In today’s digital world, businesses prioritize the smooth functioning of their networks to prevent security issues and outages. This is why they conduct network monitoring—an evaluation process that helps organizations identify and fix issues in time. This process calls for the assessment of components like servers, firewalls, routers, and switches. Tracking tools make this job easier by assisting administrators in collecting vital information from all the devices attached to a single network.

Network monitoring tools
These are applications that collect useful data from different parts of the network and conduct processes such as fault monitoring, performance monitoring, and account monitoring. Ideally, the network tracking software must recognize problems—traffic fluctuation, configuration error, or other issues—in their early stages to avoid failure or downtime. These tools may also check other components like email servers and applications.

Auvik

This cloud-based system is one of the most common network tracking tools ,  and   it comes with several system management tools. Auvik is browser-based too, so you can remotely access it. It follows a continuous discovery process, so it will automatically detect new devices added to the network. In addition, a threshold for system performance and resource usage is maintained and once that threshold is crossed, Auvik sends an alert. This means the technicians do not have to worry about system issues until the tool flags a problem. A drawback here would be that tracking is the only service offered by the software, so you don’t get add-ons. Also, the standard prices are not listed, but you can opt for a 14-day free trial, during which you can monitor different sites and combine the data. In the high-end plan, you can access traffic analysis features. Lastly, the tool is easy to set up, making the initial configuration quick.

Nagios XI

Nagios Core is a free, open-source tool, and Nagios XI is its in-house interface that uses Nagios Core as the backend. This tool offers all services required by system administrators to monitor networks effectively. Its web interface is fast and intuitive, and the server is reliable. Backed by an active community, Nagios Core comes with multiple plugins for software and hardware. You can keep a tab on the status of the channels, services, servers, and everything else that has an IP address. No monitoring system can be complete without alerts. So, Nagios provides a personalized mechanism for receiving notifications via instant messaging, SMS, and email through the top internet messengers. It also uses an escalation scheme to make viable decisions about who must be alerted when and in what situations. One significant drawback associated with Nagios XI is its configuration process which is extremely complicated for those unfamiliar with the process. However, the tool can adapt to almost all monitoring tasks making it one of the top-rated network tracking software that has been utilized in active development for several years. The paid version can be expensive, priced at $2995, but you get several features like capacity planning, advanced graphs, and a new interface, among others. Such tools are ideal for mid-sized or small businesses that do not have complex needs or environments.

ConnectWise Automate

This tool lets you manage and monitor your network using a single browser screen. Its primary interface enables viewing all the devices and clubbing or categorizing them. You can perform tasks on them in a batch or one at a time. Using the comprehensive filers and crisp icons, you can get an overview of every group, which will help you understand the overall and individual machine status. A notable feature is its ability to seamlessly patch (task to keep systems updated and address vulnerabilities) third-party apps, often without any user intervention. In addition, ConnectWise helps create an array of tailored scripts that let you patch, manage, and configure in a few clicks. As the standard prices are not listed, you can request a quotation and a plan will be tailored to meet your requirements. A free trial is also offered. Similar to Auvik, even ConnectWise Automate offers remote monitoring and asset discovery, which tracks new devices, and monitors the behavior of all connected devices. This network tracking tool also promises intuitive, easy setup and configuration, which is a huge plus for beginners.

Cacti
This tool’s primary focus is performance management and monitoring. With its many add-on plugins, you can use the software to create logs, track faults, map networks, discover devices, backup router configurations, and display and collect data. But, Cacti is essentially a beginner network monitoring tool. Its standout feature, Autodiscovery, lets you add hosts automatically by screening the network for new clients. It is the best tool for small businesses with basic needs and the environment. Unfortunately, unlike the other network tracking tools on the list, it does not offer diverse services and can mainly serve as the go-to tool to familiarize you with the monitoring process. It is, however, free and can support countless tuning possibilities.