Suggestions/recommendations for server/network monitoring??

[tlyczko]

I'm looking for server/network monitoring tools to evaluate.

I want something that will monitor:

1) a few physical servers (Win2k3);

2) several ESX 3.5 hosts (later ESX 4.0);

3) HP hardware (servers, switches) and Cisco PIX/ASA

4) Applications if possible -- SQL, Exchange, SharePoint, in order of preference/likely cost

5) Perhaps network traffic just to know when there are spikes or anomalies etc.

All the above are in a server room.

I'm considering Zenoss, Splunk, Opsview (requires agents sigh), maybe Paglo.

I don't need anything super high end etc.

Goals are a good combo of thoroughness and ease of use.

I'm not a programmer etc. so out-of-box features are important.

vWire and Hyper9 is the only ESX-specific tool that may be possible cost-wise...comments on these would be helpful too.

I realize I may have to mix and match these tools to keep costs down. -- that is use Splunk just a little, Zenoss just a little, etc.

Thank you, hopefully this starts a good thread.

Links to sites would be helpful too.

Thank you, Tom

[azn2kew]

Sounds like you need something cheap or even free to accomplish this and as you mentioned some of them are pretty good already but have you look at Nagios, Cacti, Splunk, Solarwinds, Veeam Monitor free edition, or look at something like HyTrust, Hyper9 DNA, vWire, SCOM 2007 + nWorks MP would work great but too much money. I would look at each solution and test trial it out in a lab and decide which is the best choice for your budget or might use 2-3 types of monitoring to be totally free.

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen

VMware vExpert 2009

iGeek Systems Inc.

VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant

[tlyczko]

It would be nice to see replies from people who are actually USING any of the above tools -- comments about their experiences, how well something works for them, etc.

Thank you, Tom

[azn2kew]

I've tested majority of the product listed above, Nagios is basic systems monitoring with red/green lights which is pretty good for open source free tools and I like it a lot but it doesn't gives you more features you're expecting. I've also load HyTrust appliance which monitor your security and network configurations changes which is really good product to have and loaded Solarwinds monitoring tools similiar to Nagios limited in features. The only thing we're running in production right now is SCOM 2007 systems to monitor everything and customize it to monitor all ESX hosts as well, but the R2 release should be supported both UNIX/LINUX as well. We've tried nWorks MP with SCOM 2007 but its very pricy for our need but it does a great job of all granular details you can monitor for ESX hosts. We've moved away from Whatsup Gold with SCOM 2007 but it does pretty good job as well.

Hope that helps!

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen

VMware vExpert 2009

iGeek Systems Inc.

VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant

[tlyczko]

That is a good start for me, thank you...

I know about HyTrust but I will wait on it till we are on ESX 4.x.

Can you please comment more on SCOM 2007?? what you like and don't

like??

Can it be run as a VM on ESX??

Thank you, Tom

P.S. I think I have read that Zenoss is kind of a 'better' Nagios in

that it does a lot of what Nagios does with a different interface etc.

It is something I will evaluate.

I know about the free Solarwinds monitor -- it is very limited!!

[dickybird]

nagios.org

you can use HP insight manager for HP hardware

[azn2kew]

We use SCOM 2007 statewide and it monitors any systems we've configured and deploy agents to communicate and customize to monitor certain things we wanted or use the defaults management packs for IIS, SQL, Exchange, SharePoint etc....but doesn't support ESX monitoring so you have to make changes in order for it to monitor ESX hosts but still very limited. The only way to work with ESX hosts + SCOM 2007 nicely is to integrate with nWorks management packs which is everything you need on virtualization aspect. I don't like SCOM 2007 is the fact its too much settings that you can play with and wish it could be simplier and more effective but this is really good for us to monitor hundreds of servers/devices especially I've created workspace to just group only the servers i've responsibled for and generate precise alerts, warnings and even resolution steps you can take.

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen

VMware vExpert 2009

iGeek Systems Inc.

VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant

[echiu]

Fixing HyTrust search in VMware communities.

[simonlam]

Look at the eG Enterprise product - http://www.eginnovations.com/web/products.htm - it does

all of what you are looking for.

[LeopoldGiterson]

adding:

JFFNMS, similar as nagios but I llike it more than nagios.

spiceworks, does a great job as a network inventory program, can have nagios integrated in their system.

[CBriggs53]

Another solution you can look into is PHD Virtual's new monitoring product.  It monitors your physical and virtual environment.  It is not on the market yet but should be dropped soon.

http://www.phdvirtual.com/monitor-vmware

Chris Briggs