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Apstra Operating System vs SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary
 

Categories and Ranking

Apstra Operating System
Ranking in Network Automation
10th
Average Rating
8.0
Number of Reviews
1
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
SolarWinds Network Configur...
Ranking in Network Automation
4th
Average Rating
8.2
Number of Reviews
25
Ranking in other categories
Configuration Management (10th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2024, in the Network Automation category, the mindshare of Apstra Operating System is 3.0%, down from 3.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is 14.1%, down from 15.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Network Automation
 

Featured Reviews

HF
Apr 27, 2022
Highly secure, useful AB test, and stable
I am using Apstra Operating System for some classes and for my personal use Apstra Operating System's most important features are the security and AB test to define what approach we need to take in my company. Additionally, the solution does not take a lot of maintenance. The report data could…
RajeshB - PeerSpot reviewer
Feb 22, 2024
Offers additional functionality, including warranty management
Setting up a solution involves configuring a server and a web console, which is straightforward. Network team coordination is necessary when applying it to devices. This involves creating device connection profiles and ensuring SNMP is enabled. Initially, there were challenges involved in this process, but once the setup was complete, operations proceeded smoothly. All network devices are automatically added to NPM during auto-discovery in SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor, including Network Configuration Manager features. Once configuration profile credentials are established in NCM, they are automatically deployed to all network devices. The solution is easy to use and deploy, although initial setup may require coordination and overcoming challenges.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"Apstra Operating System's most important features are the security and AB test to define what approach we need to take in my company. Additionally, the solution does not take a lot of maintenance."
"Compared to other vendors, like NetBrain, managing the solution is easy. They made it very user-friendly."
"The tool is useful for security purposes."
"Its main functionality is highly beneficial as it centralizes the management of configuration items across the network."
"The network performance monitoring of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is a vital feature"
"The solution's view is very nice, and they have a great customized dashboard."
"This solution has helped our organization by allowing us to store all the device configurations for the various network devices in NCM and making it easy for us to retrieve and look them over."
"The most valuable features the solution offers are compliance, reliability, and information about reliability."
"SolarWinds NCM provides updates on the status of your network infrastructure. If any issues arise, such as a link failure or a device going offline, you will receive notifications and alerts. Additionally, if someone unplugs a cable, SolarWinds NCM will detect it. It also features a Topology Mapper that displays the connectivity of your network devices, giving you a visual representation of the network's structure. With SolarWinds NCM, you have a clear understanding of what's happening within your network and can generate comprehensive reports."
 

Cons

"The report data could improve in Apstra Operating System."
"For each device, when you open the network performance monitor, it will give you all of the information about the device, but many of the natural configuration management features are not on that page."
"The solution could have better integration."
"Our experience has shown that most of the problems we've had with SolarWinds NCM are related to software issues."
"Improvements are needed in the automatic network mapping function."
"There is room for improvement in automation."
"We want to be able to store it in a data warehouse format and integrate it with Google single sign-on."
"I'd like to see additional features like support for devices that don't use CLI for configuration backups, expanded inventory support for other vendors beyond Cisco, and compatibility with newer SD WAN devices. These enhancements would further improve the product's versatility and utility for users. we hope for future enhancements, especially in supporting security devices that lack CLI backup options."
"The third-party plugins available in the solution could improve. I have received some issues with the templates."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of the solution is competitive."
"You have a base license for 50 devices, and then you can add more licenses as you go."
"Pricing is reasonable and competitive."
"We have to pay additionally for its support and maintenance."
"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."
"The pricing is good."
"There is a license for the use of this solution and it is priced well, there is a lot of value for the money."
"Available at a moderate price"
"The price of the solution is high compared to other solutions."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
20%
University
11%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Healthcare Company
8%
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
11%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

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What do you like most about SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager?
The configuration compliance aspect of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager allows for easy comparison of configuration settings across branches, ensuring adherence to security guidelines and b...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager?
The pricing is okay. Overall, I would rate the pricing a three on a scale of one to ten, with ten being most expensive and one being cheap.
What needs improvement with SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager?
The vendor recently introduced AI features to detect alerts. The AI features do not work well. It would be good if the vendor developed the AI feature so that we could understand what patterns the ...
 

Also Known As

Apstra OS, AOS
SolarWinds NCM
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Bloomberg Television, Energy Corporation, A mid-sized financial services company
United Lincolnshire Hospitals, Air Rarotonga, NetSuite, Thai AirAsia, REA Group, 335th Signal Command, Agilisys, Marine Expeditionary Force
Find out what your peers are saying about Red Hat, Cisco, VMware and others in Network Automation. Updated: October 2024.
815,854 professionals have used our research since 2012.