ManageEngine OpManager: Monitor Routers, Switches and Servers

When we install a professional network, it is essential to monitor it properly to verify that all systems are working properly. ManageEngine OpManager is a monitoring system that will allow us to check if our routers, switches, WiFi access points, WiFi controllers, servers, virtual machines and even printers and storage devices are working properly. Everything that has an IP address can be monitored with this tool, today in this article we are going to explain the main features and possibilities of this complete software.

Why do I want network monitoring software?

Nowadays companies rely on networks to carry out all their operations, keeping all systems running is crucial, and so is monitoring them properly to anticipate more serious problems that make company operations have to stop. The monitoring of all network devices is something fundamental and basic, that any company should use.

ManageEngine OpManager

Today we not only have a local network where we exchange a large amount of information via samba, but we also have a private cloud and even a public cloud for backups. Network administrators must monitor both the proper functioning of the network, as well as its performance, to avoid speed drops or service interruption problems.

Main features

ManageEngine OpManager is a complete, affordable and easy-to-use monitoring system, everything that has an IP address in our local network can be monitored by this software. It is capable of monitoring routers, switches, firewalls, NAS servers, virtual machines connected to the network, WiFi controllers that in turn monitor WiFi access points, network storage devices, and even printers and scanners. OpManager continuously monitors all the devices on the network, in addition, we will have a global vision of all the monitored equipment to have total control over them. In the event of a failure, we can see in the control panel what has failed, and solve the problem before the situation worsens.

This software incorporates 2000 integrated network performance monitors, we can check packet loss, latency, speed, bit-level errors, and we can even analyze performance bottlenecks. We can also monitor the use of CPU, memory and disk, both in computers and servers, in addition, it also supports checking these parameters in virtual machines, it is compatible with both Linux and Windows operating systems, in addition, it is 100% compatible with the platforms of virtualization VMware, Hyper-V, Xen and Nutanix.

This monitoring software can send notifications by email and also by text messages, it can monitor different devices using different protocols, specifically, we can monitor all devices through:

  • SNMP with custom MIB.
  • WMI
  • Telnet
  • SSH
  • VMware native API

Normally for the monitoring of networks and equipment SNMP, WMI and also SSH are used, therefore, this monitoring system is compatible with all devices. Regarding networks, we can control network performance and network traffic thanks to the incorporation of a NetFlow module, this will allow us to view network traffic, bandwidth utilization and has support for NetFlow, sFlow, jFlow, IPFIX and more.

As it happens in all monitoring systems, if you test ManageEngine OpManager you will see that it will allow us to choose different thresholds for different values, notifying us (warning) and even sending us an error or critical error message. For each monitor that we can configure, we will set a different threshold to get instant alerts when these values are exceeded. One of the most important features is the incorporation of a fully customizable control panel, we can choose one of those that are already predefined, or design one ourselves from scratch, and we will have more than 200 widgets to customize the graphical user interface such as we wish.

If you are going to monitor network devices, depending on their CPU and memory occupation, it is possible that they begin to discard packets because they are collapsed, this is a common problem in routers and also in switches. If packets are dropped, the latency will increase, and we may have serious problems with the operation of the network. OpManager will allow us to monitor if there is packet loss, if we have DNS problems, or if the server takes too long to answer. This software is also capable of monitoring the availability and reliability of the Internet WAN, regardless of whether we have an Internet connection or several, since we can monitor several WAN connections to verify the latency of the Internet connection, in order to activate the QoS on the different routers to provide the best user experience. In other words, OpManager will not only tell us if there are problems, but it will also allow us to optimize the network so that it meets the parameters that we define.

Unlike other widely used monitoring systems, ManageEngine OpManager does not want extensive knowledge of network and system administration to make it work, it is very easy to install and configure.

Prices

OpManager is a paid monitoring system, it is not free, it has a pricing model based on the characteristics of the monitoring system itself, and also the number of devices to be monitored. When we buy a license, it is included to be able to monitor all the interfaces, nodes and sensors of the device, it does not matter that a router has 5 interfaces and we want to monitor them all, it will count as a single device, unlike its competitors.

ManageEngine OpManager has a total of three versions:

  • Standard Edition: it is priced at $ 245 and includes a total of 5 devices in the price, from here on, we will have to pay an additional price.
  • Professional Edition: It is priced at $ 345 and includes a total of 5 devices in the price, from here on, we will have to pay an additional price. This version is the most recommended for professional environments, because it allows extensive discovery and monitoring options.
  • Enterprise Edition: it is priced at $ 11,545 and includes a total of 5 devices in the price, from here on, we will have to pay an additional price. This version differs from the “Professional” in that it allows the monitoring of distributed networks (Multi-Site), the rest of the options for discovery, monitoring, user management, etc. they are exactly the same.

We recommend you download the trial version of ManageEngine OpManager and use it intensively, it allows a trial of up to 30 days. This ManageEngine OpManager monitoring system is a great option, with many features and cheaper than its main competitors.