IT directors managing colocated infrastructure in a data center need the right tools to ensure uptime, security, and optimal performance. Monitoring and managing colocated environments can be complex, requiring specialized software to maintain control over power usage, cooling, bandwidth, and hardware performance. Whether you’re looking for cost-effective solutions or enterprise-grade tools, here’s a list of ten free and paid tools that can help you manage your colocation environment effectively.
Zabbix (Free & Paid Versions)
Overview: Zabbix is an open-source network monitoring tool that offers robust performance tracking for various IT assets, including server health, bandwidth usage, and application monitoring. Its customizable dashboards and alerting features make it a popular choice for IT directors managing colocations.
Key Features:
- Real-time monitoring of network devices, servers, and applications
- Customizable alerts for potential failures or performance issues
- Open-source and scalable to meet enterprise needs
Pricing: Free for the open-source version; paid support packages offer premium support and advanced features.
Link: Zabbix
Nagios XI (Free & Paid)
Overview: Nagios XI is a widely used enterprise monitoring system that helps you track server performance, network traffic, and services in a colocation environment. Known for its customizable nature and strong alerting system, it’s ideal for large infrastructures with multiple colocations.
Key Features:
- Detailed monitoring of server, network, and application performance
- Comprehensive reporting and alerting system
- Supports a wide range of plugins for extended functionality
Pricing: Free for seven nodes / 100 services. Starts at $2,495 per license for 100 nodes.
Link: Nagios XI
Paessler PRTG Network Monitor (Paid)
Overview: Paessler PRTG Network Monitor is an all-in-one monitoring solution designed to oversee your entire IT infrastructure, including servers, applications, and bandwidth in a colocation. The tool provides a comprehensive visual overview with maps and dashboards.
Key Features:
- Monitors bandwidth, server load, CPU usage, and more
- Real-time dashboards and customizable reporting
- Automatic notifications for performance issues
Pricing: Free 30-day trial. Paid versions start at $2,149/year for 500 monitoring aspects.
Link: Paessler PRTG
SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor (Paid)
Overview: SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor (NPM) is a powerful tool built for enterprise-level network monitoring. It helps manage colocated servers by tracking network traffic, server health, and application performance.
Key Features:
- Network topology mapping
- Intelligent alerts for network and server issues
- Customizable dashboards and reports
Pricing: Subscription starts at $1856. Perpetual license starts at $3592.
Link: SolarWinds NPM
LibreNMS (Free)
Overview: LibreNMS is a fully open-source network monitoring system designed to work well in complex environments like colocation data centers. It offers a full range of monitoring features for network devices and server hardware, along with an intuitive dashboard.
Key Features:
- Automatic network discovery and mapping
- Customizable notifications and alerts
- Detailed historical data collection for performance analysis
Pricing: Free and open-source.
Link: LibreNMS
Uptime Robot (Free & Paid Versions)
Overview: Uptime Robot is a simple yet effective monitoring tool that tracks website uptime and server availability. While not as comprehensive as other tools on this list, it’s ideal for IT directors looking for a lightweight solution to monitor server uptime in a colocation.
Key Features:
- Monitors server uptime every 5 minutes
- Simple and easy-to-use interface
- Instant alerts when servers go down
Pricing: Free (50 monitors / every 5 minutes); Paid versions from $7/month include faster checks and more features.
Link: Uptime Robot
DataDog (Free & Paid)
Overview: DataDog is a popular cloud-based monitoring tool that offers comprehensive solutions for monitoring colocation stacks, including servers, network devices, applications, and logs. It is highly scalable and integrates well with modern cloud platforms.
Key Features:
- Real-time monitoring and log collection
- Powerful analytics and dashboards
- AI-based anomaly detection
Pricing: Free basic plan for up to five hosts. Paid versions start at $15 per host per month.
Link: DataDog
Sensu (Free & Paid Versions)
Overview: Sensu offers a comprehensive monitoring solution for servers, applications, and containers, suitable for colocated environments. It’s built to provide a high level of customization and flexibility, integrating with many third-party services.
Key Features:
- Event-driven monitoring for colocated systems
- Centralized visibility of server health and network performance
- Integrates with popular tools like Prometheus and Grafana
Pricing: Basic free version for up to 100 nodes; paid plans start at $3/month per node.
Link: Sensu
- Prometheus (Free)
Overview: Prometheus is an open-source monitoring system designed for high-performance environments, including colocated servers and containers. It collects metrics from your systems and sends alerts based on customizable rules.
Key Features:
- Flexible and scalable for large environments
- Customizable alerts and notifications
- Wide variety of integrations and support for modern infrastructure
Pricing: Free and open-source.
Link: Prometheus
- ManageEngine OpManager (Free & Paid)
Overview: ManageEngine OpManager is a complete network and server monitoring solution designed to track your colocated infrastructure. It provides real-time performance metrics, health monitoring, and detailed analytics for servers, routers, switches, and more.
Key Features:
- Monitors bandwidth, network devices, and server performance
- Customizable alerts and reports
- Supports a wide variety of network devices and server types
Pricing: Free version for monitoring three devices. Paid versions start at $245 for a 25-device license.
Link: ManageEngine OpManager
Final Thoughts
Managing a colocated stack comes with unique challenges, but with the right tools, you can easily monitor and optimize your infrastructure. Whether you opt for open-source tools like Zabbix and Prometheus or premium enterprise solutions like SolarWinds and Nagios XI, the key is choosing the right combination that fits your specific needs and budget.
By leveraging these tools, IT directors can ensure high availability, optimize performance, and respond proactively to issues, helping their businesses maximize the value of their colocation investments.
