️ 9. Spiceworks
- 🛰️ 10. WhatsUp Gold
- 🛰️ Buying Guide
- 🛰️ Common Questions
- 🛰️ Conclusion
The UK’s 10 Best Network Monitoring Tools Compared ☁️ — Our 2023 Selection 💽
The network is the backbone of every contemporary business's infrastructure. To keep businesses online, it links together many servers, the secure cloud, computers, and other hardware.
The success of your online presence, virtual teamwork, and software creation all depend on your network's stability.
A network management and monitoring tool provides constant connection by providing a visual representation of the network architecture via real-time monitoring of crucial parameters, interactive maps, and the generation of both ad hoc and planned reports.
Let’s begin!
1. Auvik -* 🛰️ *- Review: Best Network Monitoring Software
As a brief summary: based in Canada, Auvik develops network and security monitoring technologies for large-scale businesses.
Features that make Auvik what it is include its TrafficInsightsTM feature: Auvik analyses decentralised networks to provide straightforward and natural language information without compromising GDPR.
It works with any and all of your network hardware, software, and protocols. Intelligently crafted dashboards display the most important data quickly and clearly. Adaptable notifications let you pick from a variety of pre-set options or create something really unique for your business.
Auvik has support for several user interfaces, including desktop, web, and mobile. Auvik's API library is superior. This greatly simplifies the process of integrating other apps and establishing automated processes for everything from backups to crypto purchases.
Prices start at $150/month with a free trial available. All in all, Auvik is a lightweight, straightforward solution for network admin and monitoring alongside your anti-virus. Keep in mind, however, that because of its recent introduction to the market, the written guidance may be out of date. Anti-malware shouldn’t be ignored.
2. Domotz — Runner-Up Best Network Monitoring
Domotz, headquartered in the United States, is a supplier of remote IT monitoring solutions. It launched in 2015 and is now active in more than 90 countries.
Features that set Domotz apart from the competition include providing in-depth analytics by mapping your network's architecture while keeping to proper privacy regulations, running tests on demand or at predetermined intervals, and generating comprehensive results.
It is interoperable with a wide range of gadgets, from IoT endpoints to security cameras and beyond. Domotz's dashboards and client-facing applications are well-thought-out, so you stand to benefit from using them. Individual and group notifications may be tailored to your specific needs. Domotz offers a variety of access points, including a desktop client and mobile applications for both iOS and Android.
Domotz stands out because it is one of the few plug-and-play solutions that works with devices that are not linked via an IP gateway. Customers may take advantage of the fully automated setup, with a discovery time of only 10 minutes using AES 128.
To get started with Domotz, it will cost you £19 ($25) a month, per site… All in all, Domotz's branding and client management features are a great fit for the day-to-day operations of shared service organisations and managed service providers. However, there are a few small issues that users have reported, such as being unable to mute warnings and being logged out unexpectedly.
3. Datadog — Popular Server Network Monitoring Tool
Datadog, headquartered in California, is an American provider of observability solutions for the Internet's various layers. Its shares are traded on the NASDAQ.
Among Datadog's most notable characteristics include in-depth analytics: it provides real-time network insights, including data on the interactions between individual components.
It is compatible with a wide variety of cloud services, networks, hardware nodes, and software platforms. Dashboards that streamline key metrics and KPIs via the use of graphical representations of data to highlight key associations.
Datadog gives real-time notifications whenever abnormalities are found and makes projections based on that information. The tool may be accessed from a number of different devices and interfaces, allowing for a wide range of configuration options.
Datadog's network monitoring tool stands out due to its robust correlation features. You can quickly identify the source of network and application problems and fix them.
Pricing is around a fiver a month for its Performance module and a bit more for the Monitoring module. All in all, Datadog neatly divides monitoring and administration of a network into discrete sections devoted to tracking the quality of various services and types of devices.
However, given the documentation for some of the integrations is out of date, you may run into some difficulties during setup. Its excessive reliance on cloud services might result in unanticipated expenditures.
4. Entuity by Park Place Technologies — Top-Rated Network Monitoring Tool UK
Entuity, developed by Park Place Technologies of the United States, is network monitoring software. The business provides corporate network management services as well.
Entuity's primary offerings include continuous network discovery and the subsequent generation of dynamic network topology maps help bring to the fore the most recent data possible via in-depth analyses.
Entuity is compatible with more than three thousand different vendors' products, to integrate with all ranges of business during the recession. Dashboards are simplified by filtering out irrelevant data via the use of event rules, event suppressions, and conditional triggers.
Alerts may be filtered by component or shown globally, depending on your preferences. And there are a number of user interfaces available, including one for mobile devices.
As a unique selling proposition, Entuity includes over a hundred already-made reports, automation functions, and standard noise-reduction policies. Because of this, it is ready for usage and deployment right away. Entuity has flexible pricing and a free trial period.
Our overall thoughts: With Park Place Technologies' managed services, businesses may execute a complete solution, from initial implementation and monitoring to ongoing maintenance. In-house administration of the tool, however, requires consideration of the complexity of big installations and the time-consuming nature of patch maintenance.
5. OpManager by ManageEngine — Alternative Best Network Monitoring Tool
The Indian software giant Zoho has an IT management software arm called ManageEngine. They provide over a hundred products.
Features that set ManageEngine apart from the competition include over two thousand in-built monitors, you can track anything from network latency and throughput to error rates and packet drops. It works with a wide variety of servers, network appliances, and storage devices, both real and imagined.
Easily install pre-made dashboards or build your own with 200+ widgets, thanks to our streamlined dashboards. Multiple thresholds may be configured, and when one is crossed, an alert will be sent to the user immediately. It features a desktop interface in addition to applications for Android, iPhone, and iPad.
As for its unique selling point: Its threshold calculating function is simple to configure. OpManager will send you an alert and raise alerts if the server's or system's health drops below the value you specify.
Prices for ManageEngine OpManager range from £200 for the Standard Edition on up to 10 devices to over £300 for the Professional Edition on up to ten computers to £9,000+ for the Enterprise Edition on up to 250 devices.
Reviewers note that ManageEngine's robust capabilities, such as artificial intelligence operations and automated workflows, belie the tool's deceptively straightforward appearance. Users have also noticed that there is no sensor for AWS or Azure measurements, therefore it may miss certain devices in your environment.
6. Paessler PRTG Network Monitor — Affordable Network Monitoring
Paessler, a German firm specialising in infrastructure monitoring technologies, created PRTG, which is a network management and monitoring application.
PRTG Network Monitor's primary features include insights into bandwidth use, database setups (MySQL databases), cloud and application performance, server uptime, and more are all revealed via the comprehensive analytics.
The Internet of Things (IoT) and other major network protocols are supported. Dashboards and maps enable you to view your network in real time, and they are simplified here. Alerts may be tailored to your preferences, and you can choose from among tens of predefined channels and a plethora of mapped items on your own dashboard.
It also supports a wide variety of user interfaces, including a traditional web browser, a desktop application, iOS and Android mobile platforms, and even smartwatches. A distinct advantage of PRTG Network Monitor is that every on-premises subscription includes easy access to a failover solution. As a consequence, you can always access the control panel for your network.
You may save money, depending on your needs: PRTG's perpetual server licence begins at around £1500. All in all, PRTG is one of the few systems that provide permanent on-premise licensing, making it an excellent choice for enterprises with complicated IT infrastructures. However, the length of time required for implementation is increased by the number of parts that need to be installed and configured.
7. Nagios XI — Top Network Monitoring Tool with Freemium Version
Nagios XI is a network management program developed by Nagios Enterprises, a company located in the United States.
It is based on Nagios, a free and open-source infrastructure and network monitoring program that has been around since 2002.
Some of Nagios XI's most notable features include a consolidated perspective of network and business process activities throughout an organisation.
It works with a wide range of software and hardware, including browsers, operating systems, limitless cloud storage, network protocols, performance measurements, and network backbones.
Also discover effortless dashboards: It offers robust dashboards that provide instantaneous access to both network information and third-party data. You can get automatic warnings, insights into predictive capacity planning, and shared notifications through a number of different methods.
Nagios XI supports many Linux distributions and their respective user interfaces, including CentOS, Redhat Enterprise Linux, Ubuntu, and Debian. Surprisingly…it’s based on an open-source framework. You get more adaptability, personalization, and scalability as a result.
Nagios XI may be purchased for a starting price of around £1,500. All in all, Nagios has a huge developer community, making it a great network administration and monitoring tool for IT companies and digital service providers. The freemium version has strong limitations, however, which customers have remarked forces them to pay for the full version.
8. SolarWinds — Hugely Popular Network Monitoring Tool for Businesses
Briefly, SolarWinds is a worldwide firm headquartered in the United States that makes solutions for keeping tabs on large organisations' computer networks and other IT infrastructure. New York Stock Exchange traders may buy and sell it.
Features that set SolarWinds apart from the competition for montoring databases and networks include in-depth analytics, track and examine data on traffic volumes, server uptime, local area network performance, and even router performance.
Compatibility in a wide range of settings is ensured by the inclusion of pre-made Cisco, Huawei, and other hardware supplier tools. Data visualisation is simplified with the help of dashboards built using technologies like PerfStackTM, NetPathTM, and Orion® Maps. Alerts may be tailored to your needs, allowing you to filter out irrelevant data and respond quickly to critical network events.
SolarWinds offers a number of user interfaces, including a highly functional mobile web interface. Their selling proposition is the company's partnerships and in-house innovations. It is useful for seeing and analysing key connections in networks.
The cost starts very competitively at a bit over £1,200. All in all, SolarWinds provides a wide variety of solutions, including the lightweight ipMonitor for smaller networks, which is ideal for businesses seeking a comprehensive network and infrastructure monitoring solution.
However, it might use a lot of your computer power, so consulting with SolarWinds experts to set up the solution properly is recommended.
9. Spiceworks Network Status Indicator — Free Network Monitoring Tool
SpiceWorks, headquartered in the United States, is an IT firm that produces apps, platforms, and documentation for the IT sector.
Features that set Spiceworks Connectivity Dashboard apart from the competition include critical information about the health of connections between off-site locations and the centralised network. It works with a wide range of your existing two-factor authentication IT infrastructure, applications, websites, and other devices.
The Spiceworks Connectivity Dashboard is an example of a streamlined dashboard that provides in-depth insight by means of cutting-edge graphics and helpful suggestions. You may configure alerts to notify you if there is an outage affecting end users or distant sites.
There are a number of ways to interact with Spiceworks: the web-based Connectivity Dashboard, the mobile applications for the Help Desk, and the desktop client. One of the rare tools offered for free for managing and monitoring networks, Spiceworks Connectivity Dashboard is a standout feature. It also works seamlessly with the company's other solutions.
There is no cost to you. This application is a free, straightforward, and efficient option for businesses just getting started with network monitoring. However, it may be missing certain finer-grained capabilities, and you may not have much control over how alerts are set up.
10. WhatsUp Gold — Great Network Monitoring Software
In brief, WhatsUp Gold was created by the American company Ipswitch for the purpose of monitoring and managing networks.
Recently, NASDAQ-listed company Progress Software bought Ipswitch. Among WhatsUp Gold's most notable features are that it reveals specifics about your network and applications' behaviour as well as your system's structure.
It works with a wide variety of hardware, software, and cloud service providers. Dashboards that are easy to use and navigate include one for managing logs, as well as others for creating and interacting with discovery maps. Real-time warnings may be configured to be sent to particular devices or in accordance with service level agreements (SLAs).
It supports many user interfaces, including a simple mobile app for iOS and Android. WhatsUp Gold also has a virtualization monitoring add-on. Without the need to implement a different solution, both tiny virtual environments and whole data centres may now benefit from network monitoring, discovery, and analytics reporting.
Prices begin at around £2,200 for 25 units. All in all, WhatsUp is available in a number of different editions and with a variety of different licensing options (which includes a points-structured licensing setup) to meet the demands of different businesses. However, it is not an agentless tool, so you will need to take extra time to set it up with privacy. Clients have also said the user interface might be more simple to use.
Don’t forget to use a good password manager.
Best Network Monitoring Software (UK) — Buying Guide
Let’s explore how to use and choose the best Network Monitoring Tools for your small or large business!
How Do Network Monitoring Tools Work?
Businesses engage in network administration and monitoring for a few main reasons:
- Businesses may optimise their usage of network bandwidth by keeping tabs on how various endpoints and services use bandwidth. By enforcing regulations that encourage efficient use of available bandwidth, administrators may ease the strain on the system as a whole.
- Gains in application performance are possible because businesses may tailor their networking infrastructure to the needs of individual apps by analyzing how they function in their respective environments. The network infrastructure may be adjusted so that applications run more smoothly.
- Better protection against threats, since network administration and monitoring can spot irregularities as they happen. These discrepancies may point to malicious activity on the part of users or software beyond the safe confines of the network.
- Businesses may save money by keeping tabs on their network and application spending, performance, and the results these have on their bottom line. They can save money by eliminating these inefficiencies.
- Scalability without disruption is achieved by standardised administration of all networked devices, applications, and users. With this uniformity, businesses may expand their networks as required and implement network regulations with less difficulty.
Therefore, solutions for managing and monitoring networks are essential in business IT. Now, let us examine the salient characteristics of these instruments that enable us to reap the aforementioned advantages.
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Essential Features
When choosing a tool for managing and monitoring your network to assist you in organising and scheduling your resources, it is important to make sure it has the following five features:
- In-Depth Analyses — The essence of network monitoring is analytics and data reporting. Important network parameters like latency and speed may be evaluated with the right tool. It has to be able to pinpoint trends based on location and device. You may pick and choose which analytics queries to run in your setup.
- General Applicability— The software needs to function with the widest possible selection of computer systems and networking hardware. Both software programs and physical network appliances (such a firewall or security device) fall under this category. Leading suppliers like VMware should also offer network monitoring and real-time connection status for their virtual machines.
- Easily Digestible Dashboards — Daily monitoring of network health and performance data is accomplished using dashboards. While data reports might be lengthy and in-depth, dashboards must provide information succinctly for quick comprehension. That is why it is important to have access to smart data visualizations that provide the most important and timely information in a language-neutral way.
- Adjustable Notifications — When a threshold is crossed or a device is disconnected, the monitoring and network management tool must deliver an alert. You may choose exactly what kind of notifications you wish to receive. You should also be able to configure individualised notification pathways, such as email, SMS, and push alerts. As a result, less irrelevant information will be sent as alerts.
- Instances of User Interfaces — This task is becoming more vital to the success of contemporary businesses. It is not uncommon for IT staff to need to keep an eye on networks even while they are not at their desks. Multiple user interfaces enable IT departments to utilise their tablets and smartphones to set network operations from any place, which is especially useful as more businesses transition to remote and hybrid working on a permanent basis.
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FAQs — Best Network Monitoring Tools
How do you choose a reliable network monitoring system? ☁️
What makes a decent network monitoring tool?
- The ability to automatically find and catalogue all devices in a network
- An automatic topological mapper for networks
- Detailed breakdowns of network performance, from an overall picture to breakdowns by device type and individual device
- In the event of an issue, operators will be alerted and sent to the dashboard
- The data is colour-coded to facilitate quick status detection
- Report templates have been pre-written so that critical network performance information may be automatically extracted and analysed
How does a network monitoring tool function, in a nutshell? ☁️
The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is used by the vast majority of network monitoring software. An SNMP manager is needed to get information from SNMP agents, however this networking protocol is widely used.
Each node must have an SNMP agent installed locally. SNMP agents are pre-installed on all network devices before they are sent to customers. The network performance monitoring tool fills the void left by the absence of an SNMP manager.
What is the most popular tool for keeping tabs on a network?☁️
One of the most used techniques for keeping tabs on a network is SNMP, or the Simple Network Management Protocol. Your monitoring station may integrate SNMP to poll network devices or the device can deliver an SNMP TRAP or INFORM to the monitoring station.
What are the four types of network monitoring? ☁️
- Keeping an eye on accessibility. Network personnel can easily tell whether a device is online and functioning with the help of availability monitoring.
- Keeping an eye on setups.
- Assessing how things are going.
- Keeping tabs on cloud-based systems.
What are the three most fundamental ways to safeguard a network? ☁️
Multifactor authentication, data encryption, and endpoint compliance screening, are all used to protect the integrity and privacy of sent information.
Which network poses the biggest danger, and why? ☁️
The greatest network danger is ransomware since it is very effective and the attackers have a minimal chance of being found.
In network security, what are the three A's? ☁️
Access control, policy enforcement, and resource use monitoring are all functions of the Authorization, Authentication, and Accounting (AAA) architecture.
Conclusion
Enterprise administration Associates reported that in 2021 that in order to stay up with a hybrid data centre working environment, businesses are investing more in network administration and monitoring. While 32% want to enhance insight correlations.
66% say they need additional dashboards and reporting capabilities. The 10 methods we covered assist get the job done without breaking the bank or sacrificing efficiency.
In 2023, businesses need to do their homework, evaluate their specific requirements, and take into account the five essential features we highlighted when choosing a network management and monitoring solution.
