Top NTA Tools Chosen by Use Case: Security, Performance, and More

Network traffic analysis (NTA) tools are essential for security and network teams to monitor network activity, identify potential threats, and optimize network performance. NTA collects and analyzes flow records, packets, or both to provide visibility into usage, dependencies, performance issues, and suspicious behavior across the network.

Cisco Secure Network Analytics is a top pick for enterprise-scale security telemetry, providing real-time behavioral analytics from existing switches, routers, and firewalls. ExtraHop is ideal for wire-data depth in hybrid estates, offering L7 protocol decoding and transaction reconstruction capabilities. Plixer (Scrutinizer) is a popular choice for flow forensics on a netops budget, delivering deep flow analytics and retention at a reasonable price.

The right NTA tool depends on the specific needs of the organization. For example, ManageEngine NetFlow Analyzer is a top pick for IT-generalist teams, providing easy-to-use flow visibility and capacity reporting at an affordable price. SolarWinds NTA is designed for organizations already running the SolarWinds/Orion platform, offering native integration with their existing monitoring toolset.