The 5 best network mapping software for flawless IT security
Mapping your computer network is essential for managing and securing your IT system.
Doing it manually for a large, complex network is a mammoth task. That's why you absolutely need good network mapping software.
👉 We tell you how to choose it, and present the 5 best network mapping software on the market.
What is network mapping?
Network mapping gives you a snapshot at a given moment in time of all the interconnections in your network (peripherals, servers, ports, racks, cables, mobile elements, virtual domains, etc.).
There are 3 types of network card:
- Physical maps : show all network components, right down to ports and sockets.
- Logical maps: these show the network typology (bus, ring, tree, etc.) and data flows between physical elements.
- Functional maps: reproduce application traffic.
In addition to monitoring your network, network mapping enables you to troubleshoot network problems by identifying bottlenecks and unauthorized access, as well as obtaining network performance indicators .
Our comparison of the 5 best network mapping softwares
Comparison table of the 5 best network mapping softwares
1 of 2
 PRTG |  ManageEngine OpManager |
|---|---|
| For all companies | For all companies |
| See software | See software |
| Learn more about PRTG | Learn more about ManageEngine OpManager |
Whatsup Gold
Whatsup Gold is a comprehensive, modular and highly intuitive network monitoring and mapping tool for SMBs and SMEs, helping you to identify and resolve problems on your IT network with ease.
Recognized as an industry leader in the recent G2 Grid report with 8 awards, Whatsup Gold is the benchmark solution for monitoring your network. It guarantees 360° visibility of your applications, peripherals and cloud or on-premise servers, enabling you to identify and fix potential network failures in just a few clicks!
🛠Main features:
- an automatic alert system based on processor, memory, disk and interface usage thresholds,
- monitoring of all your network resources,
- a dashboard updated in real time, showing all your interconnections,
- automatic generation of dynamic maps, etc.
💰 Price: from €1025.74 per year for 50 devices.
✅ Free trial available.
Paessler PRTG Network Monitor
Paessler PRTG Network Monitor provides network and IT infrastructure monitoring for small and medium-sized IT systems. Thanks to highly modular and customizable functionalities, the solution supervises all the systems, devices and applications in your IT infrastructure.
PRTG guarantees your network monitoring via innovative technologies such as SNMP for smooth operation, WMI and Windows Performance Counters, SSH for Linux/Unix and MacOS systems...
🛠Main features:
- Central management console;
- Monitoring tool;
- Flexible and customizable;
- High availability.
💰 Pricing: From €137 per month for 50 devices.
❌ No free trial.
PRTG
Device42
Device42 offers a hybrid solution for mapping and detecting connections to your IT infrastructure. Present in over 60 countries, it is one of the most widely used tools on the market.
Flexible and intuitive, the solution groups discovered workloads by application affinity, considerably reducing the effort required to create transfer groups, thus capturing all communications.
🛠Main features:
- Intelligent mapping;
- Advanced analysis ;
- Intuitive configuration creation;
- Impact diagram visualization for risk reduction.
💰 Price : Price on request.
✅ Free trial available.
Intermapper
Intermapper is the mapping software from Frotra. It features a user-friendly interface for automatic network mapping. The tool includes real-time supervision functionality with a complete view of your infrastructure.
It is aimed at IT and network professionals from organizations of all sizes who use the tool with the aim of keeping their physical and virtual devices in operation.
🛠Main features:
- Automatic discovery of all IP addresses;
- Creation of customized maps ;
- Network probes;
- Real-time alerting.
💰 Price : From €1269.60 per year for 25 supervised IP elements.
❌ No free trial.
ManageEngine OpManager
Manage Engine's OpManager software monitors routers, firewalls, virtual machines and servers. It helps you avoid breakdowns and boost performance.
A recognized tool on the market, it gives you a global view of your IT infrastructure in addition to e-mail/text alerts, workflow automation systems , customized reports and screenshots.
🛠Main features:
- Monitoring of physical and virtual servers as well as WAN links;
- Easy to configure;
- Customizable dashboards;
- Network analysis and alerts.
💰 Price: from €214.98 per month for 25 devices.
✅ No free trial, but a free demo.
ManageEngine OpManager
How to choose your network mapping tool: selection criteria
Summary table of the 5 best network mapping programs
| Software | Type of user | Strengths | 3 Key features | Entry price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WhatsUp Gold | SMB & Enterprise | Intuitive graphical interface | - Dynamic mapping - Real-time monitoring - Customized alerts |
From €1025.74 per year |
| Paessler PRTG | Companies of all sizes | Generous freemium model | - Auto-discovery - Customized dashboards - Network, server and cloud monitoring |
From €137 per month |
| Device42 | Complex IT enterprises | Great for IT documentation | - Automatic mapping - Dependency management - ITSM/CMDB integration |
On request |
| Intermapper | SMB & MSP | Highly detailed real-time visualization | - Live network mapping - Threshold alert - SNMP support |
From €1269.60 per year |
| ManageEngine OpManager | Medium-sized and large companies | Complete monitoring solution | - Automatic discovery - Visual mapping - Network/server performance monitoring |
From €214.98 per month |
Our 7 tips to suit your needs
You've decided to make the switch from manual mapping to automatic mapping. But to be really useful, the tool you choose must have the following features:
Criteria 1: a network scanner
Managing IP addresses is clearly one of the most complex tasks for a network administrator. If your software has to offer just one feature, this is it.
👉 The automatic scanner will enable you to obtain a list of devices connected to your computer network. The tool is also very useful when you've lost the IP address of a host or piece of equipment.
Criteria 2: An automation function for periodic scanning
The more complex your network, the more difficult it is for your teams to manage. Automating periodic mapping is therefore a guarantee of efficiency and reliability.
👉 What's more, manually programming a scanner is a low-value-added process; you might as well delegate it to software. Your mapping software must therefore absolutely include an automation function.
Criterion 3: ease of use
This may seem like a secondary criterion, but it's actually essential. Mapping software must be easy to use. The application must be there to save you time, so you can get on with more important tasks.
👉 It's out of the question to spend hours deciphering a diagram or trying to figure out how to program a network scan. Let's face it, good mapping software has to be ergonomic.
Criterion 4: a network mapper
Mapping a network drive gives you access to files and applications on another computer in the network. By mapping it, you'll never have to look for it again.
👉This function is useful if you have shared needs in your company. It gives all employees access to the same resources.
Criteria 5: Intuitive customization
To save time and resources, the software must be usable by all members of the IT department, regardless of when they joined the company. It must also be usable without extensive training by the software publisher.
Criterion 6: Responsive helpdesk support
This criterion complements the previous one. Again with a view to optimization, it is important to be able to contact the software publisher's support service at any time .
👉 It's best to opt for 24/7 technical support. You should also check the software publisher's commitment to response times. It would be a shame to pay for 24/7 support and have to wait several hours for a response.
Criterion 7: An effective monitoring and alerting tool
Organizations can no longer afford to have their IT network blocked. Business interruption can be very costly.
👉Your network mapping software must include a monitoring and alert system. This will enable you to anticipate problems, diagnose them quickly and take action in good time.
How does network mapping work?
Network mapping is based on a simple principle: visualize the invisible. It scans your infrastructure to detect all connected equipment such as servers, routers, switches, workstations, printers and so on. Then, it displays them in the form of a dynamic diagram, like an interactive map.
Behind this apparent simplicity lie several technical building blocks:
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automatic scanning (often via SNMP, ICMP, WMI or SSH) to identify active devices ;
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analysis of the relationships between these devices (who talks to whom, via which ports, using which protocols);
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visual modeling: nodes and links are organized according to their role, location or criticality level;
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real-time updating: some tools monitor changes (new devices, breakdowns, saturation, etc.) and update the map continuously.
This process not only gains visibility, but also prevents incidents,optimizes network performance and enhances security.
📌 Example of network mapping:
Network mapping software at a glance
- Network mapping software is indispensable for all companies, whatever their size.
- The tool enables interconnections to be analyzed, problems to be detected in good time, and the computer system to be troubleshooted quickly to avoid any loss of operations or important information.
- There are many different mapping software packages on the market. To make a choice, it is necessary to use simple criteria. The software must include several functionalities, including a scanner, a mapper, an alert system and automated checks. The publisher must offer technical support. Finally, the software must be easy to use.
Article translated from French