10 Best Open Source Switch Port Monitoring Tools

Switch port monitoring is one of the most crucial facets of network management. It not only provides insights into network switch port status but CPU load, memory utilization, historical port utilization, and more.

One of the most significant benefits of switch port monitoring is tracking used and unused switch ports in your network. Unused switch ports often increase security vulnerabilities and invite unauthorized or rogue users to infiltrate your network. Switch port monitoring reduces the risks associated with unused switch ports, protecting the infrastructure you rely on to facilitate day-to-day workflows.

Switch port monitoring also helps you:

Some organizations still execute switch port monitoring manually, which takes up resources. But switch port monitoring software automates the entire process, providing growing enterprises with a cost-effective and time-saving solution.

But what are the best open-source switch monitoring systems for 2021? Read on to learn more.

Switch port monitoring provides your organization with real-time intelligence about switch ports and the bandwidth and throughput that travel through these ports. When you monitor switch ports, you’ll generate analytics and metrics for:

These insights influence your overall network management strategy for better performance, productivity, precision, and security.

As you monitor switch ports, you’ll identify the security risks that could damage your entire business. You’ll also improve switch port performance, latency, stability, speed, and overall IT operations. These are the reasons so many of the world’s most successful companies monitor switch ports regularly.

Switch port monitoring lets you track switch port metrics for many switch devices, including products made by Cisco, Dell, HP, Microsoft, Netgear, and other manufacturers. You can monitor all your switch devices from one centralized system, even if you lack a large monitoring team.

There are two types of switch port monitoring programs:

This software monitors switch ports and many other network elements. The end user tracks network devices from one centralized hub, which provides accurate real-time performance metrics for better organizational decision-making.

Open-source switch port monitoring tools are copyright-free, allowing for more functionality. You don’t have to enter into a long-term contract or pay any fees at all. (Open-source software is free.) Some open-source tools are basic, with only a few switch port monitoring features.

The best platforms, however, are scalable, customizable, and brim with features. Best of all, these platforms won’t cost you anything to run. There are various open-source tools for switch port monitoring in the marketplace. These tools provide insights into port usage, CPU usage, and more.

Implementing one of these tools into your organization improves switch port performance over time. But which one is best for you? Here are 10 open-source switch port monitoring platforms you should consider in 2021.

Prometheus features include Netflow flow analysis, support for Windows operating systems, and support for Cisco switches, Dell switches, and more. The platform prioritizes switch port issues and only sends users critical notifications that require attention.

Checkmk is a monitoring solution that tracks multiple network components. Its switch port monitoring features include analytics for packet rates, CPU, power, and bandwidth of ports. The platform supports devices manufactured by Cisco, Dell, Intel, Extreme Networks, and more.

Checkmk provides real-time and historical switch port statistics, providing users with a holistic approach to monitoring. There’s an open-source free version (Raw Edition) and a paid-for version with additional features (Enterprise Edition).

Pandora FMS is an open-source network infrastructure monitoring program that manages switch ports. The platform collects information about switch ports, networks, capacity planning, servers, and applications and creates charts and reports on a single dashboard for easy analysis.

Because it has limited switch port monitoring capabilities, Pandora FMS works best as an all-in-one tool for solving network issues and generating insights about disk usage, memory usage, CPU, system overload, and more.

The big selling point is that Cisco has made this tool, so there’s lots of functionality and support, and it’s easy to configure. However, you won’t be able to monitor switch ports made by other manufacturers like HP and Dell.

It’s certainly possible to monitor switch ports in LibreNMS, but the process is difficult. Still, LibreNMS is open source and comes with loads of features, including monitoring notifications via email and Slack.

Pricing isn’t a consideration when choosing between open-source switch port monitoring solutions. These free platforms provide value for your team, generating accurate real-time insights about switch port status, usage, utilization, performance, and security.

Switch port monitoring is one of the less-talked-about aspects of network monitoring, but it serves an essential purpose. Regularly tracking switch ports prevents unauthorized and rogue users from infiltrating these devices and accessing sensitive data. Monitoring also enhances the power and performance of switch ports, letting you identify minor issues quickly and improve response times.

The latest software automates monitoring for your team so you can focus on other aspects of your business. These tools alert you when there’s a problem with switch ports, prompting you to take action. Open-source tools have additional benefits like customization, scalability, and no vendor contracts.

Whether you want to track TCP transmissions, UDP transmissions, switch port status, historical port utilization, or something else entirely, open-source platforms provide reliable insights that drive your network management strategy.

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