Companies today need robust yet affordable network and systems monitoring tools. While Solarwinds solutions like Network Performance Monitor (NPM) and Server & Application Monitor (SAM) have been popular, open source options now provide compelling alternatives without expensive licensing.
As open source matures, tools like Grafana, Zabbix, and Nagios XI can match or even exceed commercial counterparts in flexibility, real time monitoring, and hybrid deployment support. When evaluating alternatives to Solarwinds in 2024, technology leaders look for customizability, automation, and ease of roll out across today’s complex hybrid IT landscapes.
Key Takeaways:
- Leading open source options like Grafana and Zabbix match Solarwinds capabilities at lower total cost of ownership by avoiding vendor lock-in.
- Grafana stands out for its beautiful and customizable data visualization capabilities. It integrates diverse data sources.
- Zabbix provides comprehensive infrastructure monitoring that scales to large, complex environments. It offers predictive analytics.
- Icinga’s modular architecture enables monitoring of practically any system. It delivers unified visibility through native clustering.
- Observium gives network engineers targeted visibility into infrastructure with auto discovery of switches, routers, and more.
- Nagios XI simplifies setup and unifies insight across infrastructure with its out-of-the-box solution.
Before jumping into the top 15 open source Solarwinds alternatives, let’s recap some key advantages:
- No vendor lock-in: Open source provides freedom to scale without recurring license fees
- Transparency: With publicly accessible code, open source enables security reviews
- Innovation: Open source communities rapidly deliver new features
- Interoperability: Leading tools integrate smoothly across diverse systems
Now, let’s explore the top open source infrastructure monitoring tools giving Solarwinds a run in 2024:
1. Grafana: Flexible Metrics Visualization
Grafana provides open source data visualization and monitoring. It’s extremely adaptable, using a pluggable framework that connects many data sources.
What makes Grafana a leading choice?
- Intuitive dashboards tailored for different teams
- Enterprise ready access controls and security
- Powerful analytics across data sources like Prometheus, InfluxDB, Elasticsearch and more
- Smooth data visualization capabilities help Grafana stand out.
| URL | https://grafana.com |
| Pros | Custom data visualizations, diverse data source integration |
| Cons | Can have higher learning curve than some tools |
● Grafana sets itself apart with beautiful and deeply customizable metrics visualization. It’s a top open source monitoring choice in 2024.
2. Zabbix: Comprehensive Infrastructure Monitoring
Zabbix provides comprehensive monitoring for networks, servers, cloud and virtualized infrastructure.
Key strengths users highlight include:
- Auto discovery of resources like servers and switches
- Monitoring everything from temperature to web transactions
- Predictive alerting based on trends
- Scalable to large, complex environments
- On-prem or cloud deployment
For monitoring massive, heterogeneous enterprises, Zabbix provides extensive visibility.
| URL | https://www.zabbix.com |
| Pros | Scalability, breadth of monitoring coverage |
| Cons | Can have steep learning curve |
● Zabbix gives Solarwinds customers robust monitoring with enterprise capabilities like predictive analytics.
3. Icinga: Modular and Extensible
Icinga brings together server and network monitoring, notification, and event management.
Where Icinga delivers:
- Modular architecture to monitor practically any system
- Native clustering for horizontal scalability
- Real time alerting for anomalies and outages
- Strong partner and community ecosystem
Icinga provides exceptional flexibility to monitor diverse systems.
| URL | https://icinga.com |
| Pros | Highly extensible, responsive alerting |
| Cons | Configuring modules can add complexity |
● With vast plugin extendibility, Icinga shines for unified monitoring in complex environments.
4. Observium: Focus on Networks
Observium specializes in network device and bandwidth monitoring.
Where Observium delivers value:
- Auto discovery of switches, routers and firewalls
- Bandwidth and utilization visualization via SNMP
- Threshold based events and alerts
- Support for wide range of device types from Linux boxes to cloud VMs
When optimizing network infrastructure, Observium provides targeted value.
| URL | https://www.observium.org |
| Pros | Network centric, fast auto discovery |
| Cons | Less breadth across non-network systems |
● For network engineers looking beyond Solarwinds, Observium excels for infrastructure insight.
5. NetXMS: Unified Monitoring
NetXMS delivers unified performance monitoring and management for diverse platforms.
Key advantages:
- Single tool covering Windows, Linux, UNIX, network gear
- Instant visualization of full infrastructure stack
- Automatic discovery and mapping
- Intuitive dashboard builder
For consolidated monitoring beyond servers and networks, NetXMS is quite versatile.
| URL | https://netxms.org |
| Pros | Unified monitoring, auto discovery |
| Cons | Reporting has some gaps |
● Looking beyond Solarwinds, NetXMS brings excellent flexibility across platforms.
6. Fibre Channel Performance Monitor: Storage Networks
Developed by SGI, FCPM monitors Fibre Channel storage area networks (FC SANs).
Why FCPM stands apart:
- In-depth visibility for Fibre Channel networks
- Optimizing SAN performance and reliability
- Identify bottlenecks before production impact
- Available free from Hewlett Packard Enterprise
For storage teams relying on FC SANs, FCPM brings deep insight.
| URL | https://sourceforge.net/projects/fcpm |
| Pros | Purpose built for FC networks |
| Cons | Single protocol specialization |
● Beyond Solarwinds, FCPM gives storage admins targeted visibility into Fibre Channel environments.
7. Nagios XI: Simplified and Unified
Nagios XI consolidates monitoring capabilities into an all-in-one solution.
**Where Nagios XI delivers value: **
- Unified insight across infrastructure
- Simplified setup right out of the box
- Customizable alerting, visualization and reporting
- Library of free plugins
For fast time-to-value, Nagios XI reduces deployment complexity.
| URL | https://www.nagios.com/products/nagios-xi |
| Pros | EasyGetting started, unified view |
| Cons | Can be costly at scale |
● Nagios XI neatly packages capabilities making monitoring more accessible.
8. Thruk: Improving Nagios Core
Thruk enhances Nagios Core UI, visualization, and multisite capabilities.
Key advantages of Thruk:
- Better interfaces to manage Nagios deployments
- Enhances visualization and reporting
- Adds new authentication connectors
- Optimizes multisite visibility
For teams struggling with Nagios Core’s basic interface, Thruk dramatically improves usability.
| URL | https://www.thruk.org |
| Pros | Enhances Nagios Core visualization |
| Cons | Requires existing Nagios deployment |
● Scaling a Nagios implementation? Thruk helps smooth the path beyond Solarwinds.
9. Aliyun Cloud Monitor: Visibility in Alibaba Cloud
Aliyun Cloud Monitor delivers unified observability across Alibaba Cloud alongside on-prem resources.
Core capabilities:
- Auto dashboard creation
- Anomaly detection and alerting
- Custom reporting and visualization
- Access control and encryption
For teams leveraging Alibaba Cloud, Aliyun Cloud Monitor becomes a seamless necessity.
| URL | https://www.alibabacloud.com/product/cloud-monitor |
| Pros | Purpose built for Alibaba Cloud |
| Cons | Lock-in to Alibaba Cloud |
● Already using Alibaba Cloud services? Aliyun Cloud Monitor provides transparent visibility.
10. Cacti: Open Source Graphing
Cacti offers network-centric open source graphing built specifically for network monitoring tasks.
Where Cacti shines
- Automatic device discovery
- Custom data acquisition and graphing
- Granular user access control
- Expandable through plugins
When optimizing network capacity, Cacti delivers purpose built graphing.
| URL | https://www.cacti.net |
| Pros | Specialized network graphing |
| Cons | Steeper learning curve |
● For network engineering teams, Cacti provides deep network traffic analysis.
11. Checkmk: Simplified Alerting and Visualization
Checkmk simplifies alerting, visualization, and analysis by extending Nagios Core deployments.
Where Checkmk provides value:
- 1500+ third-party plugins
- Automatic dashboard creation
- Improves alerting and reporting capabilities
- Adds time saving automation
For teams struggling with Nagios Core complexity, Checkmk eases the path.
| URL | https://checkmk.com |
| Pros | Extends Nagios Core, simplifies management |
| Cons | Requires existing Nagios deployment |
● Finding Nagios Core too complex? Checkmk helps smooth the ride.
12. LibreNMS: Network Focused
LibreNMS focuses specifically on network device monitoring.
Where it delivers value:
- Automatic discovery and beautiful mapping
- Sophisticated alerting and notifications
- Customizable dashboards and graphing
- APIs for integration and automation
For granular network insight, LibreNMS provides compelling capabilities.
| URL | https://www.librenms.org |
| Pros | Specialized for networks, great visualizations |
| Cons | Limited for non-network monitoring |
● For networking teams seeking alternatives to Solarwinds, LibreNMS excels.
13. SysMon: Focused Linux Monitoring
An open source project from HP, SysMon delivers targeted monitoring for Linux infrastructure.
Where SysMon stands out:
- Lightweight resource utilization tracking
- Automatic visualization of Linux systems
- Alerting around select performance thresholds
- Community supported successor to prior HP offering
When optimizing Linux infrastructure at scale, SysMon hits the mark.
| URL | https://github.com/HPSystemMonitor/sysmon |
| Pros | Purpose built for large Linux environments |
| Cons | Limited non-Linux support |
● Migrating from Solarwinds for Linux infrastructure? SysMon warrants evaluation.
14. OpenNMS: Network Management Platform
OpenNMS monitors networks, applications, cloud, containers and more.
Core OpenNMS capabilities:
- Customizable graphical interfaces
- Alerting, notifications, reporting
- REST APIs for integration
- Remote polling, auto discovery
For on-prem and multi cloud visibility, OpenNMS provides enterprise scalability.
| URL | https://www.opennms.com |
| Pros | Scalable, extensible architecture |
| Cons | Some learning curve without XML experience |
● Graduating from Solarwinds? OpenNMS offers enterprise class extensibility.
15. Pandora FMS: Unified Infrastructure Visibility
Pandora FMS provides end-to-end monitoring supporting on-prem, cloud, and hybrid infrastructure.
Where Pandora FMS delivers capabilities:
- Single pane of glass across IT infrastructure
- Automated asset discovery and mapping
- Intelligent alerting plus log analysis
- Custom dashboarding
With robust visibility across infrastructure, Pandora FMS keeps eyes on hybrid environments.
| URL | https://pandorafms.com |
| Pros | Broad infrastructure visibility |
| Cons | Reporting capabilities have some gaps |
● Seeking a single monitoring solution beyond Solarwinds? Pandora FMS cross hybrid infrastructure.
Evaluating Top Solarwinds Alternatives
When evaluating alternatives to Solarwinds, consider functional requirements alongside:
- Breadth of monitoring: Assess coverage across cloud, containers, network, app, and on-prem.
- Automation integration: Review options for process integration and closed loop automation.
- Commercial support: Determine preferences for community vs. vendor backed support.
- Total cost of ownership: Compare license, resource, training costs. Open source options remove vendor lock-in.
The Future Looks Open
With powerful platforms like Grafana, Zabbix, and Nagios XI leading the way, open source network and infrastructure monitoring tools represent the future. Offering customization, scalability, and avoiding vendor lock-in, open source options compete aggressively on capabilities and TCO.
FAQs
What are the most widely used open source network monitoring tools today?
Grafana, Zabbix, and Nagios rank among the most widely adopted open source network and system monitoring platforms.
How do open source tools compare to SolarWinds on security?
Leading open source monitoring options match Solarwinds capabilities, incorporating encryption, access controls, and hardened code. Public repositories allow greater transparency and review.
What are key benefits driving adoption of open source monitoring tools?
Freedom from vendor lock-in, faster innovation cycles, customizability, and avoiding ongoing license fees attract users to open source monitoring.
What level of support comes with open source monitoring tools?
Most leading open source monitoring projects offer community forums and mailing lists. Some also provide commercial support models if desired.
What risks or downsides should be considered with open source monitoring tools?
Potential downsides may include the need to learn new tools or build additional in-house expertise. However, savings typically outweigh these adoption hurdles.
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