Which software for your network monitoring? Here are our top 10 tools
Among the types of IT supervision, network supervision is particularly popular.
Why is this? Because it enables a single technician to monitor the smooth running of the entire IT infrastructure, whatever its size.
From user-friendliness and assistance to competitive pricing and rationalisation of resources, there are plenty of reasons to equip yourself with network monitoring software.or a Managed Service Provider (MSP), i.e. a service company that remotely manages its customers' IT systems.
What is computer network supervision?
Network supervision refers to monitoring the proper operation of IT networks and the IT services connected to these networks.
More specifically, network monitoring covers :
- quality (bandwidth)
- Internet connection security,
- but also, by extension, to the status of connected services and hardware: servers, printers, workstations, etc.
Network supervision is one of the 3 types of IT supervision, along with system supervision (low level) and application supervision.
The 10 best network monitoring software packages
Effective supervision requires monitoring software that centralises information on network health for IT departments.
Comparative table of the 10 best network monitoring software packages
1 of 6
 Atera |  Centreon MAP |  Nagios XI |  ManageEngine OpManager |  PRTG |  SolarWinds RMM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For companies with 1 to 5000 employees | For companies with more than 250 employees | For all companies | For all companies | For all companies | For all companies |
| See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software |
| Learn more about Atera | Learn more about Centreon MAP | Learn more about Nagios XI | Learn more about ManageEngine OpManager | Learn more about PRTG | Learn more about SolarWinds RMM |
Atera
Atera is proprietary software in SaaS mode. This comprehensive, intuitive tool invoices the technician rather than the hardware being monitored, and covers all the needs of IT specialists:
- RMM (remote monitoring management), i.e. remote monitoring and management of IT systems and networks,
- network discovery (network analysis, detection of ageing equipment, etc.),
- remote access,
- professional services automation (PSA), etc.
Atera
CACTI
CACTI is open source software that is rarely used on its own.
It is most often used in conjunction with a more comprehensive monitoring solution such as Nagios.
CACTI's strength lies in its ability to display any type of structured data, which makes it very easy to read its network infrastructure via a Web interface.
Centreon
Centreon is French open source software specialising in network and system monitoring. Designed for mission-critical IT environments, it offers complete visibility over the performance of equipment, applications and services.
With its modern web interface, customisable dashboards and powerful alert engine, Centreon appeals to SMEs and large enterprises alike. A robust, local solution with a nose for breakdowns.
Centreon MAP
Nagios
Nagios is an open source tool that has been the benchmark for monitoring since 2000.
It covers all the needs of the information system (more extensive than network monitoring) and has some very useful features for managing your network infrastructure, such as multi-level notifications and monitoring support management.
Nagios XI
OpManager
OpManager is a SaaS supervision solution that gives you total control and visibility over network management.
OpManager is particularly advanced and comprehensive in this area.
It has a highly ergonomic interface and enables optimum use of resources.
ManageEngine OpManager
PRTG
PRTG is a proprietary network monitoring tool in SaaS mode that is designed to be very easy to use, although its functionalities are perfectly suited to professionals.
Its rapid installation, automatic network detection and incident anticipation make it a strong ally for IT asset managers.
PRTG
Solarwinds
SolarWinds is a proprietary software package designed for corporate network monitoring. It stands out for its ability to map the entire infrastructure, monitor bandwidth and detect anomalies in real time.
Its intuitive interface provides a clear view of network performance, enabling you to act quickly in the event of a problem. Modular and comprehensive, it adapts to the needs of IT Departments and Managed Service Providers alike. A powerful ally for keeping control, even in the densest environments.
SolarWinds RMM
WhatsUp Gold
WhatsUp Gold is proprietary software in SaaS mode. It is a complete, modular and highly intuitive network supervision tool for SMEs and ETIs that offers you :
- 360° visibility of the supervised IT infrastructure,
- monitoring of all your network resources
- as well as a real-time dashboard showing all your interconnections. From now on, it's easy to identify and resolve potential network faults!
Zabbix
Zabbix is open source network monitoring software renowned for its robustness and flexibility. It lets you monitor the status of equipment, servers and applications in real time, all via a clear, customisable web interface.
Its dynamic alerts, detailed reports and broad compatibility make it a strategic choice for IT teams. Free but far from basic, Zabbix combines performance and freedom of use.
Zenoss
Zenoss is a general-purpose open source IT supervision software package that allows you to monitor your network. Its speciality, however, is monitoring the nodes of a computer network. Its central dashboard can be used to centralise important information for IT Departments.
The challenges of network monitoring
Guaranteeing the highest possible level of service
Continuous monitoring of the IT network is essential for any company with more than ten employees.
This is a critical size above which a network failure can lead to a loss of activity that is detrimental to the company.
💡 For example, if your network is unavailable or difficult to access 1% of the time, that's 87 hours of work affected (multiplied by the number of employees).
It is therefore very important to be able to detect the risk of incidents or the improvements that need to be made before facing a serious technical problem.
Monitoring network activity also ensures that you are properly informed in the event of a problem and that you can implement the right action plan quickly.
Protecting information systems
The other aspect of network monitoring concerns network security. Cybercrime, viruses, phishing and other intrusions cause damage worth over €100 billion in France alone (2024 figures).
To combat these ever-increasing attacks effectively (particularly on mobile networks), the IT Department needs to equip itself with technologies that enable it to understand its strengths and weaknesses, and also to react quickly to any attempt.
The role of supervision is therefore to guarantee a continuous level of quality, often referred to as a Service Level Agreement (SLA), to prevent the risks of service disruption/intrusion and to react quickly to incidents.
How does it work?
Network monitoring can be implemented on the basis of log analysis, command results and local scripts, but it is above all on the basis of standard protocols such as SNMP that computer network monitoring works.
Numerous software packages exist for this purpose. The open source community is particularly active in this field, which is why there is a lot of open source software available, such as ZENOSS or CACTI, mentioned earlier in the article.
The software helps the technician with SMS and email alerts, but also by proposing concrete solutions to resolve or anticipate a problem.
They offer varying degrees of functional coverage, but are generally suitable for all types of business.
Functionalities can range from simple log analysis and router and firewall monitoring to more advanced real-time management of the information system, network administration, databases and servers.
Why opt for network monitoring software?
Whether you're an SME or a large multinational, effective network monitoring requires high-performance monitoring software:
- perform constant network analysis and diagnostics;
- ensure that network processes are running smoothly at all times;
- centralises the key data to be monitored and information on the health of the network;
- send alerts to IT team members as soon as an anomaly is detected.
Of course, network monitoring needs vary from one company and one business to another.
Fortunately, there are many flexible monitoring tools on the market, available for download in all languages, from both open source (often free) and proprietary (pay-per-use) monitoring software publishers.
How do I choose network monitoring software?
Summary table of our selection
| Software | Type of user | Key benefit | 3 key features | Entry price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atera | VSE / SME / MSP | All-in-one (RMM + supervision + ticketing) | Real-time supervision, automated alerts, patch management | From €149/month |
| CACTI | Senior system administrator | Open source with advanced graphical interface | RRDTool graphics, SNMP polling, template management | Free |
| Centreon | Enterprise / Key accounts | Scalable open source with business view | Auto-discovery, SLA-oriented monitoring, API/Cloud integration | Free offer |
| Nagios | Enterprise / Network experts | Extremely customisable | Service monitoring, advanced alerting, custom plugins | Free offer |
| OpManager | SMEs / Large enterprises | Simple, powerful interface | Network maps, flow analysis, automatic discovery | From €214.47 |
| PRTG | Network administrators at all levels | Fast, intuitive deployment | Customisable sensors, interactive dashboard, dynamic alerts | From €137 |
| SolarWinds | Large companies | Comprehensive professional tools | Network Performance Monitor, NetFlow, advanced reporting | From €5.25 / month |
| WhatsUp Gold | Multi-site companies | Intuitive network visualisation | Automatic mapping, SNMP, custom notifications | Free offer |
| Zabbix | Open source experts | Power and scalability at no cost | SNMP / IPMI / JMX collection, dashboards, custom scripts | On quotation |
| Zenoss | Large IT environments | Modular, cloud-friendly architecture | Hybrid supervision, AIOps, dependency management | On quotation |
What criteria should you look for in good network monitoring software?
Not all tools are created equal. Some do the bare minimum, while others play in the big leagues. To make the right choice, keep an eye on these key points:
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a clear, user-friendly interface: good monitoring software should not require six months' training. The information should be legible, well-organised and easy to use;
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intelligent alerts: there's no need to be woken up at 3am for a micro outage. Choose tools that trigger relevant, configurable and prioritised notifications;
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broad functional coverage: bandwidth, servers, workstations, printers... The broader the view, the better. And if it also offers application monitoring, jackpot!
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compatibility with standards: SNMP, WMI, NetFlow, etc. Check that the software speaks the right network languages;
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scalability: is your business growing? The software needs to keep up without exploding in flight;
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support and community: open source or pay-as-you-go, good software comes with up-to-date documentation, responsive support and an active community.
What can we learn from network monitoring tools?
A computer network is as critical as the human nervous system.
Guaranteeing its availability and security is therefore of paramount importance. Network monitoring software helps to address this issue by providing the monitoring, analysis, alert and assistance tools that IT decision-makers need.
Among these tools, open source software accounts for a very large proportion of the offering. However, proprietary software offers more sophisticated ergonomics and more advanced human assistance functions.
Article translated from French