Item: PRTG Network Monitor
Rating: 9
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We use PRTG Network Monitor across our IT infrastructure to monitor uptime, availability, Windows service status, and various other relevant items. PRTG Network Monitor gives us the ability to tailor monitoring to the individual system and offers a lot of flexibility in configuration. It has a Maps feature that enabled us to design a custom four-display NOC that IT technicians can use to monitor infrastructure health at a glance. One great use case is for player kiosks on the casino game floor. With PRTG Network Monitor, we can get down to the kiosk and have it running long before guests encounter it, report it to staff, and it makes its way to IT for resolution. The same applies to other task-based machines and endpoints that are customer-facing. With configurable email alerts and a heads-up display, IT staff can be far more proactive in our ability to provide a best in class guest experience. This is critical because you only get one chance to make an excellent first impression.

Pros and Cons

Huge array of sensors to allow detailed monitoring of varied systems.
Extremely configurable and tuneable to meet custom environmental needs.

Active Directory/LDAP integration is rudimentary and needs improvement.
Easy to introduce a lot of network noise and load with default sensor recommendations - care is required to avoid causing load problems on endpoints.

Return on Investment

PRTG Network Monitor helped us identify trends - hardware that was prone to repeated failure is a great example
Enhanced visitor experience because monitored systems can be managed proactively.

Alternatives Considered

We used a product called Total Network Monitor for a time, but it was fundamental and was not suited to enterprise environments. PRTG Network Monitor was the only platform that provided the flexibility and configuration that we required at a reasonable price point. There are certainly other products that offer similar functionality (Solarwinds Orion, for example), but the licensing models and initial investment costs could not compete.

Support Rating

Every single time I've had an issue with the product - or even a question - the PRTG Network Monitor team answers quickly and works the problem. In almost every case, we've been able to resolve implementation questions or monitoring challenges in a short amount of time. In one case, we encountered a bug and PRTG Network Monitor support provided us with a custom build and worked with us to ensure the issue was entirely resolved. I can't stress how golden this is - I've had companies large and small drop the ball on critical support issues, and I always remember the companies that don't do that to their customers. It's evident to me that Paessler as a company has a customer focus in everything that they do. The software is actively developed and continually improving, which is also a plus.

Key Insights

Do you think PRTG Network Monitor delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with PRTG Network Monitor's feature set?

Yes

Did PRTG Network Monitor live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of PRTG Network Monitor go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy PRTG Network Monitor again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Nutanix AOS

Likelihood to Recommend

We've found that PRTG Network Monitor is excellent for monitoring critical endpoints, VMware health, Microsoft Exchange, and other essential items of infrastructure. PRTG Network Monitor licensing is based on the number of sensors deployed, so it's wise not to accept all of the default recommendations. Spend some time thinking about what matters. For example, there's no need for a Ping sensor on a system where you are also monitoring service states - if the service is up, pinging it is unnecessary, and if the service is down. Still, the system is up; the fact that it responds to pings is not very useful. We've found that a good approach is to let PRTG Network Monitor recommend sensors and then remove those that are not relevant to our monitoring needs.
Paessler support is also excellent. They've been very responsive and worked with us to enhance the value of the product.

PRTG Network Monitor: Affordable, Effective Network Monitoring with Excellent Support

Overall Satisfaction with PRTG Network Monitor