Nagios, lots of network management for nothing

All versions support an unlimited number of devices and provide basic auto discovery and configuration and agent-based or agent-less availability and performance monitoring of servers, devices and applications.

The Professional version is the Community Edition with enhanced application and device discovery and configuration, best practice monitoring profiles, support for multiple data sources (such as traps, logs and WMI), reporting and exception analysis, an event monitoring console, role-based dashboards and builder, and SLA reporting along with support and training.

The Enterprise version includes topology discovery, protocol analysis, traffic graphing, standby server support and distributed monitoring services.

Groundwork Monitor Community Edition 5.0 was reviewed in a Network World comparative test just over a year ago, and while the reviewer didn't dislike the product he assessed it as "an entry-level monitoring and management tool," awarding third place out of the three products tested.

The latest version of Groundwork Monitor, Version 5.2, also used in the virtual appliance, is much improved. as we'll see next week.