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Symantec Data Center Security vs VMware NSX comparison

Symantec Data Center Security and VMware NSX are both solutions in the Cloud and Data Center Security category. Symantec Data Center Security is ranked #11 with an average rating of 8.0, while VMware NSX is ranked #3 with an average rating of 7.9. Symantec Data Center Security holds a 1.8% mindshare in CDCS, compared to VMware NSX’s 11.5% mindshare. Additionally, 81% of Symantec Data Center Security users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of VMware NSX users who would recommend it.
Symantec Data Center Security
Read 11 Symantec Data Center Security reviews
  • 763 Views
  • 481 Comparison Views
81% willing to recommend
VMware NSX
Read 106 VMware NSX reviews
  • 6,667 Views
  • 3,334 Comparison Views
88% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 14, 2024

VMware NSX and Symantec Data Center Security compete in the data center security category. VMware NSX seems to have the upper hand with its integration and scalability in virtual environments.

Features: VMware NSX provides micro-segmentation for enhanced security, automation capabilities, and integration within VMware ecosystems, offering significant scalability. These features enable seamless network management and performance optimization. Symantec Data Center Security focuses on granular policy management, intrusion prevention, and server hardening, delivering robust endpoint protection and system lockdown to defend against sophisticated malware.

Room for Improvement: VMware NSX needs enhancement in integration with Kubernetes and container technologies, support for physical network topology, and a more intuitive upgrade process. Improved visibility in traffic flow introspection and routing protocol support is also necessary. For Symantec Data Center Security, refinement of complex policy structure, user interface enhancement, and more automated threat detection are needed. Users also suggest better integration with third-party solutions and performance improvements in virtualized environments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: VMware NSX offers flexibility across private, hybrid, and public clouds, supported by robust technical assistance, although faster responses are desired by some users. Symantec Data Center Security is effective in on-premises and private cloud settings, with customer support being generally favorable, though direct assistance satisfaction varies.

Pricing and ROI: VMware NSX is considered expensive, with costs varying by features and requirements, yet seen as cost-effective when fully utilized, offering substantial ROI through efficient network management and infrastructure savings. Symantec Data Center Security is perceived as more costly than some competitors, attributed to its comprehensive security features, prompting prospective users to carefully evaluate their needs to justify the investment.

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To learn more, read our detailed Symantec Data Center Security vs. VMware NSX Report (Updated: September 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Symantec Data Center Security vs. VMware NSX
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

Symantec Data Center Security
Ranking in Cloud and Data Center Security
11th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.0
Number of Reviews
11
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
VMware NSX
Ranking in Cloud and Data Center Security
3rd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
106
Ranking in other categories
Network Virtualization (2nd), Network Traffic Analysis (NTA) (7th), Network Detection and Response (NDR) (9th), Network Automation (5th), Microsegmentation Software (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Cloud and Data Center Security category, the mindshare of Symantec Data Center Security is 1.8%, down from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of VMware NSX is 11.5%, down from 16.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Cloud and Data Center Security Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
VMware NSX11.5%
Symantec Data Center Security1.8%
Other86.7%
Cloud and Data Center Security
 

Featured Reviews

Shahram Dehghani - PeerSpot reviewer
A robust solution that provides comprehensive protection for data centers, offering agentless security, powerful intrusion prevention, and a wide range of security features
The primary focus of data center security often revolves around serving customers who offer services to other clients within the data center. For example, if I operate a data center and provide security services, third-party customers might purchase virtual machine products within my data center. These products are automatically deployed, and we safeguard these virtual machines using intrusion prevention system features. This aspect is considered the most valuable part because when we set up these security policies, it's as if we're fortifying the entire infrastructure. It's not just about having good technical support; it's about having a robust IPS and comprehensive DOS prevention system on those operating systems. The advantage of Data Center Security is its ease of use and that it serves as a single unified platform, where I can apply all my security policies to protect that server.
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TAIYAB HASAN - PeerSpot reviewer
Has improved network visibility and security through micro-segmentation and SDN capabilities
This feature gives us flexibility and allows us to manage everything under one pane. We can see everything on one console, including network operations and behavior. Monitoring and security are among the best features for VMware NSX. For micro-segmentation, it's integrated with our endpoint security. If there are any issues with servers or VMs, it notifies us so we can isolate the servers and investigate. It provides distributed security features such as firewall and intrusion, IDS, IPS. The security level with IPS and IDS in VMware NSX is excellent. It also provides logical switching and routing which gives an extra layer for Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching requirements. The solution provides flexibility, automation, and self-service capabilities, resulting in cost savings as extensive expertise isn't required. Once automation and self-service are implemented, many tasks can be completed automatically. Load balancing is another excellent feature. Multiple servers can run on load balancing features, which is particularly useful since we have many application servers running. Sharing loads between servers provides the best performance.
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

"The monitoring in the management console allows us to find out what is going wrong, and it gets reports even before the user reports it."
"We use the product to prevent unauthorized access to data, systems, and servers. It provides essential features for data center security."
"The most valuable feature is the centralized console, which can handle different products that we have."
"The console and tools are very user-friendly."
"The granularity of applying the policies is valuable."
"The ability to finely control permissions and restrictions on servers or assets through a customizable rule set is a key strength."
"The real strength lies in its straightforward approach, offering just two key policies: prevention and detection."
"Good file integrity monitoring features."
More Symantec Data Center Security pros
"It's very important for them to have small footprints and have as much services in their servers, as possible."
"It's what we use the CIS Benchmarks for. It's for employing hardening rules and keeping them up to date when things happen on our systems. So it's really configurations and stuff that harden and report back."
"This solution comes with an API that can easily integrate with other solutions."
"You're building a scalable solution, a secure solution, and a stable end-to-end solution; these are the main measurable benefits VMware NSX provides to the users."
"The best part is the blueprint creation where I can create their things and then move on to the target environment."
"The security offered by VMware NSX is the most valuable, plus it's a feature-rich product that's straightforward to install and configure."
"The most valuable feature of VMware NSX is the high bandwidth."
"The microsegmentation is great, and the security team thinks it is great."
More VMware NSX pros
 

Cons

"The support is very bad. They're not fast at all. Trend Micro's support is much better."
"There is plenty of room for improvement with this product, and it could start with platform metrics."
"Adding more compatibility with common products like Microsoft would be a plus."
"It would be advantageous if Symantec or Broadcom, given the rebranding, could simplify the process, enabling users to leverage the antivirus functionality more easily."
"There is room for improvement in enhancing its graphical user interface for a more user-friendly experience."
"Could have better reporting capabilities and better support."
"A user or administrator making the policy in the DCS should have a very thorough knowledge of the operating system or policy making. You have to be very specific about the data structure."
"Agent management is a challenging task."
More Symantec Data Center Security cons
"The next release of NSX should try to make Kubernetes and container integration a little easier than it is now. It's quite a complicated process."
"The solution can improve by making it more straightforward, easier to install and maintain in the environment."
"The cost of the solution has room for improvement."
"The licensing model is expensive and could be more flexible, especially after Broadcom bought VMware."
"The training costs a minimum of $3,000, which is expensive and should be reduced."
"If you're worried that NSX is too complex, I would tell you to take another look. If you compare NSX to a similar solution you might find it to be a bit more complex. Usually, the guy that comes in to implement NSX isn't the network guy and will lack the knowledge for the program. He can lack the knowledge for this program and will therefore think it's complex. You need somebody with network experience."
"Some configuration maximums are limiting to the user, especially when it comes to the deployment of very, very large environments."
"The scalability is not perfect."
More VMware NSX cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is a bit costly."
"Compared to some other solutions, such as CrowdStrike, Symantec is more expensive."
"It is notably more expensive when compared to other solutions."
"The price is based on the virtual desktop infrastructure(VDI) side and also is dependant on the size of the environment. The price is expensive and it could attract more purchasers in smaller organisations if it was reduced."
"Our customers have definitely complained about its cost. It's expensive. I'd rate it a nine out of ten in terms of pricing where ten represents a high price. There are other products out there that are equally expensive."
"The price of VMware NSX is very good compared to other solutions."
"VMware has a subscription and perpetual license. In the New Year, they're changing many things about the licensing model. Previously, NSX was licensed according to the number of sockets inside the appliance, so we bought VMware licenses based on that. However, that may have changed this year. We are still contacting the vendors to understand the new licensing strategy."
"VMware NSX is a cheaper product compared to its competitor, Cisco."
"VMware NSX is expensive and everything is licensed. We have to pay for each individual feature."
"The price is significantly high and it can be a hurdle for many potential users."
"We have saved man-hours and decreased our security exposure."
More VMware NSX pricing and cost advice
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
13%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Computer Software Company
8%
Construction Company
7%
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise5
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business33
Midsize Enterprise23
Large Enterprise69
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Symantec Data Center Security?
The granularity of applying the policies is valuable.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Symantec Data Center Security?
Agent management is a challenging task. We cannot do it from the console. We will have to use other tools.
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Symantec Data Center Security?
One key use case for data center security is protecting files within the data center. This is especially important for Linux systems, where locking down specific files is essential to prevent unaut...
See all answers
What are the biggest differences between Cisco ACI and VMware NSX?
There are some very major differences between both the Products and to name a few. -Cisco ACI have physical network gear (9K Switches) where the Code runs in ACI Policy Mode & the UCS server wh...
See all answers
What are the biggest differences between Cisco ACI and VMware NSX?
Once you know your way around the Cisco ecosystem, using Cisco ACI is not so difficult. It is a global product, so when you change one interface, changes are automatically reflected on every switch...
See all answers
What do you like most about VMware NSX?
The product has valuable features for security and network extension.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

Trend Micro Deep Security vs Symantec Data Center Security Logo
Trend Micro Deep Security vs Symantec Data Center Security
Compared 67% of the time
Symantec Endpoint Security vs Symantec Data Center Security Logo
Symantec Endpoint Security vs Symantec Data Center Security
Compared 22% of the time
More Symantec Data Center Security Competitors
Illumio vs VMware NSX Logo
Illumio vs VMware NSX
Compared 18% of the time
Nutanix Flow Network Security vs VMware NSX Logo
Nutanix Flow Network Security vs VMware NSX
Compared 15% of the time
Akamai Guardicore Segmentation vs VMware NSX Logo
Akamai Guardicore Segmentation vs VMware NSX
Compared 14% of the time
Cisco Secure Workload vs VMware NSX Logo
Cisco Secure Workload vs VMware NSX
Compared 8% of the time
Cisco ACI vs VMware NSX Logo
Cisco ACI vs VMware NSX
Compared 6% of the time
More VMware NSX Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Symantec Data Center Security
September 2025
Symantec Data Center Security reportDownload Symantec Data Center Security product report
Buyer's Guide
VMware NSX
September 2025
VMware NSX reportDownload VMware NSX product report
 

Also Known As

No data available
VMware Nicira, Lastline Defender
 

Overview

Docker containers make it easy to develop, deploy, and deliver applications where containers can be deployed and brought down in a matter of seconds. This flexibility makes it very useful for DevOps to automate deployment of containers. Symantec Data Center Security: Server Advanced provides agentless Docker container protection that allows you to achieve the performance benefits of Docker without sacrificing security. Full application control enables administrator privilege de-escalation, patch mitigation, and protection against zero day threats in today's heterogeneous data centers.

Broadcom

VMware NSX is a comprehensive tool for network virtualization and security, offering advanced features like micro-segmentation and multi-cloud networking to enhance scalability and management efficiency within enterprises.

VMware NSX revolutionizes enterprise networking by integrating security and scalability into one streamlined platform. With capabilities like dynamic policy updates and automation, it simplifies complex configurations and provides robust API integration. Its support for Layer 4 and 7 load balancing, along with its seamless integration in multi-cloud environments, makes it a preferred choice among companies. Although deployment speed and management console features require refinement, NSX is an effective solution for private cloud and hybrid environments, enabling centralized orchestration and management of complex networks.

What are the key features of VMware NSX?

  • Micro-segmentation: Provides secure, granular network segmentation for enhanced security.
  • Distributed Firewall: Offers policy-driven firewall capabilities across all network endpoints.
  • Automation: Enables dynamic policy updates and simplifies network configurations.
  • API Integration: Facilitates seamless third-party integrations and improves configuration processes.
  • Multi-Cloud Networking: Supports seamless integration across various cloud environments.

What benefits and ROI should users consider?

  • Scalability: Offers significant improvements in network scalability and management efficiency.
  • Security: Ensures enhanced security through advanced features like micro-segmentation.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: Potential to reduce costs through network automation and efficiency improvements.
  • Flexibility: Supports various enterprise requirements with its comprehensive feature set.

In the tech industry, VMware NSX is instrumental in managing private and hybrid cloud environments, allowing companies to replace traditional networking with software-defined networks. In finance, it helps secure transactional data through micro-segmentation. Healthcare organizations leverage its flexibility for managing sensitive patient information securely and integrating cloud services.

Broadcom
 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
City of Avondale, Lumeta, Kroll Ontrack, Heartland Payment Systems, Baystate Heallth, Exostar, Tribune Media, iGATE, NTT Communications, Synergent, California Natural Resources Agency, Bloomington Public Schools, Columbia Sportswear, Join Experience S.A, Schuberg Philis
Buyer's Guide
Symantec Data Center Security vs. VMware NSX
September 2025
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