# Agentless Network Monitoring Gain in-depth visibility, optimize performance, and effortlessly monitor your network with our agentless monitoring solution. Agentless network monitoring is a technique in which the monitoring server directly polls the devices in the network periodically to monitor their health and [performance](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/network-performance-monitoring.html?agentless-network-monitoring). This method is more reliable and efficient when compared to agent based monitoring in which the data required for monitoring the health and performance of the network devices is collected by agents and transferred to the network monitoring tool. ![Agentless Performance Monitoring - ManageEngine OpManager](https://cdn.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/images/agentlessmonitoring.jpg) ## Advantages of agentless network monitoring software Most companies prefer agentless performance monitoring since it takes the upper hand through the following advantages: - **Reduced deployment time:** Since there are no agents involved, only the monitoring server needs to be configured. Deploying an agentless network monitoring solution is a hassle-free process. You can get the network monitoring infrastructure running in no time without going through complex setup processes. - **Reduced Management Overhead:** The absence of agents makes the network monitoring infrastructure easier to maintain. Most of the agentless [network monitoring tools](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/network-monitoring-tools.html?agentless-network-monitoring) come with self-monitoring features, which makes the maintenance process basic and less time-consuming. - **Easy to upgrade:** In case of an agent based network monitoring infrastructure, whenever the network monitoring tool or a network component is upgraded, all the agents in the network have to be upgraded. Agentless network monitoring environments do not have this problem. - **Reduced fault overhead:** In case of agent based monitoring, the failure of an agent will stop the monitoring process for all the devices connected to that agent. This problem does not occur in agentless monitoring where the monitoring of devices is not affected by external factors. ## When should an organization choose an agentless network monitoring software? The debate between agent based and agentless monitoring is one that has been happening for long in the [network management](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/network-management.html?agentless-network-monitoring) industry. However, many organizations choose agentless network monitoring tools based on specific requirements. In the following scenarios, switching to agentless network monitoring software is highly recommended: - The organization is huge with a lot of network devices. Using an agentless network monitoring software is recommended because it does not require installing an agent on each device. - It is independent of any platform, as it can be used to monitor a wide range of network devices without the need for separate agents for dedicated platforms. - Organizations looking to save money can choose agentless network monitoring software as it eliminates the need to purchase additional licenses for monitoring agents. The costs incurred in maintenance of these agents can also be saved. - Agentless network monitoring solutions can be employed in a wider range of network environments, making them more flexible for various organizational needs. ## OpManager: The agentless network monitoring software your organization needs [OpManager](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/?agentless-network-monitoring) incorporates the advantages of agentless monitoring to create a network monitoring infrastructure that includes powerful features such as: ### Automatic device discovery & classification OpManager leverages the power of the [discovery rule engine](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/discovery-rule-engine.html?agentless-network-monitoring) to help you automate the process of adding and classifying new or existing devices in your network. ![Agentless Network Monitoring Tools - ManageEngine OpManager](https://cdn.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/images/discovery-rules-engine.gif) ### 11000+ Device Templates To support a wide variety of both standard and non-standard network infrastructure, OpManager comes with 11000+ [device templates](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/network-monitor-templates.html?agentless-network-monitoring). These templates can be used to monitor multiple devices of different types from a single console. ![Agentless Monitoring Templates- ManageEngine OpManager](https://cdn.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/images/monitoring-templates.png) ### 3000+ Performance monitors OpManager comes with 3000+ [performance monitors](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/network-performance-management.html?agentless-network-monitoring) which can be used to monitor a wide variety of device parameters from a single console. This makes the whole device and network management process powerful, effortless, and effective. ![Agentless Network Monitoring Software - ManageEngine OpManager](https://cdn.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/images/v1/npm-monitor-health.png) ### IT Workflow Automation OpManager allows you to automate routinely performed network management tasks through [IT workflow automation](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/it-workflow-automation.html?agentless-network-monitoring). You can also create custom workflows and schedule them to make your network management much easier. ![Agentless Network Monitoring Solutions - ManageEngine OpManager](https://cdn.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/images/run-book-automation.png) ### Powerful Integrations OpManager extends the power of agentless network management and monitoring through powerful [integrations](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/opmanager-addons.html?agentless-network-monitoring) that help in flow monitoring, configuration management, application monitoring, and more. ![Agentless Monitoring - ManageEngine OpManager](https://cdn.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/images/apm-plugin-sshot.jpg) Download our [free, fully functional, 30-day trial](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/download.html?agentless-network-monitoring) today. Or sign up for a [personalized demo](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/demo-form.html?agentless-network-monitoring) and talk with one of our product experts. ## FAQs on Agentless Network Monitoring ### How does agentless network monitoring work? Unlike agent-based network monitoring, agentless monitoring observes the assets in the network with the help of protocols already installed in the devices and applications to collect the required data. These protocols commonly include WMI, SNMP, and NetFlow, which are device dependent. The devices in the network are configured to communicate and exchange information with the agentless network monitoring tool. ### Why is agentless network monitoring important? One of the main reasons to choose agentless network monitoring over agent-based monitoring is to save time and effort, which in turn reduces cost. This type of monitoring is ideal for beginners as it lowers ownership costs compared to agent-based monitoring. It is highly suitable for centralized networks with limited resources. Agentless network monitoring is particularly helpful for small organizations, as there is no need to install agents for every set of devices. It is less intrusive and offers more flexibility than agent-based network monitoring. ## Related Products - [Network Monitoring](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/?relPrd) - [Bandwidth Monitoring & Traffic Analysis](https://www.manageengine.com/products/netflow/?relPrd) - [Network Configuration Management](https://www.manageengine.com/network-configuration-manager/?relPrd) - [Switch Port & IP Address Management](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/?relPrd) - [Firewall Management](https://www.manageengine.com/products/firewall/?relPrd) - [Network Monitoring Software for MSPs](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring-msp/?relPrd) - [IT Operations Management](https://www.manageengine.com/it-operations-management/) - [Application Performance Monitoring](https://www.manageengine.com/products/applications_manager/?relPrd)