Monitor your traffic flow, not your stress levels, with PRTG NetFlow collector software
- Get a detailed breakdown of your network traffic
- Catch every bit and byte as it happens
- Receive top-tier NetFlow traffic analysis
Our users give top ratings for monitoring with Paessler PRTG
PRTG makes NetFlow collection easy
Custom alerts and data visualization make it easy to monitor, identify, and prevent issues such as low bandwidth, traffic spikes, and other network performance issues.
Navigate your network streams effortlessly with our NetFlow collector
Having the right tools at your disposal is imperative, and even more so when you monitor critical parameters such as network traffic. Paessler PRTG is exactly that – a powerful, purpose-built tool that uses flow protocols like NetFlow, and more, to highlight the smallest details of your network traffic.
Quickly find the root causes of traffic issues
Discover all your network data stream can tell you with PRTG NetFlow collection software. Is that a misconfigured application hogging your bandwidth? Are users cluttering up the network with media streams?
Leverage our NetFlow collector to quickly identify and troubleshoot these issues before they become a meeting with the CEO.
Monitor your network the way you want to
Configure network monitoring settings to exactly match your network’s needs in scale and complexity. No more nightmare of trying to shoehorn the problem into a sub-standard solution.
The flexibility of PRTG adapts quickly and readily to your infrastructure. Use custom thresholds and set alerts to be delivered the way you want, be it via email, text message, or other method.
Simplify your tools for a stable network
How many monitoring tools do you really need before it’s just too many? Every added tool increases your system’s complexity and creates new blind spots for little bandwidth-sucking issues to hide.
PRTG highlights all the blind spots and cleans out the corners by combining all necessary tools into one comprehensive solution. This reduces complexity and increases your ability to stay on top of your network while keeping the hair you have.
Keep a tight hold on the keys to your network
If you aren’t holding the keys to your network, someone else is. Network security is non-negotiable, and PRTG helps you maintain tight control on the ins and outs of your network traffic.
By encrypting all data flows and utilizing real-time traffic analysis, PRTG acts as a guard dog on high alert, notifying you instantly of any suspicious activities before they can get out of hand.
What collecting NetFlows looks like in PRTG
Diagnose network issues by continuously monitoring your network traffic via NetFlow. Show the IP addresses, ports, and protocols that are eating up your bandwidth in real time and visualize data in graphic maps & dashboards to identify problems more easily. Gain the visibility you need to troubleshoot issues with your flow network traffic.
Device tree view of the complete monitoring setup
NetFlow v9 sensor in PRTG
Custom PRTG dashboard for keeping an eye on the entire IT infrastructure
Start collecting NetFlows with PRTG and see how it can make your network more reliable and your job easier.
“All-around winning “The real beauty of PRTG is the endless possibilities it offers” “PRTG Network MonitorIT experts agree: Paessler PRTG is a great solution for IT infrastructure monitoring
network monitor”
is very hard to beat”
3 reasons why to choose PRTG as your NetFlow collector tool
Get the entire picture, not just hints
Monitor who is using how much bandwidth, and what they are using it for. Track down that seemingly random traffic spike and put it to rest. Analyze overall usage patterns to find less obvious drains on your network.
With this birds-eye view, you can better manage resources, improve network performance, and plan for future network expansions on the ground.
Skip the growing pains with easy scalability
Scaling with our NetFlow collection software is simple and quick, thanks to its user-friendly design. Perfect for networks of any size, PRTG scales with your needs, ensuring that your critical NetFlow data monitoring and analysis remains robust, whether you’re just starting out or expanding.
Plan ahead to provide for enough bandwidth and devices such as routers and switches to avoid overload and bandwidth bottlenecks.
Proactive alerts are your own spyglass
Spot issues a mile away and foresee business-critical failures before they happen with PRTG’s advanced alerts. You’re notified immediately of anything out of the ordinary in your NetFlow data, such as unexpected traffic spikes or unusual data patterns.
This proactive approach helps you mitigate issues swiftly and maintain smooth and reliable network operations.
How to collect and analyze NetFlows with PRTG
Use our built-in PRTG sensors for NetFlow monitoring that come with every PRTG license out of the box. Each sensor lets you break down traffic into the top talkers, top connections, and top protocols in your network to find out which device is using up your bandwidth.
NetFlow v5
NetFlow v5 is in widespread use. With PRTG, you get a preconfigured NetFlow v5 sensor as well as a NetFlow v5 (Custom) sensor for devices that have NetFlow v5 enabled.
NetFlow v9
NetFlow v9 is an advanced form of the NetFlow technology. PRTG provides you with the preconfigured NetFlow v9 and NetFlow v9 (Custom) sensor for devices that have NetFlow v9 enabled.
IPFIX
Internet Protocol Flow Information Export (IPFIX) is an advanced form of Cisco's NetFlow technology. PRTG offers two preconfigured sensors: the IPFIX and the IPFIX (Custom) sensor.
Your NetFlow collector at a glance – even on the go
Set up PRTG in minutes and use it on almost any mobile device.
Easily find the source of the problem with our PRTG NetFlow collector
Real-time alerts and custom notifications make it easy to solve issues with bandwidth hogs in your network infrastructure.
PRTG is compatible with all major vendors, products, and systems
Create innovative solutions with Paessler’s partners
Partnering with innovative vendors, Paessler unleashes synergies to create
new and additional benefits for joined customers.
With ScriptRunner, Paessler integrates a powerful event automation platform into PRTG Network Monitor.
ScriptRunner
“Excellent tool for detailed monitoring. Alarms and notifications work greatly. Equipment addition is straight forward and server initial setup is very easy. ...feel safe to purchase it if you intend to monitor a large networking landscape.”
Infrastructure and Operations Engineer in the Communications Industry, firm size 10B - 30B USD
PRTG makes NetFlow collection easy
Custom alerts and data visualization make it easy to monitor, identify, and prevent issues such as low bandwidth, traffic spikes, and other network performance issues.
NetFlow collector: FAQ
What is NetFlow?
NetFlow is a protocol for collecting, aggregating, and recording traffic, or flow* data, in a network. This data provides a more granular view of how bandwidth and network traffic are being used when compared to other solutions.
The protocol was developed by Cisco and is embedded in Cisco’s IOS software on the company’s routers and switches. Many other hardware manufacturers either support NetFlow or use alternative technologies.
* A flow is simply a way of grouping a unidirectional stream of packets into a specific set. These sets can be configured according to matching attributes in each packet including IP source, IP destination, source port, and others.
What is a NetFlow collector?
A NetFlow collector captures, saves, and processes NetFlow data. It’s an application that ingests the flows and organizes the binary data into a numeric format. A NetFlow collector also compresses the size of the NetFlow data and stores the output on a database.
Some of the tools out there are more effective than others at providing in-depth data analysis. And many administrators use one single tool to perform the functions of both a NetFlow collector and NetFlow analyzer – such as Paessler PRTG, the all-in-one monitoring tool for your network.
How does PRTG maintain performance as network size increases?
PRTG is designed to scale efficiently with your network. It utilizes an optimized database architecture and intelligent data sampling techniques to handle high volumes of data without degrading performance. For larger networks, PRTG can distribute monitoring loads across multiple servers to maintain responsiveness and real-time monitoring accuracy.
Can PRTG filter and report on specific NetFlow data elements?
Yes, PRTG allows users to set up customized filters for NetFlow data, enabling you to focus on specific IP addresses, port numbers, or traffic types. This capability is crucial for finding the root causes of issues or monitoring specific aspects of network traffic, such as multicast or peer-to-peer traffic.
What specific security features does PRTG offer for network traffic analysis?
PRTG enhances network security by providing detailed traffic analysis, which can detect anomalous behavior and potential network attacks. Features include encrypted data storage, secure communication channels between sensors and the core server, and comprehensive logging of all network events, which is crucial for forensic analysis and compliance with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA.
Can PRTG do more than collecting NetFlows?
There is a reason why 500,000 users rely on PRTG every day, the monitoring solution for all areas of IT, including database, application, cloud, server, LAN, and SNMP.
So, it’s not just bandwidth and switches – if you’re out to get a NetFlow collector, with PRTG you’re also getting a tool to:
- Monitor specific data sets from your database with individually configured sensors and SQL queries
- Manage all your applications and receive statistics about every application running in your network
- Monitor and manage all your cloud computing services
- Monitor all types of servers in real time regarding availability, accessibility, capacity, and reliability
- Monitor a diverse range of devices using the SNMP functionality of PRTG and help with capacity planning
- And much more
How well does PRTG integrate with existing IT infrastructures and management tools?
PRTG offers extensive native support for popular network devices and applications and a powerful API for custom integrations. This flexibility allows PRTG to fit into any IT infrastructure and interact seamlessly with other management tools and systems, streamlining workflows and enhancing data consistency across your monitoring toolkit.
What is a sensor in PRTG?
In PRTG, “sensors” are the basic monitoring elements. One sensor usually monitors one measured value in your network, for example the traffic of a switch port, the CPU load of a server, or the free space on a disk drive.
On average, you need about 5-10 sensors per device or one sensor per switch port.
PRTG: The multi-tool for sysadmins
Adapt PRTG individually and dynamically to your needs and rely on a strong API:- HTTP API: Access monitoring data and manipulate monitoring objects via HTTP requests
- Custom sensors: Create your own PRTG sensors for customized monitoring
- Custom notifications: Create your own notifications and send action triggers to external systems
- REST Custom sensor: Monitor almost everything that provides data in XML or JSON format
More than just a monitoring tool:
Reasons our customers love PRTG
Paessler PRTG is used by companies of all sizes. Sysadmins love PRTG because it makes their job a whole lot easier. Bandwidth, servers, virtual environments, websites, VoIP services – PRTG keeps an eye on your entire network. Everyone has different monitoring needs. That’s why we let you try PRTG for free.Still not convinced?
More than 500,000
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Monitor your entire IT infrastructure
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Start collecting NetFlows with PRTG and see how it can make your network more reliable and your job easier.
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PRTG |
Network Monitoring Software - Version 24.2.96.1375 (June 26th, 2024) |
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Hosting |
Download for Windows and cloud-based version PRTG Hosted Monitor available |
Languages |
English, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese |
Pricing |
Up to 100 sensors for free (Price List) |
Unified Monitoring |
Network devices, bandwidth, servers, applications, virtual environments, remote systems, IoT, and more |
Supported Vendors & Applications |
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