IBM DataPower Gateway vs Microsoft .NET Framework comparison

IBM and Microsoft are both solutions in the Application Infrastructure category. IBM is ranked #12 with an average rating of 8.5, while Microsoft is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.5. IBM holds a 4.3% mindshare in AIS, compared to Microsoft’s 5.8% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 93% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

IBM DataPower Gateway

Read 30 IBM DataPower Gateway reviews

5,657 Views
622 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Microsoft .NET Framework

Read 55 Microsoft .NET Framework reviews

1,380 Views
1,339 Comparison Views

93% willing to recommend

IBM DataPower Gateway

Microsoft .NET Framework

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 5, 2025

IBM DataPower Gateway and Microsoft .NET Framework serve in different categories with IBM excelling in secure API management and Microsoft in application development. IBM DataPower Gateway stands out for its robust security features, while Microsoft .NET Framework offers greater flexibility and developer support.

Features: IBM DataPower Gateway provides threat protection, API traffic control, and secure data transaction capabilities. Its appliance hardware and software offer consistent security. Microsoft .NET Framework is known for its extensive library support, seamless tool integration, and comprehensive development environment.

Room for Improvement: IBM could improve by enhancing integration capabilities with non-IBM technologies, optimizing the cost structure, and developing a more extensive developer ecosystem. Microsoft .NET could enhance cross-platform compatibility, continue improving .NET Core capabilities, and further streamline deployment processes.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM offers straightforward deployment for secure environments with reliable enterprise-focused support, ideal for businesses needing rigorous security. Microsoft benefits from a large community, comprehensive documentation, and integration features that make deployment in existing infrastructures smoother.

Pricing and ROI: IBM generally necessitates a higher initial investment due to its advanced security features but can provide significant ROI for businesses with intense security needs. Microsoft .NET Framework, often included with other Microsoft products, presents a more cost-effective option favoring organizations focused on fast software development, leading to a favorable ROI through reduced development time.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM DataPower Gateway vs. Microsoft .NET Framework Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM DataPower Gateway vs. Microsoft .NET Framework

September 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

IBM DataPower Gateway

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

12th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) (6th), SOA Application Gateways (1st), API Management (12th)

Microsoft .NET Framework

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

2nd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Application Infrastructure category, the mindshare of IBM DataPower Gateway is 4.3%, up from 3.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft .NET Framework is 5.8%, down from 6.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Infrastructure Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Microsoft .NET Framework	5.8%
IBM DataPower Gateway	4.3%
Other	89.9%

Application Infrastructure

Featured Reviews

AkshaySawant

Manager at CSB Bank Ltd

Security features excel but development limitations emerge

We are using the IBM DataPower Gateway for security purposes. As per the development perspective, there are some limitations with IBM DataPower Gateway because it only supports XML and XSLT language, but it does not support the Java language. This is the only limitation of the IBM DataPower Gateway. For the authentication and authorization purpose, we can use the IBM DataPower Gateway. It's a very good product. We are mostly using the IBM DataPower Gateway for security purposes and load balancing purposes. If we are handling the load for a particular server, then we can use the IBM DataPower Gateway. The IBM DataPower Gateway is mostly used for security purposes. If we have some APIs and we are using some security for those APIs, then we can use it. It can also be used as a load balancer. It's also used for certificate management, user management purposes, authentication, and authorization. For routing, the IBM DataPower Gateway has multiple URL-based routing and content-based routing capabilities. If we have multiple URLs, then we can use an XML script. Using the XSLT language, we can configure multiple URLs and implement URL-based routing. Content-based routing means if we have multiple requests, we can route the request to a particular URL. For this, we need to use the XSLT language only. We can't use XML, Java, or other scripting languages. With IBM DataPower Gateway, we are using all the APIs. All APIs have been configured on the gateway. We have configured the particular TLS profile and some TLS client profiles as well. Using that TLS profile, we have configured the APIs and authentication. We have configured some tokens also, including JWT tokens and different types of auth tokens. There is also a rate limiting feature which we use for handling API loads.

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David Shlingbaum

IT Development Manager, Architect, Developer at Miltel Communications LTD

Old version maintains functionality but lacks current cloud support

Since the version I'm using is many years old, they have been continuously improving. They are always adding features to the language and framework, but I cannot comment from a very old version on what needs to be improved as I'm not completely up to date. There is a challenge and complexity in supporting a very old version of a product that is no longer supported. It's still possible with Microsoft .NET Framework, which isn't the case with many other products. That's a positive aspect. It has limitations when trying to develop new things with Microsoft .NET Framework. But whatever works, continues to work. It always needs improvement, but again, it does not improve when discussing an old version of Microsoft .NET Framework. I think they're always improving, but it's a never-ending process.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution is robust."

"We are mostly using the IBM DataPower Gateway for security purposes and load balancing purposes."

"It's high-speed and it can be remotely administered via an API."

"It is easy to use, easy to install, and it's resilient for high availability."

"I like all of the features in this product and it does what it's supposed to do."

"You don't have to have a separate DMC proxy because DataPower Gateway is an appliance and will take care of a lot of security features. These include data validations, encryption, as well as XML or any type of scripting or security threats that are present."

"It is a scalable solution."

"The solution is stable."

More IBM DataPower Gateway pros

"The most valuable feature of Microsoft .NET Framework is debugging."

"The most valuable features for us are web frameworks like MVC, Web API, and WCS."

"The addition of generics to handle common functionality across types, and the more recent upgrade of the dataset to the Entity Framework, has cut development time drastically, while increasing quality and confidence between builds."

"The web development and Microsoft Windows service development capabilities are among the most valuable features offered by the Microsoft .NET Framework. This language platform is highly user-friendly, with plenty of online examples and information available, as well as a robust development environment."

"The solution is not limited in storage, is customizable and simple to use."

"When it comes to the user interface, the context is better than other tools because it is easier to use."

"It's easy to create and integrate things."

"The new .NET Core has those middlewares, which are awesome from a security standpoint. With the old Framework or the newer Framework, middleware is basically an event pipeline. You configure and register it, and it handles things centrally. A simple example is logging. With the old Framework, you needed to try/catch blocks everywhere. Here, you configure the logging handler once, and it captures exceptions across the application. I really like the middleware pattern."

More Microsoft .NET Framework pros

Cons

"The solution requires a lot of training manuals in order to get to know it better and to be able to use it effectively."

"The programming language is only supported in XSLT and Gateway script."

"Its support services could be better."

"The user interface or the application development perspective and customization of the tool could be a little better."

"The two biggest issues of this solution are the complexity and the maintenance procedures."

"It is a costly product."

"The product should be more adapted to the DevOps process."

"The DCDR process should be less complex."

More IBM DataPower Gateway cons

"They should try to improve their Blazor WebAssembly."

"The .NET open source community could be larger."

"This solution is best used with some training."

"Improvements are needed in .NET development, particularly in a backend scenario."

"You need to have the technical expertise to use this product."

"I would like more web integration."

"The solution needs to update its security periodically because there are many security concerns."

"Like in C#, Microsoft .NET Framework should provide code reusability options for all kinds of development processes."

More Microsoft .NET Framework cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The licensing cost is very expensive."

"The cost is very high and requires all five components in the API management solution."

"The solution is expensive in comparison to other products."

"The tool's initial costing is expensive for small banks and financial institutions."

"The appliance is a bit on the expensive side for the workloads that are not too high."

"Most customers' use case budgets are not inlined with the price of IBM DataPower Gateway. It is too expensive."

"The product is expensive."

"As far as I know, they have a perpetual license for this product. They are paying perpetual fees rather than an annual subscription or annual pricing."

More IBM DataPower Gateway pricing and cost advice

"Considering the bigger picture, opting for the Microsoft ecosystem can be beneficial and it is priced well. When relying on entirely open-source solutions, you may encounter challenges associated with dealing with multiple vendors and potentially compromised security measures. However, it is important to note that Microsoft could enhance its performance when it comes to addressing critical security concerns."

"Do your homework. Consider the partnership program."

"The solution is free but you need to pay for a license for the hosting service."

"We have an annual license, and we pay extra for extended support."

"The support is an extra cost when purchasing the license. The price of the solution is overall reasonable and paid annually or every three years. Additionally, they have a monthly license. The cost is approximately $1,000 per user."

"Microsoft .NET Framework is very cost-effective for corporate users."

"The product’s pricing is a bit high."

"Microsoft .NET Framework is free of cost."

More Microsoft .NET Framework pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

29%

Insurance Company

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

14%

Real Estate/Law Firm

12%

Government

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	11
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	16

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	28
Midsize Enterprise	9
Large Enterprise	22

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM DataPower Gateway?

The MPGW (Multi-Protocol Gateway) is great because it allows you to easily expose services using various protocols – web services, REST (JSON), and others. This flexibility simplifies things.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM DataPower Gateway?

I would rate the pricing a two out of ten, with one being high price, and ten being low price. It's high-priced for smaller companies. But it is okay for enterprises. So, the price could be more fl...

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM DataPower Gateway?

The DCDR process should be less complex. AI should improve developer efficiency and effort. Whenever I am writing code, it should give recommendations automatically by incorporating AI so I can wri...

See all answers

What do you like most about Microsoft .NET Framework?

Microsoft .NET Framework continually innovates, particularly in Visual Studio, which focuses on improving languages, debugging, and .NET functionality.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft .NET Framework?

I don't know about pricing. I'm paying for Visual Studio, even though I'm not using the new version yet. Prices can always be better, but I think for the environment provided, the prices are accept...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft .NET Framework?

See all answers

Comparisons

IBM API Connect vs IBM DataPower Gateway

Compared 36% of the time

Apigee vs IBM DataPower Gateway

Compared 10% of the time

Microsoft Azure API Management vs IBM DataPower Gateway

Compared 7% of the time

Kong Gateway Enterprise vs IBM DataPower Gateway

Compared 6% of the time

Amazon API Gateway vs IBM DataPower Gateway

Compared 6% of the time

More IBM DataPower Gateway Competitors

Apache Web Server vs Microsoft .NET Framework

Compared 20% of the time

IIS vs Microsoft .NET Framework

Compared 17% of the time

Magic xpa Application Platform vs Microsoft .NET Framework

Compared 14% of the time

JBoss Enterprise Application Platform vs Microsoft .NET Framework

Compared 10% of the time

NGINX Plus vs Microsoft .NET Framework

Compared 9% of the time

More Microsoft .NET Framework Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM DataPower Gateway

September 2025

Download IBM DataPower Gateway product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft .NET Framework

August 2025

Download Microsoft .NET Framework product report

Also Known As

WebSphere DataPower, IBM DataPower, IBM WebSphere DataPower

MS .NET Framework

Overview

IBM DataPower Gateway is a robust, secure next-generation enterprise-grade single multichannel API gateway that supplies dynamic access, integration, control, and outstanding security. The solution is available in a broad range of workload capabilities, including application programming interface (API), service oriented architecture (SOA), B2B, cloud, web, and mobile. These dynamic capabilities ensure users are able to quickly increase the reach of an organization's critical IT resources to new channels, which will provide shareholders, team members, and clients with safe, secure access at all times.

DataPower Gateway is very flexible and is widely available in virtual, cloud, traditional, physical, Docker, and Linux form factors.

IBM DataPower Gateway Features

IBM DataPower Gateway has many value-added features. Some of these features are included below:

Control: The solution provides decision point authorization and authentication for all standards, including Lightweight Direct Access Protocol (LDAP) and Open Authorization (OAuth), which allow for better access control across an organization’s entire network.
DataPower dashboard: The dashboard is specifically designed to enhance performance and determine problematic processes. The solution provides intuitive real-time performance transparency to diagnose operational and performance anomalies and offer repair and restoration recommendations.
Enhanced messaging: Users are able to easily mediate messaging and protocols by incorporating the best of today’s traditional and modern application standards.
Integration: IBM DataPower Gateway offers super fast mainframe connectivity, database connectivity, transport protocol bridging, content-based routing, and any-to-any message transformation, ensuring secure and immediate connect service.

IBM DataPower Gateway Benefits

IBM DataPower Gateway provides many benefits. Some of those benefits include:

Flexibility: The solution is easy to use and configure and provides for a pleasant, intuitive overall user experience. The solution can immediately be used out of the box, which makes overall process management simple.
Protection: The solution provides sturdy continuous service protection and application performance using robust powerful routing and traffic control.
Security: The solution’s enterprise-grade De-Militarized Zone (DMZ) ready gateway enables users to enforce the desired runtime application security across all messaging protocols.
Profitability: The solution’s design ensures significant reduction of development costs in addition to the streamlining of overall operations. Users are able to achieve reduced total cost of ownership (TCO) and experience a near-immediate ROI.

Reviews from Real Users

“My company has a good impression of IBM DataPower Gateway. What I like about it is that because it's an appliance, it's a turnkey solution that's very fast and out of the box. Another valuable feature of IBM DataPower Gateway is that it's easy to integrate with other products.”- Bálint T., Solution Manager at Intalion

“You don't have to have a separate DMC proxy because DataPower Gateway is an appliance and will take care of a lot of security features. These include data validations, encryption, as well as XML or any type of scripting or security threats that are present. From a security point of view, being an appliance in the DMC zone, IBM DataPower Gateway will take care of the entire security angle for the infrastructure.” - Sathyan K., Founder/Director at perfTech Solutions Pvt Ltd

IBM

Microsoft .NET Framework is a software development framework for building and running applications for Windows, Windows Phone, Windows servers, XML Web services, and Microsoft Azure. The software is made up of two major components: Common Language Runtime (CLR) and the .NET Framework Class Library. The CLR is the execution engine that handles running apps and the Class Library is a library of tested, reusable code that developers can call from their own apps.

Microsoft .NET Framework Features

Microsoft .NET Framework has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

Memory management: With Microsoft .NET Framework apps, the CLR allocates and releases memory and handles object lifetimes in many programming languages, so programmers are not responsible to do it.

Multitargeting: Microsoft .NET Framework targets .NET Standard, allowing developers to create class libraries that work on multiple Microsoft .NET Framework platforms.

A common type system: When using Microsoft .NET Framework, basic types are defined by the .NET Framework type system and are common to all languages that target Microsoft .NET Framework as opposed to traditional programming languages where basic types are defined by the compiler.

Side-by-side execution: By allowing multiple versions of the common language runtime to exist on the same computer, Microsoft .NET Framework helps resolve version conflicts. In addition, an app can run on the version of Microsoft .NET Framework with which it was built and multiple versions of apps can coexist.

Development frameworks and technologies: Microsoft .NET Framework provides libraries for specific areas of app development, such as ASP.NET for web apps, ADO.NET for data access, Windows Communication Foundation for service-oriented apps, and Windows Presentation Foundation for Windows desktop apps.

Microsoft .NET Framework Benefits

There are many benefits to implementing Microsoft .NET Framework. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

Language interoperability: With this Microsoft .NET Framework feature, routines written in one language are accessible to other languages, enabling programmers to focus on creating apps in their preferred languages.

Version compatibility: Microsoft .NET Framework offers version compatibility for rare occasions when apps that are developed by using a particular version of Microsoft .NET Framework happen to run without modification on a later version.

Extensive class library: With Microsoft .NET Framework, programmers have the ability to use a readily accessible Microsoft .NET Framework class library instead of having to write vast amounts of code to handle common low-level programming operations.

Reviews from Real Users

Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by PeerSpot users currently using the Microsoft .NET Framework solution.

PeerSpot user, Syed A., Principal System Developer at a government, says the solution is a “Great all in one framework with extensive stack for web applications, windows applications and mobile applications.”

A QA Supervisor at a manufacturing company mentions, “It comes with many features that you can interact with and has all of the libraries readily available, which is not available in the RPA platforms. You can create your own SSIS package. You can integrate with all of the Windows objects, which is not available in Automation Anywhere, and you need to rely on their Object Cloning technologies to interact with them.”

Brennan G., IS Technical Architect at Avara Foods Holdings Limited, comments, “It is easy to use, and it runs on a Windows platform. The .NET Framework is a very good framework. It does what I need it to do.”

Microsoft

Sample Customers

RBL Bank, Availity

Curtin University, Rockwell Automation, Aruba Networks, Insurity Inc., City of Barcelona, Pennsylvania DCNR, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, A1 Telekom Austria AG, Eastman Chemical Company

Buyer's Guide

IBM DataPower Gateway vs. Microsoft .NET Framework

September 2025

Free Report: IBM DataPower Gateway vs. Microsoft .NET Framework

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