SolarWinds NPM Reviews

Name: SolarWinds NPM
Brand: SolarWinds
Rating: 4.1 (157 reviews)

Vendor: SolarWinds

4.1 out of 5

157 reviews
92% willing to recommend

4,763 followers

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What is SolarWinds NPM?

SolarWinds NPM is a network monitoring solution that enables you to detect, diagnose, and resolve network performance issues and outages quickly and efficiently. The solution is a powerful tool that can help you increase service levels, reduce downtime with multi vendor network monitoring, simplify the management of complex network devices, improve operational efficiency, and much more.

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SolarWinds NPM is the #4 ranked solution in best Network Monitoring Tools, #4 ranked solution in Infrastructure Monitoring tools, and #6 ranked solution in top Cloud Monitoring Software. PeerSpot users give SolarWinds NPM an average rating of 8.2 out of 10. Based on the analysis of the 157 most recent SolarWinds NPM reviews, the overall sentiment is positive, with a sentiment score of 7.0. SolarWinds NPM is most commonly compared to Datadog: SolarWinds NPM vs Datadog. SolarWinds NPM is popular among the midsize enterprise segment, accounting for 61% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a educational organization, accounting for 56% of all views.

Helped 816,660 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

MohitKumar

Senior Specialist at HCL Technologies

The solution needs to integrate with additional SDN technologies that are part of the hyper market. The solution supports many vendors by default and just included Meraki SDN with the new release, but continued expansion is important. We created a custom method to pair with unsupported vendors but that can produce a lag in performance so future releases should expand SDN support. The solution does a good job of automating features but could expand that even more.

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Raja Xabi

Technical Manager at PTCL.Official

The deployment process has evolved significantly compared to previous versions. In the past, It was complex when deploying one or two times. However, the deployment was quite straightforward with the recent version and the support of our local vendor's technical resources. A major challenge was creating a customized map, which was a requirement for us to have a dynamic representation of our sites spread geographically across the country. The technical resources from the local vendor did not initially have sufficient experience with this feature. Consequently, it took some time for him to learn it by consulting the documentation and senior resources. Eventually, he was able to implement it successfully. The deployment and the integrations were completed within two to three days.

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Alan Arnold

Enterprise Operations Manager at University of Alabama at Birmingham

We were looking at using DPA (Database Performance Analyzer) which is another component of the NPM and that looks like it takes care of an area we had not really dove into yet. But in talking to the DBA, they like another product that they want to use for the database monitoring. It is an Oracle product called OEM (Oracle Enterprise Manager). In talking to the DBA's, there was a lot of functionality that they were just used to and they had issues because they did not see some things that they thought were important but missing in the DPA product. That is the only thing I have run into so far with the product that seems to be a shortfall. Everything else is pretty good. I do not really have other suggestions for additional features beyond working on the development of DPA to make it a more complete tool. We are still learning the product. There may be some things that they could improve in the reporting aspect of the product. You can create custom reports and those types of things. But the product seems to be missing some depth in that area and it leaves a little bit to be desired. For example, the filtering system and formatting reports and things like that seem to have room for improvement. You are a little limited on the information available on that front and the utility could be improved. They do have some templates that you can use for report setup. It would be nice if you could maybe make your own. That might make it a little bit more easy to generate other reports that follow the way you like to do things.

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SolarWinds NPM mindshare

Product category:

As of November 2024, the mindshare of SolarWinds NPM in the Network Monitoring Software category stands at 5.2%, down from 6.2% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Monitoring Software

Key learnings from peers

Last updated Nov 22, 2024

Valuable Features

SolarWinds NPM offers features like ease of deployment, a user-friendly interface, SNMP monitoring, customizable dashboards, and robust alerting. It supports multiple vendors, integrates with Active Directory, and provides real-time visibility into network performance. The graphical interface, NetPath, and PerfStack enhance network diagnostics. It offers modular pricing, reducing costs by allowing purchases only for necessary components. Known for its reliability and extensive reporting capabilities, it effectively manages network performance and device health.

"I would rate the overall solution nine out of ten due to its capabilities, however, its complexity is a major drawback."
"SolarWinds NPM has specific modules for monitoring different network capabilities, which provides rich features for carrying out specific tasks."
"SolarWinds has greatly helped us, especially in tracing when the SoundCloud Software goes down without any apparent reason."

Room for Improvement

SolarWinds NPM's network discovery and topology mapping need improvement, often missing devices and lacking automatic updates. The interface is not intuitive, requiring separate modules for many features, which increases costs and complexity. The web-based interface lacks some features compared to the traditional GUI. Support experiences inconsistency, especially with outsourced teams, leading to frustration. Users seek better integration with other network and security tools and improved real-time analytics and customization options. Stability issues arise with multiple modules, and reporting functions need enhancement.

"The initial setup of SolarWinds NPM is complex, and I find it challenging."
"SolarWinds needs to upscale on observability and add full-fledged observability features, including security features."
"The solution is considered expensive."

ROI

SolarWinds NPM improves visibility and decision-making in infrastructure management, leading to cost-saving insights and more effective spending. It surpasses previous tools in historical data and alerts, significantly reducing support costs and downtime. Users report rapid ROI, often within months. It enhances network monitoring, provides accurate alerts, and optimizes resources through flexible licensing, offering substantial value relative to its cost. The impact includes improved user satisfaction and better network performance.

Pricing

SolarWinds NPM pricing varies significantly, influenced by factors such as the number of nodes, interfaces, and modules required. Initial costs range from $2,000 for smaller setups to around $200,000 annually for large enterprises with extensive polling engines. The flexible licensing model enables organizations to start small and scale as needed. Although some users find it expensive, its value and functionality often justify the costs, making it a strong contender for enterprise-level monitoring solutions.

"The pricing is in the middle. It's not particularly cost-effective, but it's not overly expensive either."
"The solution's pricing is low compared to a lot of other tools in the market."
"Most of the licenses are perpetual, and the annual maintenance charges are not high."

Popular Use Cases

SolarWinds NPM is primarily utilized for network monitoring across various environments. Users employ it to track network uptime, performance of routers, switches, firewalls, and servers, as well as monitor bandwidth utilization and network health. Additionally, SolarWinds NPM assists in troubleshooting, alerting, and generating performance reports. It is also integrated for monitoring cloud services, applications, databases, and for cybersecurity purposes, making it suitable for companies of different sizes.

Service and Support

SolarWinds NPM receives mixed responses regarding customer service and technical support. While some find them knowledgeable and responsive, others report slow response times, pushy sales practices, and lack of advanced support options. Technical support is often described as good or even excellent, with knowledgeable staff. However, reliance on community forums is common, and direct engagement is sometimes challenging. The lack of local support and delayed response times are noted as areas for improvement.

Deployment

Many describe SolarWinds NPM's initial setup as straightforward, using a wizard-based process that simplifies installation. Most agree it requires some technical knowledge, especially in larger enterprise environments. While deployment is rapid for smaller installations, complexities increase with the scale and number of customizations required. Some experienced intricate configuration needs due to the network's scale or specific customization demands, though many still found it intuitive and efficient with proper preparation.

Scalability

SolarWinds NPM scales well in various environments, accommodating large infrastructures by adding pollers and dedicated hardware when needed. Some users noted performance issues linked to hardware or virtualization but appreciated its scalability with proper setup. Documentation aids ease of scaling, though some experience complexity in larger deployments. Licensing costs for scaling can be significant, but users found it flexible for different organizational sizes, handling up to thousands of elements efficiently.

Stability

SolarWinds NPM generally shows strong stability, with most users not experiencing major issues. Regular updates and configuration adherence can enhance performance. Some users note occasional database and server-related instability, often due to system specifications or improper configuration. Past upgrades brought challenges, but recent versions have improved. Stability can fluctuate with high usage or insufficient resources. Vendor support receives praise for resolving incidents quickly, contributing to a positive perception among many users.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our SolarWinds NPM Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

56%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

University

Healthcare Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Retailer

Construction Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Comms Service Provider

Media Company

Non Profit

Insurance Company

Transportation Company

Legal Firm

Outsourcing Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Hospitality Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Performing Arts

Compare SolarWinds NPM with alternative products

Learn more about SolarWinds NPM

SolarWinds NPM Features

SolarWinds NPM has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

Increased scalability
Fault, performance, and availability monitoring
Dynamic network discovery and mapping
Cross-stack network data correlation
Customizable topology
Dependency-aware intelligent alerts
Intelligent maps
Automated capacity forecasting, alerting, and reporting
Logical and physical network monitoring
Monitor Azure vNet gateway visibility

SolarWinds NPM Benefits

There are several benefits to implementing SolarWinds NPM. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

Comprehensive monitoring for advanced network devices: With SolarWinds NPM, you can gain insight into the health and performance of your load balancers, Cisco ASA and Palo Alto Networks, firewalls, and Cisco Nexus switches.

Hardware health monitoring: SolarWinds NPM makes it easy for you to monitor, alert, and report on key device metrics, including power supply, fan speed, and temperature.

Customizable performance and availability reports: With this feature, you can choose from more than 100 templates to schedule and also generate custom network performance reports.

Reviews from Real Users

Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by PeerSpot users currently using the SolarWinds NPM solution.

PeerSpot user Andrew N., Senior Network Engineer at Element Critical, says, “The "Performance Analyzer" feature is the solution's most valuable aspect. It's able to do the bounded graphs of all the interface stats, from errors to broadcasts and to current traffic. With a click of a button you're able to, in one interface, look at historical data for those items.” He also adds, “From the troubleshooting point of view, just having that peace of mind is great. And, The solution is extremely stable. We haven't had any issues in that regard. We haven't had issues with bugs, glitches, or crashes."

Daniel S., Systems and Data Warehouse Supervisor at MMSD, mentions, “The alerting and usage tracking is a valuable feature because it alerts us when we're getting near capacity on disk space, network utilization or processor utilization. It helps us manage our capacity and enables us to be proactive.”

A Senior Vice President and CIO at a financial services firm explains, “As we look to add more servers to our virtual environment and to understand the impact, the solution allows us to dig into the historical charts related to capacity planning. It also gives us visibility of spikes and allows us to track down the reasons for their occurrences. So too, it makes room for potential processes that have gotten hung or runaway and to know when it's time to reboot a server or service.”

Dinesh N., Digital Innovation at Bobcat Company, states, “The best part of the solution is the sharing display. It gives a general public ID wherein everyone can link to a public display. That's a good feature.”

Fazal A., Implementation & Support Specialist at 360Factors, comments, “We have configured multiple alerts for our network devices, including routers and switches, so that we are notified if any interface goes down. In the event an interface goes down, we have multiple reports that include availability monitoring, network uptime monitoring, and network downtime monitoring. These reports are on multiple schedules such as the end of the day, end of the last business day of the week, monthly, and quarterly. This gives us the ability to provide reports to our management and let them know the performance of our network.”

SolarWinds NPM was previously known as Solarwinds Network Performance Monitor, SolarWinds Network Bandwidth Analyzer.