We compared VMware NSX and Illumio Zero Trust Segmentation based on our users' reviews in six categories. After reading the collected data, you can find our conclusion below:
Comparison Results: VMware NSX offers advanced features like virtual switches, micro-segmentation, distributed firewalls, and integration with other solutions. However, the initial setup for VMware NSX can be complex. On the other hand, Illumio Zero Trust Segmentation has a straightforward setup process and is praised for its monitoring capabilities, and visibility into application communication. VMware NSX has room for improvement in licensing clarity, integration with open-source products, and compatibility with non-Windows operating systems. Conversely, Illumio Zero Trust Segmentation could expand its operating system support and enhance customer service.
"The features that I have found most useful is the ability to centralize all the rules and then distribute them across various locations. However, I've encountered challenges related to tagging policies, which can be complex to devise. It's a matter that requires careful consideration and stakeholder involvement before implementing such policies."
"The product provides visibility into how the applications communicate and how the network protocols are being used."
"The solution helps to maintain logs and monitor activities. It also helps us with access management. The tool helps us to secure organizational data that include files."
"The most valuable feature of Illumio Adaptive Security Platform is monitoring. When I have no requirement from the other application, I can use the web block traffic to build."
"The flexibility of the solution is its most valuable feature."
"The Explorer allows you to know the traffic between source and destination."
"The solution is easy to use."
"It has helped us to understand internal network visibility and firewall policy implementation. We use the product to simplify firewall policy implementation."
"Overall, I would say the solution has been quite stable."
"From a distributed firewall perspective, it's a solid solution."
"The most valuable feature is the integration with the firewall."
"The stability is great. That's one of the things that we can quantify and leverage through NSX, because it's less complex. We have the availability to manage multiple things at the same time. You can identify problems before they manifest."
"The firewall is its most valuable feature."
"The microsegmentation allows me to sleep at night. My job is reducing risk, plugging security holes, and working with the automated layer security. Even if somebody spins up a new server, it has to have a tag in NSX."
"The most valuable feature of VMware NSX is the ease of use and its user friendly. For example, it is simple to change the subnet masks."
"We like that everything is integrated."
"It requires a low-level re-architecting of the product."
"Some of the features that can be improved is offer additional guidance on creating an effective and risk-free tagging policy would be highly beneficial."
"The solution is very basic and doesn't do anything other than the orchestration of layer four endpoint firewall rules."
"The interaction we've had with the support team hasn't been ideal. Technical support should be improved."
"I would like to see better data security in the product."
"The customer service is lagging a bit. It could be better."
"The product’s agents don't work very well in OT environments."
"Illumio Adaptive Security Platform could improve by supporting more operating systems. For example, Cisco and Apache appliances."
"The training costs a minimum of $3,000, which is expensive and should be reduced."
"It lacks full knowledge of physical side of the network topology."
"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."
"We had some complexities implementing into the other parts of a network."
"There are sometimes mismatch in the control, the details and what you actually see on the transport note."
"Some configuration maximums are limiting to the user, especially when it comes to the deployment of very, very large environments."
"The price could be better. The non-enterprise version of the product should also be improved. I would like VMware to expand beyond the network and provide some VLAN technologies and more. I think we have one, but it's more on the distribution side because it's more on the upper side of the network. I'm looking forward to that."
"It was stable for one year, there was no impact. In the last two months, we had two big incidents."
Illumio is ranked 4th in Cloud and Data Center Security with 8 reviews while VMware NSX is ranked 1st in Cloud and Data Center Security with 93 reviews. Illumio is rated 8.0, while VMware NSX is rated 8.0. The top reviewer of Illumio writes "Pprevents attackers or threats from spreading or moving laterally". On the other hand, the top reviewer of VMware NSX writes "Allows for seamless micro-segmentation and the support is exceptional". Illumio is most compared with Akamai Guardicore Segmentation, Cisco Secure Workload, Zscaler Internet Access, Microsoft Defender for Cloud and Zero Networks Microsegmentation, whereas VMware NSX is most compared with Nutanix Flow Network Security, Cisco ACI, Akamai Guardicore Segmentation, Cisco Secure Workload and Cisco DNA Center. See our Illumio vs. VMware NSX report.
See our list of best Cloud and Data Center Security vendors and best Microsegmentation Software vendors.
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