In today’s technology-driven world, the word ‘Network monitoring’ is commonplace. Network monitoring is a fundamental process in which all the computing peripherals like routers, servers, firewalls, switches, and virtual machines are monitored continuously so that they can be optimized whenever necessary for the best output.
Effective network monitoring can prevent many device failures and the downtime occurring due to them. Therefore to ensure their smooth operation of your business using network monitoring software is essential.
How does networking software works?
Network monitoring tools come with a lot of features packed in, but despite that fact, they mostly rely on a couple of core functions to get the job done. The tool works by connecting to various network elements, capturing relevant device metrics, analyzing relevant packet traffic, and reporting the information in a presentable format.
The network monitoring tool tracks traffic anomalies so that the root cause for performance issues can be found. Tracking the packets can also help you understand how much data crosses your network and compares it with past baselines. Any abnormal result can mean that there is some security threat. You can track the applications that are being used on your network and determine which particular applications are causing network slowdowns.
The dashboard of network monitoring software provides a lot of information in the form of graphs, charts, and reports. Visual maps are something that is proved to be essential when monitoring network performance. They are built to provide users at a glance information on the relationships and current statuses of all the network components.
How do you choose a good hardware monitoring software?
Depending on cost, functionality, and scalability, there are different types of solutions for choosing good network monitoring software. The most common types include:
Open-source software: If you are not sure about what kind of features you might need, then open-source network monitoring tools are an obvious choice. They are customizable and cost-free. Also, there are some downsides to choosing open-source platforms; they have limited functionality, require continuous IT management, and also lack vendor support in most cases. Therefore in case of any technical issue, you have no choice but to find a solution yourself.
Specialized tools: These types of tools focus on monitoring only specific data; they are not generalized. In this type of network monitoring system, it often happens that without the data from other tools, you may not get the full picture, which can lead to less effective solutions. Therefore when using this type of tool, it should be used alongside generalized tools so that you can achieve more accurate networking views.
Essential monitoring solutions: Small and medium-size companies often don’t have a lot of things that need continuous monitoring, so they can choose systems that have basic features. If you are working on a small peripheral network, then it is beneficial to use these tools to offer a more centralized view and costs less than other premium tools.
Multi-featured network monitoring software This type of network monitoring system is designed to work with various vendors and protocols. It also improves the overall network monitoring process by providing a wide range of user-friendly functions. On the other hand, it also ensures that the entire network remains secure. The price point of these features is often higher than other options, but if you are a professional and looking for a network monitoring tool, this would be the best and most reliable option.
What are some of the best choices available out there?
SysAid is a leading provider in the field of IT service management technology solutions. It can be used as both cloud-based and on-premise solutions. It is an affordable, innovative, and useful IT networking tool that can give you the best results possible. The company was established first in 2002 with a vision to makes system admin lives around the world more comfortable and make IT services better.
Nmap is an open-source solution that is built to provide network discovery and security auditing. Many tasks such as monitoring host or service uptime, network inventory, and managing service upgrade schedules can all be done quickly using the Nmap networking tool.
OpenNMS is a free open source platform that is designed for building network monitoring solutions. Open NMS has two distributions: Meridien and Horizon. Meridien offers long term support and stability to enterprises and business looking for networking solutions. While Horizon is ideal for dealing with new technologies and IT ecosystems.
Domotz is a premium remote network monitoring and management platform. They offer uchpowerful and active network management to Business owners, Security professionals, and Integrators. It packs features s as SNMP monitoring, network diagnostics, device alerts, remote power management, team collaborations, and many such features.
