PingPlotter
PingPlotter is a network troubleshooting and monitoring software that combines ping, traceroute, and performance graphs to help you identify and solve connection issues quickly across any network infrastructure.
SaltStack
SaltStack provides high-speed, intelligent IT automation software designed to help you manage, secure, and optimize complex infrastructure and cloud environments through event-driven configuration management and automated remediation.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | PingPlotter | SaltStack |
|---|---|---|
| Website | pingplotter.com | saltstack.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Custom |
| Starting Price | Free | Custom Pricing |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 14 days free trial | ✓ 0 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✘ No product demo | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 1998 | 2011 |
| Headquarters | Boise, USA | Lehi, USA |
Overview
PingPlotter
PingPlotter helps you see exactly what is happening with your network connection in real-time. Instead of staring at static command-line results, you get a visual history of latency and packet loss across every hop between you and your destination. This makes it easy to prove whether a lag spike is caused by your local hardware, your ISP, or a remote server.
You can monitor multiple targets simultaneously and set up automated alerts to notify you the moment performance drops. Whether you are troubleshooting a choppy VoIP call, fixing gaming lag, or maintaining uptime for a corporate network, the tool provides the evidence you need to resolve disputes with service providers. It scales from a single-user diagnostic tool to a remote monitoring solution for distributed teams.
SaltStack
SaltStack, now part of VMware by Broadcom, gives you a powerful platform to automate your entire IT infrastructure. You can manage thousands of servers, cloud instances, and network devices simultaneously with its unique high-speed communication bus. Whether you need to deploy software, manage configurations, or ensure compliance, the platform handles complex tasks across diverse environments with ease.
You can move beyond basic scripting by using event-driven automation that reacts to system changes in real-time. This means your infrastructure can automatically fix itself when issues arise, reducing manual intervention and downtime. It is built for scale, making it a go-to choice for large enterprises and service providers who need to maintain consistency across massive, distributed systems.
Overview
PingPlotter Features
- Visual Traceroute See every network hop in a graphical timeline so you can instantly spot where latency and packet loss begin.
- Long-term Monitoring Capture days or weeks of network performance data to identify intermittent issues that occur when you aren't watching.
- Automated Alerts Set up custom triggers to notify you via email or webhooks the moment your connection quality degrades.
- Network Shareables Create web-based snapshots of your performance graphs to share clear proof of issues with your ISP or IT team.
- Multi-Target Tracking Monitor several destinations at once to determine if a problem is localized or affecting your entire network.
- Remote Monitoring Deploy remote agents to monitor connection quality from your end-users' perspective back to your central office.
SaltStack Features
- Remote Execution. Run commands across thousands of systems instantly to perform updates, gather data, or troubleshoot issues in real-time.
- Configuration Management. Define your infrastructure as code to ensure every server stays in its desired state without manual configuration drift.
- Event-Driven Automation. Set up automated triggers that detect system failures or security threats and fix them immediately without your intervention.
- Cloud Orchestration. Provision and manage resources across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud using a unified interface and consistent automation logic.
- Compliance Monitoring. Scan your systems against security benchmarks like CIS and automatically remediate vulnerabilities to keep your data secure.
- Agentless Support. Manage your network devices and legacy systems using SSH or API connections when installing an agent isn't possible.
Pricing Comparison
PingPlotter Pricing
- 10-minute history
- Single target monitoring
- Basic trace interval
- Visual performance graphs
- Unlimited manual traces
- Everything in Free, plus:
- 48-hour data history
- Up to 2 concurrent targets
- Customizable alerts
- Save and load trace sessions
- Priority technical support
SaltStack Pricing
Pros & Cons
PingPlotter
Pros
- Visual graphs make complex data easy to understand
- Excellent for proving ISP issues with historical data
- Lightweight installation with very low system resource usage
- Free version is highly capable for quick fixes
Cons
- Interface feels slightly dated compared to modern SaaS
- Learning curve for interpreting specific packet loss patterns
- Advanced remote monitoring features require higher-tier plans
SaltStack
Pros
- Extremely fast execution speed across large-scale distributed environments
- Highly flexible Python-based architecture allows for deep customization
- Powerful event-driven system enables proactive self-healing infrastructure
- Large and active open-source community provides extensive documentation
Cons
- Steep learning curve for users unfamiliar with Python
- Initial setup and master-minion configuration can be complex
- Documentation can sometimes lag behind the rapid release cycle