PRTG Network Monitor runs 24/7 on a Windows-based machine within your network, recording network usage parameters. Recorded data is stored in a database for historic reports.
The easy to use web-based user interface allows to configure the devices and sensors that you want to monitor. You can create usage reports and provide colleagues and customers access to graphs and tables.
All common methods for network usage data acquisition are supported:
- SNMP and WMI
- Packet Sniffing
- NetFlow and sFlow
SNMP-Monitoring
The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is the most basic method of gathering bandwidth and network usage data. It can be used to monitor bandwidth usage of routers and switches port-by-port, as well as device readings like memory, CPU load, etc.
Packet Sniffing in LANs and WLANs
If you need to know what applications or IP-addresses are causing the traffic in your network you can use a Packet Sniffer which looks at every single data packet travelling in your network for accounting purposes. PRTG can analyze the packets passing the network card of a PC or it can be connected to a so-called monitoring port of a switch. Also WLAN networks can be monitored this way.
NetFlow Protocol
Professional routers and switches from vendors like Cisco, HP, Juniper, and others support NetFlow or sFlow export for bandwidth usage monitoring. It is the most powerful monitoring method, suitable for high traffic networks.
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