File server monitoring involves tracking the performance of hardware and the software that manages it. We investigate the best tools.

Here is our list of the best file server monitoring tools:

1. ManageEngine ADAudit Plus – EDITOR’S CHOICE This security package provides file integrity monitoring and server activity tracking for Windows File Server, NetApp, and EMC systems plus many other functions, including compliance reporting. Runs Windows Server, AWS, and Azure. Get a 30-day free trial.
2. Paessler PRTG A flexible package of system monitoring tools with sensors for Windows File Server plus SAN and NAS systems. Available as a SaaS platform or as software for Windows Server.
3. IntelliMagic Vision for SAN A specialized tool for monitoring storage clusters with integrations for the major brands. Offered as a virtual appliance or as a cloud service.
4. Checkmk A system monitoring package with integrations for the major file storage services, including on-premises hardware and cloud systems. Available for Linux, Docker, AWS, and Azure.
5. Datadog Infrastructure A cloud-based system monitoring package with expansions for specific technologies, such as storage systems.
6. Netdata An IT infrastructure monitoring package with file server activity monitoring features. Available as a SaaS platform or as software for Linux, macOS, or Docker.
7. Netwrix Auditor A system activity monitoring package with a module for Windows file servers. Runs on Windows Server, Hyper-V, and VMware.

A file server can be a single unit, a cluster, or a space on a cloud platform. With so many configurations covered by the “file server” term, such as SAN, NAS, and FAS, there are many tools to examine when looking for the right monitoring system.

The Best File Server Monitoring Tools

1. ManageEngine ADAudit Plus – FREE TRIAL

ManageEngine ADAudit Plus provides continuous security monitoring. Its main purpose is to track the activity of user accounts, looking for insider threats and account takeovers. Part of that remit includes a file integrity service that will log all activity surrounding specific files and directories.

Key Features: 

• Multi-platform monitoring: Provides security for AD on premises and Entra ID (Azure AD) on the cloud and the accounts that they define
• Storage array monitoring: Tracks the performance of NAS systems
• Event Log scanning: Scrutinizes Windows notifications for file access activity
• File integrity monitoring: Change logs for specific files
• Compliance management: Suitable for GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOX, FISM, and ISO 27001

Why do we recommend it?

ManageEngine ADAudit Plus looks at user activity around files. It will track everything that users do but you can nominate specific files and directories for special scrutiny. In those cases, the system will log every event that occurs, such as access and changes in contents. This tool will scan cloud platforms, Windows File Server systems, and NAS arrays.

I found that this package will scan Windows file servers and the NAS systems provided by Windows, NetApp, Huawei, EMC, Synology, Hitachi, and QNAP. The service will track file size growth, file name changes, and unexpected file deletions. These events could denote ransomware activity and they will trigger alerts.

Who is it recommended for?

The profile of a typical buyer for ADAudit Plus is a company that uses Active Directory for its access rights manager. The tool refers to AD for information about each of the user accounts that it tracks. It operates security scans for on-premises systems and also services on the cloud.

ADAudit Plus is a software package that will run on Windows Server, AWS, and Azure. You can examine the system with a 30-day free trial.

2. Paessler PRTG

Paessler PRTG is a full-stack observability package but you don’t have to use it for all resources – choose your preferred partial stack. The system is a bundle of tools, called “sensors.” and the buyer decides which of them to activate. There are sensors in the package for tracking Windows file server, NAS and SAN systems, and cloud storage services.

Key Features: 

• Monitors storage arrays: Performance monitoring for SAN and NAS systems
• Capacity planning assistance: Track space usage trends
• Efficiency monitoring: Examines cluster coordination as well as individual servers
• Data delivery monitoring: Looks at network efficiency as well as servers and applications

Why do we recommend it?

Paessler PRTG is a flexible package that the buyer can easily tailor. The full service includes network discovery and actually is much stronger at monitoring networks than any other category of IT asset. However, it is possible to focus just on file servers by only activating the relevant sensors.

I noted that many aspects of the PRTG system can easily be customized. As well as tailoring the system by deciding which sensors to turn on, the buyer can rearrange the screens in the dashboard and create new ones. It is also possible to define alert conditions and specify phone numbers and email addresses to which notifications should be sent.

Who is it recommended for?

The flexibility of PRTG gives it a very large potential customer base. The system is available as a SaaS platform, which gives the system wider appeal than the software version, which is only available for Windows Server. Small businesses can use the package for free forever if they only activate 100 sensors.

PRTG is available as a SaaS platform or as software for Windows Server. Paessler offers PRTG for the 30-day free trial with all sensors activated.

3. IntelliMagic Vision for SAN

IntelliMagic Vision for SAN is a storage array monitoring service. It will monitor fabric-attached storage (FAS) systems as well as the storage-attached network (SAN) configuration. The monitor is compatible with all the major cluster storage brands, including NetApp, HPE, Hitachi, IBM Spectrum, Dell EMC, and Pure.

Key Features:

• Network activity monitoring: Particularly watches load balancing efficiency
• Proactive alerts: Uses AI to predict performance issues
• Statistical analysis and anomaly detection: Identifies unusual levels of demand
• Capacity forecasting: Predicts the exhaustion of current capacity

Why do we recommend it?

IntelliMagic Vision for SAN is able to monitor multiple storage systems that can even be of different configurations and different brands. The tool provides a unit monitoring screen and an enterprise-wise summary screen. The examination of each unit covers the performance of the array overall and then each individual server.

I learned that the service examines the network interfaces of each server and of the array overall. Both performance monitoring and capacity assessment use AI to improve analysis. Backup and distribution activity through replication is also tracked with alerts for event errors. The tracing of all activity is enhanced in the IntelliMagic Configuration Analytics service, which draws up a map of arrays and their components.

Who is it recommended for?

The IntelliMagic system will interest data centers that rely on server arrays. The package is able to monitor multiple arrays automatically. An alerting mechanism will draw technicians to the administration console if they are needed. The team then doesn’t need to worry about watching over storage unless an alert arises.

IntelliMagic Vision for SAN runs as a virtual appliance over a hypervisor or a cloud account. Or run it on your cloud account. The package is available for a 30-day free trial.

4. Datadog Infrastructure

Datadog Infrastructure is the central module on the Datadog cloud platform of IT system monitoring and management tools. The unit has five editions and the highest of these, called the DevSecOps Enterprise plan, includes a file integrity monitoring service. The Infrastructure module is expandable with a library of integrations, which provides monitoring capabilities for other technologies, including storage systems and cloud platform services.

Key Features: 

• Monitors a range of storage configurations: SAN, NAS, and FAS
• A library of integrations: Includes extensions for monitoring networked storage
• System alerts: Can be forwarded by email, SMS, or Slack as notifications

Why do we recommend it?

Datadog Infrastructure is an expandable unit, thanks to its library of integrations. However, the platform includes many other modules that sport together with the Infrastructure unit to provide extended monitoring capabilities that include connected technologies. For example, it is possible to add on Network Performance Monitoring.

I discovered that the integration library includes extensions for monitoring NetApp, Dell EMC, and other array storage brands. It also includes extensions to monitor services on AWS, Azure, GCP, Oracle Cloud, IBM Cloud, and Alibaba Cloud.

Who is it recommended for?

This system is flexible and so has a wide customer base because of the system’s flexibility. Buyers don’t have to pay for monitoring tools that cover systems that they don’t have. The package also provides server monitoring for processors and extends to microservice and Wrnb application monitoring through distributed tracing.

The Datadog system allows you to assemble modules into a full-stack monitoring package with monitors for both hardware and software. It is able to follow activities on remote and cloud platforms as well. You can test any Datadog module by accessing the 14-day free trial.

5. Checkmk

Checkmk is a full stack monitoring package for networks, servers, and applications. This system includes a discovery service that identifies and lists all equipment connected to the network and that includes storage systems. That mechanism is implemented with the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). This is a similar system to Datadog because it implements its storage monitoring service through the activation of integrations.

Key Features: 

• Multi-layer monitoring: Tracks the performance of networks, servers, and applications
• System discovery: Identifies all equipment and creates an inventory
• A library of Integrations: Get monitoring tools for SAN and NAS systems by activating integrations

Why do we recommend it?

Checkmk is a similar system to Nagios, which is a widely-used on-premises full-stack observability package because it grew out of a free, open-source software system. Checkmk’s free edition is called Checkmk Raw and, together with other editions, it can be expanded by integrations. The integrations’ library includes solutions for monitoring NAS, SAN, and FAS systems.

I observed that the Checkmk integrations library is very strong on SAN monitoring because it has options for a long list of array storage brands, including NetApp, Dell EMC, QNAP, Synology, Hitachi HNAS, and IBM SAN systems. There are also options for monitoring tape libraries and Windows file server.

Who is it recommended for?

Small businesses will be attracted to Checkmk Raw, which is the free, open-source edition. However, be aware that Checkmk takes a lot of work to set up and not every business manager will have the necessary technical skills. The paid editions are an on-premises package, called Enterprise, and a SaaS platform, called Cloud. There is also an edition for MSPs.

The free Checkmk Raw edition will run on Linux or Docker and the paid editions are available for those platforms plus VMs, AWS, Azure, or a physical device. Check out the Checkmk Download page to get Checkmk Raw or a 30-day free trial of any of the paid versions.

6. Netdata

Netdata is a contender package that is rising up behind the Checkmk system. This package is following the evolution path of Checkmk from a free open source system to paid tools that add value. The free edition, called Netdata Community, is still available. You get network, server, and application monitoring with this package. This system also offers a library of integrations.

Key Features: 

• Multi-layer monitoring: Covers networks, servers, applications, cloud, and IoT
• Monitors hybrid systems: On-premises storage and cloud services
• An integrations library: Includes connectors to SAN and NAS systems

Why do we recommend it?

Netdata is capable at monitoring SAN and NAS systems, thanks to its integrations library. The package will also monitor networks and servers. It also has cloud platform monitoring and even tracking for IoT devices. The package also provides a log management service, which offers a useful alternative strategy for file server monitoring.

I noticed that the integrations library of Netdata has a strong list of brands on offer for file server monitoring. The menu of extensions includes plug-ins to implement monitoring for NetApp, Dell EMC, Synology, Starwind VSAN VSphere Edition, and Huawei systems. An SNMP data collector offers another channel for hardware monitoring.

Who is it recommended for?

It is natural to compare Netdata to Checkmk and it has to be said that Netdata doesn’t compare well to Checkmk on price. Netdata Community is limited to monitoring five devices. The minimum monitoring package for the Checkmk package is 100 nodes, but with the on-premises system for Netdata, the minimum is 214 devices. Unlike Checkmk, Netdata offers a cloud-hosted SaaS option.

Choose between a cloud-hosted SaaS version of Netdata or the on-premises edition that runs on Linux, macOS, or Docker. Get a 30-day free trial of the Business plan.

7. Netwrix Auditor

Netwrix Auditor is a security scanner that also offers compliance management for GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and ISO 27001. This system offers specialized monitoring for Windows File Server, SharePoint, Nutanix Files, NetApp, and Dell Data Storage. Apart from storage systems, Netwrix Auditor includes modules to monitor SQL Server, Active Directory, Microsoft 365, and VMware.

Key Features: 

• Connects to the major storage array brands: Includes compatibility with SharePoint and NetApp, among others
• Activity logging: Logs file server activity for auditing
• Ransomware protection: Identifies unexpected file name changes or content rewrites, such as encryption

Why do we recommend it?

Netwrix Auditor fulfills its name by providing an audit trail for all activity on IT systems. The package has specialized units for different services but focuses on Microsoft products in all of its modules, except for its file server section. This is able to track activity on a long list of storage types, including regular Windows-based file servers and also SAN and NAS systems.

I found that this package provides protection for the file servers on your system through activity logging. The direct audit trail service of the package isn’t the only security measure offered by Netwrix Auditor because it also monitors Active Directory and tracks user activity. The system also provides compliance reporting.

Who is it recommended for?

Netwrix Auditor is available in a free version, called the Community Edition. This will log all events but it doesn’t include reporting on who made each change to files. The full version is suitable for large businesses and is particularly necessary for organizations that need to comply with GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, or ISO 27001.

Netwrix Auditor is a software package for Windows Server, Hyper-V, and VMware. Access a 20-day free trial.