Can anybody tell me which is a good network management software?

[c.chunxia]

I want to use a network management software to manage

a network which has WAN and LAN.And I want to monitor

network traffic so I can know which one is playing game or other.So who can tell me which is and how to get it?

thank you for your help!

[jegrimm]

Hello,

It sounds like you really want a network monitoring application not a management application. I would look at something like NetScout. They have probes that monitor the links and can perform data capture..There are others too, but that is the one that I use.

Jim

[ben.morton]

Microsoft's SMS has a good software network monitor and I understand that Intel's Landesk has a comprehensive toolset

[mark.lambe]

I am using Agilent Adviser. Costs about $5000 for the software version, but they do a 45 day trial.

Also NetXRay, and Ethereal (free for simple packet sniffing). MS NetMon not bad either.l

[jwitherell]

In addition to Mark's reply above, check out the big NMS packages like Tivoli NetView. I know alot of smaller companies like IPSwitch's WhatsUp Gold.

[jwitherell]

Another one for you: Regarding network traffic monitoring, check out Multi-Router Traffic Grapher (MRTG) at http://www.mrtg.com or http://www.ee.ethz.ch/~oetiker/webtools/mrtg/

[faheyd]

How large is the network (routers and links). The scale will really tell you what you 'need'. Even the type of routers will guide you. Overall, HP Openview is great for medium to large networks (hundreds of routers). If there all Cisco routers, CiscoWorks/View might do you well.

reference: http://www.openview.hp.com/products/nnm/index.asp

http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/779/largeent/

and

http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/cc/pd/wr2k/cpmn/prodlit/index.shtml

[jwitherell]

Tivoli NetView is a good enterprise-class platform, as is HP OpenView. I'm an IBMer, so I guess I'm biased to Tivoli. Both have an abundance of plug ins from 3rd parties to give added functionality. Tivoli's website is www.tivoli.com

For smaller networks, a product that pops up alot with good comments is IpSwitch's What's Up Gold. Check that out at www.ipswitch.com

[poppj]

I use both MRTG and a product named "SolarWinds " -

solarwinds is very easy to use and set up - cost was around $400 u.s.

[matt.frank]

Check out CaseSentry @ www.shoregroup.com

[vzops]

Start with something free: MRTG (traffic grapher) and Ethereal (protocol analyzer). I have HPOpenView and CiscoWorks. They are both highly comprehensive and complex. I wouldn't pay for either of them with my own money.

The comment about the size of your network is very relevant.

[ken.jones]

Just another 10c...

You might want to take a look at our own product called MAX... it is snmp and microsoft friendly, and manages typical snmp devices, as well as microsoft server applications, rmon manager, reporting, network thresholding, alerts and alarms etc etc.

Go to www.nettasking.com for a free eval..

Good luck...

[abhik]

What is the size of the network you are trying to monitor in terms of no. of devices? How many of them are Cisco?

[andrewpartington]

My 2c worth...

Hi I am in the network admin team for a outsourcing company, so we I have come across this type of question many a time. I would recommend HP openview as a "professional" piece of software (very expensive and quite large set up costs). I have had a bit of experience with it and it does most stuff.

The second bit of software Id recommend is the Computer Associates Sniffer Pro. Cant beat it for functionality and total network monitoring. Really is worth checking out (you can get a 15 day full working version).

My moneys on the Sniffer Pro..sounds more like the thing your looking for. Openview is more for total network management solutions etc etc..

[jkemery]

SOLAR WINDS SOLAR WINDS SOLAR WINDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Check out http://www.solarwinds.net

and then look at the live demo to Orion at http://216.60.197.199/

It Rocks.

They have a client based windows app that I use everyday. Get the Engineers edition though.

And Orion is web based so you can monitor from anywhere. A great replacement to MRTG and much easier to use. Full reporting and graph customizing on the fly.

:)