10 Network Monitoring Software Products To Check Out Right Now

Here are 10 network monitoring software products that solution providers should have their eyes on today.

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All Eyes
With businesses moving to the cloud at an ever-accelerating pace, as well as adopting hybrid and multi-cloud strategies, network monitoring software has become one of the most important tools in the IT toolbox.

While most of the networking industry's major vendors offer network monitoring products, some of the most interesting and flexible products are offered by startups and vendors that specialize in network monitoring itself. Even for those companies, the monitoring space has expanded and several products on this list have grown to accommodate this expansion.

Monitoring vendors also are keying in on the push to make sense of the data businesses generate by offering artificial intelligence or machine learning-based analytics as part of wider security and performance monitoring packages.

Here are 10 network monitoring software products that solution providers should have their eyes on today.

Kentik Detect

Kentik's Detect taps big data for network performance monitoring, network visibility, DDoS protection and real-time analytics. Detect is capable of gaining intelligent network insight that can be put to use in customers' operations. San Francisco-based Kentik says that being an open, Software-as-a-Service-based company means big margins for partners, especially those that layer in services like consulting, deployment, monitoring and security.

NetBeez Network Performance

NetBeez this year released version 1.4 of its sensor-based network performance offering. The offering lets users continuously collect information from Wi-Fi networks with visibility into signal strength, link speed and SSID quality. Enterprise and public sector customers are using the information to detect and troubleshoot Wi-Fi connectivity and performance problems. Sensor data allows users to see aspects of the network that they couldn't see before or with traditional monitoring tools, the Pittsburgh-based company says, saving time and money for IT support teams and boosting the performance of remote work systems.

ThousandEyes Software

Enterprises rely more on the internet every day, but they don't necessarily have control or visibility into it, according to San Francisco-based ThousandEyes. The company recognized the need for an offering that gives some semblance of control, and at the very least, the ability to monitor and analyze the performance of the extended network. The company offers software that allows customers to monitor network performance, both internal and external. ThousandEyes addresses application delivery, infrastructure development, and provides the visibility customers need to troubleshoot problems very quickly.

SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor

SolarWinds says its Network Performance Monitor is so easy to set up that it can be ready to roll in virtually no time at all. The tool automatically discovers network devices and deploys within an hour, and when that's done, the system can oversee an entire network while still being highly customizable , as well as easy and intuitive to use. Users can customize the web-based performance dashboards, chart and views; design tailored topology for the entire network infrastructure; and create customized intelligent alerts and other vital tasks. SolarWinds, Austin, Texas, also released its new Threat Monitor, an automated tool designed to make it easier for IT operations teams as well as MSPs and MSSPs to detect threats, including host intrusion detection and network intrusion detection.

ConnectWise Automate

ConnectWise Automate is a new cloud-based manager and monitoring offering the Tampa, Fla.-based company says can keep track of a variety of IT infrastructure devices from a single location. SMB-focused ConnectWise Automate discovers all devices in the network and monitors them proactively. The tool interprets problems and initiates automatic pre-defined mitigation actions. The platform's patch management feature allows users to protect all their systems with simultaneous patching from a centralized manager using Windows Patch management or third-party software. Users can resolve problems quickly with remote support, remote access and even remote meetings.

Nagios XI

The XI platform from St. Paul, Minn.-based Nagios tackles a broad range of customers, from SMBs to large enterprise corporations. Adding to that flexibility is the fact that the platform is also available in a free, open-source version, as well as on a one-time license and subscription. Nagios XI monitors the network, infrastructure and databases, and is supported by Linux OS.

LiveAction Platform

LiveAction took a major step toward building a fully integrated network management platform this year with the acquisition of network diagnostics specialist Savvius. Palo Alto, Calif.-based LiveAction, an enterprise network management and visibility player, intends to use the acquisition to build a complete network performance monitoring and diagnostics platform. The acquisition also allows Savvius – based in Walnut Creek, Calif. – to more quickly develop its Omnipliance, Omnipeek and Insight products while broadening LiveAction's presence in the enterprise market and in multivendor environments.

Big Switch Big Monitoring Fabric

Software-defined networking pioneer Big Switch Networks' Big Monitoring Fabric enables end-to-end visibility and security applications based on networking behaviors across both on-premises and public cloud environments. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company’s Big Monitoring Fabric allows users to quickly see, protect and optimize applications regardless of the infrastructure on which those applications are hosted. The same technology underlies Big Monitoring Fabric's public cloud and enterprise cloud versions.

Paessler PRTG Network Monitor

PRTG Network Monitor software is well known for its advanced infrastructure management capabilities. All devices, systems, traffic and applications in the network can be displayed in a hierarchical view that summarizes performance and alerts. The Nuremburg, Germany-based company says the PRTG Network Monitor is key for organizations that have little experience with network monitoring because the user interface is easy to use, yet powerful. PRTG can monitor devices in the datacenter with a mobile app and is available with a flexible pricing plan.

Ipswitch WhatsUp Gold

Ipswitch touts its WhatsUp Gold as one of the easiest-to-use and most configurable network monitoring tools available. The platform is limited to Windows operating systems but is customizable with a dashboard that can be designed to display infrastructure components and alerts depending on customer need. The Burlington, Mass.-based company recently added hybrid cloud monitoring, real-time performance monitoring, automatic failover and visibility across distributed networks.