Paessler PRTG Network Monitor Update Proves Worthwhile

Those managing busy networks often have little time to spare managing their network management application. PRTG addresses that concern by incorporating auto-updating. Patches, updates and enhancements can now be automatically applied to PRTG V9, with little or no administrator action. That helps to keep the product up to date, during eliminating another thankless chore that administrators by and large have to contend with on a network management product.

For administrators who have to deal with multiprotocol networks and quality-of-service issues, PRTG has introduced enhanced QoS reporting, which now employs a two-way sensor that can calculate round-trip QoS between devices. That's an important capability for those looking to meet the high-demand bandwidth needs of voice-over-IP and video conferencing solutions.

The list of improvements is enhanced auto-discovery

Rounding out the list of improvements is enhanced auto-discovery. PRTG V9 can now detect more devices automatically and can accomplish detection much quicker, which speeds up initial setup and makes it easier to find rogue devices on the network, an all-too-common occurrence now that the consumerization of IT has taken hold in the enterprise.

Paessler has taken what was already an excellent product and has made it better. I found it difficult to find any nits to pick with this new version of PRTG, and I found the upgrade process pretty easy, as then as the overall operation of PRTG. The new features add a great deal of value to the product, and the improved GUI makes monitoring and troubleshooting that much easier. The new sensors and related capabilities allow users to drill down much furthermore into the operation of a device, during a comprehensive alerting system keeps them on top of the situation, allowing a network manager to be more proactive. To boot, the IPv6 capabilities help to future-proof the product and prepare administrators and network managers for the onslaught of IPv6-based products that are expected to arrive on the market.

What's more, Paessler has incorporated all of these enhancements and improvements without increasing the price of the product, making what was once a very good value an even better one. That value is furthermore increased by the incorporation of IPv6 capabilities, which will become a key need for enterprise administrators and network managers as the industry adopts more and more IPv6 products.