Nagios Core vs SolarWinds Network Device Monitor comparison

Nagios Core vs. SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Nagios Core

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

11th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

IT Infrastructure Monitoring (10th)

SolarWinds Network Device M...

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

28th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of Nagios Core is 1.6%, down from 3.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SolarWinds Network Device Monitor is 0.9%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Monitoring Software Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Nagios Core	1.6%
SolarWinds Network Device Monitor	0.9%
Other	97.5%

Network Monitoring Software

Featured Reviews

Husham Yaqoob

Senior System Administrator at Interactive Group

Monitoring solution provides comprehensive visibility across IT infrastructure

The good thing about Nagios Core is it covers everything. Everything in the IT domain, you can monitor anything. You can even monitor printers, the ports of printers, Core workstations, and storage. You can monitor the workflow Core and the utilization of computes. If you want to grasp everything of your IT equipment on a single interface, you can use Nagios. It's the best one. It provides dashboards, and you can also configure your emails and alerts with it. If something is critical, you can configure it to notify via emails. It has a very handy dashboard, providing live alerts and visibility for everything.

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Sorin Gogean

IT Infrastructure Senior Network Technician at Autoliv

Offers some features but needs better customization and analysis tools

There are solutions that can perform better, but due to pricing for our corporate implementation, we had to stay with this solution. It accomplishes the necessary tasks, but there is room for improvement. The features are not as customizable as we would prefer, but they are workable. If configured properly, you can perform a drill-down analysis. However, I have not used this feature much for our infrastructure on the network side.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"I like that it's very simple to install, easy to manage and deploy, and easy to use for monitoring."

"Nagios monitors our servers, so we know if anything goes wrong and can solve the problem before it happens."

"We have the ability right now to see and create reports to tell whether or not we're meeting our SLAs on our production servers, through it."

"Nagios is able to minimize server downtime and this in turn helps to generate more revenue."

"It is fairly easy to set up, and we can monitor pretty much everything we want to."

"The most valuable feature is the performance parameters of the system."

"This product covers all of our infrastructure health checks, and has triggers for us to alert us to any unusual behaviour of the monitored systems."

"We are using Nagios Core on a VM and it's working very well, even though the specs of the VM are very low because it doesn't require much storage."

More Nagios Core pros

"There are vital features of auto-plugin core ports"

"The solution and its interface are elaborate and fully integrate all monitored items for easy analysis and troubleshooting."

"I like the mapping that you could do and the dashboards were very pretty."

"The alerting functionality in SolarWinds Network Device Monitor helps us stay informed during off-hours by sending alerts if our main links or devices are impacted, allowing us to quickly address any issues."

"In real-time, we know when there's an issue on our network and it helps us to be proactive to solve the situation."

"This product has been quite stable and we are very likely to continue using it in the future."

"The alerts we are getting when we start losing connection access have been helpful."

"I rate the product's initial setup process a nine on a scale of one to ten, where one means it is a difficult phase and ten is an easy process."

More SolarWinds Network Device Monitor pros

Cons

"We use the free version of Nagios, which needs some administrative skills in order to configure correctly."

"The mapping is a little hard."

"I would like to see more training videos."

"It would be nice if the company offered a sales or contract manager that was dedicated to our company so that we would have some sort of link to Nagios, and if we had issues or questions, we'd be able to contact them directly."

"The tool needs to improve the integrations."

"The initial setup process could be easier."

"The UI is a little outdated and graphics could be displayed in a better way."

"It's not that easy to install the product itself. Also, the UI is a bit hard for regular users to navigate through."

More Nagios Core cons

"There were certain aspects that weren't supported exactly. I was just able to monitor some basic things."

"Integration with different tools, such as ServiceNow and Excel, can be improved."

"The way they are presenting the map of our devices needs to be improved."

"SolarWinds pricing is on the higher side, and in India, every customer is cautious about commercial aspects."

"In terms of price, it could be less expensive."

"The data is in the system but we are unable to pull it because reporting is not integrated and versatile."

"SolarWinds Network Device Monitor could improve the features. We don't have the complete model for the database, and the monitoring for the database is up and down. We expect that we could monitor the blocking items on the database but we don't have that feature."

"When an organization's network grows, the complexity of the dashboard becomes an area of concern where improvements are required."

More SolarWinds Network Device Monitor cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution is expensive."

"We have saved a lot of time, money, and effort in reducing disaster times, which is owed to Nagios quick alerting."

"It's free."

"Nagios Core is an open source solution, and there are no licensing fees."

"I would rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."

"Most the plugin features are free."

"Nagios Core is a cheap solution."

"It's free."

More Nagios Core pricing and cost advice

"Well, we had a perpetual license and the renewal was $20 to $25,000."

"The enterprise license is good for the SolarWinds Network Device Monitor. However, it is expensive, they should reduce their price."

"SolarWinds Network Device Monitor is not an expensive solution."

"Thankfully, it doesn't take a lot of manpower to install and deploy."

"When compared with other solutions SolarWinds is more expensive."

"I rate the product's price as three to three and a half or on a scale of one to ten, where one means low price, and ten means high price."

"The product is expensive."

"The price of the SolarWinds Network Device Monitor is good."

More SolarWinds Network Device Monitor pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	11
Large Enterprise	24

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	14

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Nagios Core?

Nagios Core is a free and open-source product. We don't charge for the product itself, but we charge for the man-hour costs related to installation, configuration, ongoing operation, and maintenance.

What needs improvement with Nagios Core?

The dashboard should be improved. It's very simple. I don't have a very clear or specific suggestion. You can change the skin of the dashboard, however, it's good for me.

What is your primary use case for Nagios Core?

I was a senior system administrator. I've been using Nagios Core for more than ten years now. It can be used to monitor hosts, such as machines, and monitor services of any kind. I'm using it to mo...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SolarWinds Network Device Monitor?

I am not a positive person regarding SolarWinds Network Device Monitor.

What needs improvement with SolarWinds Network Device Monitor?

What is your primary use case for SolarWinds Network Device Monitor?

I have experience regarding the AD part, but my focus for the last 15 years has been oriented to the network side. My experience with identity tools comes more from a network perspective. We used N...

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Comparisons

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Compared 7% of the time

Zabbix vs Nagios Core

Compared 5% of the time

Icinga vs Nagios Core

Compared 5% of the time

Centreon vs Nagios Core

Compared 5% of the time

OpenNMS vs Nagios Core

Compared 4% of the time

Domotz Pro vs SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

Compared 12% of the time

ScienceLogic vs SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

Compared 9% of the time

FortiMonitor vs SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

Compared 7% of the time

OpenNMS vs SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

Compared 7% of the time

Entuity vs SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

Compared 6% of the time

More SolarWinds Network Device Monitor Competitors

Product Reports

Nagios Core

Download Nagios Core product report

SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

Download SolarWinds Network Device Monitor product report

SolarWinds Network Device Monitor report

Also Known As

No data available

Network Device Monitor

Overview

Nagios Core offers a versatile monitoring solution that efficiently manages notifications, reporting, and resource usage. Its open-source architecture provides flexibility and customization options for comprehensive infrastructure health management.

Nagios Core, known for its extensible plugin architecture, proactively enhances infrastructure management with customizable notifications and reliable reporting. Seamlessly integrating various plugins, it offers real-time dashboards and efficient alerting systems for thorough monitoring. Its adaptability and ease of configuration make it popular among users seeking flexible monitoring solutions. However, improvements in the web interface, scalability, performance, and visualization are needed to enhance accessibility. Users seek better alert mechanisms, more robust PDF export features, and simpler setup processes for increased efficiency.

What are the key features of Nagios Core?

Customizable Notifications: Tailor alerts to suit specific needs.
Reliable Reporting: Provides detailed insights into system performance.
Light Resource Usage: Operates efficiently with minimal resource demands.
Extensible Plugin Architecture: Supports a wide range of third-party integrations.
Real-Time Dashboards: Offers instant insights into system health.

What benefits should users expect from Nagios Core?

Flexibility: Allows detailed customization for unique monitoring requirements.
Open-Source Nature: Encourages community-driven enhancements and support.
Integration Capabilities: Facilitates seamless interaction with other tools and platforms.
Adaptability: Supports monitoring across different environments seamlessly.

In many industries, Nagios Core is integral to monitoring infrastructure and services, including cloud servers, applications, and network devices. Users rely on it for issue detection, capacity planning, and maintaining system stability in environments like AWS and on-premise servers. Its capabilities in CPU, memory, and bandwidth monitoring along with alert systems support sectors needing real-time oversight of critical equipment.

Nagios

SolarWinds Network Device Monitor offers comprehensive real-time network monitoring capabilities with seamless integration across multiple vendor devices, ensuring efficient network operations.

Offering features like cloud workload monitoring, quick deployment, and a user-friendly interface, SolarWinds Network Device Monitor supports real-time alert thresholds, accurate link readings, historical utilization metrics, and customizable dashboards. Its ability to integrate with multiple vendor devices and perform network discovery enhances operational efficiency. Comprehensive bandwidth and fault management features provide stable network monitoring, benefiting devices such as switches and IP phones. However, there is room for improvement in integration with tools like ServiceNow and Excel, support response times, and enhanced security. Users highlight the need for a mobile version, improved reporting, and better customization options, alongside concerns about setup complexity and licensing costs.

What are the key features?

Cloud Workload Monitoring: Monitors workloads hosted in the cloud.
User-Friendly Interface: Offers an intuitive experience for users.
Quick Deployment: Simplifies installation and setup processes.
Real-Time Monitoring: Provides immediate alerts for network statuses.
Customizable Dashboards: Enhances network visibility with tailored displays.

What benefits can users expect?

Proactive Problem Solving: Real-time alerts facilitate quick issue resolution.
Efficiency: Automated network monitoring streamlines operational workflows.
Insightful Analytics: Provides valuable data on memory and CPU usage.
Cost-Effective: Monitors bandwidth and fault management to reduce outages.

SolarWinds Network Device Monitor is implemented prominently in industries needing robust network infrastructure monitoring, like tech and manufacturing. Companies rely on its capabilities for IP address management, cloud workload monitoring, and remote equipment monitoring, gaining insights into system performance and ensuring compliance checks are met effectively.

SolarWinds

Sample Customers

Airbnb, Cisco, PayPal, FanDuel

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Nagios Core vs. SolarWinds Network Device Monitor