Successful businesses are built around strong networks. Whether for security, communication, or efficiency, a network is essential for an organization's day-to-day operations. That's why any downtime can be extremely damaging.

Table of Contents:

What Is a Network Monitoring Tool?
9 Factors to consider when evaluating network monitoring tools
1. Your Network Requirements
2. Company Finances
3. Business Scalability
4. User Experience & Support
5. Monitoring Features
6. Analytics Features
7. Security Capabilities
8. Regulatory Compliance
9. A Vendor's Reputation
Conclusion

A network monitoring tool is key for strong oversight, as well as preventing downtime and other issues. But what exactly is a monitoring tool, and how can you choose the best option for your business?

What Is a Network Monitoring Tool?

Network monitoring tools manage and oversee traffic. They identify safety and performance issues, enabling network operators to plug the gap before errors occur.

One of the ways these tools boost performance is by regulating network traffic flow. They examine the paths of transmitted data and then configure more efficient routes. This could be compared to a GPS looking for the quickest, least congested journey for a user. In the same way, a network monitoring tool helps data reach its destination more quickly.

Thanks to this, network monitoring solutions can help minimize problems such as overload and connection issues. They also provide a constant flow of real-time data, helping administrators diagnose problems and get to the root cause more quickly.

Ultimately, this means network users benefit from higher performance and work more productively.

9 Factors to consider when evaluating network monitoring tools

Hopefully, you now understand why network monitoring tools are essential. But how should you choose the perfect network monitoring service for your business? Consider the factors we'll look at below.

1. Your Network Requirements

Not all monitoring tools are right for your network. Before beginning your search, it's important to run a thorough network evaluation.

The goal should be to gain the strongest possible understanding of your infrastructure and the role a monitoring tool will play within it. Consider network monitoring as part of a broader integrated business planning initiative. What is integrated business planning? It's the process of aligning business strategy so that all teams work towards a common goal. Your network will impact your entire organization, so it should be central to planning.

Rather than monitoring every aspect of your network, you might choose to focus on specific areas that directly impact business performance the most — for instance, tracking network uptime, the speed of data transfers, server response times, or the structure of network traffic.

To begin with, list all the devices, servers, and other components that make up your network. Then, highlight particular areas of inefficiency. For example, employee tasks may be slowed due to sluggish download speeds. Finding a network monitoring tool that helps you to control these errors should be a priority.

Secondly, consider any requirements unique to your industry. For example, healthcare businesses in the United States must comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which regulates how organizations store individually identifiable health information. These businesses must also ensure their network has adequate protection to safeguard customer data.

After careful evaluation, you should understand your unique network needs. You can use these requirements as a checklist when searching for network monitoring solutions.

2. Company Finances

A business should only invest in a network monitoring tool if it is a financially viable solution. That's why organizations must undertake comprehensive financial planning and analysis before making any investment.

Consider both current and future spending and assess whether funds are available for additional investment. Reflect not just on the initial cost of ownership but also on maintenance spending and any module fees involved. Will you need to hire additional IT staff? Will there be any downtime during the set-up?

Above all, make sure that a platform clearly spells out its pricing. This should include the regularity of payment and any additional fees. The best solutions offer a variety of payment options so that businesses can scale their package up or down, depending on their needs.

3. Business Scalability

Business networks grow in size and complexity over time, and managing them can become challenging. That's why it's critical to have a network monitoring tool that can scale with business needs.

You can't know how your organization will scale in the future. You can, however, look at current and historical data to give clues about where your business is headed. What features will be necessary for helping your business grow?

You may, for example, incorporate more physical components within your network. In this case, you'd look for a tool capable of managing infrastructure and monitoring the health of individual components.

Equally, you may need a tool that can monitor a growing virtual network. Here, you'll require a solution compatible with cloud infrastructure. Tools should be able to monitor the performance of cloud networks, regardless of size, and spot inefficiencies.

4. User Experience & Support

User experience (UX) should be a top priority when choosing a network monitoring tool. Network operators should be able to jump into a new tool from day one. This means evaluating several factors about a tool's UX. Look for the following features:

• A clear display with a well-designed layout
• Key metrics and other information that are available at a glance
• Simple menu navigation
• Quick response times to user inputs

Remember that external support is also an important part of UX. You should have access to customer support teams and knowledge databases. Equally, consider community support. The best tools have active online communities that provide advice to fellow users.

5. Monitoring Features

It's always better to detect network errors sooner rather than later. A network monitoring tool should come with a variety of features to help detect problems.

One example is real-time monitoring. This provides network operators with a constant stream of monitoring information as it comes in. The feature provides increased oversight over your network's hardware, security systems, virtual environments, and other aspects. Thanks to this, operators can spot anomalies and other issues and work to correct them.

Another important feature is the ability to receive advanced alerts when errors occur. Some tools allow users to set certain thresholds and trigger alerts when they are exceeded. Imagine you have invested in computer telephony integration (CTI) within your network and need uncongested lines to facilitate smooth calls. You could set up an alert when network traffic surpasses a certain point, tackling the issue before it threatens call quality.

6. Analytics Features

Being able to analyze relevant data is an important part of tracking your network performance. Your chosen tool should come with advanced reporting capabilities to help spot data trends. Listed below are just some of the ways network analytics can help:

• Bolster security by assessing endpoint traffic and identifying signs of malware infection
• Provide easy access to key network performance metrics and reports
• Spot areas where networks are underperforming and suggest improvements
• Diagnose and troubleshoot errors quickly to minimize downtime

7. Security Capabilities

Cyber security is an ever-present issue for organizations. In 2024 alone, the cost of cyber attacks in the US will be an estimated $452 billion. However, monetary costs aren't the only impact of attacks. Data leaks and other issues can damage customer trust in businesses. Network monitoring tools should come with various techniques to help detect and defend against cyber attacks.

The ability to protect against DDOS attacks, where your network is flooded with false traffic, should be a particular focus. The worst effects of these attacks can be mitigated with enough forewarning.

We've already mentioned the importance of real-time monitoring in helping businesses detect wrongdoing. A tool should also provide granular activity data, enabling network operators to dig deep and spot malicious activity more easily.

8. Regulatory Compliance

Alongside cybersecurity, regulatory compliance is a major consideration for all businesses. Across the globe, new data privacy laws are constantly emerging. These regulate how organizations collect, manage, and maintain data. Organizations must ensure networks transmit and protect data properly to avoid costly monetary and reputational fines.

A network monitoring tool should have the functionality to help businesses spot compliance lapses, alerting operators when certain actions risk breaching legislation. Some tools can also be programmed to track issues that might impact an organization's internal data policies.

9. A Vendor's Reputation

A network monitoring tool may sound promising and list many valuable features. But does a solution deliver on its promises? Finding evidence of a tool's performance before investing is important, as failed network monitoring can be costly.

Look for reviews, testimonials, and other user records. It's always better to opt for a solution with a proven track record of success. Consistent negative reviews should always be a warning sign. Similarly, a lack of reviews or community discussion may be a bad sign. Opt for solutions that maintain satisfied, active user bases.

If you're ever unsure, consider whether a vendor offers a free trial. First-hand experience can help assess whether a tool is right for your needs.

Choose Your Network Monitoring Tool

Which network monitoring tool is the best fit for you? For the reasons we've discussed, this is something that only your business can determine. Begin with a thorough evaluation of your business network, and consider the most critical features. From there, consider our list of universally important network monitoring functions.

One thing is certain, a strong network is critical for your business' success. Make your choice carefully. The right monitoring tool will boost performance, enhance security, and support your network operators.