PRTG
PRTG Network Monitor is a network monitoring and infrastructure management tool. It lets network administrators monitor devices such as access points, routers and switches. It also manages infrastructure such as services, workstations, servers, storage, and applications. The software uses the concept of a sensor. A sensor is an aspect of a device that needs to be monitored. For example, the level of network traffic. PRTG includes 200 different types of sensors. The product is further priced based on the number of sensors a company requires. For up to 100 sensors, the software is free of charge. They then have a large array of pricing levels after that, all the way to an unlimited number of sensors, which costs $60,000. The price includes one year of software maintenance, which can be renewed thereafter at 25% of the purchase price. The software supports Microsoft Windows only, and it only partially supports Windows 10. They recommend using Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2.
- Presents an easy to understand and useful hierarchical view of a network, with plenty of alerts
- Can print QR codes for devices and sensors, which then can be read by a mobile app
- Generates an exhaustive and extensive set of reports
- Includes 100 sensors for free
- Is very easy to set up
- Can monitor just about anything on a network
- Adding and removing sensors, as well moving devices from one group to another, can be confusising
- Only provides limited support for Windows 10
- Can be very expensive if you need lots of sensors
If you are looking for a professional tool to monitor your network that both works well and is easy to use, PRTG Network Monitor is a product to strongly consider. It offers a hierarchical view that not only presents useful performance data, but it also offers just about every kind of alert imaginable. You can also print out QR codes with it that correspond to either a device or a sensor, which can then be applied to a physical device for easy monitoring with a mobile app. It further generates an exhaustive and extensive set of reports. What's more, PRTG Network Monitor is very easy to set up, and it is free for up to 100 sensors. This lets you try out the product before making a major investment in it. PRTG Network Monitor, though, does have some drawbacks. Adding and removing sensors can be confusing, and so is moving a device from one group to another. It also has only very limited support for Windows 10, and it can be very expensive if you need lots of sensors.
Alternatives to PRTG
Zabbix
Datadog
Wireshark
NetCrunch
Panopta
SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor
Scalyr
Appneta
Microsoft System Center
ManageEngine OpManager
Zemana AntiLogger
Intermapper
Cacti
OP5 Monitor
Ipswitch WhatsUp Gold
NetFlow Traffic Analyzer
OpenNMS
Pandora FMS
5nine Manager
Server Density
