Top 10 Network Management and Monitoring Tools in 2022

Network management and monitoring tools are software platforms that connect with network components and other IT systems to measure, analyze, and report on network topology, performance, and health. This article discusses the key functionalities you need in a network management and monitoring tool. It also shares a list of the top 10 tools you can deploy in 2022.

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What Is a Network Management and Monitoring Tool?

Network management and monitoring tools are defined as on-premise or cloud-based software platforms that connect with network components and other IT systems to measure, analyze, and report on network topology, performance, and health.

The network forms the essential infrastructural backbone of a modern enterprise. It connects multiple operational sites, devices, and systems to keep online operations running. Everything from your web-based business presence to virtual collaboration and application development hinges on the network. A network management and monitoring tool visualizes the network topology using interactive maps, monitors critical metrics in real-time, and generates ad-hoc and scheduled reports to deliver uninterrupted connectivity.

How a Network Monitoring Tool Works

How a Network Monitoring Tool Works

There are several reasons why enterprises invest in network management and monitoring:

Bandwidth optimization:
Enterprises can monitor how different devices, users, applications, and hosts utilize the available network bandwidth. They can enforce policies to optimize bandwidth usage for each entity to reduce the overall pressure on the network.
Improvements in application performance:
Depending on your environment, enterprises can determine which applications perform well and require a differently configured networking infrastructure. They can align the network setup in a manner that improves application performance.
Stronger security:
Network management and monitoring can reveal anomalies in real-time. In some cases, these anomalies indicate suspicious user behavior or malicious software that has breached the network perimeter.
Cost reduction:
Enterprises can keep an eye on their network investments, application performance, and corresponding business outcomes to identify any inefficiency in the environment. By removing these inefficiencies, they can unlock cost savings.
Seamless scalability:
Properly governed network management will drive standardization across connected endpoints, users, and network components. This standardization makes it easier to scale enterprise networks as needed and roll out network policies without fragmentation.

As a result, network management and monitoring tools are staples for enterprise IT functions. Let us now look at the key features of these tools that help achieve the above benefits.

See More: What Is a Computer Network? Definition, Objectives, Components, Types, and Best Practices

Key Must-Have Functionalities of a Network Management and Monitoring Tool

There are five key functionalities you need to look for when selecting a network management and monitoring tool:

Key Functionalities of a Network Management and Monitoring Tool

Key Functionalities of a Network Management and Monitoring Tool

1. Detailed analytics

Analytics and data reports are at the heart of network monitoring. The tool you choose should assess network performance against key metrics like latency and speed. It should also generate location and device-specific information with precise trend mapping. Depending on your environment, you can select and design your analytics queries.

2. Wide compatibility

The tool should be compatible with the broadest possible variety of networks and IT infrastructure components. This includes software applications and hardware-based network appliances (e.g., a physical firewall or security device). Also, you should be able to monitor network connectivity and real-time connectivity status for virtual machines provided by leading vendors like VMware.

3. Streamlined dashboards

Dashboards are how you will view network health and performance information daily. While data reports can be long and detailed, dashboards must concisely present information for at-a-glance understanding. That’s why you need intelligent data visualizations that depict the most relevant and immediate insights in an understandable, natural language format.

4. Customizable alerts

The network management and monitoring tool must send alerts whenever there is an unusual network event, a breached threshold, or a device disconnection. You should customize alerts to receive only the information you want. Also, you should be able to set up custom alert channels like email, SMS, and push notifications. This will help reduce alert noise and only deliver valuable data.

5. Multiple user interfaces

This is an increasingly important function for modern enterprises. IT professionals may need to monitor and check on networks on the move, even when they are away from their workstations. As more organizations switch to remote and hybrid working for the long term, multiple user interfaces allow IT teams to use their smartphones and tablets to manage network operations from any location.

See More: What Is Network Security? Definition, Types, and Best Practices

The network management systems market was valued at $6.7 billion in 2020, and it is expected to cross $12 billion by 2027, according to Statista reports. You need the best network management and monitoring tools for your company to get an accurate, comprehensive, real-time, and actionable view of your network. Here are the top 10 tools that can help you achieve this.

Disclaimer: This list is based on publicly available information and may include vendor websites that sell to mid-to-large enterprises. Readers are advised to conduct their final research to ensure the best fit for their unique organizational needs.

1. Auvik

Overview: Auvik is a Canadian software company that builds monitoring tools for enterprise networks, security, and other IT infrastructure components.

Key features: The key features of Auvik include:

Detailed analytics:
Auvik analyzes distributed networks to surface clear and natural language insights through its TrafficInsights™ capability.
Broad compatibility:
It is compatible with all your network devices, software apps, and protocols.
Streamlined dashboards:
It has smartly designed dashboards that present the most relevant insights at a glance.
Customizable alerts:
You can choose between pre-configured alerts and fully customized, organization-specific alerts.
Multiple user interfaces:
Auvik works via web-based, desktop, and mobile interfaces.

USP: Auvik has a robust API library. This makes it dramatically simple to integrate third-party applications and set up automated workflows.

Pricing: Pricing starts at $150 per month, and you can avail of a free trial.

Editorial comments: Auvik is a relatively simple and easy-to-use network management and monitoring tool that can be deployed without hassle. But keep in mind that it is relatively new in the market, which means that the documentation may not be updated.

2. Domotz

Overview: Domotz is a remote IT monitoring solutions provider based in the U.S. It was founded in 2015 with a presence in 90+ countries.

Key features: The key features of Domotz include:

Detailed analytics:
Domotz can map your network topology, run on-demand and scheduled tests, and generate in-depth data reports.
Broad compatibility:
It is compatible with various devices, including

Internet of Things (IoT)

endpoints, security cameras, and more.
Streamlined dashboards:
You can gain from Domotz’s smartly designed dashboards and customer-facing apps.
Customizable alerts:
You can set up customized alerts for yourself and your team.
Multiple user interfaces:
Domotz has iOS and Android apps, in addition to its desktop app.

USP: Domotz is a plug-and-play solution and among the few to support non-IP gateway-connected devices. This means that customers can benefit from a 10-minute setup process and automated discovery.

Pricing: Domotz costs £19 (approximately $25) per month per site.

Editorial comments: Shared service organizations and managed service providers can utilize Domotz’s branding and client management capabilities to run their business. However, customers report a few minor bugs like the occasional accidental logout and the inability to mute alerts.

3. Datadog Network Performance Monitoring

Overview: Datadog is a U.S.-based company that provides observability tools for cloud applications, servers, databases, and network infrastructure. It is traded on the NASDAQ.

Key features: The key features of Datadog include:

Detailed analytics:
It offers real-time network insights, with detailed information on inter-component communication.
Broad compatibility:
It works with your cloud resources, networking protocols, hardware nodes, and application services.
Streamlined dashboards:
The dashboards use various data visualizations to reveal critical relationships.
Customizable alerts:
Datadog sends real-time alerts when anomalies are detected and forecasts results.
Multiple user interfaces:
Datadog works via various devices and interfaces to configure data in bulk.

USP: Datadog’s network monitoring tool has powerful correlation capabilities. This lets you find and resolve the root cause behind network and application issues without delay.

Pricing: The Network Performance Monitoring module is priced at $5 per host per month, and the Network Device Monitoring module is priced at $7 per device per month.

Editorial comments: Datadog conveniently separates network management and monitoring into service performance and device components. But you may face challenges during setup as the documentation for some of the integrations is outdated. Its heavy use of cloud resources may also cause unexpected costs.

4. Entuity

Overview: Entuity is a network monitoring software by the U.S.-based company Park Place Technologies. The company also offers managed services for enterprise networks.

Key features: The key features of Entuity include:

Detailed analytics:
Entuity runs continual network discovery and generates dynamic network topology maps to surface up-to-date data.
Broad compatibility:
Entuity supports 3000+ vendor devices.
Streamlined dashboards:
The dashboards use event rules, event suppressions, and conditional triggers to hide the white noise and show only relevant insights.
Customizable alerts:
You can view alerts for individual components or the entire network.
Multiple user interfaces:
You can access all features from a mobile interface.

USP: Entuity comes with 100+ pre-built reports, automation features, and default rules for noise reduction. This makes it ready to deploy and use out of the box.

Pricing: Entuity is custom-priced, but you can avail of a free trial.

Editorial comments: Thanks to the managed services provided by Park Place Technologies, customers can implement a holistic solution from deployment and monitoring to maintenance. But if you are looking to take full ownership of the tool in-house, keep in mind that large installations can be complex, and patch management takes time.

5. ManageEngine OpManager

Overview: ManageEngine is the IT management software division of the Indian technology company Zoho. It offers 100+ paid and free products.

Key features: The key features of ManageEngine include:

Detailed analytics:
It has 2000+ built-in monitors to measure network health, performance, and metrics like latency, speed, errors, and discards.
Broad compatibility:
It is compatible with physical and virtual servers, network appliances, and storage devices.
Streamlined dashboards:
You can deploy default dashboards or create new ones using 200+ widgets.
Customizable alerts:
You can set multi-level thresholds and get instant alerts for violations.
Multiple user interfaces:
It has Android, iPhone, and iPad apps and a desktop interface.

USP: It has a handy threshold calculation feature that is easy to set up. Once you have defined the threshold value for server or system health, OpManager will trigger an alert and generate alarms to bring the issue to your attention.

Pricing: ManageEngine OpManager costs $245 for the Standard Edition on ten devices, $345 for the Professional Edition on ten machines, and $11,545 for the Enterprise Edition on 250 devices.

Editorial comments: Despite being a simple network management and monitoring tool, ManageEngine has powerful features like AIOps and workflow automation. But users note that it may overlook some devices in your environment, and there is no sensor for AWS and Azure metrics.

See More: What Is Software-Defined Networking (SDN)? Definition, Architecture, and Applications

6. PRTG Network Monitor

Overview: PRTG is a network managing and monitoring tool from Paessler, the German infrastructure monitoring technology company.

Key features: The key features of PRTG Network Monitor include:

Detailed analytics:
It reveals analytics insights on bandwidth utilization, database configurations, cloud and application performance, server availability, and more.
Broad compatibility:
It is compatible with all network protocols and significant devices, including IoT.
Streamlined dashboards:
It has maps and dashboards to help visualize your network in real-time.
Customizable alerts:
You can receive alerts via 10+ prebuilt channels and customized dashboards with 300+ mapped objects.
Multiple user interfaces:
It has a full-featured web interface, a desktop app, iOs and Android apps, and integrations for intelligent wearables.

USP: PRTG Network Monitor has an accessible failover solution for every on-premise license. As a result, you never lose access to your network management dashboard.

Pricing: PRTG starts at $1,750 per server for a perpetual license.

Editorial comments: PRTG is among the few solutions available to offer perpetual on-premise licenses, suitable for large, complex environments. However, there are multiple components to set up and configure, making implementation time-consuming.

7. Nagios XI

Overview: Nagios XI is a network management tool by U.S.-based Nagios Enterprises. It is built on an open-source network and infrastructure monitoring tool called Nagios, launched in 2002.

Key features: The key features of Nagios XI include:

Detailed analytics:
Nagios XI provides a centralized view of enterprise network operations and business processes.
Broad compatibility:
It is compatible with various applications, services, operating systems, network protocols, systems metrics, and network infrastructure.
Streamlined dashboards:
It has powerful dashboards that let you view network insights as well as third-party data at a glance.
Customizable alerts:
You can get automated alerts, predictive capacity planning insights, and shared alerts on multiple channels.
Multiple user interfaces:
Nagios XI supports

Linux

distributions such as CentOS, Redhat Enterprise Linux, Ubuntu, and Debian.

USP: Nagios is built on an open-source architecture. This provides you with greater flexibility, customizability, and extensibility.

Pricing: Pricing for Nagios XI starts at $1,995.

Editorial comments: Nagios is an ideal network management and monitoring tool for technology startups and digital service providers with a large developer community. However, users have noted that the freemium version is limited and powerful, forcing them to upgrade.

8. SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor

Overview: SolarWinds is a U.S.-based, multinational company developing monitoring tools for enterprise networks, systems, and IT infrastructure. It is traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

Key features: The key features of SolarWinds include:

Detailed analytics:
You can monitor and analyze traffic flows, network availability,

LAN systems

, routers, and more.
Broad compatibility:
It has pre-built tools for Cisco, Huawei, and other hardware providers with broad compatibility for nearly every type of environment.
Streamlined dashboards:
It has dashboards that use tools like PerfStack™, NetPath™, and Orion® Maps to represent the data.
Customizable alerts:
You can set up alerts for all types of network events and cut through the white noise.
Multiple user interfaces:
SolarWinds has a robust mobile web interface.

USP: SolarWinds offers you several proprietary technologies and alliances with key vendors. It also helps visualize and analyze critical network pathways.

Pricing: Pricing starts at $1,638.

Editorial comments: For companies looking to adopt a holistic network and infrastructure management solution, SolarWinds has an extensive portfolio of products, including ipMonitor for smaller environments. But it may consume a lot of your compute resources, and it is advisable to get SolarWinds personnel to configure the solution as needed.

9. Spiceworks Connectivity Dashboard

Overview: SpiceWorks is a U.S.-based information technology company that develops tools, frameworks, and resources for the IT professionals community.

Key features: The key features of Spiceworks Connectivity Dashboard include:

Detailed analytics:
It delivers vital insights on the connectivity status between remote sites and IT infrastructure.
Broad compatibility:
It is compatible with your end-to-end IT environment, various application types, web assets, and network endpoints.
Streamlined dashboards:
The Spiceworks Connectivity Dashboard enables comprehensive visibility through innovative visualizations and actionable recommendations.
Customizable alerts:
You can set up custom alerts so that you are notified when end-user or remote site connectivity is disrupted.
Multiple user interfaces:
Spiceworks Connectivity Dashboard is a

web app

, and it also has mobile apps for Spiceworks Help Desk.

USP: Spiceworks Connectivity Dashboard is one of the few free network management and monitoring tools. It is also closely integrated with the rest of its product offerings.

Pricing: It is available for free.

Editorial comments: Companies starting with network monitoring can use this tool as a free, simple, and effective solution. However, it may lack granular features, and the degree of customization for alerts is also limited.

10. WhatsUp Gold

Overview: WhatsUp Gold is a network monitoring and management tool initially developed by Ipswitch in the U.S. Ipswitch was recently acquired by Progress Software traded on the NASDAQ.

Key features: The key features of WhatsUp Gold include:

Detailed analytics:
It unveils detailed insights into network performance, application performance, and your network topology.
Broad compatibility:
It is compatible with many infrastructure components, configurations, and cloud environments.
Streamlined dashboards:
You can leverage the intuitive log management dashboard, along with customizable maps and interactive discovery maps.
Customizable alerts:
It delivers real-time alerts on specific devices or as per predetermined

SLAs

, with a customizable alert setup.
Multiple user interfaces:
It has a basic mobile app for Android and iOS.

USP: WhatsUp Gold features an add-on virtualization monitoring module. This enables network discovery, monitoring, and analytics reports for small virtual environments and complete data centers without investing in a separate solution.

Pricing: Pricing starts at $2,740 for 25 devices.

Editorial comments: WhatsUp comes with multiple editions and licensing options (including a points-based licensing system) to suit various enterprise needs. But it isn’t an agentless tool, which adds to your set-up efforts. Customers have also noted that the GUI could be more intuitive.

See More: Wide Area Network (WAN) vs. Local Area Network (LAN): Key Differences and Similarities

Product Comparison of Network Management and Monitoring Tools

Here are the highlights of these top 10 network management and monitoring tools at a glance:

About the company
USP
Pricing
Auvik

It is a Canadian company that builds IT, network, and security monitoring tools.

It has a robust API library that simplifies integration and automation.

Pricing starts at $150 per month.

Domotz

It is a U.S.-based company with a presence in 90+ countries.

It is a plug-and-play solution, which can be set up in 10 minutes.

It costs approximately $25 per month per site.

Datadog

It is a U.S.-Based, NASDAQ traded observability tools provider.

It correlates network issues with application issues to speed up root cause analysis.

Pricing starts at $5 per month for performance monitoring and $7 per month for device monitoring.

Entuity

It is powered by the U.S.-based software company Park Place, which also provides managed services.

It has 100+ pre-built reports, automation features, default noise rules, etc., which can be used out of the box.

It is custom-priced with a free trial.

ManageEngine

It is part of Zoho, an Indian technology company that targets SMBs.

It has a threshold calculation feature that triggers an alarm.

Pricing starts at $245.

PRTG Network Monitor

It is a tool built by the German technology company Paessler.

It has a free failover solution, never to lose access to your network management dashboard.

Pricing starts at $1,750 per server for perpetual licenses.

Nagios XI

It is a commercial tool built on the open-source infrastructure monitoring solution, Nagios, launched in 2002.

Its open-source architecture drives flexibility and extensibility while operating out of a Linux environment.

Pricing starts at $1,995.

SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor

SolarWinds is a multinational monitoring tools company traded on the NYSE.

It offers proprietary technologies like PerfStack™, NetPath™, and Orion® Maps and simplifies critical path analysis.

Pricing starts at $1,638.

Spiceworks Connectivity Dashboard

It is a U.S.-based company that develops tools, frameworks, and resources for IT pros.

It is a free network management and monitoring tool that integrates with other Spiceworks offerings.

It is available for free.

WhatsUp Gold

It was initially built by Ipswitch, which was recently acquired by Progress.

It supports add-on modules such as virtualization monitoring, failover management, and more without investing in a separate solution.

Pricing starts at $2,740 for 25 devices.

Key takeaway

A 2021 survey by Enterprise Management Associates found that companies are increasing their network management and monitoring investments to keep up with a hybrid working world. 52.6% need new dashboards and reporting capabilities, while 32% look to improve insight correlations. The ten tools we discussed help achieve these goals at a manageable and predictable cost without compromising performance. Enterprises must conduct thorough research, assess their unique needs, and consider the five must-have functionalities we discussed to select an effective network management and monitoring tool in 2022.

Do you plan to invest more in network management in the coming quarters? Tell us on LinkedInOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , or FacebookOpens a new window . We would love to hear from you!

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