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Security Administrator at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
MSP
Great monitoring features but lacks good integration abilities
Pros and Cons
  • "Great monitoring of network devices."
  • "Splunk would be better if some tools were integrated to be able to take action on security or network concerns."

What is our primary use case?

The data from Splunk is used for network monitoring, apart from that, they are using another tool with this kind of logic as well. Splunk is not the primary tool. The database I'm using for real-time data for our client. We have only about 3-4 users on this solution.

What is most valuable?

It's only the monitoring solution that we are using. I'll find that to be a great feature.

What needs improvement?

Splunk would be better if some tools were integrated to be able to take action on security or network concerns. People in the IT field are looking for a single tool that can do everything. Not separate tools for monitoring and fixing.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Splunk Insights for infrastructure for about one year.

Buyer's Guide
Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I have not had any problems with stability.

How was the initial setup?

Nothing is straightforward in data technology. You have to know about the technology. Even when chatting about the virtual image for a window, we need to know how to do things. If you know how the technology works, it's really simple.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I need a tool that can deal with all the security solutions, that will find security monitoring compliance requirements. So, I'll stick to BigFix over Splunk, because I'm not that big a fan of Splunk, to be honest. Apart from monitoring, in BigFix you can mitigate the issues, mitigate what the vendor is doing, and continue monitoring our clients. If any machine, any hardware in the department is vulnerable to any threat, with BigFix we can go ahead and take action, and mitigate that vulnerability within a couple of minutes.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Splunk Insights for Infrastructure at 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
reviewer1114944 - PeerSpot reviewer
Prinicipal Security Sales Engineer at a computer software company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Brings all events into one platform so that you don't have to hunt down multiple sources to figure out what's going on
Pros and Cons
  • "The ability to create custom dashboards is one of the best features and that's typically why most people deploy Splunk. Users can create dashboards for just about anything."
  • "The cost needs to be re-examined. It's extremely expensive to run. It's also expensive to expand. That's the number one complaint all of my customers have when it comes to Splunk. It's way too expensive compared to other solutions."

What is our primary use case?

The solution is primarily used as security correlation and event correlation. It's a place for all of your logs to go so that you can have all those logs co-ordinated during security events. 

How has it helped my organization?

The solution brings all the events into one platform so that you don't have to hunt down multiple sources to figure out what's going on.

What is most valuable?

The ability to create custom dashboards is one of the best features and that's typically why most people deploy Splunk. Users can create dashboards for just about anything.

The solution has been improving its offering for the past year. It's in constant development.

What needs improvement?

The cost needs to be re-examined. It's extremely expensive to run. It's also expensive to expand. That's the number one complaint all of my customers have when it comes to Splunk. It's way too expensive compared to other solutions.

The integration of their cloud solution, which came out a couple of years ago, and the ability to now integrate Phantom, needs to be improved. 

It would be ideal if there was a more automated process for finding and identifying data sources that a user wants to bring into the solution. Right now, it's all manual.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been selling the solution for quite a long time. I'd say I've sold it for five years. I've been involved in deployments and I've been involved in configuring it and managing it, but I don't actually use it for my company.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is extremely stable. We haven't run into issues that would make us concerned.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is very scalable. However, companies must be aware that expanding the solution is very expensive.

How are customer service and technical support?

I'd rate technical support eight out of ten. They're responsive due to the fact that clients need to pay in order to access technical support.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not straightforward. It's quite complex. 

The storage backend requires touching all of your events sources. It requires a lot of planning and configuration. It's not something you just put out there and deploy. You have to have someone who's an expert in it.

The deployment typically takes, from beginning to end, less than three months. However, it really depends. It depends upon how many log sources you have, if you have staff on-site that are capable of actually running it, or if you have to make network configuration changes, etc. There's a whole list of things that you have to go through to figure it out. 

The number of people needed to deploy the solution varies upon the size of an organization and the use cases. You're going to want at least two dedicated people to deploy at a medium-sized organization.

These individuals have to understand searching and creating dashboards. They have to have network skills and security skills. There is a wide range of things they have to be a part of. Most people who become Splunk Engineers start off doing something else in their business and they learn about networking, and then security and programming. When they start to deploy Splunk, they become experts.

What about the implementation team?

The solution requires the assistance of a specialist. There needs to be an expert involved to help implement it.

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

Licensing is paid on a yearly basis.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We work with a few different solutions. As a SIEM, there are many other solutions out there and which is best really depends upon what the company wants to achieve.  As a logging server, there really aren't any other really good solutions that compete as well with Splunk. LogLogic might be the closest.

What other advice do I have?

We're a Splunk partner and reseller.

Typically, the solution is on-prem for the most part because it requires a very heavy lift in storage and the storage is very expensive. Most companies deploy it on-premise and then add on the cloud solution as well later on.

I'd warn other organizations that want to use the solution that they need to be prepared to spend a lot of money.

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten due to the fact that it's extremely complex to run and deploy.

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: partner
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer916710 - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Security Manager at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Fits specific needs for a reasonable cost
Pros and Cons
  • "The product retains a lot of log data for subsequent analysis."
  • "It does not have a user-friendly interface and it is difficult to use."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use for the product is for reporting for one of our systems. It fits a particular need for reporting so we have deployed it there.  

What is most valuable?

The team that is using this product is using it for reporting. Apparently it is just to have more detailed reports about certain specific activities.  

For how long have I used the solution?

In our company, the product is not actually my responsibility because it was here before me and it is not exactly in my area. But we have been using it for around five years or six years.  

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We do not have a lot of users who are using Splunk in our company. At most, it is a little over five people. For now, that is all we need and we do not plan to increase the usage in the near future. We are happy with what we have, how it is deployed and how it serves the need we have deployed it to fill.  

How was the initial setup?

I do not think the initial setup was very complex.  

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

I am sure the pricing is reasonable or we would not continue to use the product in such a minimal capacity. We are fine with the price of the product and we are happy that it does what we need it to do.  

What other advice do I have?

On a scale from one to ten where one is the worst and ten is the best, I would rate it at around an eight. We are using it for six years now and renewing the support and the license. So you can say that we are at least reasonably happy with the product and do not have to replace it.  

To make the product rate higher they would have to match some of the capabilities of other products within the same category that they lack. For example, if we want to get to a feature in QRadar, we can get to it in two clicks. But with Splunk, we need to do a lot more to navigate to the features. Sometimes when we need to accomplish a task, it may not be part of the basic system so we need to write more code and do more work to get the same result as we might if using another product.  

The other point, I think, has to do with the storage. Splunk does not have appliances and storage and we have to be the ones who are responsible for taking care of the matters of requisitioning the appropriate hardware. A lot of storage is needed just for logs that it generates. So I think this hardware problem and need for storage is another issue that we might face with Splunk if we use it as a SIEM (Security Information and Event Management).  

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
it_user782697 - PeerSpot reviewer
Security Operation Center Analyst at Sadad
Real User
Easily gather and manage any types of logs for analysis
Pros and Cons
  • "The Add data feature lets you gather any type of log and easily analyze it."
  • "In the next release, I would like to see more integration with other solutions."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case of this solution is for security management. We gather security logs from intrusion detection and prevention systems, such as firewalls, web application firewalls, and system logs from Linux and Windows servers, as well as anti-malware system logs.

We combine them with Splunk to analyze our security level for our company. We use this data to analyze our company security situation and to define security use cases, like attacks. When we find these attacks, we contain them and mitigate our security flaws in our business environment.

What is most valuable?

The Add data feature lets you gather any type of log and easily analyze it. This is easier than using other solutions like ArcSight or Elasticsearch for example.

We can use these logs with our data processes to explain our situation.

What needs improvement?

In the next release, I would like to see more integration with other solutions. For example, Juniper, ManageEngine, PAM (Privileged Access Monitoring), and Wallix.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for approximately three years.

How are customer service and technical support?

We don't use technical support because we are under sanction. We use our own knowledge and team to implement and to develop Splunk.

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

We have used ArcSight and Elasticsearch.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is easy.

Splunk has a good community. They have good opinions and suggestions for deployment.

It took one year to deploy and implement Splunk completely.

What about the implementation team?

The implementation is easier than other solutions.

I implemented and deployed this solution by myself.

What other advice do I have?

I am not certified with Splunk, but I am a system administrator. I passed the fundamentals one and two.

This is a very good solution.

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Technical Consultant/Instructor at SIGMA IT
Consultant
Leaderboard
Good stability and technical support but requires more sensors for fiber intelligence
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution's most valuable aspect is its ability to get information about all of the security measurements in my environment."
  • "The solution should have more sensors regarding fiber intelligence for security measures."

What is most valuable?

The solution's most valuable aspect is its ability to get information about all of the security measurements in my environment.

What needs improvement?

The solution should have more sensors regarding fiber intelligence for security measures.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is pretty good. I'd say it's about 80% stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I don't consider the solution scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support is very helpful. They make contacting them easy.

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

We're also currently using IBM Pure Adarius. Although we do use both consecutively, I do prefer Splunk. It's more digital and more open.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very easy.

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

If you compare it to IBM, the solution has fairly good pricing.

What other advice do I have?

We use the private cloud deployment model.

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user831168 - PeerSpot reviewer
CEO with 11-50 employees
Real User
Evaluates the logs in an efficient way which enhances utility and efficiency
Pros and Cons
  • "The tool is efficient in collecting, monitoring and evaluating logs."
  • "The product collects a lot of data but it does not assure that it collects all of it."

What is our primary use case?

For us, we use this product to create a special kind of log. It just logs everything for what it is monitoring and does the parsing afterward based on a packet that you impose on the logs. Then you can extract the data out of the fields that the logs normally comprised of.

Typically, people just monitor applications, network infrastructure, and compliance.

How has it helped my organization?

It gives us another tool for monitoring our infrastructure in a different way.

What is most valuable?

I think the most valuable feature is that you easily get adapted to standard components. So, you don't need to involve the user with interface and GUI decorations. The tool just evaluates the logs in an efficient way. This enhances utility and efficiency.

What needs improvement?

What I don't like is that you are not sure all the data is recorded. Our product is better in these areas of functionality. Splunk is quite a bit different. When you transfer some logs at the end of the day you are never sure that you grab everything or not. The transport layer is not so well done and could be better.

What should be better in the solution to make Splunk a ten out of ten is a question I would rather not answer. That is an area where the products delivered by our companies compete in some ways.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This product is very stable. There is no doubt about the fact that it performs as expected when we use it as far as stability is concerned.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

There is no issue with scalability at all.

How are customer service and technical support?

The support is sufficient and responsive. We already know the product so we do not need to consult with them often. The documentation is pretty well done and covers most issues. They have some smaller issues with service, but normally you get what you need when you contact them. The technical support is okay and it is not an issue.

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

We use both Splunk and another solution simultaneously for somewhat different purposes.

How was the initial setup?

For me, the initial setup seemed quite easy and not complicated at all. We are in the business so a little knowledge helps.

What about the implementation team?

We are consultants, and we know a lot about Splunk and many other products. So one branch of our company takes care of the sizing and interviewing for new data professions and services for banks. Because of our experience, we now know these tools and the pros and cons of using any of them and why you would choose one over another. Security issues are one of our core capabilities.

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

As far as pricing, you can negotiate with the company, but I'd say the price is fairly high for the product. The typical price for competing products is also quite high, so it is not necessarily bad. It's a good product — that is not the problem. But there is more and more competition in the market and their prices stay high. I think that the pricing and marketing situation gets more difficult for Splunk. By comparison, with our tools in the other solution we use, you can do the same evaluation. All you need is an employee to run the product, but the pricing is way lower. So, I think that cost has become an issue for Splunk over the long run.

There are also costs in addition to the standards licensing which raises the cost even more.

What other advice do I have?

The advice that I would give to companies considering this type of solution is that choosing the right solution all depends on what you want to do. I'd say Splunk makes more sense if you only want to have one tool or service to monitor. A lot of our infrastructure is not complex. I just put Splunk there, I collect the logs and I calculate what I need. I do that step-by-step, so it is a bit difficult as an approach when things are more complex. You want to reduce complexity when monitoring just one single service. Our business is focused on monitoring. We don't want monitoring to care about software distribution and additional concerns. So, if it is just straight forward monitoring of a service that you need to do, then I think then you're right to use this product. There are other potential solutions.

On a scale from one to ten where one is the worst and ten is the best, I would rate Splunk as an eight.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
SoheylNorozi - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Consultant at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 5
The data integration is good but it should have a simpler interface
Pros and Cons
  • "The feature I find most valuable, is the data integration."
  • "I would like to see an improvement and some innovation in the customer interface."

What is our primary use case?

We are IT consultants and our primary use case for this solution is for analyzing machine data.

What is most valuable?

The feature I find most valuable is the data integration.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see an improvement and some innovation in the customer interface, which puts something in your design. If we able to customize more parts of the user interface, it would be great. I also think the scalability should be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for a year now.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable and I haven't seen any box glitches or crashes.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have a hundred users. I really do not know how scalable the solution is. I couldn't find any submission for a flat fee and for expanding the installation in my last project. So perhaps this is also something that can be improved.

How are customer service and technical support?

I am happy with the support, how they respond and help to solve issues.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward and you can do it yourself.

What other advice do I have?

My experience with this solution in analyzing machine data is really good. The interface could be simplified and I would like to have more clustering. On a scale of one to ten, I rate this solution a seven. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1312308 - PeerSpot reviewer
Security Engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Enables the engineers to troubleshoot any issues happening but it is lacking in features
Pros and Cons
  • "We haven't really experienced any glitches or bugs."
  • "They do not have all the features that I expect right now."

What is our primary use case?

Splunk sends security alerts. It's being used on two levels. One for the analysis of the data by the data scientists. Two, for the engineers to troubleshoot if there are any issues happening, like any security bugs, or anything that needs to be addressed and never mediated across. 

What is most valuable?

In terms of the application performance security, application performance tooling has been a key factor for me using Splunk. We are also looking into options, like other third parties or even open-source tools that help the capturing the application performance, fine-tuning, which leads to the security aspect.

What needs improvement?

We haven't faced any problems yet. It's working as expected. We are using the enterprise-grade, strong products and we're just paying a lot for it right now.

People intend to go for automation. We are following the works process and we are inculcating the engineers to ensure everything is automated. Whatever needs to be mitigated, has to be followed up on ticketing tools, this tool would come in. It handles the issues going on and what needs to be remediated in this single tool.

We need multiple tools in order to accomplish what we need. It's kind of a medium across multiple products. It would be better if we have a dedicated tool, that takes care of the entire work process, including automation as well.

They do not have all the features that I expect right now.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Splunk for three years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We haven't really experienced any glitches or bugs. It depends on the use cases and so far I haven't seen any as of now.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

They're good. They're quite good at providing the service for technical engineers as well.

How was the initial setup?

I would say that the setup is pretty straightforward because they have their own documentation that you can follow. It takes an associate's capability in order to accomplish it. They have good documentation and dedicated support to take care of any issues that come forward.

What other advice do I have?

As a newbie, I wouldn't prefer Splunk. The reason being that it's a completely enterprise-grade solution. As a startup, you don't implement Splunk for the first time. We'd put an open-source product. With us, we have many of the Italian products, which proves to be a good open-source solution. In the end, people intend to go for enterprise support for the vulnerability patching, report generation, and enterprise support. People go for licensing based on that. I wouldn't refer any newbies to go for a weak enterprise-grade solution as they barge into any technology.

I would rate Splunk 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
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: October 2024
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.