Active Directory monitoring tools are essential for maintaining the security, performance, and compliance of an organization’s IT infrastructure. These tools provide real-time visibility into AD changes, user activities, and potential security threats.
They offer features such as auditing, reporting, and alerting to help administrators detect and respond to issues promptly. Some popular options include SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor, ManageEngine ADAudit Plus, and Netwrix Auditor.
These tools offer comprehensive monitoring of server performance, AD health, and user management. They also provide detailed reports on security and compliance, making it easier for organizations to meet regulatory requirements.
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Other notable tools include Quest Active Administrator, Anturis Active Directory Monitoring, and AD Pro Toolkit. These solutions offer various features like change tracking, security assessments, and automated task management.
When choosing an AD monitoring tool, organizations should consider factors such as ease of use, integration capabilities, scalability, and pricing. Many of these tools offer free trials or demos, allowing IT teams to evaluate their functionality before making a decision.
Active Directory Monitoring Tools In 2025
- 1. ManageEngine ADAudit Plus: Real-time auditing and reporting of Active Directory changes and activities.
- 2. Netwrix Auditor: Detailed auditing and compliance reporting for Active Directory and other IT systems.
- 3. SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor: Comprehensive monitoring of server performance and Active Directory health.
- 4. Quest Active Administrator: Advanced management and monitoring of Active Directory environments.
- 5. Splunk Enterprise: Robust data analytics platform for monitoring and analyzing Active Directory events.
- 6. IBM Security QRadar: Integrated security intelligence for detecting and responding to Active Directory threats.
- 7. PRTG Network Monitor: All-in-one network monitoring solution with Active Directory monitoring capabilities.
- 8. ManageEngine OpManager: Comprehensive network and server monitoring, including Active Directory.
- 9. Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE): Policy-based access control and identity management for Active Directory.
- 10. AdRem Software NetCrunch: Real-time network monitoring and Active Directory health checks.
AD Monitoring Tools Features
| Active Directory Monitoring Tools | Features | Stand Alone Feature | Pricing | Free Trial /Demo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. ManageEngine ADAudit Plus | 1. Auditing Active Directory 2. Monitoring of AD changes in real-time 3. Tracking of user and group management 4. Permission and policy enforcement 5. Reporting on security and compliance | Detailed Active Directory change auditing. | Starts at $595 annually. | Yes |
| 2. Netwrix Auditor | 1. Auditing Active Directory 2. Monitoring of AD changes in real-time 3. Tracking of user and group management 4. Permission and policy enforcement 5. Reporting on security and compliance | In-depth visibility and user behavior analysis. | Contact for pricing. | Yes |
| 3. SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor | 1. Auditing Active Directory 2. Monitoring of AD changes in real-time 3. Tracking of user and group management 4. Permission and policy enforcement 5. Reporting on security and compliance | Comprehensive server performance monitoring. | Starting at $2,995. | Yes |
| 4. Quest Active Administrator | 1. Data collection from logs 2. Indexing and searching of data 3. Monitoring and alerting in real-time 4. Analyzing machine data 5. Visualizations and dashboards | Centralized Active Directory management and reporting. | Contact for pricing. | No |
| 5. Splunk Enterprise | 1. Data collection for security events and logs 2. Threat detection and analysis in real-time 3. Analyzing network and user behavior 4. Investigation and response to incidents 5. Event correlation and SIEM correlation | Advanced data analysis and visualization. | Starts at $2,000 annually. | Yes |
| 6. IBM Security QRadar | 1. Monitoring of network infrastructure 2. Analysis of network traffic in real-time 3. Monitoring device availability and performance 4. Monitoring bandwidth use 5. Server tracking 6. APM stands for application performance monitoring. | Robust security intelligence and threat detection. | Contact for pricing. | No |
| 7. PRTG Network Monitor | 1. Monitoring of network devices and servers 2. Monitoring performance and availability 3. Notifications and alerts in real-time 4. Visualization and mapping of networks 5. Monitoring the bandwidth | Versatile network and systems monitoring. | Free up to 100 sensors. | Yes |
| 8. ManageEngine OpManager | 1. Monitoring of network devices and servers 2. Monitoring performance and availability 3. Notifications and alerts in real time 4. Visualization and mapping of networks 5. Monitoring the bandwidth | Integrated network and server performance monitoring. | Starts at $245 annually. | Yes |
| 9. Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) | 1. Control of network access 2. Policies governing access based on identity 3. Authentication of users and devices 4. Management of visitor access 5. Device visibility and profiling 6. Checks for endpoint compliance | Secure access and policy enforcement. | Contact for pricing. | No |
| 10. AdRem Software NetCrunch | 1. Monitoring of event logs 2. Management of network configuration 3. Dashboards and reports that can be customized 4. Integration with third-party tools and systems for distributed network monitoring. | Comprehensive network monitoring and visualization. | Starts at $1,850. | Yes |
1. ManageEngine ADAudit Plus
For Active Directory (AD) setups, ManageEngine ADAudit Plus is a sophisticated and comprehensive monitoring solution. ADAudit Plus monitors domain controllers, user accounts, groups, permissions, GPOs, and security events in real-time.
Scheduling, exporting (PDF, CSV, HTML), and delivering customized reports to stakeholders simplifies compliance audits and security monitoring. Multiple failed login attempts, strange login patterns, and unauthorized access to essential resources can alert administrators.
Permission misuse, lateral movement, and strange access patterns are detected using machine learning algorithms and behavior-based analytics. ADAudit Plus generates predefined compliance reports and allows real-time event correlation to help enterprises satisfy regulatory compliance.
Administrators may recreate timelines, discover security issue causes, and do comprehensive forensic analysis using the tool’s protected AD event archive. The tool records event details such as the user, source IP, time stamp, and affected object for faster investigation and cleanup.
ADAudit Plus helps administrators find AD abnormalities, patterns, and security issues using security analysis and threat detection.
Features
Pros
- features that are ready for compliance to satisfy legal requirements and streamline audits.
- Access to sensitive Active Directory data can be restricted using granular permission controls.
Cons
- A tool that consumes a lot of resources and may impact system performance, especially during peak usage.
- Advanced features like threat detection may necessitate additional configuration and fine-tuning.
2. Netwrix Auditor
Netwrix Auditor is a robust Active Directory monitoring tool that provides real-time visibility, tracks changes, and ensures AD security and compliance. Netwrix Auditor tracks AD changes to user accounts, group memberships, permissions, GPOs, and other items in real time.
Custom reports explain AD changes, simplify compliance audits, and improve security incident response. User behaviour analytics allows proactive security, early identification, and effective reaction to security incidents.
Administrators can fix excessive rights, unlawful access, and security issues to secure data and prevent breaches. It includes pre-built reports for GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOX, and FISMA to help firms comply and pass audits.
Administrators may consolidate event data and correlate it with other security events via Netwrix Auditor’s integration with Splunk and IBM QRadar. A web-based console with safe audit data, customisable dashboards, and delegated access for teams and stakeholders promotes cooperation.
Pros
- Built-in compliance reports simplify audits and meet regulatory standards.
- Granular permission limits restrict sensitive Active Directory data access.
Cons
- Certain advanced features, such as threat detection, may necessitate additional setup and fine-tuning.
- Integration with specific third-party systems may necessitate additional effort and knowledge.
3. SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor
The powerful SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor (SAM) provides real-time visibility and control over Active Directory (AD) availability, performance, and health.
SAM monitors major AD components such as domain controllers, replication status, DNS servers, trusts, and LDAP services. It helps administrators quickly discover and fix replication issues by showing replication status, delay, and synchronization flaws.
Customizable reports and dashboards simplify compliance inspections and security monitoring by consolidating user and group events. It shows successful and failed authentication attempts to help administrators spot security breaches and illegal access.
Administrators can better monitor and troubleshoot AD CS since it shows certificate issuance, expiration, and revocation events. SAM’s broad pre-built reports and customizable dashboards let administrators visualize AD performance indicators, trends, and anomalies.
Pros
- Historical reporting features aid in the analysis of previous performance and the identification of trends.
- Provides robust security features, such as monitoring for suspicious activity and vulnerabilities.
Cons
- Compatibility with older or less popular operating systems is limited.
- Dependence on other SolarWinds products to fully utilize the tool’s capabilities.
4. Quest Active Administrator
Quest Active Administrator is a sophisticated and feature-rich AD monitoring solution that provides broad visibility, auditing, and administration capabilities. By giving people or groups granular permissions for AD tasks, Quest Active Administrator lets administrators delegate administration.
It recommends fixing security issues like excessive user privileges, dormant accounts, and weak passwords. Active Directory user administration capabilities streamline administrative tasks and ensure user data accuracy.
In bulk, GPOs may be compared, dependencies evaluated, and deployments simulated. Customizable reports and audit trails simplify regulatory compliance audits, forensic investigations, and troubleshooting.
Administrators can monitor user activity, authentication events, object updates, and security events by consolidating domain controller event logs. Role-based access control ensures this by allocating administrators access permissions based on their jobs and responsibilities.
Pros
- Features that are ready for compliance to meet regulatory requirements and simplify audits.
- Bulk operations for managing Active Directory objects and attributes that are efficient.
Cons
- Tool that consumes a lot of resources and may have an impact on system performance, especially during peak usage.
- The deployment process is complicated, particularly in distributed or large-scale Active Directory environments.
5. Splunk Enterprise
Splunk Enterprise is a premier active directory monitoring platform that provides real-time visibility, analysis, and monitoring.
Administrators may monitor AD events like authentication, user activity, group policy changes, and object updates with Splunk Enterprise’s real-time log data indexing. It lets you correlate events, apply filters, and gain insights from enormous AD log data.
Administrators can design interactive dashboards with charts, graphs, and tables to display AD data graphically and intuitively. Administrators can create custom alert rules for account lockouts, privilege escalation, and illegal access attempts based on particular criteria or thresholds.
Splunk Enterprise generates prebuilt compliance reports and aids audits to meet regulatory compliance standards. Administrators can combine Splunk Enterprise with custom apps and external systems using its extensive API and SDKs.
Pros
- Group Policy administration has been simplified to allow for consistent configuration across the environment.
- Active Directory change tracking provides greater visibility into changes and their impact.
Cons
- Dependence on external databases for monitoring data storage and management.
- There may be compatibility issues with older versions of Active Directory.
6. IBM Security QRadar
IBM Security QRadar is a powerful active directory monitoring platform for threat detection, incident response, and compliance management.
IBM Security QRadar, which provides real-time visibility and analysis of Active Directory (AD) events, helps organizations monitor, detect, and respond to security threats to protect their AD infrastructure.
IBM Security QRadar tracks AD events such authentication logs, user activities, group policy changes, and object updates in real time. Administrators can block accounts, quarantine systems, and escalate incidents in response to AD events or security incidents.
Pre-built compliance reports and audit support help firms achieve compliance requirements with IBM Security QRadar. IBM Security QRadar works with IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence to increase threat detection and contextual information.
Pros
- For the purpose of proactively identifying security incidents, advanced threat detection capabilities.
- Active Directory events are continuously tracked and correlated for quicker incident response.
Cons
- High licensing and maintenance costs might strain budgets.
- Lack of integration with other security suppliers may cause compatibility issues and inhibit ecosystem integration.
7. PRTG Network Monitor
The robust and comprehensive PRTG Network Monitor enables real-time visibility, monitoring, and analysis of Active Directory (AD) systems.
With its powerful capabilities and user-friendly interface, PRTG Network Monitor lets system administrators and IT professionals monitor AD performance, diagnose anomalies, and maintain AD infrastructure stability and security.
Administrators can monitor numerous Active Directory environments with PRTG Network Monitor. Multi-site monitoring streamlines troubleshooting, performance analysis, and management in distributed AD setups.
Custom sensors allow administrators to monitor certain AD environment elements beyond built-in functionalities. Performance analysis and reporting help administrators find bottlenecks, upgrade capacity, and enhance AD infrastructure performance.
Administrators can track user logins, account lockouts, password changes, group updates, and other AD activities by collecting and analyzing domain controller event log data.
Pros
- Scalable architecture enables simple monitoring of small to large Active Directory environments.
- Forensic analysis, compliance audits, and Active Directory problem-solving all require detailed historical data and logs.
Cons
- Limited native Active Directory monitoring functions require scripting and manual configuration.
- Monitoring Active Directory components in bigger systems requires sophisticated setup and configuration.
8. ManageEngine OpManager
Active directory monitoring tool ManageEngine OpManager provides enterprises with real-time visibility, proactive monitoring, and effective administration of AD environments.
Active directory change monitoring in ManageEngine OpManager tracks and audits AD configuration, object, and policy changes. Administrators may monitor AD environments in many locations with OpManager.
Its reports and visualizations detail historical performance, trends, and capacity usage. It helps track user logins, account lockouts, password changes, group updates, and other AD events by collecting and analyzing domain controller event log data.
With OpManager’s Active Directory health monitoring, administrators may proactively detect and fix AD issues. ManageEngine OpManager lets AD administrators monitor AD component health, performance, and availability in real time.
Pros
- Analysis and correlation of Active Directory logs, which reveal information about security incidents and compliance violations.
- Active Directory infrastructure is automatically found and mapped, which streamlines initial setup and ongoing administration.
Cons
- dependence on Java-based architecture, which may require additional system resources and updates.
- New users need time and training to navigate the user interface.
9. Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)
Effective active directory monitoring tool Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) offers network resources with visibility, authentication, and access management.
Cisco ISE, which integrates seamlessly with Active Directory (AD), provides enhanced monitoring features that boost security, streamline network operations, and enforce regulations. It lets administrators apply AD Group Policies to ISE network access control rules.
Organizations can set access policies depending on user roles, device kinds, time of day, and other contextual considerations. It provides detailed reports on AD user actions, authentication patterns, and security events.
It lets companies set access policies and dynamically assign network access privileges depending on AD criteria like department, location, and job title. AD attribute mapping aligns access control policies with organizational roles and needs, improving flexibility and effectiveness.
Pros
- Support for widely used protocols, including RADIUS and TACACS+, guarantees compatibility with a range of network hardware.
- a wide range of reporting and analytics tools that offer information on security incidents, compliance, and user behavior.
Cons
- IAM (identity and access management) solutions from third parties are not well supported, which makes integration with current systems more difficult.
- reliance on numerous parts and interdependencies, which increases complexity and exposes potential weak points.
10. AdRem Software NetCrunch
Adrem Software NetCrunch provides real-time visibility, proactive monitoring, and effective AD management.
NetCrunch’s powerful capabilities and user-friendly interface let system administrators and IT professionals monitor AD performance, discover issues, and optimize AD infrastructure operation and security.
NetCrunch monitors Adrem Software Active directory replication to ensure data consistency across domain controllers. NetCrunch lets administrators monitor Active Directory Group Policy updates.
Through performance monitoring and reporting, administrators may detect performance bottlenecks, schedule capacity improvements, and optimize AD infrastructure performance.
Pros
- Active Directory infrastructure can be automatically discovered and mapped, enabling precise management and monitoring.
- Active Directory components are more effectively visualized and mapped using advanced topology mapping techniques.
Cons
- Limited support for environments with multiple domains or forests, which could make managing complex AD architectures more difficult.
- Compared to other monitoring solutions, it has a more miniature ecosystem of plugins and extensions, restricting extensibility.