最佳 Windows 系統監控工具：2021 年審查的前 6 名

系統監控對許多管理員來說可能是一個挑戰。今天的網絡擁有數十甚至數百台服務器並不少見。並且您需要密切關注每台服務器的運行參數。這是系統監控工具可以派上用場的地方。通常，這些系統會監視您的服務器和其他設備，而您可以專注於更高效的任務。如果出現問題，如果操作參數超出其正常範圍，系統會提醒您。今天，我們來看看六個最好的 Windows 系統監控工具。

我們將首先討論系統監控的必要性。我們將看到當今復雜的系統如何擁有如此多的組件，以至於在沒有幫助的情況下幾乎不可能關注所有內容，然後我們將討論每個系統中存在的內置監控工具。它們是了解監控的全部內容的良好起點。這將帶我們了解系統監控工具的功能和操作。這就是他們所做的以及他們如何做的。一旦我們達成共識，我們將回顧適用於 Windows 的六種最佳系統監控工具。

對系統監控工具的需求

雖然它肯定會有用，但我們不能到處都有眼睛。然而，我們必須不斷了解我們管理的所有設備的狀態。今天的系統比 10 年前的系統複雜得多。他們有更多的組件。同樣，在一台典型的計算機上運行的進程比以往任何時候都多。這些進程中的每一個都消耗其主機的部分系統資源。當資源全部用完時，事情就開始出錯了。進程崩潰，錯誤發生。事情不順利。

為了確保事情始終順利運行，您需要不斷檢查設備的運行參數，以便在出現問題之前先發製人。系統管理員負責數十個甚至數百個設備的操作並不少見，因此幾乎不可能查看所有設備。他們太多了。

另一個問題是大多數服務器操作參數不容易獲得，必須使用一些工具來訪問它們。過去的大型計算機在其控制面板上裝有各種儀表和指示燈，以提醒管理員注意異常情況。一些早期的個人電腦和網絡設備有這些殘留物——我記得有一台家用電腦的 LED 在每次出現中斷時都會閃爍，或者這個以太網集線器有一個“衝突”LED——但它們早已消失了。

這是系統監控工具成為必需品的時候。它們允許系統管理員將時間花在更有建設性和更有用的任務上，同時該工具進行監控，在出現問題時提醒管理員，通常是在它成為真正的問題之前。這為系統管理員提供了足夠的時間來做出反應並解決問題。

虛擬化環境是需要專門監控的特定用例。當多個虛擬實例必須共享主機服務器的資源時，主機和每個虛擬實例都需要被監控。並且主機服務器具有許多Windows系統監控工具所缺乏的特定操作參數和監控要求。對於這些，您需要特定的 VM 監控工具。

內置監控工具

大多數現代操作系統都包含某種形式的內置監控工具。例如，Windows 有任務管理器。這是一個非常方便的工具，每個系統管理員都應該熟悉。它的主窗格將顯示每個正在運行的進程的處理器、內存、磁盤、網絡和圖形處理器利用率。它的性能選項卡將為您提供幾個操作參數（例如處理器利用率、內存、磁盤和每個網絡接口）隨時間演變的詳細圖表。

另一個在 Windows 系統上出現了一段時間但現在很少使用的工具，因為它提供的大部分信息現在都可以在 Windows 任務管理器中使用，稱為資源監視器。它提供了許多可從任務管理器獲得的相同信息，但它更傾向於顯示當前運行的不同進程對硬件和軟件資源的使用情況。

具有 Unix 或 Linux 背景的系統管理員可能熟悉兩個命令行實用程序：ps和top。前者列出了所有當前正在運行的進程以及它們的處理器和內存利用率（可選）。至於top，它是一個類似的工具，儘管它通常會包含以表格格式呈現的更多信息。

系統監控工具的特點和操作

系統監控工具各不相同。雖然每個都聲稱比其他人更好，但實際上，它們的核心功能都非常相似。我們編制了一份主要功能列表，您可以在大多數係統監控工具中找到這些功能。它應該可以幫助您闡明您的監控需求並比較不同的工具。

系統監控工具最基本的功能是能夠遠程監控多台服務器。最好的系統將監控各種操作系統，有些系統會進行分佈式監控以促進多站點實施。一些工具還將提供自動發現機制，以在添加它找到的每個可監控設備時自動掃描您的網絡。這可以是一次性的、安裝後的過程，也可以是一個連續的過程，它會在任何新服務器啟動時添加它。監控工具應盡可能不干擾。您不希望它們給您的服務器帶來額外的負擔。它們還需要可擴展。您的網絡很可能會隨著時間的推移而增長，並且您的監控工具需要能夠跟上這種增長。

Typically, system monitoring tools will monitor a wide range of metrics such as server availability, CPU usage, memory usage, disk space, CPU temperature, and power supply voltages. When applicable, some will also measure response time and upload/download speeds. Application monitoring is also common with system monitoring tools. The best ones use a deep knowledge of the applications to monitor several of their specific metrics. This is particularly useful for web servers or database servers, for example.

The next big function of system monitoring tools is alerting. What’s the use of monitoring your environment if nothing happens when things go wrong? Monitoring systems will automatically alert administrators of any abnormal parameter. Most systems come with predefined alerting thresholds although customizing them to your needs is always possible and certainly recommended. Notification methods and alert thresholds can usually be customized. Most systems will pop a message box on their console but also send email, SMS, pager messages, etc. Some system will also trigger actions–either built-in or custom scripts–when alerts are raised.

這些是大多數係統監控工具共享的基本功能，但通常還有更多。報告通常是監控工具的重要組成部分，最好的工具提供預構建和定制報告。當然，報告也意味著收集歷史數據。

如果服務器不是您想要監控的唯一設備，也許您需要不同的工具。例如，網絡設備（如交換機和路由器）的監控要求與服務器大不相同。因此，存在一些針對這些設備的專用監控工具。他們依靠簡單網絡管理協議或 NetFlow 來獲取網絡設備的操作數據並以有用的方式顯示它。如果你想了解更多關於網絡監控工具的信息，這兩篇文章會很有趣：

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The Best System Monitoring Tools For Windows

So, now that it’s clear why you may need a Windows system monitoring tool and that you know some of the functionalities you should be looking for, let’s proceed and review the different tools we recommend. Some are free, some are paid or subscription -based but all will provide a much-needed assistance when it comes to keeping a closer eye on your servers.

1. SolarWinds Server Health Monitor (Free Download)

If you don’t already know SolarWinds, it is more than about time you learn about the company. SolarWinds makes some of the best network and system administration tools. SolarWinds is also known for making a handful–actually, quite a few handfuls–of free task-specific tools such as the Advanced Subnet Calculator or the Server Health Monitor, the number one entry on our list of the six best Windows system monitoring tools.

FREE DOWNLOAD: SolarWinds Server Health Monitor

The SolarWinds Server Health Monitor, or SHM, can monitor the availability, health, and performance of up to 5 servers. This is a serious limitation although it could be enough for some smaller businesses. It is also limited in what it can monitor. It will only work with Dell PowerEdge™, HP ProLiant™, and IBM eServer™ xSeries servers. It also supports a few models of blade enclosures from Dell and HP as well as a few VMware hypervisors. The tool uses a combination of methods like SNMP, WMI, and CIM to pull operational data from the servers it monitors.

The tool’s dashboard shows you the overall health of the monitored servers. Individual servers can be clicked to get a list of all the monitored parameters that you can also click for greater detail. It gives you some insight into the general health of a small group of servers. We haven’t mentioned alert or reports for a simple reason, there are none. This is an entry-level tool that will require you to keep an eye on its screen which, of course, is better than checking five server screens.

Download link: https://www.solarwinds.com/free-tools/server-health-monitor

2. SolarWinds Server And Application Monitor (Free Trial)

Next on our list is another tool form SolarWinds. The Server and Application Monitor starts where the Server HealthMonitor stops. It is a similar tool but with a much broader feature set. It is part of the Orion suite of administration and management tools. We looked at another tool from the Orion suite in a recent article: Best Free sFlow Collectors and Analyzers Reviewed in 2018.

As its name implies, this advanced tool will not only monitor servers but also the applications running on them. It is a complete solution that can scale from the smallest networks to large, multi-site corporate networks with hundreds of servers, both physical and virtual. It can also monitor servers in cloud environments such as those from Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.

FREE 30-DAY TRIAL: SolarWinds Server & App Monitor

When first set up, the tool will auto-discover hosts and devices on your network. Only then, of course, can you start monitoring them. A second discovery scan is necessary to detect applications running on each server. Optionally, you can supply a list of applications and have the scan only look for those.

Once it’s up and running, using the Server and Application Monitor is very intuitive. Clicking on Node Detail, for instance, will show you that node’s performance and health information. Graphical and Tabular formats are available for the displayed information.

Pricing for the SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor starts at just below $3 000. If you prefer to try before you buy, a free 30-day trial version is available for download.

Download link: https://www.solarwinds.com/server-application-monitor

3. WhatsUp Gold

WhatsUp Gold from Ipswitch is another common name in the field of monitoring tools. What was once just an up-or-down monitoring tool has evolved into one of the best system and network monitoring platform. It has everything that’s expected from a Windows system monitoring tool. You get the monitoring of operational parameters–of course–and you also have completely customizable alerting and reporting.

Setting up WhatsUp Gold is easy, thanks to its auto-discovery engine that will find your devices and add them to the monitoring console. It will find physical servers, virtual servers, cloud servers, applications and networking equipment. The tool has a map view where you can see the different component’s interconnections. It is clickable for more information on each device.

WhatsUp Gold is available as a free version but it is limited to monitoring only five devices. Paid licenses are available in three levels of increasing functionality and pricing is based on the number of monitored devices. A free, time-limited trial version is also available.

4. ManageEngine OpManager

Our number four entry is the OpManager from ManageEngine. ManageEngine is also known for making some great tools to help administrators manage their equipment. The OpManager is one such tool. It is another all-in-one package that will monitor your server’s (physical and virtual) and your network equipment’s vital signs and alert you as soon as something is out of range.

ManageEngine claims its OpManager can be installed in less than two minutes. It will then discover your devices and start monitoring them without needing complex configuration steps. The package has a very intuitive user interface where you’ll easily find the information you need. It also has very good pre-built reports as well as custom ones. The product’s alerting features are also very complete.

The ManageEngine OpManager is available in the Essential edition for small and medium enterprises with up to a thousand devices at prices starting at just over $700 for 25 devices. For larger organizations, there’s an Enterprise edition which can scale up to ten thousand devices. Its price starts at under $20k for 500 devices. The price for both editions varies according to the number of monitored devices and a free 30-day trial is also available.

5. Nagios XI

You may already know Nagios Core, an open-source monitoring platform that’s been enjoying decent popularity for years. Nagios XI, a commercial version of Nagios, can be thought of as Nagios on steroids. It has a richer feature set, easier installation and setup, and a more polished feel. Nagios XI is a true enterprise-grade server and network software. It uses the same core engine as its open-source brother but bolts-in a very powerful, customizable GUI.

Nagios XI offers an all-inclusive monitoring solution for applications, services, operating systems, network protocols, systems metrics, and network infrastructure. And if that ain’t enough, third-party add-ons let you monitor virtually all applications, services, and systems.

Nagios XI is available in Standard and Enterprise editions. The latter has additional functionality and includes additional features to assist in large-scale configuration, forecasting, and scheduled reporting. If you want to try the product, a free version is available but it is limited to monitoring seven devices.

6. Zabbix

Our last entry, Zabbix is one of the best free and open-source system monitoring platform. It is over 20 years old and has a massive 300 000 users worldwide. This is a true enterprise-grade system that can scale to very big networks. Zabbix will monitor networks, servers–both local and cloud-based, and the services running on those servers.

Although the product is free, ancillary services can be purchased from Zabbix. Among the most popular are five levels of technical support and a complete certification training program. If you prefer to remain on the free side, community support is also available and very good.

Feature-wise, Zabbix has everything you’d expect from products costing thousands of dollars. Its alerting is second to none and so is its reporting engine. With a price point that is hard to beat, you might want to give Zabbix a try.

Wrapping Up

Windows system monitoring tools let system administrators worry about important things while they take care of watching servers and applications for them. Any of our top 6 best Windows system monitoring tool is an excellent option. More than anything, your choice of platform will be guided by your exact needs and personal preferences. All of our top 6 picks can be tested at no charge so feel free to experiment and try a few to make sure it does what you need.