As businesses increasingly embrace digitization, network monitoring has become a critical aspect of IT management. Open-source network monitoring platforms like OpenNMS and Zabbix have emerged as the go-to solutions for businesses that need reliable and cost-effective network monitoring tools.
However, choosing between the two platforms can be challenging, particularly for businesses with little to no experience in network monitoring. That's where we come in. In this blog, our Flare Compare Team compares OpenNMS and Zabbix objectively to help you make the right choice.
1. User Interface
The user interface is a crucial aspect of any network monitoring platform, and both OpenNMS and Zabbix offer user-friendly interfaces. However, OpenNMS edges out Zabbix with its extensive network visualization capabilities, which allows users to map their entire network and view how each device is interconnected. In contrast, Zabbix's interface may require some technical know-how to navigate.
Winner: OpenNMS
2. Customization
Customization is critical when it comes to network monitoring platforms as it allows businesses to tailor their monitoring tools to meet their unique needs. OpenNMS takes this aspect to another level, users can customize the platform's functionalities using Groovy scripts or any scripting language, and it also uses Drools, a Business Rules Engine, for advanced customizations. In comparison, Zabbix has limited customization capabilities.
Winner: OpenNMS
3. Scalability
Both OpenNMS and Zabbix are scalable, making them ideal for businesses with rapidly growing networks. However, OpenNMS has an edge over Zabbix as it can handle larger networks with up to 10,000 devices per server, while Zabbix's limit is 5,000 devices per server.
Winner: OpenNMS
4. Performance
Efficiency is crucial for any network monitoring platform, and OpenNMS and Zabbix have impressive performance rates. OpenNMS operates on a lightweight Java Virtual Machine, reducing its memory utilization, making it more efficient. Zabbix, on the other hand, consumes more system memory, which can lead to performance lags for larger networks.
Winner: OpenNMS
5. Price
Both OpenNMS and Zabbix are open-source platforms, meaning they are free to use. However, Zabbix is a fully commercialized platform, and additional features and capabilities come at a price, while OpenNMS has no commercialized features.
Winner: OpenNMS
6. Community Support
The community support for both OpenNMS and Zabbix has grown significantly over the years, with active user communities behind each. However, OpenNMS has a larger community and a paid support option for businesses that need it.
Winner: OpenNMS
Conclusion
In summary, both OpenNMS and Zabbix are reliable open-source network monitoring platforms suitable for large and small networks. However, OpenNMS edges out Zabbix in most aspects, including user interface, customization, scalability, performance, and community support. Regardless of which platform you choose, they both have active communities that offer support and updates continuously.
And the winner is: OpenNMS!
References
- "Zabbix vs. OpenNMS," IT Central Station. [Online]. Available: https://www.itcentralstation.com/products/comparisons/opennms_vs_zabbix. [Accessed Oct 05, 2021].
- "OpenNMS vs Zabbix vs Nagios XI," The Digital Lifestyle. [Online]. Available: https://thedigitalifestyle.net/2021/03/06//opennms-vs-zabbix-vs-nagios-xi/. [Accessed Oct 05, 2021].