As any tech person knows, server performance is critical to the success of any business. A well-functioning server means smooth operations, optimal user experience, and iron-walled security. As we step into the new year, it’s more important than ever to have the right tools and software to monitor and manage your servers effectively. We’ve put together this list to introduce you to the top 10 server performance monitoring tools and software that are essential for any IT professional or business owner looking to maintain a healthy and consistent online presence. What is server monitoring software? Server monitoring software helps in tracking and analyzing the performance of servers, networks, and the applications that run on them. This software provides real-time insights into various aspects such as CPU usage, memory utilization, network bandwidth, and more. By promptly identifying and addressing potential issues, server monitoring software ensures the servers are running efficiently, and any downtime is minimized, which is extremely important for the continuous operation of business services. At its core, server monitoring software aims to: Monitor performance: Maintain optimal server operation by monitoring key performance indicators. Prevent downtime: Detect issues early and alert the relevant personnel to prevent or minimize server outages. Optimize resources: Provide data that helps in making informed decisions about resource allocation and future capacity planning. Maintain security: Monitor for unusual activity that could indicate a security breach. Do you need server monitoring software? The short answer is, most likely, yes. If your business relies on online services, e-commerce platforms, or any form of digital communication, then keeping your servers always up and running is non-negotiable. Here’s why server monitoring software is a must-have: 24/7 operation: The Internet, like Vegas, never sleeps, and neither should your monitoring. Server monitoring tools provide around-the-clock surveillance of your systems. Proactive maintenance: Instead of reacting to problems after they’ve caused damage, be proactive! Monitoring software can predict issues before they impact your services. Cost savings: Downtime can be expensive. By minimizing outages, you save on potential lost revenue and the cost of emergency fixes. Customer satisfaction: Consistently reliable services lead to happier customers and can give you an edge over competitors who may not be as proactive about their server health. How frustrating is it to go to a website and see that it’s completely shut down? When servers are monitored correctly, these incidents are minimized and your visitors stay happy. Let’s move on to what to look for when choosing the right service. How to choose server monitoring software Choosing the right server monitoring software is crucial for effectively managing your IT infrastructure. Take a look at what you should consider to make an informed decision: Features and capabilities Check to see that the software offers comprehensive monitoring capabilities, including performance metrics, downtime alerts, and security monitoring. It should provide a holistic view of your server’s health. Ease of use Your choice of software should have an intuitive interface and straightforward setup process. Time spent learning complex systems means time is taken away from other important tasks. Scalability As your business grows, so will your server needs. Choose software that can scale with you and handle an increasing number of servers and complexity. Integration Look for tools that integrate well with your existing systems and workflows. Seamless integration with other tools and platforms enhances efficiency. Support and community Reliable customer support and an active community can be invaluable resources, especially when you encounter unexpected issues. Cost Consider the pricing structure and whether it fits your budget. Some tools offer free versions with basic features, while others may provide more advanced features at a cost. Monitoring made easy with UptimeRobot Are you in search of straightforward UP/DOWN monitoring that efficiently gets the job done, or perhaps you need a reliable tool to watch the watcher? UptimeRobot is your go-to solution. With our user-friendly interface and diverse features, it’s a cost-effective option for straightforward monitoring. UptimeRobot makes sure you’re the first to know about any downtime, helping you maintain optimal performance and reliability for your services. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, UptimeRobot provides the peace of mind you need in the digital world. Register now and get 50 monitors with 5-minute checks for FREE! Top 10 best monitoring tools for servers Now, let’s dive into the top server monitoring tools and software for 2023. We’ll discuss their key features, pros and cons, and pricing to help you find the best fit for your needs. 1. Prometheus and Grafana (free) Prometheus stands as a highly praised open-source monitoring solution, renowned for its efficient data modeling and versatile querying capabilities. It excels in collecting and storing metrics in a time-series database, allowing for detailed insight into the performance and health of various systems. Complementing Prometheus is Grafana, a widely acclaimed analytics and visualization platform. It seamlessly integrates with Prometheus, enhancing its raw data with visually compelling and informative dashboards. Together, these tools empower users with a comprehensive monitoring suite, facilitating deep analysis and clear visualization of complex datasets to inform better decision-making and system optimizations. Pros & cons 👍 Pros👎 ConsPowerful querying language (PromQL)Steeper learning curve for new usersFlexible and robust alerting features through AlertManagerRequires additional components for long-term storageLarge and active user community Pricing Prometheus and Grafana are open-source projects, which means they are free to use. However, it’s important to note that while the software itself is free, there may be costs associated with running the software, such as server costs, storage costs, and potentially labor costs for setup. 2. Sematext Monitoring (free and paid) Sematext offers a streamlined, full-stack monitoring solution, giving you a clear picture of your server’s performance and health, along with detailed application and infrastructure insights, all in one intuitive interface. Pros & cons 👍 Pros👎 ConsUsers report excellent customer serviceCan become expensive for larger infrastructuresEasy to set up and use with a user-friendly interfaceLimited customization optionsOffers log management and real user monitoring in the same platformLacking Windows version Pricing Sematext offers a free plan with limited features. Paid plans start at $3.6/host/month for Infrastructure Monitoring and $50/month for Log Management. Volume discounts are also available. 3. AppDynamics (paid) AppDynamics, part of Cisco, provides a full-spectrum application performance monitoring solution that allows you to analyze and optimize your software environments with real-time insights. It offers end-to-end visibility into the performance of your applications and how they’re affecting your users. Pros & Cons Pros👎 ConsDeep insights with business transaction monitoringCan be complex to fully utilizeReal-time performance monitoringPricing can be on the higher side for small companiesPowerful AIOps featuresMight be overkill for simpler needs Pricing AppDynamics’ Infrastructure Monitoring Edition starts at $6/month/CPU Core, and their Premium Edition starts at $33/month/CPU Core. For other prices on custom packages, just contact their team directly to get a customized price. 4. New Relic (free and paid) New Relic is a cloud-based observability platform that helps you analyze, troubleshoot, and optimize your entire software stack. It provides real-time monitoring and actionable insights into your application’s performance, customer experience, and business success. Pros & cons 👍 Pros👎 ConsComprehensive observability platformCan be expensive for full-feature accessCustomizable dashboards and alertsSome find the interface complexStrong community and integrations Pricing New Relic offers a free tier with limited features. Beyond that, pricing and features are highly customizable, and there are 3 user classifications: Basic, Core, and Full Platform. As the pricing is based on both your user type and how much data you ingest, visit New Relic’s pricing table to get a better picture of how much you’ll be paying. 5. Datadog (free and paid) Datadog is tailored for cloud-scale applications, offering a keen eye on your servers, databases, tools, and services through its user-friendly SaaS-based data analytics platform. It’s popular for bringing together a unified, easy-to-understand view of your entire IT infrastructure. Pros & cons 👍 Pros👎 ConsScalable monitoring for a variety of applications and infrastructure.Can be complex and overwhelming for beginners or smaller teams.Integrates well with various cloud services and tools.Pricing can get expensive as you scale or require more advanced features.Offers a powerful dashboard with customizable widgets for different data sources.Some users find the alerting system complex to set up and manage.Provides comprehensive analytics and collaboration tools. Pricing Datadog offers a free trial and a variety of pricing plans. Their free plan comes with limited features with up to 5 hosts. Graduating to the pro plan starts at $15/host/month. And finally, the enterprise plan is custom-priced based on the specific needs and scale of the business. 6. Dynatrace (paid) Dynatrace simplifies full-stack monitoring, especially for modern cloud setups, with smart AI that promptly spots performance hiccups. It’s favored for its user-friendly approach and top-notch observability tools, making complex monitoring feel effortless. Pros & cons 👍 Pros👎 ConsAdvanced AI capabilities for automatic problem detection and root cause analysis.The pricing can be on the higher side, particularly for smaller businesses.Full-stack monitoring from applications to infrastructure and user experience.Initial setup and configuration might be complicated for some users.Supports a wide range of technologies and platforms.Some features may be overkill for smaller or simpler environments. Pricing Dynatrace offers a free trial and has several ways to buy. Pricing is based on several factors like host units, digital experience monitoring units, and custom metrics. For a closer look, check out their pricing table. 7. Nagios XI (free and paid) Nagios XI is a robust IT infrastructure monitoring tool, offering detailed oversight of networks, infrastructure, and applications. Renowned for its adaptability, it allows for extensive customizations to meet diverse monitoring demands with precision. Pros & cons 👍 Pros👎 ConsHighly customizable and flexible for a wide range of monitoring needs.The initial learning curve can be steep due to its complexity.Offers comprehensive reporting and advanced visualizations.Configuration and customization require more manual effort.Strong community support with a plethora of plugins available.The user interface may feel dated compared to newer tools.Cost-effective for small to medium-sized businesses. Pricing Nagios XI offers a free version with limited features and paid versions with more advanced capabilities. The Standard Edition starts at around $1,995 (a one-time fee), and the Enterprise Edition starts at around $3,495 (also a one-time fee), offering additional features and support. 8. SolarWinds (paid) SolarWinds provides a suite of solutions, including network performance monitoring, server and application monitoring, and more. SolarWinds is designed for businesses of all sizes and is known for its user-friendly interface and varied feature set. Pros & Cons 👍 Pros👎 ConsIntuitive interface and easy to set up for immediate use.Licensing and pricing can be complex and costly for larger setups.Offers a wide range of features and tools for diverse monitoring needs.Some users report performance issues with larger implementations.Strong customer support and a large user community.Occasional software updates may introduce new issues or complexities.Customizable alerts and reports to suit various monitoring scenarios. Pricing SolarWinds’ Server & Application Monitor (SAM) serves up tailored server performance monitoring, with initial costs beginning at $1,813. Pricing is adjusted based on your chosen tools and deployment scale. They typically start you off with a 30-day free trial, then shift to custom-quote pricing. For the latest and most precise pricing, a direct chat with SolarWinds is your best bet. 9. Sensu Go (free) Sensu Go is an open-source monitoring solution that’s known for its high configurability and flexibility. It’s designed to monitor servers, services, and applications across various environments. Sensu Go is particularly noted for its role in observability pipelines, allowing users to collect, filter, and transform data. Pros & Cons 👍 Pros👎 ConsIntegrates with a wide variety of tools and services.Can be complex to set up and maintain.Highly configurable and flexible.Might require additional components for complete monitoring.Scalable to monitor large and diverse infrastructures. Pricing As Sensu Go is open source, it’s free! There are commercial versions and support available, contact Sensu Go for detailed pricing or compare open-source and commercial versions. 10. ManageEngine (paid) ManageEngine delivers an array of IT management tools, including OpManager, its dedicated solution for server monitoring. OpManager offers an integrated way to keep tabs on server performance, traffic, and configurations, plus VMs and network devices. Its design focuses on simplicity, featuring user-friendly dashboards and clear metrics that accommodate teams of all technical backgrounds. Pros & Cons 👍 Pros👎 ConsUser-friendly interface and setup.Pricing can be relatively high as you scale.Full monitoring capabilities.Customization and advanced features may require a learning curve.Supports a wide range of server types and vendors. Pricing ManageEngine OpManager’s server performance monitoring is part of their core offering. The pricing for ManageEngine OpManager starts at $245. They offer three different plans: Standard Edition: $245 for monitoring up to 10 devices Professional Edition: $345 for monitoring up to 10 devices Enterprise Edition: $11,545 for monitoring up to 250 devices Complete comparison ToolOpen-sourceCustom DashboardsScalableReal-time AlertsBasic PlanPrometheus and Grafana✓✓✓✓FreeSematext MonitoringX✓✓✓$7/moAppDynamicsX✓✓✓Contact for pricingNew RelicX✓✓✓Free tier availableDatadogX✓✓✓$15/host/moDynatraceX✓✓✓Contact for pricingNagios XI✓✓Limited✓Free version availableSolarWindsX✓✓✓Contact for pricingSensu Go✓✓✓✓FreeManageEngineX✓✓✓Starts at $245 for up to 10 devices What to remember Choosing the right server performance monitoring tool is a strategic decision that can significantly impact the efficiency, security, and reliability of your operations. By keeping these key points in mind and conducting thorough research, you’ll be well-equipped to make an informed choice that aligns with your specific needs and goals. Assess your needs: Before choosing a monitoring tool, understand your server environment, the complexity of your infrastructure, and the level of detail you require in monitoring. Consider integration and scalability: As your business grows, so will your monitoring needs. Look for tools that can scale with your growth and easily integrate with other systems in your tech stack. Evaluate the cost: While some tools offer free versions, they might not meet all your needs. Balance the cost against the features provided and consider the long-term value the tool will bring to your operations. Check for real-time alerts and custom dashboards: These features are crucial for staying ahead of issues and customizing the monitoring experience to suit your team’s workflow. Test and compare: Whenever possible, take advantage of trial versions of the software to get a firsthand experience of how the tool fits into your existing processes. In the world of server monitoring, knowledge isn’t just power. It’s performance, security, and peace of mind. Choose wisely, and rest assured your servers are not just running, but also contributing to the optimal performance of your business.Looking for other great services like these? Check out our top picks for port monitoring tools, ping monitoring tools, and cron job monitoring tools.