SolarWinds NPM is used for searching equipment in the network, troubleshooting the network, and mapping the networking.
Director of Operations at 802BR
Useful diagnostic, beneficial network search, and good support
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features in SolarWinds NPM are the network search and diagnostic tools."
- "SolarWinds NPM could improve by adding the deepest inspection, performance networking, and IP address discovery."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features in SolarWinds NPM are the network search and diagnostic tools.
What needs improvement?
SolarWinds NPM could improve by adding the deepest inspection, performance networking, and IP address discovery.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SolarWinds NPM for approximately three months.
Buyer's Guide
SolarWinds NPM
October 2024
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
SolarWinds NPM is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of SolarWinds NPM is easy to do.
We have three or four users using this solution.
How are customer service and support?
The support is very good for SolarWinds NPM.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of SolarWinds NPM is easy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost of the personal perpetual license for SolarWinds NPM is approximately $2,000.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend this solution to others.
I rate SolarWinds NPM a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Network/Systems Administrator at TRSP
Provides good monitoring capabilities, generates useful reports that save us time
Pros and Cons
- "The most important feature is reporting. The reports that are generated are useful and they save a lot of time with respect to monitoring."
- "I would like to have a Syslog server module for this product. That would make the solution better."
What is our primary use case?
This product is useful for monitoring our network devices.
It monitors bandwidth utilized on the network and tells us whether particular nodes or particular services are available or not.
How has it helped my organization?
This product is of good caliber and we get better results by using it on our network.
Not many technical people are needed for administration.
What is most valuable?
The most important feature is reporting. The reports that are generated are useful and they save a lot of time with respect to monitoring.
What needs improvement?
I would like to have a Syslog server module for this product. That would make the solution better.
For how long have I used the solution?
We began using SolarWinds NPM a few months ago.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a very stable solution and we use it extensively.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
SolarWinds NPM is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
Up to now, we haven't opened any cases to tech support. Our local support is helping us to deal with the issues and if required, we will contact the vendor for support.
How was the initial setup?
This product is easy to install.
A single technical person can deploy it.
What about the implementation team?
We have a technical team aligned with our support SLA and they are helping us in this regard.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We pay a yearly licensing fee.
What other advice do I have?
In summary, this is a good product and I recommend it.
I would rate this solution an eight 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.
Buyer's Guide
SolarWinds NPM
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about SolarWinds NPM. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
815,854 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Systems Engineer at LifePoint Health
Since they have been hacked they can't be trusted, and it's an expensive product
Pros and Cons
- "It did a good job of the collection and then an investigation of the net flow of information for understanding the applications that were being used at certain locations."
- "We decided that we were no longer going to trust that their products have not been capitalized."
What is our primary use case?
We were using it to monitor network devices and the monitoring of certain servers.
What is most valuable?
It did a good job of the collection and then an investigation of the net flow of information for understanding the applications that were being used at certain locations.
They were pretty good at keeping up with things.
What needs improvement?
We have replaced SolarWinds with LogicMonitor.
For how long have I used the solution?
I had been working with SolarWinds NPM for five years. We stopped using SolarWinds in December of last year when it was revealed that they had been hacked with the supply chain hack and we turned it off. We began a fast-track process of trying to find something else that we could use to replace SolarWinds. We decided that we were no longer going to trust that their products have not been compromised.
At the time, we were using the latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We experienced the typical ones that happen when a parameter is not well understood and that it is implemented, you end up causing issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability was complex.
We had 99 facilities that were a hospital holding company, and we have some 90 other facilities that we are the corporate headquarters of. In monitoring each of those different hospitals, there would be challenges with getting to all of those devices because of firewall rules.
The faculty would use it on a regular basis. There were approximately 90 users.
How are customer service and technical support?
We contacted technical support all of the time. They were fine.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
At the time I had been with the company for just over six years. They had only been using SolarWinds.
I have also been using VMware for a long time, and we are implementing vROps for alerting and monitoring.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was pretty straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It seemed that they nickeled and dimed you for everything that you were doing. There are a lot of sub-products and it just continued to increase the price.
What other advice do I have?
I would not recommend implementing SolarWinds because of the hacks, it is just not trusted.
Before they had the hack, the intrusion process I would have rated them a six or a seven but after the compromise, I would rate SolarWinds NPM a zero or one 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.
Network Administrator at Libyana Mobile Phone
It has customizable features, but they are complicated to use
Pros and Cons
- "The set up was very easy. We didn't have any problems with the setup. The deployment took less than an hour."
- "The aesthetic widgets should be dynamic widgets, so the customization can be even more customizable."
What is our primary use case?
I am working at a company which is an Internet service provider (ISP). So, I'm monitoring the traffic on some nodes, like switches, routers, firewall, the traffic, and the CPU.
I am using the latest version, which I just downloaded from their site.
What needs improvement?
There is a customization feature, but it is not a good feature. While it's somewhat good, it is too complicated.
The aesthetic widgets should be dynamic widgets, so the customization can be even more customizable.
For how long have I used the solution?
Trial/evaluations only.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is stable.
It does not take much staff to maintain.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable, but my network is not that big. We have just a few nodes.
How are customer service and technical support?
For technical support, we are dealing with someone in Ireland. I have not always received responses to my inquiries.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used PRTG, but PRTG is now forbidden in Libya. So, we switched to using SolarWinds and ManageEngine OpManager.
How was the initial setup?
The set up was very easy. We didn't have any problems with the setup. The deployment took less than an hour.
What about the implementation team?
We used a SolarWinds reseller for the deployment in Libya. We found them on the SolarWinds website.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is very expensive for SolarWinds. That's a huge disadvantage for it.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
PRTG is easier to use, but SolarWinds is more customizable. SolarWinds also has more features, but they are complicated to use.
We are just trying the demo. I am not going to recommend this to my company because PRTG is much easier. We're looking for something that is very easy to export the reports from the dashboard. SolarWinds is sort of complicated.
What other advice do I have?
If you are looking for something which is very customizable for the customization of your network, then you should go with SolarWinds. However, overall, the customization feature is also a disadvantage because it can be very complicated.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
CEO/Consultant at CIL
Stable and scalable product for enterprise-level users
Pros and Cons
- "SolarWinds dashboard is very fast. Also, their interface is very good, it looks very user-friendly. The product allows me to see a summary of the network being monitored at a glance."
- "The product is scalable, but at a cost. Extra modules have to be purchased for each extra server. The initial set up isn't complex, but will require someone who is experienced with the network monitoring system"
What is our primary use case?
We use it for network monitoring, internet monitoring purpose and server monitoring purposes.
How has it helped my organization?
It allows me to see a summary of the network being monitored at a glance.
What is most valuable?
SolarWinds dashboard is very fast. Also, their interface is very good, it looks very user-friendly.
What needs improvement?
The time monitoring could be improved from every five seconds to every second. If they can move to an every-second basis, then it will improve the monitoring analysis.
I would also like to see the security system updated to prevent virus attacks.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SolarWinds NPM for around 10 to 12 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have found it is definitely stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This product is scalable by purchasing extra modules for more servers.
How are customer service and support?
They're one of the most responsive companies when it comes to support.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup wasn't complex, but not as easy as some systems either. It requires someone with experience with the network monitoring system.
What about the implementation team?
It was implemented in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The charge is currently made per module for the product, and there is no option to buy it as a full system bundle which makes it costly. Also, charges are made annually, it's not a perpetual purchase.
It would not be affordable for SME level organizations.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
The other solutions I evaluated were:
- PTRG
- Cisco
- WhatsUp Gold.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this product at 7.5 out of 10.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
System and Network Administrator at a educational organization with 201-500 employees
A network monitoring software with a useful tracking feature, but it could be more user-friendly
Pros and Cons
- "I like the tracking feature to track devices and see where they are connected. This is very practical."
- "The console could be more user-friendly. It would be better if SolarWinds updated the user interface."
What is our primary use case?
We use SolarWinds NPM for monitoring. We don't change anything, and we just look at it.
What is most valuable?
I like the tracking feature to track devices and see where they are connected. This is very practical.
What needs improvement?
The console could be more user-friendly. It would be better if SolarWinds updated the user interface.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have worked with SolarWinds NPM for two or three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
SolarWinds NPM is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
SolarWinds NPM is a scalable solution, but it costs a lot. As long as you pay, you can scale it as much as you like.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is quite efficient, but they have to be a little more responsive.
On a scale from one to five, I'll give them at least four.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was quite complex and took a while. You need an engineer to install the solution and the database and configure everything. We have only two people accessing and maintaining SolarWinds.
What about the implementation team?
We had a contractor implement this solution.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I did a proof of concept with ManageEngine. The functionalities are similar, but the ManageEngine interface is way more user-friendly.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale from one to ten, I would give SolarWinds NPM a seven.
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.
IT Expert & Data Center Manager at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Scalability is very good for physical machines. For virtual machines, the scalability is challenging.
Pros and Cons
- "We had some interfaces where the SFP Ports were having some problems after a while. We found which of the SFP Ports was having the error and changed it, so the bandwidth become okay."
- "We are looking to change away from this solution because of the documentation and the solution doesn't have enough integration in our country. The documentation is too weak."
What is our primary use case?
We use it for our network LAN and some problem that we saw in our switching networks.
How has it helped my organization?
We had some interfaces where the SFP Ports were having some problems after a while. We found which of the SFP Ports was having the error and changed it, so the bandwidth become okay.
What is most valuable?
The error handling interface has been helpful.
Mostly, we use the bandwidth monitoring because we experience problems with the bandwidth.
What needs improvement?
SolarWinds is not an all-in-compassing product. We need other products like Cisco and HPE to work with it.
It couldn't find the error to the problem because it was missing detail in the reports. The reports that we received from it weren't clear.
We aren't getting the solution that we need from the device.
We are looking to change away from this solution because of the documentation and the solution doesn't have enough integration in our country. The documentation is too weak.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is very good.
We use it every day. We use it as a monitoring tool.
One person maintains the solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is very good for physical machines. For virtual machines, the scalability is challenging.
We have 10 users for 2000 devices. Most of the users are admins.
We have no plans to increase our usage.
How are customer service and technical support?
We haven't called the technical support team.
There wasn't enough SolarWind's documentation to fine tune the system.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
For networks, we prefer to use Cisco Prime.
For service devices, we use HPE OneVIew. This is helpful for HPE services.
How was the initial setup?
The enterprise setup was complex because we have too many devices (about a 1000 routers). It is very challenging to tune all these devices.
Maybe the support team didn't train us well on how to use the product. We might need experts to train us.
Deployment took about six months.
What about the implementation team?
We deployed it ourselves. For deployment, two people worked.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is expensive.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We are having some problems. Our network can't find the problem. We will probably go use Cisco Prime.
We have also considered switching to Zabbix due to its support and deployment.
Some solutions are open source and free.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
ERP / HMIS / EMR Specialist at Fauji Foundation
Solarwinds – Excellent choice in NPM if you are concerned with System & Network Performance
Solarwinds is a scalable, comprehensive and reliable software for monitoring any SNMP enabled devices with auto detection feature supporting across the board in operating systems diversification.
Strong Areas:
It gives you SMB to enterprise level accompaniment in managing layer 2 and layer 3 network, monitoring of server’s performance and high availability grapple through support of several hardware vendors like Cisco, HP and Motorola.
Timeless configuration and management of Solar Wind for MS operating systems and compatibility with open source OS has coupled its influence in management and monitoring of wireless network, virtual servers with seamless integration to Active directory.
It has efficient network device snapshot ( switches, routers, systems).
View for directory structure maps and network designs for troubleshooting in efficient and shortest time.
Possible Cons:
Cost is one of the arbitrary perspectives when comparing this software with freeware and open source available like cacti, MRTG, Nagios, NetXMS etc.
leading dashboard complexity for novice users and compatibility with few browsers like Opera and Google Chrome are might be the possible cons of the software.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
Download our free SolarWinds NPM Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Updated: October 2024
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