N-able N-central vs SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager comparison

The compared N-able and SolarWinds solutions aren't in the same category. N-able is ranked #5 in RMM , with an average rating of 8.5, and holds a 12.3% mindshare in the category. SolarWinds is ranked #12 in CM , with an average rating of 7.8, and holds a 1.3% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of N-able users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of SolarWinds users who would recommend it.

N-able N-central

Read 8 N-able N-central reviews

1,320 Views
1,014 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

SolarWinds Network Configur...

Read 27 SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager reviews

560 Views
433 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

N-able N-central

SolarWinds Network Configur...

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between N-able N-central and SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about NinjaOne, Kaseya, TeamViewer and others in Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM).

To learn more, read our detailed Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) Report (Updated: March 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM)

March 2025

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Helped 845,040 peers since 2012

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

N-able N-central

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) (5th)

SolarWinds Network Configur...

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Configuration Management (12th), Network Automation (4th)

Mindshare comparison

While both are Systems Management solutions, they serve different purposes. N-able N-central is designed for Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) and holds a mindshare of 12.3%, up 10.4% compared to last year.
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager, on the other hand, focuses on Configuration Management, holds 1.3% mindshare, up 1.1% since last year.

Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM)

Configuration Management

Featured Reviews

Jallad Ahmad

Senior Manager, Cloud at a media company with 10,001+ employees

Optimizes device management and has an easy deployment

Customers that we manage do not have IT, but they still want to manage the PCs if they have any issues or any patches. They want to keep the operating system up to the latest version. They need support for their employees on the device itself. We use N-central to get access to the device, and we…

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RajeshB

Server and Network Monitoring Manager at a consultancy with 1,001-5,000 employees

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.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I like the remote connectivity, reporting suite, and patch management module."

"It's a very robust product. They're continuing to invest and put new enhancements into the product. They're very open about what their roadmap is, which is very good for us because then as a business, we can plan."

"The solution's service is good."

"The most valuable features of N-central are its ease of deployment and ease of use."

"N-able N-central is an easy tool to implement with customers."

"The support is at a good level. So normally, we can always get to a solution when we are stuck with some monitoring problems that we encounter."

"N-able N-central has numerous good features. The asset tracking capability is powerful, allowing you to track hardware and software on devices connected to your network. The remote control is smooth, securely enabling remote access to servers and routers. It can be integrated with ticketing systems and other tools like CrowdStrike and N-able EDR for comprehensive network monitoring and security. The automation feature is handy, allowing you to schedule tasks, respond to system triggers, and automate problem resolution, such as handling disk space issues automatically."

"The most valuable feature of N-able N-central is the many options it has."

More N-able N-central pros

"It is a stable solution."

"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."

"Configuration refers to the specific settings and options that determine how a device or system behaves. It can include things, such as network settings, security settings, and other options that are specific to the device or system in question. One of the most valuable features of the solution was its ability to track and monitor changes to the configuration of devices on a network. This can be useful for troubleshooting and identifying potential issues. By keeping track of who made changes to the configuration and when it can be easier to determine the cause of any problems that may arise."

"Configuration pushing, upgrade capabilities, job backup, configuration backup, and real-time configuration change monitoring are highly beneficial features of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager."

"NCM also helps with vulnerability assessment and remediation."

"The scanning features have proven to be highly valuable, particularly due to the comprehensive information they provide."

"The installation is straightforward."

More SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager pros

Cons

"N-central has limited mobile device management (MDM) support, specifically for Android devices. This limitation affected a deal with a client who had numerous Android devices to manage. It would be beneficial if N-central could expand its MDM support to include Android devices."

"The support from our direct team is very good, but the support from their day-to-day ongoing help desk isn't that good. They have still got some work to do on that, but they have been focusing on that a lot over the last number of years. So, it has gotten a lot better than it was."

"The solution's overall integration should be improved."

"The integration with other applications could be better."

"There is room for improvement in the development of custom monitoring services."

"At this moment, we encounter stability issues with N-able N-central from time to time."

"Involving AI in the platform could improve it further."

"N-able N-central could improve the remote access, my technicians have complained about it. They have used other free tools instead to compensate, such as TeamViewer. Additionally, when using remote access on the web, it is lacking reports."

More N-able N-central cons

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

"The network logs could be improved. When the error logs come across with those false positive alarms in the error logs."

"The solution could improve by being more secure."

"There is room for improvement in automation."

"Further improvements in automation are needed. Currently, there are limitations in performing tasks without logging into routers directly, and we expect more comprehensive device control."

"Improvements are needed in the automatic network mapping function."

"It would be great if they include a network service manager, network performance manager, or a privileged assessment in the next release."

"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."

More SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"N-able N-central is not an expensive solution."

"The pricing and licensing are average, almost six out of ten."

"I have a yearly subscription."

"Available at a moderate price"

"We have to pay additionally for its support and maintenance."

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

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

"Pricing is reasonable and competitive."

"The pricing is good."

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

More SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) solutions are best for your needs.

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

20%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Government

Computer Software Company

12%

Government

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about N-able N-central?

The solution's service is good.

See all answers

What needs improvement with N-able N-central?

One of my personal challenges with N-able N-central is the monitoring of services for server hardware. The industry has moved towards Redfish for out-of-band and in-band monitoring, yet N-able N-ce...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for N-able N-central?

Our primary use case for N-able N-central is monitoring. As an administrator, I frequently work with N-able N-central for monitoring, spending approximately fifty percent of my time on it.

See all answers

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...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager?

The licensing costs of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager are expensive, but considering its reliability, feature enhancements, and support, it is worthwhile.

See all answers

What needs improvement with SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager?

Further improvements in automation are needed. Currently, there are limitations in performing tasks without logging into routers directly, and we expect more comprehensive device control.

See all answers

Comparisons

NinjaOne vs N-able N-central

Compared 42% of the time

N-able N-sight Remote Monitoring & Management vs N-able N-central

Compared 11% of the time

ConnectWise RMM vs N-able N-central

Compared 10% of the time

Kaseya VSA vs N-able N-central

Compared 9% of the time

More N-able N-central Competitors

Cisco DNA Center vs SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager

Compared 28% of the time

Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform vs SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager

Compared 10% of the time

ManageEngine Network Configuration Management vs SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager

Compared 7% of the time

IBM Tivoli NetCool vs SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager

Compared 6% of the time

OpenText Network Automation vs SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager

Compared 4% of the time

More SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM)

March 2025

Download N-able N-central product report

Buyer's Guide

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager

March 2025

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager report

Download SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager product report

Also Known As

SolarWinds N-central, SolarWinds MSP N-central

SolarWinds NCM

Overview

N-able N-central is a comprehensive tool for monitoring networks, managing assets, automation, remote access, patch management, and ensuring system security. It is predominantly used by managed services providers to manage systems, servers, routers, and firewalls.

N-able N-central provides robust remote management and monitoring functionalities. It offers a user-friendly GUI and strong asset tracking capabilities. Integration with ticketing systems, CrowdStrike, and N-able EDR enhances monitoring and security. Automation features allow scheduling tasks, responding to system triggers, and automating problem resolution. Users appreciate ongoing enhancements and transparency about its roadmap.

What are the key features of N-able N-central?

Remote Connectivity: Provides smooth remote control for troubleshooting and support.
Reporting Suite: Offers comprehensive reporting tools for network insights.
Patch Management: Efficiently manages system updates to maintain security.
Intuitive GUI: User-friendly interface backed by solid support.
Asset Tracking: Powerful tracking of all managed devices.
Integration: Supports ticketing systems and security tools like CrowdStrike and N-able EDR.
Automation: Schedules tasks and automates problem resolution.

What benefits and ROI should users look for in the reviews?

Enhanced Efficiency: Automation and integration streamline workflows.
Improved Security: Robust monitoring and security features protect networks.
Cost Savings: Comprehensive tool reduces the need for multiple solutions.
Ease of Use: Intuitive interface and strong support simplify management.
Scalability: Grows with business needs, managing a large number of devices.

N-able N-central is widely implemented across various industries, providing essential network management and security functionalities. It is particularly useful for managed services providers in sectors such as healthcare, finance, and education, where robust monitoring, remote access, and asset management are critical for operational efficiency.

N-able

Before you monitor your network, configure it! A reliable and secure network starts with carefully planned, executed, and monitored network configuration and change management. SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM) saves time and improves network reliability and security by managing configurations, changes, and compliance for routers, switches, and other network devices from Cisco, Juniper, HP, Dell, Brocade, Aruba, Rukus, and more.

SolarWinds

Sample Customers

Premier Technology Solutions

United Lincolnshire Hospitals, Air Rarotonga, NetSuite, Thai AirAsia, REA Group, 335th Signal Command, Agilisys, Marine Expeditionary Force

Buyer's Guide

Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM)

March 2025

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