Choosing a Server Performance Monitoring Tool
The right server performance monitoring tools simplify system management tasks. They allow network managers to have insight into whole environments through single interfaces. They also ensure that every virtual and real workload performs at optimal levels.
However, it can be very challenging to select the best tool that meets an organization’s unique needs and budget. The exercise must begin early with thorough research and careful planning. The following are some key factors to consider before procuring a server performance monitoring tool.
Monitoring Features
Many server performance monitoring products share some common features like the process and CPU monitoring. Others focus on certain parts of management or data center such as capacity planning and network activities. Some products perform only essential tasks while others can run multiple and complex management modules.
Often, organizations either underuse or abandon server monitoring tools. There are many reasons for this. They may have chosen a wrong tool or one that is too expensive to manage. Sometimes, the monitoring tool may be too sophisticated for the available staff to operate.
To avoid running into such problems, it is vital to search for tools that support the current hardware and planned upgrades. Hardware compatibility is very important. It allows the tools to monitor hardware-level behavior such as fan speed and temperature. It also allows IT staff to detect potential problems early enough to prevent total system failure.
More importantly, organizations should look for tools that can alert, report, and do inventory and capacity planning. Especially, inventory capabilities in monitoring tools can help plan for hardware upgrades and renewals of software licenses. Capacity planning helps in the prediction of future server resource requirements.
Agent Or Agentless Monitoring Products?
Agent software provides greater flexibility and allows the management of a wide variety of servers. However, the software requires some overhead on each server. This slows down each managed server’s performance. It is also a must to maintain and upgrade the software as required. This adds more workload to staff.
Agentless products, on the other hand, are easier to maintain because they have no problems with software versions. However, the effectiveness of agentless monitoring depends on server models, makes, or those operating system versions that it supports.
As such, it is advisable for homogenous shops that run limited suites of systems to use agentless performance monitoring. On the other hand, heterogeneous organizations may require agent-based products. This approach accommodates a variety of systems that run in the environment.
Prove Before You Commit
The process of procuring monitoring tools requires substantive amounts of research and expenses. This applies even to basic tools. It is frustrating to invest heavily in what does not work well. It is, therefore, advisable to try vendors’ free evaluation versions of performance monitoring tools.
With the free version, it is important to try everything from installation to system make and model monitoring. Network managers should also verify the capability of the tools to handle all the operating system versions within their environment. Checking how the system alerts and reports issues are also crucial.
Make A Purchase
Before making a purchase, it is important to do some important checks on the vendor. How the provider responds to requests or serves a potential customer may be an indicator of their commitment to offering exceptional services. A good option is Path Network services regarding network monitoring services for small businesses and you can know more about them on their website at https://path.network/path-performance-monitoring/, as they provide most reliable services to their customers.
