Everybody loves freebies, right? Of course, but sometimes free software that you can find online can be too good to be true. Network monitoring master stations are no different.

Your network is a core piece of your business as it provides mission-critical services, so you should protect it at all costs. Downloading free tools from the internet can put your PC at risk but this gets even worse if you're linking your network to it.

Certainly there are some advantages of using free monitoring services, especially when you're only getting started and just want to learn the basics - not really monitoring your network. But, if your needs are wider, it makes sense to have a secure platform that ensures you're compliant and your network information and controls are not at risk.

The good news is, you don't have to spend that much money to secure your network.

Why Paying For a Network Monitoring Master Station Is Cost-Effective

A remote monitoring solution allows you to keep an eye on your equipment and conditions from wherever you are. There are some free versions available, but if you want to monitor your network securely, you need to look at paid options.

A paid-for network master station ensures you're compliant with regulatory requirements, especially if you work for government agencies - or have government agencies as clients. You also get centralized access controls, file encryption, and activity tracking to make sure your system is 100% reliable.

A solution such as the T/Mon LNX can do all this and more.

What T/Mon Can Do That a Free Software Can't

If you're considering your options in terms of master stations for your network, you'll want to know exactly what you're getting. Here's what T/Mon can do that free master stations are often lacking.

• Multiprotocol support
  T/Mon supports over 25 protocols, such as ASCII, DNP3, and SNMP. This allows you to manage all your network equipment using only one screen, even if those equipment are not compatible with one another.
• Security features
  The T/Mon master station is an efficient monitoring device that provides you with many security features, such as HTTPS, encrypted drives, antivirus software, firewall, SSL/TLS.
• Trend analysis and reporting
  All information gathered by T/Mon can be exported in the form of a history report file. This file is a great resource of information about your network. Analyzing history reports gives you the means of tracking trends and identifying problem areas. To make trend analysis easier, T/Mon supports exporting history reports as comma-delimited text files, which can be imported into software tools like databases and spreadsheets.
• Detailed notifications
  You'll receive an actionable notification with details about what's going on. T/Mon allows you to choose on-screen display, email alerts, and/or text message alerts when new alarms come in. You can also allow alarm type and severity to determine the notification type.
• Alert escalation
  This capability allows you to configure a list of people to be notified if an alarm is not acknowledged. If the first tech on the list doesn't respond, then the next person is notified - and so on down the list. With alert escalation, you'll be sure that someone will respond to the alarm.
• Derived alerts and controls
  Derived alarms provide a way for you to watch for alarm combination scenarios. These alarms are flexible enough to monitor nearly any aspect of your network. Derived controls use the same logic, but when a combination of scenarios happens - instead of an alarm - a control relay will be latched.
• Easy access to documentation and support
  You can find all of our device's manuals on our website, as well as "How-to" guides. You can also download software and firmware to your monitoring devices from our support page. And, if you have any questions, simply call our 24x7 tech support.

Do More With T/Mon

In the network monitoring world, the saying "you get what you've paid for" is very true. So, weighing in your options and spending your budget consciously is very important.

For a cost-effective solution, you can always count on T/Mon.

For peace of mind for you and your team, T/Mon master station has multiple layers of defense that ensure compliance with your standards. And, if you need a feature that T/Mon doesn't already support, just let us know - we can customize your device for you.

If you'd like to find out more about T/Mon and how it can increase your company's security and productivity, reach out to us.