<PAGE>   1
     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 6, 1998.

                                                          Registration No. 333-

===============================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                              --------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                              --------------------

                          CONCORD COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                     Massachusetts                                                 04-2710876
<S>                                                                   <C>  
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)        (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
</TABLE>

                            33 Boston Post Road West
                          Marlboro, Massachusetts 01752
                                 (508) 460-4646
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                              --------------------

                                 1997 Stock Plan
                            (Full title of the plan)

                              --------------------

                                 John A. Blaeser
                      Chief Executive Officer and President
                          Concord Communications, Inc.
                            33 Boston Post Road West
                          Marlboro, Massachusetts 01752
                                 (508) 460-4646
           (Name and address including zip code and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)

                              --------------------

                                    Copy to:
                           Edwin L. Miller, Jr., Esq.
                         TESTA, HURWITZ & THIBEAULT, LLP
                       High Street Tower, 125 High Street
                           Boston, Massachusetts 02110
                                 (617) 248-7000

     Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as
practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

                              --------------------

===============================================================================


<PAGE>   2


                                       -2-


                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

===============================================================================

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                     Proposed          Proposed
                                                                      Maximum          Maximum
                                                      Amount         Offering         Aggregate         Amount of
Title of Securities                                    to be         Price Per         Offering       Registration
to be Registered                                    Registered         Share            Price              Fee
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<S>                                                   <C>            <C>             <C>               <C>
1997 STOCK PLAN                                                                                      
Common Stock (Par Value $.01 Per Share)               750,000        $23.75 (1)      $17,812,500       $5,255
                                                                                                     
TOTAL:                                                750,000                                          $5,255
                                                                                                   
----------
(1)  The price of $23.75 per share, which is the average of the high and low
     prices of the Common Stock of the registrant reported on the Nasdaq
     National Market on April 29,1998, is set forth solely for purposes of
     calculating the filing fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) and has been
     used only for those shares without a fixed exercise price.

</TABLE>




<PAGE>   3


                                      -3-



                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

The information contained in Part I  of  the Registration Statement on Form S-8,
SEC File No. 333-40645 as pertains to the 1997 Stock Plan is incorporated by
reference into this Registration Statement.

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
        ----------------------------------------

     The following documents filed by the Registrant with the Commission
pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), are
incorporated in this Registration Statement by reference as of their respective
dates:

     (a)  The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 1997 filed pursuant to the Exchange Act which contains audited
financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997.

     (b)  All other documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13(a)
or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the
annual report referred to in (a) above.

     (c)  The section entitled "Description of Registrant's Securities to be
Registered" contained in the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A
filed pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act on September 12, 1997.

     All documents subsequently filed with the Commission by the Registrant
pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to
the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities
offered herein have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining
unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

The information contained in Part II of the Registration Statement on Form S-8,
SEC File No. 333-40645 as pertains to the 1997 Stock Plan is incorporated by
reference into this Registration Statement.

Item 8.  Exhibits.
         --------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

         Exhibit No.     Description Of Exhibit
         ----------      ----------------------

         <S>             <C>                           
         Exhibit 5.1     Opinion of Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP (filed herewith).

         Exhibit 23.1    Consent of Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP (contained in Exhibit 5.1).

         Exhibit 23.2    Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP (filed herewith).

         Exhibit 24.1    Power of Attorney (included as part of the signature page to this Registration
                         Statement).
</TABLE>


                 


<PAGE>   4


                                      -4-


                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant,
Concord Communications, Inc., certifies that it has reasonable grounds to
believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has
duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Town of Marlboro, Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, on this 5th day of May, 1998.


                                    CONCORD COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

                                    By:/s/ John A. Blaeser
                                        --------------------------------------
                                        John A. Blaeser
                                        Chief Executive Officer and President


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     We, the undersigned officers and directors of Concord Communications, Inc.,
hereby severally constitute and appoint John A. Blaeser and Gary E. Haroian, and
each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys, with full power to them and
each of them singly, to sign for us in our names in the capacities indicated
below, any amendments to this Registration Statement on Form S-8 (including
post-effective amendments), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, and generally to do all things in our names and on our behalf in our
capacities as officers and directors to enable Concord Communications, Inc., to
comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, hereby
ratifying and confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said
attorneys, or any of them, to said Registration Statement and all amendments
thereto. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

           SIGNATURE                            TITLE(S)                               DATE
           ---------                            --------                               ----
<S>                                 <C>                                           <C>
/s/ John A. Blaeser                 Chief Executive Officer, President and             May 5, 1998
------------------------------      Director (Principal Executive Officer)
John A. Blaeser                     


/s/ Gary E. Haroian                 Vice President, Finance and Administration,        May 5, 1998
------------------------------      Chief Financial Officer, Clerk and Treasurer
Gary E. Haroian                     (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
                                    

/s/ Frederick W. W. Bolander        Director                                           May 5, 1998
------------------------------      
Frederick W. W. Bolander

                                    Director                                           May  , 1998
------------------------------      
Richard M. Burnes, Jr.

                                    Director                                           May  , 1998
------------------------------      
Robert C. Hawk

/s/ John Robert Held                Director                                           May 5, 1998
------------------------------      
John Robert Held

/s/ Deepak Kamra                    Director                                           May 5, 1998
------------------------------      
Deepak Kamra

/s/ Robert M. Wadsworth             Director                                           May 5, 1998
------------------------------      
Robert M. Wadsworth

</TABLE>



<PAGE>   5



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                  -------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

EXHIBIT NO.         DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT                          
-----------         ----------------------                          

   <S>      <C>                        
     5.1      Opinion of Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP

    23.1     Consent of Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP (contained in
             Exhibit 5.1)

    23.2     Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP

    24.1     Power of Attorney (included as part of the signature page
             to this Registration Statement)
</TABLE>
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "CONCORD COMMUNICATIONS", "secsgml_size_bytes": 11685}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CONCORD COMMUNICATIONS INC", "cik": "0000915290", "assigned-sic": "3669", "irs-number": "042710876", "state-of-incorporation": "MA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-51945", "film-number": "98611609"}, "business-address": {"street1": "33 BOSTON POST ROAD WEST", "city": "MARLBORO", "state": "MA", "zip": "01752", "phone": "5084604646"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "33 BOSTON POST ROAD WEST", "city": "MARLBORO", "state": "MA", "zip": "01752"}}
1
     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 6, 1998.

                                                          Registration No. 333-

===============================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                              --------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                              --------------------

                          CONCORD COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Massachusetts                                                 04-2710876
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)        (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
33 Boston Post Road West
                          Marlboro, Massachusetts 01752
                                 (508) 460-4646
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                              --------------------

                                 1997 Stock Plan
                            (Full title of the plan)

                              --------------------

                                 John A. Blaeser
                      Chief Executive Officer and President
                          Concord Communications, Inc.
                            33 Boston Post Road West
                          Marlboro, Massachusetts 01752
                                 (508) 460-4646
           (Name and address including zip code and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)

                              --------------------

                                    Copy to:
                           Edwin L. Miller, Jr., Esq.
                         TESTA, HURWITZ & THIBEAULT, LLP
                       High Street Tower, 125 High Street
                           Boston, Massachusetts 02110
                                 (617) 248-7000

     Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as
practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

                              --------------------

===============================================================================
2

                                       -2-

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

===============================================================================
Proposed          Proposed
                                                                      Maximum          Maximum
                                                      Amount         Offering         Aggregate         Amount of
Title of Securities                                    to be         Price Per         Offering       Registration
to be Registered                                    Registered         Share            Price              Fee
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997 STOCK PLAN                                                                                      
Common Stock (Par Value $.01 Per Share)               750,000        $23.75 (1)      $17,812,500       $5,255
                                                                                                     
TOTAL:                                                750,000                                          $5,255
                                                                                                   
----------
(1)  The price of $23.75 per share, which is the average of the high and low
     prices of the Common Stock of the registrant reported on the Nasdaq
     National Market on April 29,1998, is set forth solely for purposes of
     calculating the filing fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) and has been
     used only for those shares without a fixed exercise price.
3

                                      -3-

                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

The information contained in Part I  of  the Registration Statement on Form S-8,
SEC File No. 333-40645 as pertains to the 1997 Stock Plan is incorporated by
reference into this Registration Statement.

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
        ----------------------------------------

     The following documents filed by the Registrant with the Commission
pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), are
incorporated in this Registration Statement by reference as of their respective
dates:

     (a)  The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 1997 filed pursuant to the Exchange Act which contains audited
financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997.

     (b)  All other documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13(a)
or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the
annual report referred to in (a) above.

     (c)  The section entitled "Description of Registrant's Securities to be
Registered" contained in the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A
filed pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act on September 12, 1997.

     All documents subsequently filed with the Commission by the Registrant
pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to
the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities
offered herein have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining
unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

The information contained in Part II of the Registration Statement on Form S-8,
SEC File No. 333-40645 as pertains to the 1997 Stock Plan is incorporated by
reference into this Registration Statement.

Item 8.  Exhibits.
         --------
Exhibit No.     Description Of Exhibit
         ----------      ----------------------
Exhibit 5.1     Opinion of Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP (filed herewith).

         Exhibit 23.1    Consent of Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP (contained in Exhibit 5.1).

         Exhibit 23.2    Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP (filed herewith).

         Exhibit 24.1    Power of Attorney (included as part of the signature page to this Registration
                         Statement).
4

                                      -4-

                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant,
Concord Communications, Inc., certifies that it has reasonable grounds to
believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has
duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Town of Marlboro, Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, on this 5th day of May, 1998.

                                    CONCORD COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

                                    By:/s/ John A. Blaeser
                                        --------------------------------------
                                        John A. Blaeser
                                        Chief Executive Officer and President

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     We, the undersigned officers and directors of Concord Communications, Inc.,
hereby severally constitute and appoint John A. Blaeser and Gary E. Haroian, and
each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys, with full power to them and
each of them singly, to sign for us in our names in the capacities indicated
below, any amendments to this Registration Statement on Form S-8 (including
post-effective amendments), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, and generally to do all things in our names and on our behalf in our
capacities as officers and directors to enable Concord Communications, Inc., to
comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, hereby
ratifying and confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said
attorneys, or any of them, to said Registration Statement and all amendments
thereto. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
SIGNATURE                            TITLE(S)                               DATE
           ---------                            --------                               ----
/s/ John A. Blaeser                 Chief Executive Officer, President and             May 5, 1998
------------------------------      Director (Principal Executive Officer)
John A. Blaeser                     

/s/ Gary E. Haroian                 Vice President, Finance and Administration,        May 5, 1998
------------------------------      Chief Financial Officer, Clerk and Treasurer
Gary E. Haroian                     (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
                                    

/s/ Frederick W. W. Bolander        Director                                           May 5, 1998
------------------------------      
Frederick W. W. Bolander

                                    Director                                           May  , 1998
------------------------------      
Richard M. Burnes, Jr.

                                    Director                                           May  , 1998
------------------------------      
Robert C. Hawk

/s/ John Robert Held                Director                                           May 5, 1998
------------------------------      
John Robert Held

/s/ Deepak Kamra                    Director                                           May 5, 1998
------------------------------      
Deepak Kamra

/s/ Robert M. Wadsworth             Director                                           May 5, 1998
------------------------------      
Robert M. Wadsworth
5

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                  -------------
EXHIBIT NO.         DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT                          
-----------         ----------------------
5.1      Opinion of Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP

    23.1     Consent of Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP (contained in
             Exhibit 5.1)

    23.2     Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP

    24.1     Power of Attorney (included as part of the signature page
             to this Registration Statement)