content: <PAGE>   1
       As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 29, 2000.
                                                      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>
  <S>                                                                                <C>
                       Massachusetts                                                 04-2710876
  (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)        (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
  </TABLE>
  
                                 600 Nickerson Road
                            Marlboro, Massachusetts 01752
                                   (508) 460-4646
                 (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
  
                        ------------------------------------
  
                                   1997 Stock Plan
                    1997 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan
                              (Full title of the Plans)
                        ------------------------------------
  
                                   John A. Blaeser
                        Chief Executive Officer and President
                            Concord Communications, Inc.
                                 600 Nickerson Road
                            Marlboro, Massachusetts 01752
                                   (508) 460-4646
             (Name and address including zip code and telephone number,
                     including area code, of agent for service)
  
                        ------------------------------------
  
                                      Copy to:
                                Kevin M. Barry, Esq.
                           TESTA, HURWITZ & THIBEAULT, LLP
                                   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
  
  
                           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    $38.0625      $28,546,875.00        $7,536.37
  
  1997 NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION PLAN                      35,000    $38.0625      $ 1,332,187.50        $  351.70
  Common Stock (Par Value $.01 Per Share)
  
  TOTAL:                                                           785,000                                        $7,888.07
                                                                   -------                                        ---------
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  </TABLE>
  (1)  The price of $38.0625 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 June 26, 2000, 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.
  
  
  <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 and 1997 Non-Employee
  Director Stock Option Plan and in Part II of the Registration Statement on Form
  S-8, SEC File No. 333-51945, and Form S-8, SEC File No. 333-78087, are
  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, 1999 filed pursuant to the Exchange Act that contains audited
  financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999 (as such
  audited financial statements were restated pursuant to Accounting Principles
  Bond No. 16 by the Registrant to give retroactive effect to the merger of F
  Acquisition Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, and FirstSense
  Software, which has been accounted for as a pooling of interest, on Current
  Report on Form 8-K/A, dated April 25, 2000 and filed with the Commission on May
  3, 2000).
  
           (b) The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal
  quarter ended March 31, 2000, filed pursuant to the Exchange Act.
  
           (c) 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.
  
           (d) 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 and 1997
  Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan and in Part II of the Registration
  Statement on Form S-8, SEC File No. 333-51945, and Form S-8, SEC File No.
  333-78087, are incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement.
  
  
  
  <PAGE>   4
  
  
                                        -4-
  
  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 23.3        Consent of KPMG LLP (filed herewith).
           Exhibit 24.1        Power of Attorney (included as part of the
                               signature page to this Registration Statement).
  
  
  <PAGE>   5
  
  
                                         -5-
  
                                     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 29th day of June, 2000.
  
                                        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 Melissa H.
  Cruz, 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         June 29, 2000
  ---------------------------------------        Director (Principal Executive Officer)
  John A. Blaeser
  
  /s/ Melissa H. Cruz                            Executive Vice President Finance, Chief        June 29, 2000
  ---------------------------------------        Financial Officer, Clerk and Treasurer
  Melissa H. Cruz                                (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
  
  /s/ Frederick W. W. Bolander                   Director                                       June 29, 2000
  ---------------------------------------
  Frederick W. W. Bolander
  
  /s/ Richard M. Burnes, Jr.                     Director                                       June 29, 2000
  ---------------------------------------
  Richard M. Burnes, Jr.
  
  /s/ Robert C. Hawk                             Director                                       June 29, 2000
  ---------------------------------------
  Robert C. Hawk
  
  /s/ John Robert Held                           Director                                       June 29, 2000
  ---------------------------------------
  John Robert Held
  
  /s/ Deepak Kamra                               Director                                       June 29, 2000
  ---------------------------------------
  Deepak Kamra
  
  /s/ Robert M. Wadsworth                        Director                                       June 29, 2000
  ---------------------------------------
  Robert M. Wadsworth
  </TABLE>
  
  
  <PAGE>   6
  
  
  
                                    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
  
           23.3           Consent of KPMG LLP
  
           24.1           Power of Attorney (included as part of the signature
                          page to this Registration Statement)
metadata_documents: [{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "s-8.txt", "description": "CONCORD COMMUNICATIONS, INC.", "secsgml_size_bytes": 12864}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CONCORD COMMUNICATIONS INC", "cik": "0000915290", "assigned-sic": "7372", "irs-number": "042710876", "state-of-incorporation": "MA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-40456", "film-number": "665311"}, "business-address": {"street1": "600 NICKERSON RD", "city": "MARLBORO", "state": "MA", "zip": "01752", "phone": "5084604646"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "600 NICKERSON RD", "city": "MARLBORO", "state": "MA", "zip": "01752"}}
text: 1
       As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 29, 2000.
                                                      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.)
  600 Nickerson Road
                            Marlboro, Massachusetts 01752
                                   (508) 460-4646
                 (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
  
                        ------------------------------------
  
                                   1997 Stock Plan
                    1997 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan
                              (Full title of the Plans)
                        ------------------------------------
  
                                   John A. Blaeser
                        Chief Executive Officer and President
                            Concord Communications, Inc.
                                 600 Nickerson Road
                            Marlboro, Massachusetts 01752
                                   (508) 460-4646
             (Name and address including zip code and telephone number,
                     including area code, of agent for service)
  
                        ------------------------------------
  
                                      Copy to:
                                Kevin M. Barry, Esq.
                           TESTA, HURWITZ & THIBEAULT, LLP
                                   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
  
                           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    $38.0625      $28,546,875.00        $7,536.37
  
  1997 NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION PLAN                      35,000    $38.0625      $ 1,332,187.50        $  351.70
  Common Stock (Par Value $.01 Per Share)
  
  TOTAL:                                                           785,000                                        $7,888.07
                                                                   -------                                        ---------
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  (1)  The price of $38.0625 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 June 26, 2000, 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 and 1997 Non-Employee
  Director Stock Option Plan and in Part II of the Registration Statement on Form
  S-8, SEC File No. 333-51945, and Form S-8, SEC File No. 333-78087, are
  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, 1999 filed pursuant to the Exchange Act that contains audited
  financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999 (as such
  audited financial statements were restated pursuant to Accounting Principles
  Bond No. 16 by the Registrant to give retroactive effect to the merger of F
  Acquisition Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, and FirstSense
  Software, which has been accounted for as a pooling of interest, on Current
  Report on Form 8-K/A, dated April 25, 2000 and filed with the Commission on May
  3, 2000).
  
           (b) The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal
  quarter ended March 31, 2000, filed pursuant to the Exchange Act.
  
           (c) 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.
  
           (d) 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 and 1997
  Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan and in Part II of the Registration
  Statement on Form S-8, SEC File No. 333-51945, and Form S-8, SEC File No.
  333-78087, are incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement.
  4
  
                                        -4-
  
  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 23.3        Consent of KPMG LLP (filed herewith).
           Exhibit 24.1        Power of Attorney (included as part of the
                               signature page to this Registration Statement).
  5
  
                                         -5-
  
                                     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 29th day of June, 2000.
  
                                        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 Melissa H.
  Cruz, 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         June 29, 2000
  ---------------------------------------        Director (Principal Executive Officer)
  John A. Blaeser
  
  /s/ Melissa H. Cruz                            Executive Vice President Finance, Chief        June 29, 2000
  ---------------------------------------        Financial Officer, Clerk and Treasurer
  Melissa H. Cruz                                (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
  
  /s/ Frederick W. W. Bolander                   Director                                       June 29, 2000
  ---------------------------------------
  Frederick W. W. Bolander
  
  /s/ Richard M. Burnes, Jr.                     Director                                       June 29, 2000
  ---------------------------------------
  Richard M. Burnes, Jr.
  
  /s/ Robert C. Hawk                             Director                                       June 29, 2000
  ---------------------------------------
  Robert C. Hawk
  
  /s/ John Robert Held                           Director                                       June 29, 2000
  ---------------------------------------
  John Robert Held
  
  /s/ Deepak Kamra                               Director                                       June 29, 2000
  ---------------------------------------
  Deepak Kamra
  
  /s/ Robert M. Wadsworth                        Director                                       June 29, 2000
  ---------------------------------------
  Robert M. Wadsworth
  6
  
                                    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
  
           23.3           Consent of KPMG LLP
  
           24.1           Power of Attorney (included as part of the signature
                          page to this Registration Statement)