What is the difference between the Monsta Probe and Agent?
This article aims to briefly explain the difference between Monsta’s Probe and Agent.
Differences
Section titled “Differences”The main difference between the Probe and the Agent is their purpose:
- The Monsta Probe was created to monitor Windows machines via WMI. Once installed on a computer, Monsta can obtain Windows WMI information through the Probe.
- The Monsta Agent was created to monitor devices on remote networks that are inaccessible to Monsta. With the Agent installed on a device in the remote network, Monsta can communicate with it to obtain information about the network’s devices without the need for port forwarding or VPN.
Comparison table: Agent vs. Probe
Section titled “Comparison table: Agent vs. Probe”| Feature | Agent | Probe |
|---|---|---|
| Behavior | Active — initiates the outgoing connection to the Monsta server | Passive — waits for requests from the Monsta server |
| Supported systems | Windows, Linux and Raspberry Pi | Windows only |
| Use of VPN / Port Forwarding | Not required | Required (Monsta needs to reach the probe) |
| Communication protocol | QUIC (encrypted, end-to-end) | WMI (Microsoft API) |
| Environments with NAT / dynamic IP | Natively supported | May be limited |
| Offline data cache | Yes — stores metrics locally if the connection is lost | No |
| Ideal for | Remote networks, branch offices, distributed environments without VPN | Local monitoring of Windows servers/workstations |
| Cost | Paid | Free |
Summary
Section titled “Summary”The Probe is a simpler tool focused on collecting metrics from Windows machines (CPU, RAM, disk, network) and responds when the Monsta server queries it. The Agent is a more robust, cross-platform solution, ideal for expanding monitoring to remote networks — it initiates communication with the server itself, removing the need for VPN, port forwarding, or a fixed IP.
More information
Section titled “More information”Other articles related to Agents and the Probe:
- 📄Agents
- 📄Agent: Zero-Conf Installation
- 📄Can I monitor a remote network by installing the Monsta Agent on just one server?
- 📄The Agent’s Communication Architecture
- 📄Does Monsta need an agent installed on every machine?
- 📄QUIC Protocol - The Future of Communications on the Internet
- 📄What is Monsta’s Probe used for?
- 📄Probe: Windows Monitoring
- 📄WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation)