List of Top Network Traffic Analysis (NTA) Tools 2023

What are Network Traffic Analysis Tools?

Network traffic analysis (NTA) tools are used to continuously observe, track, and analyze traffic on a network. NTA tools can monitor traffic from specific users, IP addresses, applications, or other sources, and measure their impact on the network as a whole. NTA tools include features to visualize traffic flows through network maps so users can swifty address bottlenecking and other IT environment issues.

NTA tools provide visibility into the health of a network from the performance of its traffic. Because NTA tools can identify traffic sources, trajectories, and impact, they can swifty identify network anomalies, threats, and weaknesses. This makes NTA tools a valuable asset in addressing network performance issues, preventing slowdowns, and creating effective traffic-handling strategies. Some vendors offer AI- or machine learning-powered protocols to intelligently adapt to network needs, which is especially useful for networks with large traffic spikes or a high vulnerability to malware and ransomware attacks, with a focus on data recovery.

NTA tools can be seen as a complement to network performance monitoring and network troubleshooting tools. Products in these categories often include traffic management and monitoring features. However, unlike performance monitoring or troubleshooting tools, NTA tools are concerned primarily with traffic sourcing, access bottlenecking, and scaling for large traffic influxes. For these reasons, NTA tools typically provide more robust traffic conflict solutions than you’d find in other categories.

Network Traffic Analysis Tools Features

The most common features of network traffic analysis tools are:

• Automated network data collection
• Data flow correlation
• Data visualization and network mapping
• Deep packet inspection tools
• Flow-based inspection tools
• Network bandwidth monitoring
• Traffic redistribution
• Alert management
• Resource planning
• Task assignment and management
• Log management and analysis
• User access control and credentials
• Historical data storage, management, and analysis
• Intrusion detection features
• Real-time data analytics
• Vulnerability and penetration testing
• Ruleset validation
• Ransomware and malware identification
• Ransomware recovery

Network Traffic Analysis Tools Comparison

When choosing the best network traffic analysis tools for you, consider the following:

Historical data support: An NTA tool’s ability to handle historical data is important, as this is a primary source of determining effective network troubleshooting strategies, addressing network vulnerabilities, and creating accurate data correlations. Some products only keep data for a set amount of time, while others may not offer the ability to import external data from other analysis tools. Make sure you choose an NTA solution that supports your historical data needs.

Data ownership: If you opt for a managed NTA product rather than an open-source one, be advised that the network data could be owned by the vendor. This means that users may only be able to access collected data while their subscription is active. Some vendors do grant ownership outside of a service agreement, but they may charge access or transference fees.

Data sources: The best NTA tool for you will be dependent on the type of data you intend to monitor. Broadly speaking, there are two main types of NTA data sources: flow data, which comes from routers and other devices, and packet data, which comes from mirror ports, transferable metadata, and applications. Vendors are willing to help you determine which type of data source you are most likely to work with, and therefore which type of NTA tool you need.

Pricing Information

There are several free open-source NTA tools, and some vendors offer free versions of their paid services with limited functionality. Pricing is generally based on the number of users, amount of data, or number of networks covered per month. Vendors do not typically list prices for these products, so they should be contacted directly for pricing. Free trials are available for full-service paid plans.

Network Traffic Analysis (NTA) Tools Best Of Awards

The following Network Traffic Analysis (NTA) Tools offer award-winning customer relationships, feature sets, and value for price. Learn more about our Summer Best Of Awards methodology here.