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 8.8, and holds a 12.6% mindshare in the category. SolarWinds is ranked #10 in CM , with an average rating of 8.3, and holds a 1.4% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of N-able users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of SolarWinds users who would recommend it.

N-able N-central

Read 8 N-able N-central reviews

1,387 Views
1,092 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

SolarWinds Network Configur...

Read 25 SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager reviews

609 Views
466 Comparison Views

94% willing to recommend

N-able N-central

SolarWinds Network Configur...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

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, Atera and others in Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM).

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

Buyer's Guide

Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM)

February 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 838,713 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

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Configuration Management (10th), 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 12.6%, up 9.9% compared to last year.
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager, on the other hand, focuses on Configuration Management, holds 1.4% 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…

Read full review

Manish Ved

Lead Infrastructure Domain Architect (Systems) at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees

Network configuration is done well; great pricing

Our model of deployment is on-premises. I would advise other people looking into this solution to read its documentation and better understand what it does before they start using it. I would rate this solution as a whole a 10, on a scale from one to 10, with one being the worst and 10 being the best.

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

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

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

"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."

"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 very scalable."

"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."

"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."

More N-able N-central pros

"The most valuable Real-time fault detection is beneficial as it enables the identification of changes made to a device's configuration through the SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager. This makes it easy to pinpoint which configurations were added or removed, potentially causing network issues. Such changes are saved in logs for future reference."

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

"It is pretty straightforward to set up."

"It's perfect for network configuration management. It's easy to use."

"We push all our configurations to the servers with ease and the logs capture almost all the transactions needed for an internal audit."

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

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

"Compared to other vendors, like NetBrain, managing the solution is easy. They made it very user-friendly."

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."

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

"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 integration with other applications could be better."

"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."

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

"The industry has moved towards Redfish for out-of-band and in-band monitoring, yet N-able N-central still relies on older protocols like SNMP."

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

More N-able N-central cons

"The only thing that requires some experience, and training doesn't fix, is how to set up your custom policy-based reports to check compliance."

"The AI features do not work well."

"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."

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

"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 interface of solar winds could be improved."

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

More SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

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

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

"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."

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

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

"The pricing is good."

"Pricing is reasonable and competitive."

"Available at a moderate price"

"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.

See recommendations

838,713 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

23%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

Government

12%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

11%

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?

They have AI on their roadmap. It's about how to leverage AI to make recommendations about device maintenance, recommendations for areas, such as certain ports to close, and recommendations on anti...

See all answers

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

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 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.

See all answers

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 ...

See all answers

Comparisons

NinjaOne vs N-able N-central

Compared 39% of the time

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

Compared 13% of the time

ConnectWise RMM vs N-able N-central

Compared 9% of the time

Atera vs N-able N-central

Compared 9% of the time

ConnectWise Automate vs N-able N-central

Compared 3% of the time

More N-able N-central Competitors

Cisco DNA Center vs SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager

Compared 29% of the time

Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform vs SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager

Compared 12% of the time

IBM Tivoli NetCool vs SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager

Compared 8% of the time

VMware NSX vs SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager

Compared 6% of the time

DataMiner 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)

February 2025

Download N-able N-central product report

Buyer's Guide

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager

February 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)

February 2025

Download Free Report

Find out what your peers are saying about NinjaOne, Kaseya, Atera and others in Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM). Updated: February 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

838,713 professionals have used our research since 2012.

We monitor all Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.