Finding the Best Virtualization Monitoring Software

Virtualized resources in your network must be monitored differently than traditional hardware. Why? With virtualization, you are working with much less hardware and a whole lot more software.  Thus, there are different needs, because of how these environments will tax your hardware.

The biggest provider of virtualization is VMWare. So it is beneficial to use performance monitoring software that allows you to take a close look at the VMWare application infrastructure, such as the vCenter Server that controls servers with virtualized environments.

Using vCenter Server on its own can be helpful, but you’ll be better off if you use a monitoring package that integrates vCenter with the rest of your network. No one wants to have more software open on their workstation than needed, so an integration of vCenter into existing network monitoring tools can help to reduce complexity where it really isn’t needed.

Plus, since network performance management software already provides a hub for reporting an alert, you can add in your virtualized environments for further integration. Since virtualization is still relatively new and could open a Pandora’s Box of problems down the road, this could really save you potential headaches over time.

As virtualization becomes more prevalent, companies like Cisco are quickly adopting new features to their switches that allow ease of use with virtual machines. Cisco’s Nexus 1000V switches are a great example. They can provide the virtual switch link needed for environments that are provided by VMWare. One problem with this setup is that many engineers become concerned that proper performance monitoring cannot be done with virtual switches. Fortunately, there are solutions for this, allowing easy access to Cisco’s VNLink service, and providing the software for a virtual switch into an environment.

You’ve heard about virtualization and all its benefits, but you hear a lot less about how you are going to properly monitor performance on the hardware and software. Now there are solutions to make sure that you can rest easy, confident that your network is safe.