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NetworkS3978 - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Security Engineer at a wellness & fitness company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
It is the core of our entire SOX
Pros and Cons
  • "It is the core of our entire SOX."
  • "Due to the skills shortage, we are able to use it from the standpoint of bringing in a lower level employee or a person who may not have security knowledge."
  • "We run 65 servers globally with just two people: an engineering person and me."
  • "The technical support is poor. Mostly because when I open a PMR for IBM, I am stuck with Level 1 staff. As an engineer, nothing that I am bringing them does not require Level 2 or Level 3 support."

How has it helped my organization?

QRadar improved risk assessment and vulnerability, plus it has reduced some staff. It has also improved the training abilities of the people who use it, e.g., IR teams. It is the core of our entire SOX. Therefore, we use it for everything through training all the way up through management. 

Due to the skills shortage, we are able to use it from the standpoint of bringing in a lower level employee or a person who may not have security knowledge. We can put them in front of the product and they will still have the information that they need and have them at a level where they can run the system. Also, products, like Watson, make it work better.

What needs improvement?

The overall workload automation should be built into it. Part of the efficiency side of it is the ability to take the information as it comes in and assign it into a group. Now, the team leader no longer needs to assign it manually. He manages the workflow as it comes in directly to the individuals. Then, the individuals respond on it. As it closes, it goes back to the workflow, recording the amount of time it took for them to close it. It should show: 

  • How long did it take to get assigned?
  • How long did it take for the person to open it?

Then, you can show that a person may have issues opening network problems.

We have not suffered a network breach.

The solution has improved the efficiency of our security team.

Buyer's Guide
IBM Security QRadar
January 2025
Learn what your peers think about IBM Security QRadar. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2025.
832,138 professionals have used our research since 2012.

We are at 115,000 events per second.

For how long have I used the solution?

More than five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We run 65 servers with just two people: an engineering person and me.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have 65 servers globally, and I just got my own.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is poor. Mostly because when I open a PMR for IBM, I am stuck with Level 1 staff. As an engineer, nothing that I am bringing them does not require Level 2 or Level 3 support. Most of the stuff that I open ends up code changes or bug fixes.

Our company is far more mature than most. Our issue is that the support is slow.

How was the initial setup?

It was a whole different product when we installed it.

What other advice do I have?

The most important criteria when selecting a vendor: stability. The security space is tough. Unlike a lot of other spaces, IBM will not be bought anytime soon as a 100 year-old company.

Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
PeerSpot user
it_user634773 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Security Analyst at The Hartford
Real User
The organizational value we derive from it is that it helps us track down where we have problems.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature for us is probably the intelligence we get out of the product.

How has it helped my organization?

The organizational value we derive from it is that it helps us track down where we have problems.

What needs improvement?

We appreciate ease of use in the product, so I suppose they could bring the cost down. I haven't really thought about possible improvements. They've added a lot of good features to the apps. I'm still exploring those and there are a lot of good features there.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used the solution for about 15 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Overall I'd say the stability is pretty good. I have noticed some issues with the patch and updates recently, especially version 72A. There have been some problems where a patch would come out and a few days later another patch would have to come out to fix issues that weren't encountered so that's caused some issues for us.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is good.

How is customer service and technical support?

The initial technical support to call is less than adequate. I usually know more than the level one or level two, again because I've been a customer for 15 years. I worked with the original QRadar guys to help develop their SIEM solutions so I know quite a bit about it. Usually when we call in it's a real problem because we fix most of our own problems.

How was the initial setup?

Fifteen years ago it was very complex because of the linking of different flow collectors. Being processed together, upgrading them was painful. That part has improved greatly as you can just put the update process in the console and push Yes. That's a lot better.

What other advice do I have?

It's a great product. They're obviously an industry leader right now in this field, if you're looking for SIEM, I would recommend it.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
IBM Security QRadar
January 2025
Learn what your peers think about IBM Security QRadar. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2025.
832,138 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Senior Information Technology Security Officer at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Top 5
Useful for infrastructure, application, and network monitoring
Pros and Cons
  • "The tool helps with infrastructure, application, and network monitoring."
  • "There are areas in IBM Security QRadar that could benefit from improvement. Its ability to customize knowledge for specific purposes could be enhanced. Also, it lacks clarity in presenting details. It is also difficult to see the reports."

What is our primary use case?

The tool helps with infrastructure, application, and network monitoring. 

What needs improvement?

There are areas in IBM Security QRadar that could benefit from improvement. Its ability to customize knowledge for specific purposes could be enhanced. Also, it lacks clarity in presenting details. It is also difficult to see the reports. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the product for a year. 

How are customer service and support?

The tool's technical support is good. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

Implementing IBM Security QRadar is not overly complex. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The product is expensive. We have purchased the perpetual license, but we pay for the support. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate the tool a seven out of ten. It is a tough product. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
IT Security Administrator at Zitouna Bank
Real User
Top 20
A scalable tool useful for authentication purposes but needs to provide more product training to its users
Pros and Cons
  • "It is a scalable solution."
  • "With IBM Security QRadar, my company faced issues with the support we received for the product."

What is our primary use case?

I use IBM Security QRadar in my company for authentication of users and to block the access of a user to the internet. In my company, we have only used the basic version of the solution, and currently, we don't have a license for the product since we didn't renew it. The basic version of the solution fits my company's basic requirements.

What needs improvement?

IBM Security QRadar is not hard to implement and administrate. To serve new use cases or do the tuning and allow correlation rules, you may need training since it is necessary to know the solution. With IBM solutions, you need training to know how to use the different features of the solution. IBM needs to provide training to its users to teach them how to use the case manager and how to tune rules.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using IBM Security QRadar since 2020, so I have experience with it for three years. I am a customer of IBM.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is a scalable solution.

How are customer service and support?

With IBM Security QRadar, my company faced issues with the support we received for the product. Basically, my company faced problems due to the delays or mistakes made by IBM's support team.

I rate the technical support a six out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.

For the product's implementation, my company took two months. To implement all log sources, my company took somewhere between three to five months.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

IBM Security QRadar is a very expensive tool.

What other advice do I have?

In the future, my company would want the cloud version of the solution and not its on-prem version.

I rate the overall tool a seven out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Information Security Manager at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Top 5
It has higher availability than other tools and can consolidate all alerts and detections, but its scalability has room for improvement
Pros and Cons
  • "What's most valuable in IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics is its higher availability than other tools."
  • "You can scale IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics, but it has room for improvement."

What is our primary use case?

My use case for IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics is to consolidate all the logs and events from a different tool so that I can see the alerts from that other tool on the dashboard.

My company connects the Windows event logs to the Xfinity router deployed on the main server, but I have to make some configurations to detect activities.

My team is working on reinforcing IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics features since the solution has not been used for a while because there's a new generation of engineers in my company. My team has to reconfigure almost every screen, including IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics.

What is most valuable?

What's most valuable in IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics is its higher availability than other tools. It consolidates all alerts and detections from the other tools, but my team has to check each tool. As my company lacks the manpower to do that, my team has to do monitoring while working on making each function clear.

What needs improvement?

As a product, IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics does everything mentioned on the datasheet for my company's version. Still, compatibility is a problem because my company needs to use an updated version of the tool. That version doesn't integrate with many new-generation tools, so this is an area for improvement.

You can scale IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics, but it has room for improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics for years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics has been stable, and my team has made no significant changes since 2015. The team is working on utilizing it most efficiently.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics is a six out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

My company doesn't get support from IBM because it's on a perpetual usage type of contract. My team can configure IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics but cannot contact IBM for help.

When I used to get technical support for IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics, I'd say it was a seven out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

The version of IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics, which my company uses, is a little outdated from 2013. That version doesn't have the log collection feature.

My rating for the version of IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics I'm using is a seven overall.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Jacob_Koithra - PeerSpot reviewer
Project & Program manager at Shell Grp
Real User
Good monitoring and dashboards with good blocking capabilities
Pros and Cons
  • "The monitoring and dashboards are great."
  • "The playbook guide which specifies the rules for security use cases needs to be provided to support in case the organization needs help."

What is our primary use case?

We use the blocking mode and spam mode for the IPS - XGS 5000 series and use of QRadar as a SIEM Solution for logging and monitoring network security, security analysis, and monitoring for network-related attacks. 

The playbook is defined with identified use cases. IPS acted as an inline to the firewall. It helped to track and sniff the packet and match the details. It helped to reduce the insider and outsider attacks. The traffic is analyzed and helped users to know the patters and access level in the network and resource being used.

How has it helped my organization?

It helped our organization to identify and prevent security attacks.

We need to come with new releases and understand what will happen and how the customer will be able to manage and update the system what are ways in which user behavior and access to various resources in the network could be tracked and alerted in more robust manner. 

There needs to be proper patch management which is done in a controlled environment with a proper newsletter update. The new releases from the company in terms of product and services needs to be updated to product managers in organization.

What is most valuable?

The monitoring and dashboards are great. 

What needs improvement?

The user behavior analysis could be better. The playbook guide which specifies the rules for security use cases needs to be provided to support in case the organization needs help. The security playbook needs more help when it comes to QRadar. The QRadar implementation guide, especially in cluster environment, is complicated to deploy in an enterprise level. The support of SIEM of QRadar is complicated and when we encounter implementation issues it needs quick response. The skilled resources are really important for support.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have deployed the solution for 230 sites across globe using for past seven years.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1789347 - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager SOC at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
Real User
A user-friendly solution that provides visibility across a range of use cases and comes with interesting features such as QNI
Pros and Cons
  • "The QNI feature is the one I am very interested in, and I have also been interested in Watson. From the log analysis and the security perspective, we are able to dive deep into any of the logs and anomalies."
  • "I have also been working with other SIEM solutions, and I have observed that they have extensive Linux-based and Unix-based integrations. They have been able to support some of the Linux-based agents, which is useful to investigate and process the information on the Linux and Unix side."

What is our primary use case?

I'm an administrator. I have been leading the security operation center for the past four years. I have more than 12 members or SOC analysts for our 24/7 operations. I have been pitching the solutions to multiple customers, and I have also designed, implemented, and administered customer projects and completed them at the specified timeline.

We have many use cases. The most common use cases are related to insights into any threats from the inside and outside. I have also configured X-Force with QRadar, and we are getting all the feeds showing malware-based IPs, etc. I also have designed some anomaly-based rules in case anyone has logged in from outside Pakistan. Most of the rules are custom-based.

What is most valuable?

The QNI feature is the one I am very interested in, and I have also been interested in Watson. From the log analysis and the security perspective, we are able to dive deep into any of the logs and anomalies.

It is user-friendly, and it is easy to develop. If you know the architecture, what to develop, and how to get the output for your results, you can easily work with it.

What needs improvement?

I have also been working with other SIEM solutions, and I have observed that they have extensive Linux-based and Unix-based integrations. They have been able to support some of the Linux-based agents, which is useful to investigate and process the information on the Linux and Unix side.

It could have pre-defined automation and integration of all those device parameters that analysts have to share manually.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is stable.

How are customer service and support?

I would rate them a 3.5 out of 5.

How was the initial setup?

It is not very difficult. I have done more than 10 deployments, and I have integrated and developed custom applications. I have also developed a Python-based script to support me with the things that IBM cannot support. I am using that script from the health check perspective. It gives me a high-level and low-level overview of QRadar with respect to the rules that have been triggered and the notifications that have been generated and how to tune them.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate it an eight out of 10.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user632664 - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Security Analyst at Allegiance Air
Vendor
The UI is the most valuable feature, and the product is stable.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of this product is the nice UI. It is easy and quick to get the information you're looking for.

How has it helped my organization?

The benefits are that it's easy to navigate the UI and to get the information as quickly as possible. We're able to resolve problems quicker, so that we get to the solution in an easier manner.

What needs improvement?

It would probably be better to get more access to the APIs.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product is very stable. I don't have any issues with stability at all.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is nice, as well. We have a distributed environment and it's real easy to both manage and upgrade. Anything we need to do, we can do it from the console.

How are customer service and technical support?

On a scale of 1-10, probably seven; I would rate the technical support team a 7/10.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We were previously using a different solution that just wasn't getting the job done. It was taking too long to get where we needed to get to.

How was the initial setup?

The setup was very straightforward. The special services team gave us insight and helped out to resolve any issues.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

QRadar was at the top our list. We also looked at other solutions such as HPE ArcSight and Splunk. The reason we went with QRadar is because we could bring it on-prem, which made it nice, and we also use other IBM products as well.

In general, when selecting a vendor, support is probably going to be the number one criteria. Then, the second criteria is the availability of the product; the product is not very good if it's not available, it's broken, etc.

What other advice do I have?

Make sure you try them all and then, pick the one that you think would work the best. It's nice to value other people's opinions, but it's better to test all the products and choose what you think would be best, for whatever your need is.

It's very easy and initiative. It's just a good overall solution, compared to the other ones I've used.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free IBM Security QRadar Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: January 2025
Buyer's Guide
Download our free IBM Security QRadar Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.