Where Zabbix is strong
- Mature and widely used, with a large community and many ready templates.
- Very flexible: it can monitor many kinds of systems, not only network devices.
- Open source, with commercial support available.
Zabbix is a mature, flexible open-source monitoring platform used in many industries. NetNMS is a simpler, ISP-focused alternative: one small binary with OLT/ONU, BGP NOC and NetFlow views and WhatsApp alerts ready to use. Choose based on how much flexibility and how much setup you want.
Quick comparison
| Topic | NetNMS | Zabbix |
|---|---|---|
| Installation and stack | One small binary (Go backend, React web UI). PostgreSQL for configuration and events, built-in time-series database for metrics. | Typically a server, a database and a web frontend, plus agents if you use them. |
| ISP features | OLT/ONU monitoring, BGP NOC view and NetFlow in one UI. | General-purpose monitoring. ISP-specific views may need templates or extra setup. |
| Device templates | Ready JSON templates for Cisco, Huawei (including NE40E), Juniper EX, V-SOL, BDCOM, Grandstream and generic SNMP, matched automatically. | Large library of official and community templates. Check support for your exact devices. |
| Alert channels | WhatsApp gateway, Telegram, e-mail and webhook built in, with escalation and a delivery log. | Several media types, including e-mail and webhooks. Setup depends on your use. |
| Product model | Single-vendor product made for ISPs by Anexg Tech. | Open-source project with commercial support options. |
Information about other products is general and based on how they are typically used. Features change, so check each project's own documentation for current details.
Where NetNMS fits
- A simple install: one small binary for Linux or Windows.
- ISP views ready to use: OLT/ONU, BGP NOC and NetFlow.
- Alerts on WhatsApp, Telegram, e-mail and webhook without extra tools.
Choose Zabbix if
you need one platform for many kinds of systems, want deep customisation and have a team to run it.
Choose NetNMS if
you want a simpler install and ready ISP views for OLT/ONU, BGP and NetFlow, with WhatsApp alerts built in.
Common questions
Is NetNMS a replacement for Zabbix?
It depends on your needs. For ISP and network monitoring, NetNMS aims to be simpler and ready to use. For broad, highly customised monitoring of many system types, Zabbix may fit better.
Can NetNMS monitor servers like Zabbix?
NetNMS monitors Linux and Windows servers that have SNMP enabled, and checks them with ICMP ping. Ask us if you need something beyond that.
Why is NetNMS simpler to install?
NetNMS is one small binary (Go backend, React web UI) for Linux and Windows. It uses PostgreSQL for configuration and events and its own built-in time-series database for metrics.
See NetNMS on your network
Tell us about your network and we will arrange a demo.