Introduction

Analyzing network traffic is an essential task that helps network administrators to monitor, optimize, and secure their networks. Network analytics tools facilitate this process by presenting data in a visual and understandable way. However, choosing the best tool for your project can be confusing, and the decision often boils down to whether to use an open-source or a commercial tool. In this blog post, we will compare both alternatives and provide an overview of their pros and cons.

Open-Source Network Analytics Tools

Open-source tools offer great advantages when it comes to networking analytics. They are free to use, which is especially attractive for small budgets or personal projects. Furthermore, they offer more flexibility since users can modify the code according to their needs or fix any bugs.

One of the most popular open-source network analytics tools is Wireshark. This tool has been around for a long time and has an active community that provides helpful plugins and tutorials. However, the downside of Wireshark is that it requires a steep learning curve, and configuring it can be challenging, especially for beginners.

Another open-source network analytics tool is ntopng. This tool is known for its ease of use and user-friendly interface. It supports many network protocols and provides real-time insights into your network traffic. Additionally, ntopng offers some advanced features like traffic analysis, network visualization, and troubleshooting.

Open-Source Tool Comparison

Here are some key metrics to compare Wireshark and ntopng:

Commercial Network Analytics Tools

Commercial network analytics tools offer a more comprehensive set of features and support from the vendor. Typically, they provide better performance, scalability, and configuration options. Moreover, commercial tools usually come with dedicated support for users that might require expert assistance.

PRTG is a commercial network analytics tool that has an intuitive and user-friendly interface. It can monitor and visualize your network traffic in real-time, and it supports a wide range of sensors to measure network performance. Additionally, PRTG provides customizable alerts and reports, making it suitable for monitoring large and complex networks.

Another commercial tool is SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor. This tool focuses on network performance metrics, including bandwidth, latency, and packet loss. SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor is known for its scalability and robustness, and it can monitor networks from small organizations to large enterprises.

Commercial Tool Comparison

Here's how PRTG and SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor compare:

Conclusion

Choosing the right network analytics tool is an important decision that relies on several factors, including cost, complexity, scalability, and performance. Open-source tools like Wireshark and ntopng offer an attractive option for small projects or limited budgets. They might lack some advanced features, and they require more technical skills to configure, but they are free to use and offer more flexibility.

On the other hand, commercial network analytics tools like PRTG and SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor provide large, robust, and scalable solutions for medium to large enterprises. By combining powerful analytics capabilities, user-friendly interfaces, and expert support from the vendors, these tools cater to the demanding needs of network administrators.

Ultimately, the decision on which tool to use depends on the specific requirements of your project, and balancing the advantages and disadvantages of both options.

References

1. Wireshark (n.d.). Wireshark. https://www.wireshark.org.
2. ntopng (n.d.). Ntop. http://www.ntop.org/products/traffic-analysis/ntop/.
3. PRTG (n.d.). Paessler AG. https://www.paessler.com/prtg.
4. SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor (n.d.). SolarWinds. https://www.solarwinds.com/network-performance-monitor.