Network Monitoring Trends 2025

Here’s the deal: the Internet is flooded with articles telling you to “do this” or “try that.” This isn’t one of those. Instead, we’re bringing you a fair market analysis straight from our team of network experts, who collectively have over 30 years of experience in network monitoring.

We’ve watched the industry evolve – from the rise of legacy solutions to the shift away from big telcos – and we’re here to share what’s really happening behind the scenes. Whether you’re a network pro or just looking for a better way to manage your infrastructure, these are the trends shaping network monitoring in 2025.

This isn’t just about monitoring your network – it’s about understanding where the industry is headed and which tools are leading the charge. Let’s dive in.

If there’s one trend reshaping the network monitoring world, it’s the move away from on-premise solutions toward SaaS (Software-as-a-Service). And this shift isn’t just hype – it’s a practical response to how businesses operate today.

Take a look at the big tech acquisitions we’ve seen recently: HP's partnership with VMware, Broadcom's acquisition of AppNeta, and Turn/River Capital investing in PRTG. These moves signal a clear direction. The old-school model of software licenses, clunky on-prem deployments, and endless manual updates are fading fast. SaaS is taking over, and for good reason.

The SaaS model offers a level of convenience and flexibility that on-prem solutions just can’t match. With SaaS, there’s no need for extensive hardware installations or complex setups. Updates happen automatically in the background, and you can scale your solution as your business grows – all without breaking a sweat.

Companies like Obkio were built as pure SaaS solutions from day one. That means they’re not trying to retrofit old technology into the cloud – they’re purpose-built for this modern, flexible approach.

Tools like PRTG, on the other hand, are working to pivot from legacy systems to a SaaS model – a transition that's proving costly. As they phase out on-premise solutions and adapt to SaaS, they’re increasing their already high prices to support these changes and recoup losses from eliminating perpetual licensing models. This Reddit post highlights PRTG’s shift away from perpetual licenses and the challenges it poses for users: PRTG is ditching its perpetual licensing model. While traditional tools are playing catch-up, pure SaaS solutions like Obkio are already delivering faster, easier, and more cost-efficient results.

When it comes to network monitoring, your main decision boils down to two options:

1. SaaS solutions like Obkio
2. Open-source tools like Nagios or Zabbix

Each has its pros and cons.

Open-source tools are great if you’re a tech-savvy, cost-conscious user who doesn’t mind rolling up your sleeves for some heavy configuration.

But let’s be real – most businesses need something simple and reliable that works out of the box. That’s where SaaS shines.

The Benefits of SaaS

SaaS isn’t just about ease of use—it’s about staying ahead in a fast-paced industry. Here’s why SaaS solutions like Obkio are leading the charge:

• Simplicity: SaaS tools come with modern interfaces that make monitoring and troubleshooting a breeze. You don’t need a dedicated IT team to figure it out.
• Cost-Effectiveness: While open-source tools might seem cheaper upfront, the time and effort required to maintain them can add up. With SaaS, you’re paying for a streamlined, ready-to-go experience.
• Scalability: Whether you’re a small business or a growing enterprise, SaaS can scale with you seamlessly.
• Tailored Features: Pure SaaS solutions are built with specific needs in mind – like network performance monitoring and troubleshooting – without the bloat of unnecessary features you’ll never use.

If you’re looking for a network monitoring solution that prioritizes performance, ease of use, and affordability, a pure SaaS tool like Obkio is the way to go. It’s not just about keeping up with the trend – it’s about staying ahead of the curve.

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In the second half of the 2020s, one thing has become crystal clear: the shift to the cloud is inevitable. It's not about if businesses will embrace cloud solutions – it’s about when. This trend isn’t just reshaping industries; it’s redefining how companies operate, innovate, and compete.

When we say “everything over-the-top,” we’re talking about cloud-based solutions designed to work independently of the underlying infrastructure. Think of platforms like Netflix or Zoom – they don’t care if you’re on fibre, satellite, or DSL. They’re built to deliver performance no matter what, and the same principle is being applied to network monitoring.

Businesses want solutions that aren’t tied to legacy systems or proprietary hardware. Instead, they want tools that offer flexibility, scalability, and seamless integration with their increasingly cloud-centric environments.

The reluctance to go all-in on the cloud often comes from fear about security. But from experience, it is fair to say that companies that avoid the cloud for security reasons usually lack the expertise to manage it effectively. Cloud providers like AWS, Google Cloud and others have poured billions into developing security measures that are lightyears ahead of what most on-prem setups can offer.

In the network monitoring space, this trend is particularly significant. As discussed earlier, even traditional on-premise solutions like PRTG are pivoting to SaaS, signalling that the future is undeniably cloud-based.

With businesses racing to the cloud, your network monitoring tools need to keep up. Here’s why:

• Cloud Environments Are Dynamic: The cloud is all about flexibility, but that also means your network performance can fluctuate in ways that traditional monitoring tools can’t handle. You need a tool that’s purpose-built to monitor cloud-based networks.
• Visibility Across Hybrid Setups: Most businesses aren’t 100% cloud yet – they’re managing hybrid environments with both on-prem and cloud components. And such over-the-top monitoring solutions provide needed visibility across the entire infrastructure.
• Proactive Troubleshooting: Cloud environments introduce unique challenges, and reactive monitoring simply isn’t enough. Over-the-top tools like Obkio excel in identifying issues before they affect end-users.

Unlike legacy tools trying to bolt on cloud capabilities, Obkio was designed from the ground up to handle cloud environments. Here’s what sets it apart:

• Tailor-Made for the Cloud: Whether you’re running SaaS applications, hybrid setups, or multi-cloud environments, Obkio provides the visibility you need.
• User-Friendly Yet Powerful: You don’t need to be a network engineer to use Obkio. Its modern interface makes it easy to set up and start monitoring right away.
• Focused on Performance: Unlike tools that overwhelm you with unnecessary alerts, Obkio zeroes in on the issues that matter most to your end-users – like slow applications or laggy connections.

As businesses continue their cloud journey, over-the-top solutions will become the standard – not the exception. And if you want to stay ahead, you need a monitoring tool that’s as dynamic and flexible as the cloud itself.

Today’s IT teams are juggling a mix of responsibilities – managing infrastructure, securing systems, and supporting business operations – all while facing a growing shortage of skilled network professionals. Many experienced network pros are pivoting to security roles or are expected to wear multiple hats, leaving businesses scrambling for expertise in network management.

So, what does this mean for companies? It’s simple: having a tool that just tells you whether your network is up or down isn’t enough anymore. The real game-changer is finding a solution that not only monitors your network but also helps you troubleshoot and fix issues when they happen.

Imagine this: Your network goes down, and all you know is that something isn’t working. That’s where basic monitoring tools stop – they alert you to a problem but leave you hanging when it comes to solving it.

Businesses need tools that go beyond simple status updates. They need solutions that dig into the data, pinpoint the root cause of issues, and guide teams through troubleshooting and resolution. This is especially critical for organizations without in-house network experts. Many businesses simply lack the internal expertise for network troubleshooting, and relying on your MSP often isn't a viable solution – especially when the problem isn't on their end or you don't have the evidence to prove where the issue lies. The right tools empower businesses to take control of their networks and resolve issues proactively, rather than waiting for external support.

More traditional Network Management Solutions, like SolarWinds for exxample, try to be everything for everyone. They pack in countless features, many of which you’ll never use. But here’s the catch:

• These “Swiss Army knife” solutions are expensive and often overwhelming.
• They’re hard to deploy and require a steep learning curve.
• You end up paying for features you don’t need while struggling to use the ones you do.

In contrast, Obkio takes the “scalpel” approach – it’s designed specifically for network performance monitoring and troubleshooting. You get exactly what you need without the extra baggage.

Other niche solutions like Kentik and ThousandEyes are gaining traction for their focus on network monitoring. But while they’re powerful, they can be expensive and overly complex for many businesses. Their deployment processes are often lengthy and not designed with non-IT professionals in mind, making them challenging for teams without dedicated technical expertise to implement and manage effectively.

Obkio offers a different approach:

• Tailor-Made for Troubleshooting: Obkio isn’t just a monitoring tool; it’s a troubleshooting powerhouse. It analyzes your network data, identifies performance bottlenecks, and guides you through resolving issues.
• Affordable and Easy to Use: Unlike other niche solutions, Obkio is designed to be both cost-effective and user-friendly. You don’t need a degree in networking to get started.
• Focus on Network Performance: Obkio zeroes in on what matters most – ensuring your network is performing at its best and resolving issues before they impact your users.

With fewer network specialists on hand, businesses need solutions that bridge the gap. Obkio is built to empower teams to troubleshoot issues efficiently, even without deep technical expertise.

Here’s how:

• Proactive Insights: Instead of waiting for users to complain, Obkio helps you detect and address problems before they escalate.
• Simplified Interface: Designed for ease of use, Obkio makes troubleshooting accessible to anyone on your team.
• Cost-Effective Performance: Obkio delivers powerful troubleshooting capabilities at a fraction of the cost of other niche tools.

Obkio's solution is designed to be the easiest network monitoring tool on the market, making it the ideal choice for businesses of all sizes, from IT professionals working from home to managing the complexities of large-scale corporate networks.

• 14-Day Proof Of Concept
• Single and home offices
• SMEs with less than 3 locations
• Mid to large multisite networks
• MSPs & large businesses
• Non-Profit Organizations
• Colleges and Universities

Check out our plans, all available with a free 14-day trial, no credit card is required!

As businesses continue to embrace over-the-top cloud solutions, the migration toward SD-WAN is picking up speed. It’s no surprise – SD-WAN is tailor-made for today’s dynamic, cloud-centric environments. It promises flexibility, cost savings, and better performance for distributed networks. But here’s the catch: while SD-WAN solutions offer some built-in visibility, they often fall short when it comes to comprehensive network troubleshooting.

In the past, businesses relied on MPLS for secure and reliable connections. However, with the rise of remote work, cloud applications, and decentralized networks, SD-WAN has emerged as the go-to solution for modern businesses. It uses software to manage and optimize network traffic, making it ideal for multi-site organizations.

However, while SD-WAN excels in delivering connectivity, it doesn’t always provide the deep network visibility businesses need.

When companies adopt SD-WAN, they often rely on the integrated monitoring features provided by their SD-WAN vendor. While these tools can monitor basic performance metrics, they tend to have significant limitations:

1. Vendor Bias: Built-in SD-WAN monitoring tools are designed for vendor-specific metrics, which means they may overlook broader network performance issues. They can also fail to detect problems on the vendor's side, such as performance falling short of SLA requirements, leaving businesses without the visibility needed to hold vendors accountable. 2. Limited Troubleshooting Capabilities: These tools often lack the granularity needed to identify and resolve complex network problems. 3. Lack of Flexibility: Integrated tools are usually not customizable or capable of providing insights beyond the SD-WAN layer.

This leaves businesses with a blind spot – without the right visibility, they can’t troubleshoot effectively or ensure optimal network performance. It also makes it difficult to confirm whether the SD-WAN vendor is delivering the promised level of performance, leaving businesses unsure if they’re truly getting the value they paid for with their SD-WAN investment.

This is where solutions like Obkio step in. Unlike vendor-provided monitoring tools, Obkio offers a vendor-neutral platform designed to give businesses complete visibility into their entire network. Here’s why this matters:

• End-to-End Visibility: Obkio monitors every segment of your network, from local connections to cloud services, ensuring no blind spots.
• Proactive Troubleshooting: With features like real-time alerts, historical performance data, and detailed diagnostics, Obkio helps businesses resolve issues before they impact users.
• Customizable and Scalable: Obkio adapts to your unique network setup, whether it’s a small branch office or a global enterprise.

Adopting SD-WAN is a step in the right direction, but it’s only half the battle. To truly unlock its potential, businesses need a monitoring solution that goes beyond vendor-provided tools.

With Obkio, you get the visibility and troubleshooting capabilities you need to ensure your SD-WAN deployment runs smoothly before, during and after the migration. Whether you’re experiencing latency, packet loss, or other network issues, Obkio helps you pinpoint and resolve problems quickly – keeping your network and your migration on track.

As SD-WAN adoption grows, don’t settle for limited monitoring. Choose a solution that gives you the control and confidence you need to thrive.

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Remember when telecom companies were at the heart of everything? They were the backbone of communication and technology, the gatekeepers of connectivity. But times have changed. The telecom industry is struggling, and as they fight to stay relevant, it’s becoming clear: relying on telcos for anything beyond the basics isn’t a sustainable strategy.

Telecom companies are no longer the giants they once were. They’re losing ground to disruptive players like Starlink and other innovative providers. Telecommunication has become a loss leader for many telcos, forcing them to find ways to cut costs or upsell services to stay afloat.

Take network monitoring, for instance. Telcos are trying to position themselves as your all-in-one provider, offering monitoring services on top of their connectivity solutions. But let’s be honest – are they really up to the task?

If you’re expecting your telco to proactively monitor your network performance and resolve issues, you’re in for a disappointment. Here’s why:

1. Minimal Investment: Telcos are under financial pressure, so they’re not prioritizing investments in cutting-edge monitoring tools or dedicated resources to ensure your network runs smoothly.
2. Reactive, Not Proactive: Telcos typically respond to problems only after they’ve occurred, leaving you to deal with downtime or degraded performance in the meantime.
3. One-Size-Fits-All Approach: Many business customers now receive the same level of service as residential users. The personalized, high-quality support businesses need is often absent and they also don't have internal network experts to actually troubleshoot issues.

To stay afloat, telcos are buying up smaller competitors, trying to monopolize markets and eliminate alternatives. But this strategy doesn’t benefit you – it’s about them rationalizing their costs, not adding value to your business.

Meanwhile, the rise of cheaper circuits adds even more strain to their already stretched resources. They’re cutting corners wherever they can, and it’s you who ends up paying the price in poor service quality.

The harsh truth is that telcos are not in the business of helping you optimize your network performance. They’re in survival mode, and your network issues are not their priority.

Unlike telcos, Obkio is laser-focused on delivering exceptional network performance monitoring and troubleshooting. With Obkio, you’re in control:

• Real-Time Visibility: Monitor every aspect of your network, from latency to packet loss, with pinpoint accuracy.
• Identify Performance Issues: Whether they're happening in your network or your Service Provider's network, get the data you need to troubleshoot internally or externally.
• User-Friendly Features: No technical expertise? No problem. Obkio’s intuitive interface makes it easy to get started and stay on top of your network.
• Cost-Effective: Skip the upsells and overpriced bundles – Obkio gives you the tools you need at a fraction of the cost.

The decline of telcos signals one thing loud and clear: businesses need to take ownership of their network performance.

Waiting for your telco to step up isn’t just wishful thinking – it’s a risk you can’t afford.

If your network monitoring solution is only checking whether your network is “up or down,” you’re stuck in the past. This kind of monitoring worked in 2010, but in 2025, it’s no longer enough. Why? Because downtime isn’t the only issue that impacts your business anymore.

What really gets users frustrated is a network that’s slow, laggy, or inconsistent – not necessarily one that’s outright unavailable.

Imagine this: You’re in a crucial Microsoft Teams meeting. The app isn’t down, but every few seconds, there’s lag, poor audio quality, or frozen video. Are you going to say, “Oh, well, at least it’s up!”? Of course not.

This is the core of network performance monitoring: not just whether something works, but whether it works well.

Traditional monitoring solutions focus on devices – checking if they’re powered on and connected. But network performance isn’t about devices; it’s about the end-user experience. Your users don’t care about the health of your routers or switches – they care if their apps are responsive, their calls are clear, and their workflows are uninterrupted.

Relying solely on availability monitoring has major pitfalls:

1. False Alerts Overload: Device monitoring can trigger endless alerts for minor issues that don’t affect end users. This overwhelms IT teams, causing them to waste time chasing problems that don’t matter.
2. Blind Spots in Performance: A network could be “up” but still underperform, leading to slow apps, poor video quality, and unhappy users.
3. Reactive, Not Proactive: Availability monitoring tells you there’s a problem only after something breaks. Performance monitoring helps you spot and fix issues before they escalate.

The new era of monitoring revolves around how your network impacts people – not just hardware. A good solution prioritizes performance metrics like latency, packet loss, and jitter because these are the real culprits behind poor user experiences.

Take it from your users. They’re not complaining about the server room’s uptime stats. They’re frustrated about the lag in their apps, the slow file uploads, or the choppy video calls.

Another issue with traditional monitoring is the constant flood of false alerts. IT teams are bombarded with notifications that aren’t relevant to the end-user experience, making it harder to focus on the real problems.

With a solution like Obkio, you can avoid this chaos. Obkio’s alert system is fine-tuned to notify you only about issues that actually affect end users, cutting through the noise and allowing you to prioritize what matters.

Here’s why performance monitoring should be your top priority:

• Proactive Troubleshooting: Identify performance issues early and fix them before they impact users.
• User Satisfaction: Keep employees and customers happy by delivering a seamless network experience.
• Business Continuity: Avoid downtime and performance dips that disrupt productivity and revenue.

Unlike outdated solutions that focus on network availability, Obkio is built for performance monitoring:

• End-User Focus: Obkio’s tools measure how the network feels to users, not just whether devices are online.
• Actionable Alerts: Get notified only about meaningful issues, saving time and eliminating unnecessary distractions.
• Proactive Insights: Monitor latency, jitter, packet loss, and other key metrics to detect and resolve performance issues before users even notice.

Users don’t care if your devices are running smoothly – they care if their work is uninterrupted and their experience is flawless. By switching to a performance-focused solution like Obkio, you can ensure your network isn’t just up – it’s delivering the speed, reliability, and quality your users expect.

For businesses navigating network monitoring trends in 2025, the key takeaway is clear: your choice of network monitoring tools will play a critical role in your ability to adapt, compete, and thrive in this dynamic era. Whether you’re managing hybrid setups, optimizing cloud environments, or troubleshooting complex issues, the right tools can empower your team to tackle challenges proactively and efficiently.

The future of network monitoring isn’t just about keeping up – it’s about leading the way.

Ready to future-proof your network? Explore Obkio’s powerful yet user-friendly monitoring and troubleshooting solutions with a 14-day free trial – no credit card required. Start monitoring smarter, not harder.

• 14-day free trial of all premium features
• Deploy in just 10 minutes
• Monitor performance in all key network locations
• Measure real-time network metrics
• Identify and troubleshoot live network problems