You can do some network monitoring manually by using the tools already built into
most servers. Other tools are available free or as low-cost shareware. A range of
commercial software is available at prices ranging from a few hundred pounds up
to highly functional systems costing over £50,000 and suitable for huge corporate
networks.
Schools are unlikely to need anything but the simplest commercial software for
some time to come. The more advanced software is also time-consuming to install
and manage and tends to have a steep learning curve. The Network Monitoring
implementation guide describes how to select an appropriate network monitoring
tool.
