How to Select the Best Network Monitoring Tool for Your Needs

How to Select the Best Network Monitoring Tool

When it comes to protecting your company’s important data and network, it doesn’t matter what size your firm is, keeping things safe and running smoothly should be a top priority. For this reason, many invest in network monitoring tools like Pandora FMS. This is because we offer a software solution to make sure your network is always safe and secure around the clock.

Let’s learn a bit more about the process of network monitoring and why it’s so important here!

What Exactly is Network Monitoring?

Unless you’re a DIY computer whiz, you might not be too familiar with how network monitoring works. Basically, network monitoring tools analyze and monitor your network in real-time, flagging any issues ASAP so they can be addressed, whether it be a data breach, user issue, or server malfunction. This in turn drastically cuts down help desk requests and helps your business run more efficiently.

There are different types of network monitoring tools that focus on different sized businesses. For example, traditional network monitoring tools will work well for both small to mid-sized networks both wired and wireless. However, more expansive tools may be needed for distributed network environments and enterprise networks that require monitoring services and visibility into a range of things, such as software-defined networks, cloud-based networks, WAN links, and mobile device network monitoring capabilities.

Network Monitoring Tool Features

Network monitoring tools will offer a wide number of features specifically designed to suit your network’s needs. The most common general network monitoring tool features include:

• Syslog Messages

When it comes to keeping track of your system, syslog messages can certainly come in handy. They’re messages generated between communication hardware that are then saved on a central server. Once on the server, syslog messages can be monitored and analyzed, as well as equipped with alerts to help alert you of any issues. For example, you can set an alert for failed login attempts that will notify you after a certain number, alerting you to a possible security breach or another issue.

• Bandwidth Measuring Tools

Another important component of network monitoring is bandwidth measuring. This enables you to correctly measure the flow of information through your network and determine how busy it is. It’s an extremely important component of any network monitoring software because once you’ve reached 90% of your network bandwidth, it will start affecting the systems in your network and causing issues.

The network monitoring solutions from Pandora FMS come equipped with two tools designed to inform you of your bandwidth, in addition to setting alerts and recording and measuring network activity.

Advanced Network Monitoring Solutions

In addition to the more general tools mentioned above, there are also more advanced monitoring features that can be easily customized to suit your network’s needs. Although depending on your specific requirements, the number of the following solutions you’ll need will likely vary. However, some of the key advanced network components include:

• Automated Device Detection:High-quality network monitoring software is equipped with features designed to detect and monitor every component of your network, providing you with key insight as to how they’re being used and their status.
• Cloud Monitoring:In addition to making it easy to store data, cloud monitoring solutions can provide you with tools to keep track of any applications that are connected to your cloud network, as well as giving you resources to boost efficiency and effectiveness.
• Customizable Dashboard & Control Panel: The best monitoring solutions will come equipped with an easy-to-use dashboard and control panel that can be customized to suit your needs. Such applications will keep track of all of the relevant information pertaining to your network and be equipped with status graphs and tables, a network topology map, and commands for troubleshooting different issues.
• Scalability: This is an especially important component should you want to expand your business down the road. Comprehensive network solutions will enable users to expand their network, adding more complex applications and devices as needed.
• Security: Although most security breaches are due to human error or negligence rather than complicated hacking, there can be cases where data breaches are caused by such activities. The best way to minimize these scenarios is to invest in network monitoring solutions that offer double access protocols and encryption.
• Hardware & Software Inventory: Monitoring solutions come equipped with tools to help take inventory of all of the hardware and software being used within your network, regularly running tests and checks to ensure everything is organized and running smoothly. The most important hardware and software to monitor includes all installed programs, patches and program versions, as well as CPUs and drivers, bios, memory, IPs, and operating systems.
• Comprehensive Data Acquisition: Another important aspect of network monitoring to consider is that of data acquisition. When choosing your network monitoring tools, collecting as much data as possible should be at the top of your list. That’s why the best monitoring software will include a range of data acquisition tools, collecting data from protocols such as jFlow, sFlow, and Netflow.

Contact Pandora FMS for your network monitoring needs

Pandora FMS is one of today’s leading network monitoring tools, enabling users to monitor anywhere from 100 devices to several tens of thousands, unifying all of your network components in a single console. Pandora FMS is a comprehensive network monitoring environment; we’re experts in complex environments and remote networking solutions.

We also offer other services, such as server monitoring, SAP monitoring, IoT monitoring, and much more!

Contact us online today or call +1 (305) 900-6683 to receive a quote for our product.