Considering the best network monitoring tools is a vital aspect of any choice when it comes to your IT setup. Every business needs to understand that network monitoring gives IT teams much greater visibility into traffic, threats, device health, and more.
From centralized dashboards to cloud-driven security for remote workforces and more, there are a variety of network security monitoring tools you can use. This article goes through six of the best monitoring tools that any modern business should consider for 2027 and beyond.
Key Takeaways:
- Compare six network monitoring tools designed to improve visibility across modern business IT environments
- Explore firewall-native platforms from SonicWall, Sophos, Fortinet, WatchGuard, and Cisco Meraki
- Monitor network traffic, security threats, device health, policies, and activity from centralized platforms
- See how cloud-based monitoring can simplify management across multiple offices and distributed networks
- Consider managed network monitoring for professional oversight, proactive alerts, and ongoing security support
6 Best Network Monitoring Tools for Modern Businesses
Working with network monitoring platforms and third-party services can offer you much more flexibility and centralized visibility. It isn’t uncommon to come across native monitoring ecosystems from manufacturers, but it doesn’t stop there.
Some of this is built into the firewalls themselves, while other options are standalone or add-on services. However, I’d like to note that support from managed services gives you more hands-on support and results when it comes to monitoring, and a whole lot more. Overall, every business needs a network monitoring strategy, but it can easily look very different for one organization from the next.
1. SonicWall Network Security Manager (NSM)
This is a pretty straightforward option for enterprise network monitoring if you’re already working within the SonicWall ecosystem. NSM gives you centralized and cloud-based management support for SonicWall firewalls.
Here are a few other upsides to this:
- Gives IT teams a single dashboard to work from
- Provides visibility into threats, device status, policies, and network activity
- Supports policy management, reporting, and firmware oversight
- Cloud-based access makes it easier to manage deployments across multiple locations
It’s a very scalable option to consider, and can be used as a cloud-driven or on-prem solution. For those already working with SonicWall firewalls, this is a fitting solution.
2. Sophos Central
Another popular supporting pillar to network monitoring, Sophos Central delivers unified cloud management for their firewalls, endpoint protection, and wireless access points. In addition to that, it includes its own dashboard, alerts, policy management, and reporting capabilities.
If it isn’t already clear, this is a great path to take if you’re already working with Sophos firewalls. Extending network monitoring beyond the firewall, Sophos Central focuses on providing broader security visibility as a whole.
3. Fortinet FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer
I’m a fan of what Fortinet brings to the table, and while their firewalls get most of the attention, FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer are worth a look too. As far as network management tools go, these offer a combined approach that’s hard to overlook.
Whereas FortiManager focuses on centralized admin for firewalls, FortiAnalyzer collects, analyzes, and reports on security and network logs. It’s a stellar layered approach to consider, and a solid pairing with their FortiGate firewall hardware. Moreover, it helps correlate security events and investigate activity across your network.
4. WatchGuard Cloud Security
Under this particular umbrella, you actually have numerous options to choose from here. However, at the core of it all, WatchGuard Cloud Security offers cloud-based management and monitoring for their Firebox firewalls.
You’re getting the centralized visibility you need, on top of the dashboards for monitoring threats, device health, and network activity. I’d also like to note the multi-site and multi-client capabilities, making it a helpful pairing with managed service providers juggling multiple environments.
5. Cisco Meraki Dashboard
Another leading manufacturer with plenty of reliable network security solutions, network traffic monitoring is a part of that. More specifically, I’m talking about the Cisco Meraki dashboard. It’s the centralized cloud management that a lot of modern organizations need.
In regard to network traffic monitoring, it provides traffic analytics to help your IT department understand usage and activity. This also helps to simplify management across distributed offices and integrates monitoring directly into Meraki hardware. So, if you’re eyeing Meraki firewalls, rest easy knowing you have the dashboard to lean on as well.
6. Managed Network Monitoring
An angle that many companies don’t even consider is managed networking services. Essentially, this is taking a lot of guesswork out of the whole discussion, letting third-party experts support your monitoring and network management needs.
I also want to point out that this goes so much farther than monitoring here. For example, working with our team at Firewalls.com on this gives you support with monitoring, management, hardware selection, upgrades, proactive planning, and more. It’s a really comprehensive solution that saves time, money, and stress for many businesses.
Comparing the Best Network Monitoring Tools
One thing to keep in mind is that the scope of the best network monitoring tools will always shift over time. A lot of this has to do with new solutions emerging due to the sheer need to address new and evolving cyber threats. Nevertheless, the table below offers a simple breakdown of how you can categorize the solutions listed above.
| Network Monitoring Tool | Primary Focus | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|
| SonicWall NSM | Centralized firewall monitoring and management | Businesses using multiple SonicWall firewalls |
| Sophos Central | Unified firewall, endpoint, and wireless management | Companies using multiple Sophos security products |
| FortiManager & FortiAnalyzer | Firewall management, log analysis, and security reporting | Mid-market and enterprise Fortinet environments |
| WatchGuard Cloud | Cloud-based firewall monitoring and management | Multi-site businesses and MSPs |
| Cisco Meraki Dashboard | Cloud network visibility and security management | Distributed networks and remote admin |
| Managed Network Monitoring | Professional monitoring and network security oversight | Businesses that don’t have a dedicated IT team or want to offload network security management |
Always remember that the right solution will be unique for every organization. That’s why I always lean into the importance of understanding the real-world needs of your network. Having that information is the only way you can make the right choices for your IT at every turn.
The Last Word
Navigating the best network monitoring tools will always be a broad discussion among your team. It’s a necessary component of network visibility and management, but your list of choices can be pretty steep.
Whether it’s SonicWall, Sophos, or another popular manufacturer, you won’t find a shortage of support for network monitoring tools. All you need is one conversation with our team at Firewalls.com, and you’ll end up with exactly what your network needs, and long-term support to match.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Network Monitoring Tools Used For?
Network monitoring tools help IT teams track network traffic, device health, security events, and potential threats from a centralized platform.
Can Firewall Hardware Include Network Monitoring Capabilities?
Sure thing, as many major firewall manufacturers provide built-in or companion monitoring platforms that make it all easy to integrate.
What Should Companies Look for in a Network Monitoring Tool?
Businesses should consider angles like visibility, scalability, reporting, cloud management, security, and any existing compatible hardware.
Is Managed Network Monitoring Different From Using a Standalone Monitoring Platform
Yes, a monitoring platform gives your IT team tools to manage the network, while managed network monitoring is handled by a service provider.
Do Businesses With Multiple Locations Need Centralized Network Monitoring?
It definitely helps, as it can oversee devices, traffic, threats, and network health across multiple offices from a single management environment.
