Micro Focus vs. Paessler PRTG: A Comprehensive Comparison

In this article, we will look at two leading vendors of network monitoring solutions – Micro Focus Network Node Manager i (NNMi) and Paessler PRTG.

In today’s digital world, businesses face various challenges in monitoring and optimizing the performance of their IT infrastructure. This is true for small businesses as well as large enterprises. As such, it’s not uncommon to see organizations investing in network monitoring software to keep track of their systems and applications at all times. With so many vendor options available, businesses also need an effective way to evaluate the pros and cons of different tools before making a final decision. We’ll be looking at important aspects from both vendors MicroFocus and Paessler PRTG:

User interface, features, customer support, licensing models, conclusion

About Micro Focus NNMi

NNMi is an enterprise-level network monitoring application offered by Micro Focus. NNMi is an integrated network monitoring solution in the Micro Focus network management portfolio.

With NNMi, network administrators can monitor, manage, and control their network using a unified software solution. NNMi also provides greater visibility and reporting capabilities, making troubleshooting and investigating network problems more manageable. In addition, NNMi can be used to monitor compliance with network policies and SLAs.

With its comprehensive features and functionality, NNMi is an essential tool for any organization that relies on a network to support its business operations.

About Paessler PRTG?

Paessler PRTG is a network monitoring and infrastructure monitoring tool. It is designed to help businesses and IT professionals manage their networks by providing real-time data on network performance.

Paessler PRTG can monitor various network devices, including routers, switches, firewalls, and servers. It can also monitor applications, databases, and web services. Paessler PRTG is available in both on-premise and cloud-based versions and offers a wide range of features, including support for SNMP, WMI, and REST APIs.

Paessler PRTG is also scalable, so it can be used to monitor small networks or large enterprise deployments. In addition, it comes with a wide range of features and plugins, making it a very versatile network monitoring solution. Overall, Paessler PRTG is an excellent choice for any organization looking for a comprehensive network monitoring solution.

How do Micro Focus NNMi and Paessler PRTG compare?

User Interface

NNMi offers a web-based graphical interface that gives users visibility into their network’s health and performance. NNMi dashboards include dashboard views, which may have a variety of panels depending on the dashboard type, for example, all of the data for the entire network, a particular node, or a group of nodes.

Table views display data in a tabular format. Every row presents information about one monitoring object. Table view allows monitoring of multiple metrics from a single screen. A map view is a great way to show information about your network. In a map view, nodes, interfaces, IP addresses, and subnets are represented as symbols. The lines between the nodes and interfaces depict their connection or relationship.

Paessler PRTG comes with multiple user interface options, including a web-based user interface, a desktop app, and applications for Android and iOS mobile devices.

The user interface of Paessler PRTG can be divided into four main sections: dashboard, tree map, live data, and reports. The dashboard presents you with an overview of your network health and performance, the tree map allows you to drill down into specific areas of the network, the live data lets you see real-time data about your network traffic and activity, and the reports provide you with detailed reports about your network performance.

Overall, Paessler PRTG offers an easy-to-use, highly customizable, and configurable user interface so that you can tailor it to your specific needs.

Network Monitoring Features

NNMi is a comprehensive network monitoring tool that helps you keep track of large-scale physical and virtual networks. It presents a single platform to inspect network faults, availability, and performance data, which can help you identify and resolve network issues. Additionally, NNMi offers fault monitoring, performance monitoring, and alerting features to help you keep your devices healthy and running smoothly.

NNMi also provides the following key capabilities:

• Topology discovery: Finding and displaying information about device connectivity that can help you diagnose network problems.
• Dashboarding: Provides out-of-the-box content and configurable content for executive and operational dashboards.
• Smart Plug-ins: IP Multicast, IP Telephony, and Multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) monitoring support via Network Node Manager i Software Smart Plug-ins (iSPIs).

Paessler PRTG offers a wide range of features to help you monitor anything in your network. It comes equipped with over 10 different technologies, including email, push, audio alarms, and triggering webhooks. Notifications can also be pushed to mobile device(s). Additionally, all user interfaces can be SSL secured for local and remote access and can be used simultaneously.

Paessler PRTG also provides the following key capabilities:

• Failover cluster: The failover cluster ensures that you always have a backup if the primary master node of the cluster is not connected or is down. With multiple points of presence monitoring, you can compare response times from different parts of your network (LAN/WAN/VPN).
• Distributed monitoring: Remote probes let you monitor networks in different locations and internetwork connections within your company (DMZ and LAN). The hosted version of PRTG, PRTG Hosted Monitor, also includes high-availability monitoring.
• In-depth reporting: Maps and dashboards allow you to monitor your network using up-to-date maps that display live information about its status. And finally, in-depth reporting gives you the numbers, statistics, and graphs of your specific monitoring data or configuration.

These features make Paessler PRTG an essential tool for anyone who needs to monitor their network.

Customer service and support

Micro Focus offers a variety of customer service and support options to meet the needs of its customers. These include Premium Support, which provides direct access to experienced support engineers with deep technical expertise and account management for faster escalation and coordination. Micro Focus offers various other support options, including 24/7 telephone support, online chat support, and self-service resources. Micro Focus also maintains extensive product documentation, training courses, and community forums on the Micro Focus website.

Paessler PRTG offers premium support plans to its customers. This means that you get access to a team of experts who can help you with any question or problem you might have. The support staff is available 24/7 to help. In addition, Paessler PRTG offers a wide range of resources to help you get the most out of your monitoring solution. These resources include how-to guides, webinars, manuals, and an extensive knowledge base.

If you ever need more assistance than the resources can provide, the Paessler support team is there for you.

Licenses

NNMi offers two license types:

• Instant-On: The Instant-On license is enabled by default after installation and remains in effect for 60 days. It allows you to monitor up to 250 nodes.
• Permanent: The Permanent license does not have a duration limit and enables all product features.

NNMi comes in two capability-based licensing editions: Premium and Ultimate. The Ultimate edition includes all features of NNMi, while the Premium edition excludes features such as Multi-Protocol Label Switching, IP Telephony, and IP Multicast.

Paessler PRTG has various pricing options to fit the needs of any business. Perpetual licensing is an easy, one-time payment, and all licenses are indefinitely valid with the option to renew maintenance plans. Subscription-based pricing models also include access to the latest software version. PRTG Enterprise Monitor is perfect for very large and distributed IT environments, while PRTG Hosted Monitor is great for businesses that want the ease of setup that comes with a hosted solution.

Suppose you are looking for a scalable monitoring solution for large, complex, and distributed IT environments and a fully managed hosted solution; Paessler PRTG is the most attractive option.

Which tool is best for your business?

When choosing a monitoring tool for your business, there are a few things you need to consider. First, consider your requirements. What do you need the tool to do? Do you need it to monitor performance? Do you need it to track down security breaches? Once you know what you need, you can start looking at specific products.

Next, consider your budget. How much can you afford to spend on a monitoring tool? There are various products on the market, ranging in price from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.

Finally, consider your team. Will everyone be using the tool? Do they have the technical knowledge necessary to use it effectively?

With all of these factors in mind, you should be able to narrow down your choices and choose the best network monitoring tool for your business.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Micro Focus NNMi and Paessler PRTG are both comprehensive network monitoring tools. They can help you keep track of your network performance, identify issues, and resolve problems quickly. They both offer a wide range of features and options to fit the needs of any business. They both have pros and cons but, ultimately, it will come down to your specific requirements as to which tool is best for you. If you require specific monitoring features such as IP Telephony, IP Multicast, and MPLS, Micro Focus NNMi is the right tool for you. If you are looking for an easy to start, scalable, and managed solution, Paessler PRTG is a better option.