Quick Overview
- 1#1: ServiceNow - Cloud-based platform for IT service management, operations management, and digital workflows across infrastructure.
- 2#2: SolarWinds - Comprehensive suite for monitoring, managing, and automating networks, servers, applications, and IT security.
- 3#3: Datadog - Unified observability and monitoring platform for cloud-native infrastructure, applications, and logs.
- 4#4: Dynatrace - AI-powered full-stack observability solution that auto-discovers and maps hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
- 5#5: Splunk - Platform for real-time data analytics, security, and observability across IT infrastructure and operations.
- 6#6: New Relic - Full-stack observability platform providing insights into applications, infrastructure, and user experiences.
- 7#7: BMC Helix - AI-driven digital service management suite for IT operations, service desk, and infrastructure automation.
- 8#8: LogicMonitor - SaaS-based hybrid infrastructure monitoring with automated discovery and performance analytics.
- 9#9: Nagios XI - Enterprise monitoring solution for hosts, services, networks, and applications with alerting and reporting.
- 10#10: Zabbix - Open-source distributed monitoring tool for IT infrastructure with visualization and automation capabilities.
Tools were selected based on depth of functionality, user-friendliness, integration capabilities, and value, ensuring they deliver robust performance across hybrid, multi-cloud, and on-premises infrastructure landscapes.
Comparison Table
This comparison table outlines key IT infrastructure management software tools, including ServiceNow, SolarWinds, Datadog, Dynatrace, Splunk, and more, to help readers evaluate options for their operational needs. Readers will learn to compare features, use cases, and practical considerations, enabling informed decisions on tools that streamline monitoring, workflow, and infrastructure optimization.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ServiceNow Cloud-based platform for IT service management, operations management, and digital workflows across infrastructure. | enterprise | 9.4/10 | 9.7/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.9/10 |
| 2 | SolarWinds Comprehensive suite for monitoring, managing, and automating networks, servers, applications, and IT security. | enterprise | 9.2/10 | 9.6/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.7/10 |
| 3 | Datadog Unified observability and monitoring platform for cloud-native infrastructure, applications, and logs. | enterprise | 9.2/10 | 9.6/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.1/10 |
| 4 | Dynatrace AI-powered full-stack observability solution that auto-discovers and maps hybrid and multi-cloud environments. | enterprise | 9.2/10 | 9.6/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.1/10 |
| 5 | Splunk Platform for real-time data analytics, security, and observability across IT infrastructure and operations. | enterprise | 8.6/10 | 9.4/10 | 7.2/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 6 | New Relic Full-stack observability platform providing insights into applications, infrastructure, and user experiences. | enterprise | 8.7/10 | 9.4/10 | 8.1/10 | 7.6/10 |
| 7 | BMC Helix AI-driven digital service management suite for IT operations, service desk, and infrastructure automation. | enterprise | 8.6/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.7/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 8 | LogicMonitor SaaS-based hybrid infrastructure monitoring with automated discovery and performance analytics. | enterprise | 8.3/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 9 | Nagios XI Enterprise monitoring solution for hosts, services, networks, and applications with alerting and reporting. | specialized | 8.4/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.2/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 10 | Zabbix Open-source distributed monitoring tool for IT infrastructure with visualization and automation capabilities. | other | 8.5/10 | 9.2/10 | 6.8/10 | 9.5/10 |
Cloud-based platform for IT service management, operations management, and digital workflows across infrastructure.
Comprehensive suite for monitoring, managing, and automating networks, servers, applications, and IT security.
Unified observability and monitoring platform for cloud-native infrastructure, applications, and logs.
AI-powered full-stack observability solution that auto-discovers and maps hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
Platform for real-time data analytics, security, and observability across IT infrastructure and operations.
Full-stack observability platform providing insights into applications, infrastructure, and user experiences.
AI-driven digital service management suite for IT operations, service desk, and infrastructure automation.
SaaS-based hybrid infrastructure monitoring with automated discovery and performance analytics.
Enterprise monitoring solution for hosts, services, networks, and applications with alerting and reporting.
Open-source distributed monitoring tool for IT infrastructure with visualization and automation capabilities.
ServiceNow
enterpriseCloud-based platform for IT service management, operations management, and digital workflows across infrastructure.
Integrated CMDB with AI-driven Visibility and service mapping for real-time, contextual infrastructure insights
ServiceNow is a comprehensive cloud-based platform that provides end-to-end IT service management and operations, with strong capabilities in IT infrastructure management through its ITOM suite. It offers automated discovery, configuration management database (CMDB), service mapping, event management, and cloud management to deliver visibility and control over hybrid IT environments. The platform unifies workflows across on-premises, multi-cloud, and edge infrastructure, enabling proactive monitoring, orchestration, and AIOps-driven insights.
Pros
- Robust CMDB and automated discovery for complete infrastructure visibility
- AI-powered AIOps for predictive analytics and proactive issue resolution
- Seamless integrations with thousands of tools via the Now Platform
Cons
- Steep learning curve and lengthy implementation for complex deployments
- High licensing costs that may not suit SMBs
- Overly customizable nature requires skilled administrators
Best For
Large enterprises with complex, hybrid IT environments needing scalable, unified infrastructure management.
Pricing
Custom enterprise subscription pricing, typically $100+ per user/month plus module add-ons; volume discounts for large deployments.
SolarWinds
enterpriseComprehensive suite for monitoring, managing, and automating networks, servers, applications, and IT security.
PerfStack™ – interactive, timeline-based tool for correlating performance data across multiple sources to pinpoint issues quickly
SolarWinds provides a comprehensive suite of IT infrastructure management software through its Orion Platform, offering tools for network performance monitoring, server and application management, security, and configuration automation. It delivers real-time visibility, customizable dashboards, and advanced analytics to help IT teams proactively manage hybrid environments including on-premises, cloud, and hybrid setups. The modular architecture allows organizations to scale by adding specific modules tailored to their infrastructure needs.
Pros
- Extremely comprehensive monitoring across networks, servers, apps, and security
- Highly customizable dashboards and alerting with PerfStack for cross-correlation
- Scalable modular design with strong integrations and THWACK community support
Cons
- High licensing costs that scale with monitored elements
- Steep learning curve for advanced configuration and customization
- Past high-profile security breach (2020 SolarWinds hack) impacting trust
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises with complex, hybrid IT infrastructures needing robust, scalable monitoring and automation.
Pricing
Subscription or perpetual licensing starting at ~$2,000/year for basic modules (e.g., NPM for 100 elements), scaling significantly with elements monitored, users, and add-ons.
Datadog
enterpriseUnified observability and monitoring platform for cloud-native infrastructure, applications, and logs.
Watchdog AI: Automated anomaly detection and root cause analysis across metrics, traces, and logs without manual setup.
Datadog is a comprehensive cloud monitoring and observability platform designed for IT infrastructure management, providing real-time metrics, logs, traces, and APM across servers, containers, clouds, and applications. It offers customizable dashboards, AI-driven alerts, anomaly detection, and deep integrations with over 600 technologies to ensure high availability and performance in dynamic environments. Ideal for hybrid and multi-cloud setups, it enables proactive issue resolution through unified visibility into infrastructure health.
Pros
- Vast integrations with 600+ tools for seamless multi-cloud monitoring
- Powerful real-time dashboards and AI-powered anomaly detection
- Scalable for enterprise-grade infrastructure with full-stack observability
Cons
- Pricing can escalate quickly with high data volumes and custom metrics
- Steep learning curve for advanced configurations and custom queries
- Occasional alert fatigue from granular notifications
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises managing complex, cloud-native infrastructures requiring unified metrics, logs, and traces.
Pricing
Freemium with Pro plans starting at $15/host/month for infrastructure; usage-based billing for logs ($0.10/GB ingested), APM ($31/host/month), and custom metrics.
Dynatrace
enterpriseAI-powered full-stack observability solution that auto-discovers and maps hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
Davis AI causation engine that identifies true root causes beyond mere correlation
Dynatrace is an AI-powered observability platform that delivers full-stack monitoring for IT infrastructure, applications, and user experiences across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. It automatically discovers components, maps dependencies, and uses Davis AI to detect anomalies, perform root cause analysis, and predict potential issues. This enables IT teams to proactively manage performance, ensure reliability, and optimize resources in complex setups.
Pros
- AI-driven Davis engine for automated root cause analysis and predictions
- OneAgent auto-discovery and instrumentation for seamless deployment
- Comprehensive full-stack observability across infrastructure, apps, and logs
Cons
- High cost, especially for large-scale deployments
- Steep learning curve for advanced customizations
- Limited flexibility in lower pricing tiers for data retention
Best For
Large enterprises managing complex hybrid/multi-cloud infrastructures needing deep, proactive observability.
Pricing
Usage-based subscription starting at ~$0.04/GB ingested data or $21.50 per 8GB/24h host unit; enterprise plans require custom quotes with minimum commitments.
Splunk
enterprisePlatform for real-time data analytics, security, and observability across IT infrastructure and operations.
Splunk Processing Language (SPL), a highly flexible query language for real-time analysis of unstructured machine data across hybrid environments
Splunk is a powerful platform primarily known for log management, security information and event management (SIEM), and observability, enabling IT teams to search, monitor, and analyze machine-generated data from infrastructure, applications, and networks in real-time. It collects data from diverse sources like servers, cloud services, and IoT devices, providing dashboards, alerts, and machine learning-driven insights for troubleshooting and performance optimization. While versatile for IT infrastructure management, it excels in handling massive volumes of unstructured data for proactive issue detection and compliance reporting.
Pros
- Exceptional scalability and real-time analytics for petabyte-scale data
- Rich ecosystem of apps, integrations, and machine learning capabilities
- Advanced search with Splunk Processing Language (SPL) for complex queries
Cons
- Steep learning curve due to proprietary SPL and complex configuration
- High costs based on data ingestion volume, limiting affordability for SMBs
- Resource-intensive deployment requiring significant hardware or cloud resources
Best For
Large enterprises with complex, high-volume IT infrastructures needing deep analytics and SIEM for monitoring, security, and compliance.
Pricing
Free developer edition available; enterprise pricing is ingestion-based (per GB/day), typically $1.80-$2.50/GB/month plus add-ons, scaling to tens of thousands annually for production use.
New Relic
enterpriseFull-stack observability platform providing insights into applications, infrastructure, and user experiences.
Applied Intelligence platform with AI-powered root cause analysis and noise reduction for faster incident resolution
New Relic is a leading observability platform that provides comprehensive IT infrastructure management through real-time monitoring of servers, containers, Kubernetes, and multi-cloud environments like AWS, Azure, and GCP. It collects metrics, logs, traces, and events to deliver actionable insights into performance, availability, and resource utilization. With customizable dashboards and AI-powered analytics, it enables proactive issue detection and optimization across hybrid infrastructures.
Pros
- Robust infrastructure monitoring with deep integrations for cloud-native and on-prem environments
- Unified platform combining metrics, logs, traces, and AI-driven anomaly detection
- Scalable for large enterprises with high data volumes and extensive customization options
Cons
- Usage-based pricing can become expensive at scale with unpredictable costs
- Steep learning curve for advanced features and query languages
- Occasional performance lags in the UI with massive datasets
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises managing complex, hybrid cloud infrastructures requiring full-stack observability and proactive alerting.
Pricing
Free tier available; usage-based model charges ~$0.30/GB for full platform data ingest, with Pro/Enterprise tiers adding advanced features from $49/user/month.
BMC Helix
enterpriseAI-driven digital service management suite for IT operations, service desk, and infrastructure automation.
Helix AIOps with patented noise reduction and dynamic service modeling for superior event correlation and root cause analysis
BMC Helix is a cloud-native, AI-powered IT service and operations management platform designed to streamline IT infrastructure monitoring, service desk operations, asset management, and automation across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. It leverages machine learning for predictive analytics, event correlation, root cause analysis, and proactive incident resolution. The solution integrates ITSM, ITOM, and AIOps capabilities to help enterprises reduce downtime and optimize IT operations.
Pros
- Advanced AI/ML-driven AIOps for noise reduction and predictive insights
- Comprehensive suite covering ITSM, ITOM, CMDB, and automation
- Strong scalability and multi-cloud/hybrid support for large enterprises
Cons
- Complex implementation and customization requiring expertise
- High licensing costs with custom enterprise pricing
- Steep learning curve for non-expert users
Best For
Large enterprises with complex, hybrid IT infrastructures seeking AI-powered automation and proactive operations management.
Pricing
Subscription-based SaaS model with custom enterprise pricing typically starting at $50-100 per user/month or per node; volume discounts available, contact sales for quotes.
LogicMonitor
enterpriseSaaS-based hybrid infrastructure monitoring with automated discovery and performance analytics.
AI-powered Dynamic Grouping and Baselines for adaptive, context-aware alerting without manual threshold tuning
LogicMonitor is a SaaS-based unified monitoring platform designed for IT infrastructure management, providing real-time visibility into networks, servers, applications, containers, and cloud environments across hybrid setups. It combines agentless and lightweight agent-based monitoring with AI-driven analytics for anomaly detection, root cause analysis, and predictive alerting. The platform offers customizable dashboards, automated remediation workflows, and scalable collectors to handle enterprise-grade deployments efficiently.
Pros
- Comprehensive full-stack monitoring for hybrid and multi-cloud environments
- Powerful AIOps with machine learning for proactive anomaly detection and root cause analysis
- Highly scalable with pre-built LogicModules for quick deployment across thousands of devices
Cons
- Premium pricing that can be prohibitive for small to mid-sized businesses
- Steep learning curve for configuring advanced features and custom thresholds
- Limited out-of-the-box integrations compared to some competitors
Best For
Mid-market to large enterprises managing complex hybrid IT infrastructures requiring deep observability and automation.
Pricing
Custom subscription pricing per device/collector, typically starting at $2,000-$5,000/month for mid-sized deployments with annual contracts and volume discounts.
Nagios XI
specializedEnterprise monitoring solution for hosts, services, networks, and applications with alerting and reporting.
Expansive open plugin architecture enabling monitoring of over 10,000 devices, services, and applications out-of-the-box or via community extensions
Nagios XI is a robust IT infrastructure management and monitoring platform that delivers comprehensive visibility into networks, servers, applications, and cloud services through real-time alerting, dashboards, and reporting. Built on the battle-tested Nagios Core engine, it features a web-based interface for easier configuration, predictive analytics, and capacity planning to prevent outages. It supports agentless monitoring via thousands of community plugins, making it highly extensible for diverse IT environments.
Pros
- Vast plugin ecosystem for monitoring virtually any IT component
- Scalable for enterprise environments with advanced reporting and dashboards
- Proactive alerting and capacity planning reduce downtime effectively
Cons
- Steep learning curve for complex configurations despite GUI improvements
- User interface feels somewhat dated compared to modern competitors
- Pricing can be expensive for small teams or limited host counts
Best For
Mid-sized to large enterprises requiring highly customizable, scalable monitoring for complex hybrid IT infrastructures.
Pricing
Starts at $1,995 for 100 hosts (1-year license); annual renewals required, with pricing scaling by host count and add-ons like remote support.
Zabbix
otherOpen-source distributed monitoring tool for IT infrastructure with visualization and automation capabilities.
Low-level discovery (LLD) that automatically detects and configures monitoring for dynamic environments like clouds and virtual infrastructures
Zabbix is an enterprise-class open-source monitoring solution that provides comprehensive visibility into IT infrastructure, including servers, networks, virtual machines, cloud services, and applications. It offers agent-based and agentless monitoring, automatic host discovery, customizable triggers, and advanced alerting with escalation. The platform includes rich visualization tools like dashboards, graphs, and network maps, supporting proactive issue resolution and SLA management in large-scale environments.
Pros
- Completely free and open-source with no host or metric limits
- Highly scalable for monitoring millions of metrics
- Extensive template library and auto-discovery for quick deployment
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex initial configuration
- User interface feels dated compared to modern alternatives
- Requires significant expertise for advanced customizations
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises with skilled IT teams needing a customizable, cost-free solution for complex infrastructure monitoring.
Pricing
Core software is free and open-source; paid support, appliances, and training available starting from $1,000/year.
Conclusion
The top-ranked tools excel in diverse infrastructure management needs, with ServiceNow emerging as the clear leader for its integrated cloud-based platform and end-to-end workflow capabilities. SolarWinds impresses with its comprehensive monitoring and automation suite, while Datadog stands out for its unified observability in cloud-native environments—each offering distinct value. Together, they represent the pinnacle of effective IT infrastructure management.
To streamline your infrastructure operations, start with ServiceNow's robust features. For focused monitoring, SolarWinds or Datadog provide tailored solutions to meet your unique needs.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison