Cisco's Network Magic was a handy and easy-to-use program for individuals and organizations. It helped to diagnose problems in their respective networks and address them at the earliest. Its DIY tools eliminated the need for expensive technical consultants and, at the same time, came with advanced security features such as robust intrusion prevention and comprehensive monitoring.
However, Cisco stopped providing updates to this tool as it turned its focus towards intelligent Wi-Fi routers. As a result, though you can still use Network Magic, it's outdated, and Cisco provides no support whatsoever. So, if you run into problems, there's no help.
For this reason, many Network Magic users have moved to its alternatives, and we'll take a look at some of them in this article.
Here’s our list of the best alternatives for Cisco Network Μagic:
- SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor- FREE TRIAL A comprehensive monitoring tool that works across multiple vendors and scales well with your network and business needs. It comes with a host of features to give you the flexibility required to run your business.
- SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager – FREE TRIAL Another comprehensive tool from SolarWinds that gives insights into the performance of your network infrastructure. It comes with many easy-to-use features that help you stay on top of your network's performance and availability.
- ManageEngine RMM Central – FREE TRIAL Great alternative for medium to large-scale networks looking to support their Windows or Linux endpoints and network.
- Paessler PRTG Network Monitor A comprehensive solution for monitoring your network infrastructure and all e devices and components in it. This sensor-based tool uses various sensors to monitor different aspects of your network infrastructure.
- Atera RMM Specializes in providing remote monitoring and management, along with a powerful ticketing and CRM system to give complete control over different aspects of your IT system.
- Spiceworks IP Scanner Automatically scans devices within an IP range and provides detailed hardware and software information about them. It also sends alerts in case of vulnerabilities or potential problems.
- Advanced IP Scanner A free and reliable network scanning tool that analyzes the LAN and provides detailed information on the health and performance of devices on the network.
- HomeNet Manager A simple tool used to scan home networks that typically have about two to three devices connected to them.
- SentinelAgent An ultralight cloud-based monitoring solution designed primarily for Windows platforms.
- Axence NetTools A set of ten tools for network scanning and monitoring. It includes NetWatch, Network Port and Service Scanner, WinTools, TCP/IP Workshop, and SNMP Browser, Traceroute, NetStat, Local info, Lookup, Bandwidth, and NetCheck.
The Best Cisco Network Magic Alternatives
Let's take a detailed look into the features, pricing, and free trials that each product may offer.
1. SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor – FREE TRIAL
Network Performance Monitor from SolarWinds is a comprehensive monitoring tool that works across multiple vendors and scales well with your network and business needs. In addition, it comes with a host of features to give you the flexibility required to run your business.
Features
Here's a look at what this tool offers.
- Monitors and analyzes the availability of all Cisco devices, thereby making it a good alternative for Cisco Network Magic
- Visualizes the network path from source to destination with NetPath
- Provides deep packet inspection to give you a better idea of the reasons for network slowdown
- Monitors and analyzes the availability and performance of Huawei NetStream
- Comes with a multi-vendor LAN monitor to monitors networks of any size
- The Link Analysis tool helps you to view the entire path of the packets, from source to destination
- Monitors router traffic for many vendors
- Gives a snapshot of all the monitoring metrics in a single dashboard
- Measures the effectiveness of WAN optimization tools
- Monitors the Cisco ACI Environment to track down problems
- Analyzes all network issues and gives you the insights to understand the root-cause
- Checks for network availability and performance issues, and accordingly sends notifications through many channels
- Comes with a network browser to automatically monitor your network from anywhere
- Keeps track of your equipment usage
- Automatically discovers, scans, and maps your network devices
- Diagnoses and troubleshoots network issues
- Creates graphs, tables, and views to give you in-depth information
- Monitors and manages your firewall infrastructure
- Provides network insights for Cisco Nexus, including the critical data center switches
- Stays on top of the health and performance of F5 BIG-IP
- Identifies the source of network latency problems
- Enables you to create custom heat maps and visual packet paths
- Helps you to get to the root cause of a problem with intelligent alerts and insights
- Generate network performance reports at pre-configured schedules
- Its reports give an overview and, at the same time, drills down to the specifics
- Provides complete visibility to the entire network
- Optimizes critical processes for improved network performance
- Gives the root cause of poor end-user experience so that you can fix it right away
- Uses network sniffer to automatically monitors networks and applications
Pros:
- Takes a holistic approach to server performance and health monitoring
- Supports auto-discovery that builds network topology maps and inventory lists in real-time based on devices that enter the network
- Supports both SNMP monitoring as well as packet analysis, giving you more control over monitoring than similar tools
- Uses drag and drop widgets to customize the look and feel of the dashboard
- Robust reporting system with pre-configured compliance templates
Cons:
- Designed for IT professionals, not the best option for non-technical users
Pricing: Starts at $1,638
Download: Click here for a fully functional 30-day free trial.
2. SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager – FREE TRIAL
Network Configuration Manager is another comprehensive tool from SolarWinds that gives insights into the performance of your network infrastructure. It comes with many easy-to-use features that help you stay on top of your network's performance and availability.
Features
The salient features of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager are:
- Ensures high levels of network availability and reliability
- Automatically backs up, monitors finds, and restores router and switch configurations
- Simplifies device configuration management
- Manages switch configuration tasks to increase productivity
- Continuously monitors changes and ensures that your system quickly recovers from misconfigurations
- Identifies and resolves configuration drifts
- Compares configurations for routers and switches
- Helps device configuration changes
- Maintains the up-to-date inventory of all network devices
- Eliminates the need for manual device inventory
- Saves time by using an automated network configuration
- Reduces the time and effort needed for handling network configuration changes
- Improves reliability in handling network issues
- Optimizes the performance of your network infrastructure
- Fixes network vulnerabilities
- Provides real-time alerting
- Handles VLAN configuration and troubleshooting
Pros:
- Built for medium to enterprise-size networks, with features designed to streamline troubleshooting and revert config settings quickly
- Can automatically discover new devices on the network and provide templated health reports for immediate insights upon installation
- Offers configuration management, allowing teams to quickly backup and restore changes that may have impacted performance
- Can monitor settings for unauthorized changes and specific teams or managers
Cons:
- Not designed for home networks, this is an enterprise tool built for system administrators and network technicians
Pricing: Starts at $1,687
Download: Click here for a fully functional 30-day free trial.
3. ManageEngine RMM Central – FREE TRIAL
ManageEngine RMM Central allows administrators to monitor their hardware, software, and network assets all in one convenient location. Using lightweight agents, the platform builds a continuous list of your assets and begins monitoring their performance and health.
Key Features
- Can manage virtually any device across a variety of networks
- Supports native remote device access
- Includes a variety of automated and manual troubleshooting tools
Administrators can deploy patches to Windows and Linux operating systems as well as manage patching for over 1000 popular applications. If you manage company mobile devices or support a BYOD environment, RMM can help you manage these assets as well.
Sysadmins can choose from over 100 reporting templates to get started, or build their own custom SLAs and pair them with an alert, or automation. While anyone can use RMM Central, I find its features are best for MSPs and large network environments.
Pros:
- Features a suite of automated and manual monitoring tools for various helpdesk needs
- Can be installed on both Windows and Linux platforms, making it more flexible than other on-premise options
- Offers in-depth reporting, ideal for enterprise management or MSPs
Cons:
- ManageEngine provides a suite of monitoring tools that can take time to learn and understand fully
Download: Click here for a fully functional 30-day free trial.
4. Paessler PRTG Network Monitor
Paessler PRTG Network Monitor is a comprehensive solution for monitoring your network infrastructure and all e devices and components in it. This sensor-based tool uses various sensors to monitor different aspects of your network infrastructure.
Features
Here's a look at the features of PRTG.
- Identifies weak spots and sends a report so that you can fix them at the earliest
- Handles Windows event log monitoring
- Calculates server workload and performance of SharePoint
- Monitors SQL, Exchange, and server software
- Stays on top of the health and performance of every standard application, including cloud and virtualized environments
- Checks backups and notifies of incorrect ones
- Optimizes the use of resources for Citrix XenServer and other virtual machines
- Monitors the availability, performance, and delivery of email servers
- Displays the critical status values of Hyper-V host
- Monitors every aspect of IIS servers
- Keeps a constant eye on Linux-based networks
- Supports protocols such as POP3, IMAP, and SMTP
- Detects loopholes and informs your right away
- Uses WMI, performance counters, and SNMP to monitor Windows servers
- Works well on Windows, Linux, and macOS
- Supports nine languages, including Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Spanish, German, French, English, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese
Pros:
- Uses a combination of packet sniffing, WMI, and SNMP to report network performance as well as discover new devices
- Autodiscovery reflects the latest inventory changes almost instantaneously
- Drag and drop editor makes it easy to build custom views and reports
- Supports a wide range of alert mediums such as SMS, email, and third-party integration
- Supports a freeware version
Cons:
- Is a very comprehensive platform with many features and moving parts that require time to learn
Pricing: The cost depends on the number of sensors you use. Typically, one sensor monitors one aspect of a device, such as CPU load, memory usage, etc.
The first 100 sensors are free.
Download: Click here for an unlimited free trial for 30 days. At the end of this period, you can upgrade to the paid version or go for the free plan.
5. Atera Remote Monitoring and Management
Atera's Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tool specializes in providing remote monitoring and management, along with a powerful ticketing and CRM system to give complete control over different aspects of your IT system.
Features
Some of the critical features of this tool are:
- Offers complete visibility and control to multiple networks of any size and complexity
- Sends notifications in real-time about potential problems so that they can be fixed at the earliest
- Comes with pre-configured administrative and maintenance tasks that can be applied to both servers and workstations
- Quick and easy to configure
- Automates patch management
- Provides a suite of remote maintenance tools
- Integrates with Splashtop to help you provide instant remote support
- Gathers network and asset information
- Tracks health and performance of networks and devices and generates intuitive reports to gain excellent visibility
- Provides complete log activity
- Works well for the Mac environment as well
- Offers automatic OID monitoring on Linux-based devices
Pros:
- Lightweight cloud-based tool
- Built with MSPs in mind, and includes RMM and PSA tools built-in
- The framework is highly customizable, making Atera extremely flexible
- Can scale and support multiple databases in a multi-tenant environment
- Packaged pricing makes Atera accessible to any size business
Cons:
- Atera is MSP focused, smaller organizations may not use all multi-tenant features
Pricing: Atera offers three plans, and they are:
- Pro ($79/month/technician) – Supports up to two concurrent Splashtop remote access, five support addresses, 400 RPM API, and file viewer
- Growth ($119/month/technician) – Supports unlimited concurrent Splashtop remote access, ten support addresses, 600 RPM API, and file transfer up to 15 GB
- Power ($149/month/technician) – Supports unlimited concurrent Splashtop remote access, ten support addresses, 600 RPM API, and file transfer up to 15 GB
Download: Click here for a free trial of the Growth plan.
6. Spiceworks IP Scanner
As the name suggests, Spiceworks IP Scanner automatically scans devices within an IP range and provides detailed hardware and software information about them. It also sends alerts in case of vulnerabilities or potential problems.
Features
Some of the salient features of this tool are:
- Automatically discovers devices on your network
- Provides detailed hardware and software metrics of all devices on your network
- Lists information such as host's name, IP address, open ports, vendor, and other pertinent details on each device
- Documents your IT services
- Scans your network to identify unknown devices
- Finds and fixes security loopholes
- Quick to set up and easy to use
- Troubleshoots user issues and quickly creates a ticket to address the root cause
- Works well on both Windows and Mac
Pros:
- The agent can be installed on Windows, Linux, or Mac
- Ideal tool for longer-term monitoring
- Great interface makes it easy to view all ports, services, and their current state
Cons:
- Won’t work offline, but great for simple web-based monitoring
Pricing: Spiceworks IP Scanner offers four plans, namely,
- Individual
- Team
- Enterprise
- Custom
Contact the sales team for more details and prices.
Download: Click here to get started
7. Advanced IP Scanner
Advanced IP Scanner is a free and reliable network scanning tool that analyzes the LAN and provides detailed information on the health and performance of devices on the network.
Features:
Below are some essential features of the Advanced IP Scanner.
- Displays all network devices
- Gives access to shared folders
- Provides remote control of computers through RDP and Radmin
- Allows you to remotely switch off computers
- Easy to use
- Runs as a portable edition
- Detects MAC addresses
- No installation is required
- Exports the scan results to a CSV for quick comparison
- Compatible with Windows 10
- Scans a network quickly
- Works with Radmin VPN to connect computers located behind firewalls
Pros:
- Free to use
- Very easy to use, great for smaller networks
- Provides hostnames, MAC address, and manufacturer statistics
- Simple interface, feels intuitive
Cons:
- Lacks multiple export formats
- Does not support graphing to visualize traffic or devices
- Not the best option for enterprise networks
Pricing: 100% FREE
Download: Click here to download this tool and start scanning.
8. HomeNet Manager
HomeNet Manager is a simple tool used to scan home networks that typically have about two to three connected devices. This tool is for everyday users who don't have much expertise in scanning devices on their networks, watching for security vulnerabilities, and optimizing them for the best performance. Hence, this tool is easy to use and is primarily a choice for home networks or small businesses with a handful of devices on their network.
Features
Here's a look at some of the features of HomeNet Manager.
- Manages and configures home and other small networks
- Helps to design your home network from scratch
- When you tun it the first time, it thoroughly analyzes the network and creates a map of different devices ha are easy for you to understand
- Detects vulnerabilities at the earliest
- Generates clear and graphical reports
- Configures the shared folders across your computers
- Allows you to view the IP address of each device
- Keeps you informed of changes in your router's configuration page
- Helps you to stay on top of all shared folders and resources across your network
- Comes with an “Intruder Detection” program that acts as a firewall for your network
- Detects and stops any intruder attack on your network
- Displays the best position for each device graphically, and this can come in handy while setting up your home or office network
- Displays the IP address and name of each device on the network
Pros:
- Simple tool – very easy to use
- Great for non-technical users
- Can view devices information quickly
Cons:
- The interface can use improvement
Pricing: 100% FREE
Download: Click here for a free download.
9. SentinelAgent
SentinelAgent is an ultralight cloud-based monitoring solution designed primarily for Windows platforms. It captures, analyzes, and stores logs, performance metrics, and other pertinent information to provide deep insights into the performance of devices on your network.
Features
Some of the essential features of this tool are:
- Provides real-time event log monitoring
- It is a 100% cloud-based architecture
- Retains data for seven days
- Makes it easy to monitor all machines from a single account
- There are absolutely no ads or bloat
- Comes with pre-configured notifications for CPU/disk errors and event ID errors
- Provides real-time performance and system inventory monitoring
- Comes ready for installation
- Minimum requirements are a System memory of 512 MB, disk space of 15 MB, and Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 2008, 2008 R2, and 2012
- Requires no additional hardware or software
- Auto throttles bandwidth usage
- Comes with SSL encryption
- Uses only minimal system resources
Pros:
- Simple lightweight tool – great for SMBs
- Flexible cloud-based tool makes it easy to scale with you
- Low minimum requirements – supports legacy systems
- Offers a variety of traffic controls for filtering and throttling
Cons:
- Must ask for a quote for pricing
Pricing: Click here to request a quote.
Download: Click here for a trial version.
10. Axence netTools
Axence netTools is a set of ten tools for network scanning and monitoring. It includes NetWatch, Network Port and Service Scanner, WinTools, TCP/IP Workshop, SNMP Browser, Traceroute, NetStat, Local info, Lookup, Bandwidth, and NetCheck.
Features
Here's a look at some of the features of Axence netTools.
- Displays the availability of multiple hosts and their response times
- Sends notifications via email, messages, and sounds
- Shows the current and historical charts for response times and lost packet percentage
- Exports data to XML, HTML, and TXT files
- Monitors 50 services such as TCP/IP, HTTP, POP3, SMTP, FTP, and more
- Discovers machines connected to a network
- Detects open ports
- Identifies services on discovered devices
- Provides detailed information on the processes
- Sends custom queries based on WMI protocol
- Detects suspicious connections
- Creates a list of inbound and outbound connections
- Looks up DNS and WHOIS records
- Checks LAN hardware and wiring
- It is designed for both commercial and home use
- Provides HDD, RAM, and CPU details of every device so that you can stay on top of their health and performance at all times
Pros:
- Simple interface – provides built-in graphing
- Provides insights to 50 commonly used ports/services
- Completely free
Cons:
- Only available for Windows
- Not the best solution for larger networks
Pricing: The cost depends on the number of tools, users, and devices. Contact the sales team for a custom quote.
Download: Click here to download netTools.
To conclude, there are many alternatives to Cisco's Network Magic, and the choice depends on your requirements, budget, size of your network, complexity, and other pertinent factors. We hope the above tools give you all the information you need to choose the tool that best fits your needs.
