PRTG Network Monitor OverviewUNIXBusinessApplication

PRTG Network Monitor is the #6 ranked solution in best Network Monitoring Tools and Infrastructure Monitoring tools. PeerSpot users give PRTG Network Monitor an average rating of 8.0 out of 10. PRTG Network Monitor is most commonly compared to Nagios XI: PRTG Network Monitor vs Nagios XI. PRTG Network Monitor is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 43% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a educational organization, accounting for 24% of all views.
PRTG Network Monitor Buyer's Guide

Download the PRTG Network Monitor Buyer's Guide including reviews and more. Updated: May 2023

What is PRTG Network Monitor?

PRTG Network Monitor runs on a Windows machine within your network, collecting various statistics from the machines, software, and devices which you designate. PRTG comes with an easy-to-use web interface with point-and-click configuration. You can easily share data from it with non-technical colleagues and customers, including via live graphs and custom reports. This will let you plan for network expansion, see what applications are using most of your connection, and make sure that no one is hogging the entire network just to torrent videos.

To monitor a large IT environment, it's important to be able to scale PRTG up. Paessler PRTG Enterprise Monitor includes all the proven capabilities of PRTG Network Monitor, which are enhanced by exclusive ITOps Board for a service-oriented, central overview of multiple PRTG servers.

PRTG Network Monitor was previously known as PRTG.

PRTG Network Monitor Customers

Jameson Bank, Sidnix, RungeICT, MedicalAnimal, Truck-lite, GamingGrids, The Covell Group, Forsythn County Schools, NetMass, Musgrove Park Hospital, Lanes Health, Columbia Southern University, Vodafone, Intrust Bank

PRTG Network Monitor Video

PRTG Network Monitor Pricing Advice

What users are saying about PRTG Network Monitor pricing:
  • "Pricing for PRTG Network Monitor is a nine out of ten. It meets my company's budget and monitoring requirements. My company is on a perpetual license."
  • "PRTG Network Monitor is not that expensive, so I like it cost-wise. There's no additional cost apart from the standard licensing fees. On a scale of one to five, with one being the cheapest and five being the most expensive, I would rate the cost of PRTG Network Monitor a two."
  • "The price of PRTG is reasonable. PRTG's competitors like SolarWinds and ManageEngine charge more for the same functionality."
  • "We have unlimited devices and sensors, and it is a bit pricey, but we do have unlimited sensors. With all things considered the price is fine, related to the solution itself. PRTG Network Monitor is good value for money."
  • PRTG Network Monitor Reviews

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    Manager, Information Technology Security at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
    Real User
    Top 20
    Easy to use, has a remote probe feature and a lower annual support cost; it doesn't require much manpower to deploy and manage
    Pros and Cons
    • "The remote probe feature in PRTG Network Monitor helps you monitor remote systems or your network at a lower cost than other solutions."
    • "Performance-wise, PRTG Network Monitor still needs improvement because a large number of SNMPv3 queries reduces tool performance."

    What is our primary use case?

    We're using PRTG Network Monitor for server-level monitoring and network-level monitoring, and in our network, we have switches and firewalls.

    We're also using the solution for bandwidth monitoring and internet link monitoring.

    We're also planning to use PRTG Network Monitor to monitor CCTV and other IoT devices.

    What is most valuable?

    I like that PRTG Network Monitor is evolving as a product. For example, it's releasing new sensors on the OT, Modbus, and MQTT side, but its most valuable feature is the remote probe.

    Other OEMs in the market will charge you after some time if you have multiple sites distributed within a particular region. Suppose you have four or five locations and deployed the agent; other solutions will charge you extra or add commercial charges to your invoice. Still, PRTG Network Monitor allows up to sixty or eighty remote probes for one server, particularly when you buy the PRTG main server license. I find this pricing model helpful, mainly because my company has multiple sites here in India, between thirty to forty sites. The company doesn't need to buy an additional license or commercial license.

    The remote probe will be deployed at the site remotely, and PRTG Network Monitor will monitor the site and feed all monitoring data to the central server. It is beneficial because it ultimately gives you visibility from the central server. The remote probe feature in the tool helps you monitor remote systems or your network, so it's an outstanding feature available in PRTG Network Monitor compared to other OEMs in the market. Some OEMs may have the feature, but the charges would be huge for such a feature.

    What needs improvement?

    Here's an area for improvement in PRTG Network Monitor: my company needs to perform SNMPv3 monitoring, and by default, SNMPv2 is there. From a security point of view, SNMPv3 monitoring needs to be stronger. Otherwise, it'll reduce performance when you need to monitor it at the server level. It'll impact performance, including the PRTG Network Monitor performance.

    If my company does a large number of SNMPv3 queries, that will reduce server performance, so PRTG recommends not scanning or monitoring a massive amount of SNMPv3. If PRTG Network Monitor can evolve into agent-level configurations rather than server-level configurations, where you can install the agent on the server and the agent provides the necessary feedback, that would improve the tool.

    Performance-wise, PRTG Network Monitor still needs improvement because a large number of SNMPv3 queries reduces tool performance. It could also impact the server level. If the monitoring method for PRTG Network Monitor could be similar to other OEMs, such as SolarWinds, where the agent is on the server and provides server performance information to the main console server, that would be great.

    Another area for improvement in PRTG Network Monitor is reporting. For example, if you want the report or the dashboard in a particular format, you'd need to exert some effort. You cannot do it without the support of the vendor or an expert. As a customer, you cannot configure PRTG Network Monitor reports independently because reporting is difficult.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I've been working with PRTG Network Monitor for three years.

    Buyer's Guide
    PRTG Network Monitor
    May 2023
    Learn what your peers think about PRTG Network Monitor. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2023.
    706,951 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    I didn't see many stability issues in PRTG Network Monitor, so it's a nine out of ten. Most of the time, the tool works fine.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    PRTG Network Monitor is a scalable tool, and I'd give it a rating of nine out of ten.

    How are customer service and support?

    At the moment, PRTG Network Monitor support is only email-based, and that has to be improved. You never receive remote session support from PRTG.  If you're facing an issue, you either need to work with the vendor, or if you need OEM support, you must send an email.

    The PRTG Network Monitor support team responds to your email, but it usually takes a lot of time. If support can directly join the remote session to brief you on the process, it would be easier than just getting email-based support.

    Whenever my team communicates via email, support will provide a reference link or KB article link that tells you how to configure PRTG Network Monitor.

    It would be helpful for any customer if PRTG had remote-based support, and it'll be simpler to show customers how to configure the tool.

    My company only takes a little support from the PRTG Network Monitor team nowadays, but I'd give support a seven out of ten. The PRTG technical support team usually responds quickly over email, and it's good. The only limitation is the absence of remote support.

    How would you rate customer service and support?

    Neutral

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    I didn't use other solutions apart from PRTG Network Monitor. My company had a lot of issues at the time the decision to use the tool was made. My company was blind as it didn't have any monitoring tool, yet it had a lot of sites, internet links, and services. Because I worked on the PRTG Network Monitor in my previous company, I was aware of its performance and that it meets basic requirements and the company budget, versus SolarWinds, which would require a larger budget, so my company went with PRTG Network Monitor. I deployed it within the environment, and the tool works fine so far.

    How was the initial setup?

    Setting up PRTG Network Monitor was easy, so I'd rate its setup an eight out of ten.

    Installing the tool was straightforward, and there wasn't much required to set PRTG Network Monitor up. It's only the dashboard that requires a lot of effort.

    Completing the setup for the tool took around two to three weeks, including the onboarding of all devices.

    I followed the PRTG Network Monitor installation guide. I ensured all prerequisites by PRTG were ready, including the recommended OS or server, such as Windows OS, and other software prerequisites. I then installed the tool, and it had a GUI-based, intuitive installation, so it was instant.

    What took time was onboarding the devices, though I gradually updated and onboarded the devices. I didn't do a bulk update, and onboarding devices into PRTG Network Monitor wasn't that difficult. You can even show how it's done to anybody, even a person with a limited skillset because installing the tool doesn't require much.

    What about the implementation team?

    I implemented PRTG Network Monitor because, in my previous organization, I also implemented the tool, so I was aware of the process.

    What was our ROI?

    PRTG Network Monitor is very easy to use and doesn't require a lot of manpower for deployment and management, so based on this, the features of the product, and the cost, the ROI for PRTG Network Monitor is good.

    You can get ROI from the tool quickly within a year. You won't have to wait three or four years to get ROI because PRTG Network Monitor is cheaper than other solutions.

    I'd rate ROI from the tool as ten, so it's a hundred percent.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    Pricing for PRTG Network Monitor is a nine out of ten. It meets my company's budget and monitoring requirements. My company is on a perpetual license, particularly a basic license that doesn't require purchasing an additional license.

    Regarding PRTG Network Monitor support, my company pays for it annually compared to other vendors, and the support cost is lower. You need to renew support annually for the tool. My company has an annual maintenance contract with PRTG.

    What other advice do I have?

    My company is currently using PRTG Network Monitor.

    I'm not using the latest version of the solution, but my company plans to upgrade to the latest one.

    One person from the IT department handles the day-to-day maintenance of the PRTG Network Monitor.

    Between five to six people from the IT team use the tool. Only a few members log into PRTG Network Monitor to generate a report or do additional monitoring. Usually, a person doesn't use the tool. That person receives an email alert based on his respective device and doesn't need to open the PRTG Network Monitor console because my team enabled email-based alerts. Different groups would receive the alerts, such as the application team, the security team, the frontend team, etc.

    My company has plans to extend the license and apply the solution to another environment, an OT environment.

    I'd tell anyone looking into implementing PRTG Network Monitor to go for it, especially if you're in a medium-sized organization that doesn't have a massive infrastructure, but it still depends on the customer. It varies from customer to customer. A large organization could still evaluate other solutions in the market, but PRTG Network Monitor is a good tool for small to medium-sized organizations.

    My rating for the tool is eight out of ten because it has some areas for improvement, particularly the reporting, which could be more user-friendly, and the support, which is only email-based, with no remote support available. If I see improvement in the two areas I mentioned, I could easily give PRTG Network Monitor a nine or ten, but right now, it's an eight for me.

    My company is a customer, not a partner, of PRTG Network Monitor.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    Flag as inappropriate
    PeerSpot user
    Regional Head of IT at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
    Real User
    Top 10
    Good even for beginners, and cost-wise, it isn't that expensive, but its sensors and web GUI need improvement
    Pros and Cons
    • "There was only one feature I liked about PRTG Network Monitor a lot, and that was bandwidth monitoring, though, in the newer versions of the tool, that feature is now a bit lacking. Pricing for PRTG Network Monitor is also not as expensive. It's a good tool, even for beginners."
    • "A room for improvement in PRTG Network Monitor is its sensors. Its application technology sensor, such as the IAS, .NET, etc., needs some improvement because it doesn't work as expected. For example, the IAS sensor doesn't give immediate information, and the information you get from it isn't of good value. The web GUI of PRTG Network Monitor also needs improvement because errors keep popping up if it's not been updated to the latest version. What I'd like to see in the next release of the tool is end-to-end topology mapping for the business model, and that should be required. There has to be a technical map. Technical mapping and topological creation are missing in PRTG Network Monitor, so I would like to see those in the future."

    What is our primary use case?

    Our use case for PRTG Network Monitor was end-to-end monitoring, but we couldn't achieve it, particularly the monitoring from the perspective of looking at the complete dashboard of the entire infrastructure, though it's a server virtualization network. For example, monitoring any device, even a swiping machine or a camera, or any device which comes and adopts an IP address should be monitored using PRTG Network Monitor, so that was our use case in the beginning.

    Eventually, we then wanted the tool to also monitor our applications, so our current use case for PRTG Network Monitor is to monitor applications residing on our infrastructure, apart from devices that use or adopt IP addresses.

    What is most valuable?

    There was only one feature I liked about PRTG Network Monitor a lot, and that was bandwidth monitoring, though, in the newer versions of the tool, that feature is now a bit lacking.

    Pricing for PRTG Network Monitor is also not as expensive.

    It's a good tool, even for beginners.

    What needs improvement?

    A room for improvement in PRTG Network Monitor is its sensors. Its application technology sensor, such as the IAS, .NET, etc., needs some improvement because it doesn't work as expected. For example, the IAS sensor doesn't give immediate information, and the information you get from it isn't of good value.

    The web GUI of PRTG Network Monitor also needs improvement because errors keep popping up if it's not been updated to the latest version.

    What I'd like to see in the next release of the tool is end-to-end topology mapping for the business model, and that should be required. There has to be a technical map. Technical mapping and topological creation are missing in PRTG Network Monitor, so I would like to see those in the future.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I've been using PRTG Network Monitor effectively for five years now, though I also used it in 2010, but only for very basic monitoring. Nowadays, I'm using the tool more extensively and doing a lot of monitoring on it.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    In terms of the stability of PRTG Network Monitor, I would rate it a three out of five because this works on the web browser, but it requires too many updates. You have to update it frequently. For example, as soon as it's not running on the latest version, it starts giving you errors on the browsers, so it has a big room for improvement in terms of its web GUI.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    PRTG Network Monitor is a scalable tool, and I'm rating it three out of five in terms of scalability.

    How are customer service and support?

    We were in discussion with the PRTG Network Monitor technical support team quite intensively, but they weren't able to answer all our questions. We find them okay and up to the mark because they know what the tool can do and cannot do, so they were very, very precise, so at least their knowledge about their product was good.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We used a different solution before using PRTG Network Monitor, but that wasn't an apple-to-apple comparison. For example, we used an IP monitor from SolarWinds, but that was just a Ping or ICMP utility.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup for PRTG Network Monitor was not that complex, but you need to understand how it works, so it's not very difficult, yet it's not very easy. The setup for the tool is on the moderate side. On a scale of one to five, I'd give the setup a rating of three because if you'd like to effectively use PRTG Network Monitor, you need to set it up correctly.

    It took almost a week to set the tool up correctly, but the actual installation was done in one day, with the bare minimum configuration and discoveries because it has a good discovery feature.

    What about the implementation team?

    We deployed PRTG Network Monitor through our in-house team.

    What was our ROI?

    I've already seen ROI from PRTG Network Monitor.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    PRTG Network Monitor is not that expensive, so I like it cost-wise. There's no additional cost apart from the standard licensing fees. On a scale of one to five, with one being the cheapest and five being the most expensive, I would rate the cost of PRTG Network Monitor a two.

    What other advice do I have?

    I'm using the latest version of PRTG Network Monitor because my company keeps updating the tool.

    In my company, teams in Support and IT use PRTG Network Monitor and quite effectively look at the dashboard very often, so around one hundred people use it. Deployment was done in multiple places so seven to eight people in different regions took care of the deployment separately. At the moment, my company has no plans of increasing the usage of PRTG Network Monitor.

    My advice to others looking into implementing PRTG Network Monitor is that if you're looking from a holistic infrastructure deployment and monitoring perspective, it's a good tool to use and to start with. PRTG Network Monitor is a good tool for beginners, so if you're a beginner, use it. If you're not a beginner, then you would need a tool with very exclusive end-to-end features.

    I'm rating PRTG Network Monitor six out of ten.

    My company is a customer of PRTG Network Monitor and has no partnership with the vendor.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    PRTG Network Monitor
    May 2023
    Learn what your peers think about PRTG Network Monitor. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2023.
    706,951 professionals have used our research since 2012.
    CEO at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
    Real User
    Top 5Leaderboard
    Great detection and monitoring, stable and scalable
    Pros and Cons
    • "It is great for service level agreements and can comply fully with internet monitoring or any interface."
    • "The technical support service should be improved."

    What is our primary use case?

    It is great for service level agreements and can comply fully with internet monitoring or any interface such as hardware or network interfaces and database instance. Irrespective of the MID, it can detect and monitor it. It is a vast platform and can make the cluster for the DC and DR. If one is down, it'll last shorter than the second one.

    What is most valuable?

    We prefer to use the PRTG because it has a low price. We provide solutions to the customer, and customers always prefer to pay less for the best output and quality. In addition, the solution allows customers to monitor anything within their network. For example, they can monitor their servers, application levels and virtualization instances.

    What needs improvement?

    The technical support service should be improved and is not as good as Cisco. However, PRTG support is better than before as they now have remote and TeamViewer support. Before, it was only based on mail communications and forum discussions. Irrespective of this improvement, the technical support response time is still prolonged, and the reservation can be better. I rate the response times a six out of ten. We've had very good experiences with Check Point, Juniper, and Cisco technical support.

    Regarding additional features, currently, the default database has some limitations. There is a specific capacity that it can trigger. So, if they can make the enterprise-grade DV integrated, then a separate part will be needed to integrate. We want to customize every six months and do not need data older than six months.

    It is the best solution. Personally, in my 20 years of experience working with monitoring systems, this is the best. Their software is very light and fast. Everything is great except the technical support response time. If they improve this, I'm sure it will be a top-class product competitor.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We have been using this solution since 2006. The price is user-friendly, and the monitoring system is sound. The solution has a clear advantage as it can monitor per second. We use the enterprise paid version.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    It is a stable solution. The performance is excellent, and the reporting system is good. We can customize, and if we want to detect a particular time in demand or an outage for a service provider, we can easily identify it.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    It is straightforward to scale, similar to SolarWinds.

    How was the initial setup?

    The setup is very easy, and for someone with no experience, which a few clicks, they can figure it out. However, if you want to integrate at a wide level, it will require some experience. I rate the setup a ten out of ten.

    The deployment was short and took just about two to three minutes.

    We provide maintenance services to customers, and this solution is suitable for larger companies. Most of the companies we work with are banks and government organizations, and if we include the interfaces, we are about 4000. It is also suitable for smaller companies, which can easily purchase the solution with minimal cost.

    What was our ROI?

    Regarding ROI, we can easily use and afford the licensing costs for a small office of about 100 to 200 users. This is impossible from the NPM, as they have the minimum interface values they must process.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    PRTG Network Monitor is a very affordable solution compared to other solutions. Other solutions cost nearly double or triple the cost. Not only is the pricing reasonable, but the quality is also.

    The licensing cost depends on the number of interfaces. The details for the enterprise are published on their website, and because we partner with them, we receive a 15% discount. They do not customize their products for specific customers. Other solutions like SolarWinds and Cisco do not provide product customization support, but PRTG Network Monitor includes documentation for customization to the particular interface. For example, we wanted to monitor 300 SNMP nationwide and try to integrate them into the online UPS. It was very tough because no MIB value was published on their website. We had to request it, and they generated the script and made the MIB value, allowing us to initiate.

    What other advice do I have?

    I rate this solution a nine out of ten. Regarding advice, comparing WhatsUp Gold and PRTG and SolarWinds NPM, I would always recommend PRTG. They integrate a lot of features. Every month, we get the latest updates and better features within the support service and maintenance contract. The updates are free and included in the cost.

    NPM is aware of the five-second values compared to other solutions, and PRTG has the first-second values, so it is very high. Therefore, for any incident within five seconds, PRTG can detect it. PRTG is the par, and it stands with the interface-based licensing category. But NPM's licensing category is different. It is the business policy of the individual which doesn't make sense.

    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
    PeerSpot user
    IT strategist at Convergent Wireless Communications
    Real User
    Top 5Leaderboard
    You can create a template for a device, then apply it to hundreds of similar devices
    Pros and Cons
    • "PRTG is simple to manage. First, you can create a template for a device, then apply it to hundreds of similar devices. That's a great advantage."
    • "There's always room for improvement. The high availability feature is good, but it's an area that PRTG could marginally improve. For example, in PRTG, both servers have a different IP, but it would make things a lot easier if they were bound by a single IP."

    What is our primary use case?

    It's a globally distributed network. We have multiple data centers or IT setups, and PRTG is deployed at the local data centers. Some of the applications are in the cloud, and PRTG can also monitor those.

    What is most valuable?

    PRTG is simple to manage. First, you can create a template for a device, then apply it to hundreds of similar devices. That's a great advantage. Secondly, I can use the 80-20 functional rule for any devices I need to monitor. 

    For infrastructure monitoring, 80 percent of parameters are monitored every minute or so. I can define all of them at the highest level, and those definitions are inherited at the lowest level. Then you need to customize the setup for the remaining 20 percent. You can deploy them in various groups and do a group-level setup, which will again percolate down to devices. 

    The third thing is the concept of tags. PRTG assigns tags to devices and also the parameters you monitor. For example, if you choose to deploy a bandwidth sensor, PRTG automatically tags it with that parameter while giving you the freedom to apply your own tag. 

    Let's say my organization has three or even four ISPs. If I'm globally distributed, the ISPs could be different. Now I can monitor all the bandwidth across ISPs based on the tag, or I can see the bandwidth of each ISP individually. I know my uptime and recovery in case of failure. I can also group by choosing a specific ISP tag and getting a report. I now know which of my ISPs is a better performer, which helps me improve the service and decide who to go with.

    PRTG is constantly evolving. You have between eight to 12 releases every year, including enhancements to functionality and performance as well as security and bug fixes, so it stays current with our business requirements. It's a well-rounded product.

    What needs improvement?

    There's always room for improvement. The high availability feature is good, but it's an area that PRTG could marginally improve. For example, in PRTG, both servers have a different IP, but it would make things a lot easier if they were bound by a single IP.  I'm not necessarily trying to say PRTG should imitate other products. 

    I'm saying it should be like a typical HA solution should be. It is a fail-safe feature, and the HA component should act like one. In PRTG, it is in an active-active mode, not active-passive. Now, the customers don't need to know the mechanism behind the high availability. They just need to know how many servers are required for deployment. If there is a cluster with a single IP address, it's much easier from the customer's point of view. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We've been working on various versions of PRTG since 2003. While we are using PRTG, we are also looking at various alternatives, but we haven't seen a reason to switch so far.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    PRTG itself is a highly reliable product because of large installed base.

    How was the initial setup?

    Overall, PRTG is easy to install and understand. We provide frontline support for our customers, but our more competent customers don't come back to us for any support at all. If they don't have the skills, they can install and do the basic deployment, but they require hand-holding and coaching for some things. Still, I think it's a straightforward product. Once a user gets started with the product, they don't need hand-holding for basic functions.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    The price of PRTG is reasonable. PRTG's competitors like SolarWinds and ManageEngine charge more for the same functionality. They are much more expensive at licensing level. What's more, PRTG comes as one bundle. For example, the database is part of the PRTG release, so Paessler takes total responsibility for all components they deliver. With other products, you need a separate database engine and databases, and these NMS companies don't take responsibility. When they put out new releases, what if it doesn't work with the previous release of a database? Things become a little tricky. You have to deal with two or more entities for NMS but only one with PRTG.

    What other advice do I have?

    I rate PRTG Network Monitor 9.5 out of 10. If you're planning to implement PRTG, my advice is to first create a master plan. Set a goal for monitoring. Decide what you want to monitor and why. You need to get ready by organizing network management at the technical and policy level. If you start with a clear understanding of your goals and your environment, PRTG will be a cakewalk.

    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
    PeerSpot user
    System & Network Lead at Beachcombers Vacations
    Real User
    Customizable, user-friendly, and helpful documentation
    Pros and Cons
    • "The most valuable features of PRTG Network Monitor are the threshold notification when certain traffic increases and goes beyond the defined threshold. The up and down status email notifications and other notifications are useful. Additionally, it is user-friendly, and customizable, and there are many features available."
    • "When using PRTG Network Monitor it is beneficial if you have prior experience with it, the user interface could improve."

    What is our primary use case?

    We are working with a web version of PRTG Network Monitor.

    I use PRTG Network Monitor for the monitoring of all my switches and backbone infrastructure in my hotels. This includes my remote sites and for the monitoring and notification of our business lines in our hotels and traffic monitoring.

    What is most valuable?

    The most valuable features of PRTG Network Monitor are the threshold notification when certain traffic increases and goes beyond the defined threshold. The up and down status email notifications and other notifications are useful. Additionally, it is user-friendly, and customizable, and there are many features available.

    What needs improvement?

    When using PRTG Network Monitor it is beneficial if you have prior experience with it, the user interface could improve.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using PRTG Network Monitor for approximately six years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The stability of PRTG Network Monitor is good.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    PRTG Network Monitor is scalable and easy to scale.

    We have a lot of viewers using PRTG Network Monitor but we only have approximately four administrators using it.

    How are customer service and support?

    I have not contacted technical support. We did at some point have technical issues but the online technical documentation is rich, and we never had to call for support.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    I have not used any other solution other than PRTG Network Monitor.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup of PRTG Network Monitor is straightforward. The setup is very dynamic and took us approximately one month to have some data, and devices in it. We referred to a lot of documentation that was very helpful.

    We were not very fluent in the software. 

    I rate the initial setup of PRTG Network Monitor approximately three out of five.

    What about the implementation team?

    The deployment of the PRTG Network Monitor was done in-house.

    There is not a lot of maintenance. We do regular updates and we do add quite a lot of devices on a regular basis.

    What was our ROI?

    We have received a return on investment using PRTG Network Monitor. We're able to do proactive support to tackle an issue before it collapses. There is a return on investment, but it's something quite hard to explain to non-IT personnel.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    We have unlimited devices and sensors, and it is a bit pricey, but we do have unlimited sensors. With all things considered the price is fine, related to the solution itself. PRTG Network Monitor is good value for money.

    I rate the price of PRTG Network Monitor a four out of five.

    A price decrease would be welcomed by the financial and accounts departments.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    We did not evaluate other options.

    What other advice do I have?

    I would recommend PRTG Network Monitor to others and the main reason would be to have visibility of the traffic from all the lines. For example, the visibility on the status of devices, up or down, threshold configuring, and notification of capacity being overused on the line before they collapse. We are able to take action with the suppliers and with service providers before the service gets interrupted.

    I rate PRTG Network Monitor an eight out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Cloud support engineer at grupo cma
    Real User
    Simple to set up, easy to configure, and offers good stability
    Pros and Cons
    • "The installation is not that complex."
    • "The database needs improvement."

    What is our primary use case?

    We primarily use the solution as a monitoring tool. We use it mostly for looking at changes in the resources' behavior. Pretty much it's the use we have primarily. The second one is to provide a report of the total consumption of the resources that we use. We pretty much have to monitor systems.

    What is most valuable?

    We haven't played with many options. I know it offers a lot of different plugins for certain solutions, such as a VPN monitor and also website monitor. We haven't configured those as we are under the management direction, and if they don't allow it, pretty much we use the options that we have and the plan for the department. 

    The simplicity of the software is great.

    The configuration is not hard to handle. 

    The installation is not that complex. 

    The best part of the tool is the simplicity of the tool itself.

    The product can scale well.

    What needs improvement?

    The database needs improvement. They use plain text for the data. That's probably not a concern for them, however, sometimes we need to enhance some of the reports and we cannot do that. If they move to a transactional database, it will be better for users to get access to different kinds of reports. Right now, it's pretty straightforward in terms of what you can do, and you cannot apply customization or get specific data.

    They have something called maps where you can configure or set up a view for the different devices. They have different options than the ones that we have, such as a pie chart option, and likely offer different kinds of graphs. It would be nice to show you the real-time status using these graphs. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We've been using the solution for about three years at this point. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The stability is great. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. The performance is good.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The scalability of the product is quite good.

    How are customer service and support?

    I contacted technical support in the past. The few times I got a pretty straightforward answer, although the service was probably not the fastest. It was by email, which can be less immediate than a phone call. In general, however, it was good.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We're also using OneView for HPE BladeSystem for monitoring.

    How was the initial setup?

    The product was easy to implement. The simplicity of the tool is the key to successful sales on this monitoring solution. All the options are straightforward for the users as well. It's not that complex to implement.

    To fully deploy the solution into our environment took a couple of days.

    What other advice do I have?

    We're using the latest version of the solution. We updated the version less than a month ago.

    I'd advise potential new users, if they are looking for an easy tool to deploy and manage, it's the way to go. If they are looking for complex reports, I will say stay away from this product.

    I'd rate the solution at an eight out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Operador at Arteria Comunicaciones SA de CV
    Real User
    Good monitoring services with good reliability and the capability to expand
    Pros and Cons
    • "Technical support is helpful."
    • "Having a Unix implementation or Unix installation could be an improvement. Right now, it's based just on Windows, and that's a problem for some customers."

    What is our primary use case?

    I use the solution to monitor the services for our customers or for ourselves.

    How has it helped my organization?

    The availability of services has been good. Getting the alerts for the critical services is quite helpful, and having the indicators of the business needs is great.

    What is most valuable?

    It's working fine. It gives us the information that we require so far.

    The monitoring services it offers are great.

    The solution can scale.

    It is stable.

    Technical support is helpful.

    The initial setup isn't too complex. 

    What needs improvement?

    Having a Unix implementation or Unix installation could be an improvement. Right now, it's based just on Windows, and that's a problem for some customers. 

    We'd like to see integration with other solutions like ServiceDesk software or an instant messaging app. We'd like to integrate all the information into other systems so that you can process and have different kinds of indicators.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I've used the solution for maybe 15 or 16 years. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    There is maintenance required on the server, database, and files. That said, it is stable. There are no bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze. 

    I'd rate the ability to scale nine out of ten.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The scalability potential is high. I would rate the ability to scale eight out of ten.

    We have about ten users using the solution in our company. They are all engineers.

    We do hope to increase usage in the future. 

    How are customer service and support?

    Technical support is good. They are fine. They are in Germany. They may take a day or so to answer; however, they normally get back to us fast and assist us.

    How would you rate customer service and support?

    Positive

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We have used other solutions in the past. For monitoring, this solution has been great.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup is pretty straightforward. I'd rate it eight out of ten. It's very easy and not overly difficult to get everything set up.

    The deployment times vary. It depends on the number of sensors, the type of infrastructure, et cetera. There are many factors, so you need to analyze every case.

    We work with a couple of engineers dedicated to these solutions.

    What about the implementation team?

    We handled the setup ourselves, in-house. We didn't need outside assistance.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    I can't speak to the exact pricing. I don't handle licensing. 

    What other advice do I have?

    We are using the latest version of the solution. 

    We've deployed both on the cloud and on-premises.

    Users need to know the solution to work with it effectively. They need to update and need to know all the specifics, including the features. 

    Also, users need to know what to monitor and what they need to monitor. They need asset management. They need to know the critical services that they want to monitor so that it can be clear for the tool. Before the implementation before the installation, they need to do that - all the configurations.

    I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    Flag as inappropriate
    PeerSpot user
    Jr IT support at localnet
    Real User
    Good bandwidth, easy setup, and reliable
    Pros and Cons
    • "The solution is scalable."
    • "If PRTG could help me see the bandwidth for each host I have on my network, either for a wireless or a wired network, that would be very helpful."

    What is our primary use case?

    I'm using the product on my virtual PC in a virtual environment. I use PRTG for monitoring the ping traffic. Whenever something goes down, it will alarm me, and maybe for the traffic and the bandwidth use as well. It helps me track traffic and uptime.

    What is most valuable?

    I really like the bandwidth, which is something critical for me. Whenever we argue over an ISP, we make sure that we have clarity of the bandwidth we are using.

    The setup process is pretty simple.

    The solution is scalable.

    It's very stable. 

    What needs improvement?

    Limiting the bandwidth per host would be very good; however, that's beyond the capability of the PRTG. 

    If PRTG could help me see the bandwidth for each host I have on my network, either for a wireless or a wired network, that would be very helpful.

    We'd always welcome additional features. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I've been using the solution for ten months. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    It's very stable. Whenever something goes down, or there's any change in the network, it will tell me. It'll send me an email. The SNMP feature is very helpful for me. It's very accurate over time.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    We have just two users. However, we plan to expand the network and give people more access to the PRTG. Since we have all-time monitoring, someone should be online every second. Therefore, we will try to add more people and users.

    It's very easy to scale the solution.

    How are customer service and support?

    I have never actually been in touch with technical support. I have colleagues who have dealt with them. However, I have no experience with their services. 

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    I did not previously use a different product.

    How was the initial setup?

    It was very easy for me to set up the product. They have this auto-discovery, and everything is online. Auto-discovery has helped a lot. So you don't have to go to configure everything individually. Everything will come up for you in just one click. 

    If you have an enterprise, you should get help from PRTG pre-sale support as your setup may be a bit more complex.

    In terms of ease of deployment, I would rate it 4.5 out of five. 

    We don't really require any maintenance. Auto-discover should update automatically. If I need to add a custom sensor, then I just add it. 

    What about the implementation team?

    I didn't have any outside assistance when it came to the implementation process. 

    I just used YouTube and some online help from people that were not from the company.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    I can't really speak to the licensing model. When we first signed up, there was some negotiation around pricing. Our purchasing department took care of that.

    What other advice do I have?

    We have some sort of partnership with PRTG.

    We are using the latest version of the product.

    I'd advise people not to waste one more moment and start using it immediately.

    I'd rate it ten out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
    Flag as inappropriate
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free PRTG Network Monitor Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: May 2023
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free PRTG Network Monitor Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.