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So, you’ve been tasked with finding an SNMP Monitoring Tool. Naturally, you want to find the very best SNMP Monitoring tool on the market. You’ve come to the right place. This blog post is all about the best SNMP monitoring tools available. Looking for the best network monitoring tool? Check out this post on the top network monitoring tools.
Before choosing an SNMP monitoring tool, it’s good to think about a few things. Here are some good questions to ask yourself before you choose the best SNMP monitoring tool.
SNMP can be complicated if you’re just getting started with it. Choosing an SNMP monitoring tool that’s easy to set up will save you time. This is especially true if you’re monitoring and managing more than one network. When testing out different tools, pay attention to how hard it is to set up. Additionally, track the time it takes you to set up the tool as well.
When choosing an SNMP monitoring tool, it would be great if the cost wasn’t an issue! After all, we all just want the very best SNMP monitoring tool available. That being said, SNMP monitoring tools can vary widely in terms of costs, ranging from free to a few dollars per month to thousands. That’s why before choosing a tool you should think realistically about what you can afford. Additionally, think about what you’re willing to pay for an SNMP monitoring tool.
What data do I need to monitor with SNMP?
SNMP monitoring tools open up huge possibilities when it comes to data from connected devices. You can get all sorts of variables with SNMP. Before choosing an SNMP monitoring tool, consider what you need to monitor and why.
- Domotz
- LogicMonitor
- PRTG
- Datadog
- Nagios
- Zabbix
Best Cloud-Based SNMP Monitoring Tool
Domotz
Domotz is one of the best SNMP monitoring tools available. It’s also super easy to use and low cost. On the other hand, Domotz is so much more than an SNMP monitoring. It’s an entire system for network monitoring management. That being said, here we’ll focus on using Domotz as an SNMP monitoring tool.
Firstly, Domotz allows you to monitor TCP Services and SNMP (v1, v2, v3) objects on your devices. Of course, the devices must support the SNMP protocol.In short, as an SNMP monitoring tool Domotz provides the following:
- Domotz provides features to facilitate MIB navigation and identify the right OIDs.
- Numerical values are also put into charts.
- You can configure alerts, based on the conditions of the extracted values.
- You can change the polling frequency.
- SNMP versions v1, v2, and v3 are supported.
Domotz also includes pre-configured SNMP sensors so you can monitor certain devices with almost no configuration. Currently, in terms of pre-configured sensors, we support the following devices: printers, NAS, UPS, and switches.
Key points about Domotz as an SNMP Monitoring Tool:
- Affordable
- Easy to use
- Almost no set-up is required for certain devices thanks to pre-configured SNMP sensors
- Supports SNMP v1, v2, v3
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LogicMonitor
LogicMonitor is also one of the best SNMP monitoring tools that are cloud-based, meaning the infrastructure is maintained and secured by them.
LogicMonitor’s SNMP monitoring will allow your team to break free from the endless configuration, maintenance, and querying that plagues point-based in-house monitoring systems – without sacrificing the fine detail and customization you’ve come to expect.
- Hundreds of SNMP-based integrations built-in – no MIBs required.
- Automated deployment – just add the hostname or IP address of the device you want to monitor and LogicMonitor does the rest.
- Rapidly build your own integrations for your custom SNMP monitoring requirements.
- Visualize the relationship between devices with rich visualizations and topology mapping
Key points about LogicMonitor as an SNMP Monitoring Tool:
- Easy to use
- Almost no set-up is required for certain devices
- Supports SNMP v1, v2, v3
- Costs (can be considered an expensive option) but no pricing is listed on the website
PRTG
PRTG is a well-established network monitoring tool that also includes SNMP monitoring features. Furthermore, it allows you to monitor the status of sensors as well as events.
PRTG tracks and alerts on a wide range of events like Sensor status changes, Sensor value threshold breach, Speed threshold breaches, Volume threshold breaches, and more.
Moreover, even in the accessible version of PRTG, you can monitor SNMP traps. PRTG includes an appropriate sensor – which is also available in the free version.
- Key points about PRTG as an SNMP Monitoring Tool:
- Free up to 100 sensors
- Supports SNMP v1, v2, v3
- Supports SNMP traps
Best On-Premise SNMP Monitoring Tools
When it comes to on-premise SNMP monitoring tools there are also plenty of options to choose from. Just be aware that on-premise SNMP monitoring tools will require a high level of maintenance and infrastructure from your team. Many MSPs and service providers don’t have the required skills to adopt on-premise SNMP monitoring tools for each client. Learn more about SaaS vs. on-premise network monitoring tools.
DataDog
DataDog includes SNMP integration, that enables you to easily monitor and alert on the health and performance of your on-premise network infrastructure alongside the rest of your stack from one centralized platform.
You can use Datadog to visualize, correlate, and alert on metrics from your SNMP-managed devices for greater visibility into your network’s health and performance. For example, you can view metrics like the count of inbound packet errors on a custom dashboard to help ensure that your network devices are successfully transmitting data.
Key points about DataDog as an SNMP Monitoring Tool:
- An on-premise solution which means it is self-hosted and you must maintain the back-end
- Geared towards complex enterprises
- Pro: $ 15 per host, per month
- Enterprise: $ 23 per host, per month
Nagios
Nagios provides an “agentless” method of monitoring network devices and servers with SNMP.
It offers many features for SNMP monitoring making it one of the best on-premise tools. You can do all kinds of things with the system such as: Sending SNMP Traps with Nagios XI, Integrating SNMP Traps with Nagios XI, Monitoring AKCP sensorProbe2 Using SNMP with Nagios XI, Monitoring Linux Using SNMP and Monitoring Windows Event Logs Using SNMP in Nagios XI.
Nagios also provides complete monitoring of switches via SNMP. Switches can be monitored via SNMP v1, 2c, or 3.
Nagios is has a long standing reputation of being one of the best SNMP monitoring tools for on-premise option. On the other hand, it does require a high level of skills to operate and maintain Zabbix. Unfortunately many service providers and MSPs do not have the resources for this sort of thing for each customer.
Key points about Nagios as an SNMP Monitoring Tool:
Agentless monitoring
Very advanced configuration processes which not everyone is capable of doing
Increased server, services, and application availability
Fast detection of network outages and protocol failures
Requires a very high level of skill, training, and knowledge
Flexible pricing starts at $1,995
Zabbix
Zabbix is one of the best SNMP monitoring tools available and its one that many on our team personally love too.
You can also use Zabbix to monitor devices via SNMP including Interfaces SNMP, Interfaces Simple SNMP, Network Generic Device SNMP, HOST-RESOURCES-MIB Storage SNMP, EtherLike-MIB SNMP, and 3rd Party Solutions.
Zabbix provides extremely comprehensive SNMP monitoring features and many, many variables can be monitored including traps. Furthermore, Zabbix can monitor virtually anything from Linux and Windows servers, VMware environment, websites, databases, docker containers, and more.
On the other hand, Zabbix is not for the faint of heart and requires a very high level of skill to both configure and maintain. Additionally, it is an on-premise solution and many MSPs and service providers do not have the resources to maintain these environments.
Key points about Zabbix as an SNMP Monitoring Tool:
- Free, Zabbix is Free and Open Source Software
- Agentless monitoring
- Extremely comprehensive
- Requires a very high level of skill, training, and knowledge
- Very advanced configuration processes which not everyone is capable of doing
- Flexible pricing starts at $1,995
What data can be extracted from devices using SNMP?
The best SNMP monitoring tools can extract all kinds of data from devices from printer ink levels, to CPU usage, available storage, up/down status and so much more. Thousands of networked devices support SNMP which makes it one of the most popular protocols to use for extracting comprehensive device details as well as monitoring and alerting on device status and attributes.
Monitoring printers using SNMP
Using pre-configured SNMP sensors, for example, those which are available on Domotz you can extract via SNMP variables on printers including Supply Units (Toner Cartridge, Drum Unit) and Supply Level.
Monitoring UPS devices using SNMP
Using pre-configured SNMP sensors, for example, those which are available on Domotz you can extract SNMP variables on UPS devices including Alarms Present, Battery Status, Battery Voltage, Battery Current, Battery Temperature, Estimated Remaining Minutes, and Estimated Remaining Charge.
Monitoring NAS devices using SNMP
Using pre-configured SNMP sensors, for example, those which are available on Domotz you can extract SNMP variables on three different tables.
- Hard Disk Table on NAS: The NAS Hard Disks Table template shows Hard Disks, Description, Status, Capacity, Info, Temperature, and Model.
- Volumes Table on NAS: The NAS Volumes Table template displays Volumes, Description, Free Size, Total Size, Filesystem, and Status.
- NAS Basic Info: The NAS Basic Info template contains CPU Usage, CPU Temperature, Total Available Memory, Free Memory, Uptime, System Temperature, Number of Hard disks, Volumes, and Last Error Message.
Learn more about monitoring SNMP variables on NAS.
What is SNMP Monitoring?
Firstly, SNMP can be a very simple protocol to use. The reality is that SNMP is anything but simple. Furthermore, SNMP actually stands for Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). Moreover, it is a set of protocols for network management and monitoring and getting information out of devices. Additionally, thousands, and even millions of network devices like phones, computers, cameras, routers, switches, servers, firewalls, NAS, UPS, printers, and more support the SNMP protocol. To support the SNMP protocol, all these devices need to meet certain criteria making it a way that standardizes device monitoring and management.
Learn more about what is SNMP monitoring and how SNMP works.