NetBrain vs SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager comparison

"A reliable, time-saving tool for providing accurate layer 2 and layer 3 network mappings."

"Enables maps to be drawn out."

"This product has good network monitoring and troubleshooting capabilities."

"NetBrain is a very simple tool."

"Chain management is a good feature. I don't get it on other solutions."

"The features we find most valuable is the configuration backup automation, the configuration compliance, the security vulnerability detection and upgrading devices."

"It allows us to manage backups in big companies. It is also useful in managing the configuration changes."

"Its main functionality is highly beneficial as it centralizes the management of configuration items across the network."

"I use it for monitoring the entire network for the company. We oversee nodes down, we oversee devices heading up to crossing the threshold for CPU usage. We oversee power so power backups on the switches, we oversee if they're down or if they're failing. We oversee any node down or any router from any vendor."

"It is pretty straightforward to set up."

"The most valuable features the solution offers are compliance, reliability, and information about reliability."

"What's nice with NCM is you can set up policies that you can then check against the configs to ensure that your device configs adhere to a baseline or standard that you've set in place."

"The configuration compliance aspect of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager allows for easy comparison of configuration settings across branches, ensuring adherence to security guidelines and best practices. Automation capabilities have greatly impacted workflows, enabling tasks such as configuration backups, template deployment, and firmware upgrades to be automated, thereby streamlining processes and saving time. Compliance reporting features provide valuable insights into network compliance, offering pre-built security audit reports and customizable options to meet specific requirements."

"Each device needs to be configured to allow NetBrain to poll for the information it needs, which can be very time-consuming for a large network."

"The solution could integrate more automation."

"The IP interface brief isn't consistent."

"Support needs to improve for the installed product and some of the reporting could be more flexible to provide more complete cataloging."

"It would be nice if the setup was a little simpler. Also, if the solution could provide more training materials for new people coming into our company so they can quickly learn how to use the functionalities."

"I would like to see more integration tools. Something like dialysis, for example."

"When it comes to the way of managing the network devices, SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager should provide the simplest way that devices can relate to the server. For example, when we want to get the devices on board, we go by SSH to make the SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager create the connectivity with the device. After that, we pull the configuration. It would be helpful if they could combine both so that everything will be done in one step."

"Releasing a product compatible with operating systems other than Windows would be advantageous."

"Its look and feel can be improved. They can also put in more effort into building the THWACK community and use the information about various customer issues and requests to build the new releases."

"The Network Configuration Manager needs to improve the access control list compliance."

"Its customer service response could be faster."

"The solution could improve by being more secure."

"The third-party plugins available in the solution could improve. I have received some issues with the templates."

"Licensing is based on a per-device basis, which means that it can get very expensive if you have a large number of devices."

"The product is expensive, but less expensive than some of the competition and worth the price."

"With a minimal bundle, we pay about $3000 a year in licensing costs. If you have multiple devices in your network, you must buy the bundle, which is 100% identical for your infrastructure. If you have 15 devices, you need 15 licenses, for example. That's one bundle. You don't pay for anything over and above that."

"There is a license for the use of this solution and it is priced well, there is a lot of value for the money."

"In Africa, the cost is a major factor in decision-making for many companies. As a result, some companies may choose cheaper solutions, even if they are open-source, over more expensive ones, such as SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager. However, as an engineer, I believe that the functionalities and services offered by SolarWinds justify the cost. Nonetheless, many companies in Africa may still view the prices as unaffordable."

"There is a license needed to use SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager."

"Available at a moderate price"

"You have a base license for 50 devices, and then you can add more licenses as you go."

"The price of the solution is high compared to other solutions."

"Additional costs beyond the standard licensing fee are inevitable."