A10 Networks Thunder ADC vs Kemp LoadMaster comparison

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between A10 Networks Thunder ADC and Kemp LoadMaster based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed A10 Networks Thunder ADC vs. Kemp LoadMaster Report (Updated: March 2024).
763,955 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"A10 Networks Thunder ADC is an easy-to-use and flexible solution.""It's a very friendly solution, easy to configure and it's very flexible.""A10 explained why the latency dropped significantly on a site that we have.""The solution is stable.""Feature-wise, A10 Networks Thunder ADC is better for troubleshooting...Stability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.""The Deterministic CGNAT feature is valuable for us.""The solution is flexible.""The DNS application firewall and load balancing are very valuable."

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"​Simple to install with good documentation.""Using Kemp as a front-facing service appliance, it allows me to have the flexibility of swapping out real servers behind the scenes without any intervention from my network team.""Managing and maintaining multiple servers is done in a single place.""Persistence is very valuable. This holds the connection information of the source and that connection is important to RDP and our APO calls. The connection has to be persisted to the original source to operate properly. We also use the subsections for sub-services to create services inside our services for our API resources, this is most awesome. We would not be able to do this without Kemp and offer this type of sub-service to route based on an API instance. It routes the traffic properly based on the sub-service type.""We are most impressed with the ease of use and great support.""From my personal experience, many firewalls provide Load Balancing functionalities, but Kemp Loadmaster has a lot of features and functionalities like what you can configure. So there are a lot of features but we use only five percent of it.""The most beneficial function of using the ADC is to ensure this resiliency.""When the templates are used, there is not much left to configure and they just work!"

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Cons
"The solution should add automation features in the next release.""We are starting to do a lot with containers and how the solution hooks into Kubernetes that we haven't explored. I'm hoping that they have a lot of hooks into Kubernetes. That would be the part for improvement: Marketing use cases with containers.""The solution does logging, but the logging capacity is really small. Because we have a bunch of traffic here, we usually get a logging-side warning that "This many logs were lost because of the heavy traffic." If the logging was better, that would be very good.""There are competitors that have more features.""There is room for improvement in the GUI. I just migrated from the 2.7 software train to the 4.1, and there are still people on 2.7. The latter is a very old GUI if you compare it to F5. It's not as easy to use and a lot of things are missing. They've made a lot of improvements in the 4.1 step, but compared to the ease of use of F5, it's still quite difficult. For people who haven't got a lot of experience, the GUI can be quite challenging.""The user interface is not as pretty as it could be.""The tool's load-balancing feature should improve.""The setup depends on certain situations. In certain scenarios, it may be more complex than others. For example, while the initial configuration may be easy, the environment itself may be complex and that may limit the ease of deployment. It is easy for those who understand their environment."

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"UI is very basic and unattractive.""Third, the password history restriction needs improvement. For example, the password policy will restrict the user to always use a unique password combination. The password should not be reused for a minimum of three generations of passwords.""The auth website of ESP is really lacking. It’s not responsive (mobile friendly) and the procedure of changing the website is difficult. We tend to avoid using pre-auth for that reason.""In my opinion, the layer seven loads balancing that we're mainly using for web servers, doesn't seem to pick up when there are issues at the application level.""Certificate installations could be simplified and modernized, and allowed to be monitored for expirations/issues.""It would be very helpful to get all the http/https session logs by default in the log monitor without activating debugging mode like an apache web sever natively does""So far, the only hitch we have run into is that would have been nice to have an easier method to add allow/whitelist entries into the Access Control lists for virtual services.""In the next release, they can introduce 360 views in the same dashboard to make it easier for users to view. The graphical information should be displayed on the dashboard."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The pricing is a third of the price of the F5 competition."
  • "One of the main reasons for switching away from Cisco was the licensing model. A10 gives you global server load balancing for free, while Cisco charged a significant licensing fee for that."
  • "For the hardware and license, we paid $35,000 per box, which was a one-time cost. Then, for the Gold Support on the two boxes, we pay $9400 annually."
  • "It is $7000 per unit for the support annually."
  • "We previously had F5 and switched because of costs."
  • "There were budgetary constraints that keep us from investing in the single pane of glass traffic management feature. We saw a demo of this feature about a year to a year and a half ago."
  • "As for the initial investment in the hardware, F5 and A10 are quite similar now. For the current A10 solution, the initial cost was about $36,000. As for annual support, the F5 solution would be between $10,000 and $12,000, while the A10 is $2,200 a year for support."
  • "You get a lot more for your dollar with A10."
  • More A10 Networks Thunder ADC Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Download Kemp's VLM trial and take it for a test drive; you will be impressed."
  • "It has a very attractive ratio of price/performance."
  • "​I have control on the licensing and all the prices since I work for a partner.​"
  • "KEMP gives away free trials for 30 days. This can be stretched if you want. During the test, you will have access to KEMP support.​"
  • "It has a great price for the solution they offer."
  • "The license varies according to the number of megabits."
  • "Licensing is yearly and I am going to guess that it is CAN $2000.00."
  • "Any decent product will cost money and if you want great support and a great product, then you will want to spend the money on it."
  • More Kemp LoadMaster Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:I would recommend A10 Networks due that it delivers high performance in a small form factor to reduce OPEX with significantly lower power usage, rack space, and cooling requirements compared to other… more »
    Top Answer:I do recommend A10 Networks Thunder ADC. It's very user-friendly, easy to configure, and flexible. It is a very useful solution - especially now, when a lot of employees are working remotely. I have… more »
    Top Answer:A10 Networks Thunder ADC is an easy-to-use and flexible solution.
    Top Answer:Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten...I rate the technical support a ten out of ten...The initial setup of Kemp LoadMaster is very simple.
    Top Answer:LoadMaster is cheaper than some other solutions. It has a perpetual license, so it's a one-time cost.
    Top Answer:My company is really happy with Kemp LoadMaster as a product. My company is also happy with the support we receive from Kemp LoadMaster. I want Kemp LoadMaster to provide users with better reporting… more »
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    7.7
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    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Thunder ADC, AX Series
    LoadMaster Load Balancer
    Learn More
    Overview

    A10 Networks Thunder ADC is a dynamic application delivery controller and advanced load balancer. Thunder ADC is a value-added solution provided by A10 Networks specializing in robust, trusted, scalable application services for cloud, hybrid, edge cloud, and on-premise environments focused on improving business processes and keeping infrastructures safe. The solution consistently provides server availability, improves content delivery, and protects at-risk applications. A10 Networks Thunder ADC easily controls hybrid and multi-cloud deployments using a Polynimbus strategy to minimize difficulties and costs for IT processes, facilitating overall improved business results.

    A10 Networks Thunder ADC is effective for small to medium businesses (SMBs) to large enterprises. Service providers and cloud operators are all using A10 Network ADC to manage their large and fast-growing group of business-critical applications.

    A10 Networks Thunder ADC supplies L4-7 load balancing with numerous layers of security using DNS and web app firewalls, comprehensive support for advanced encryption, single sign-on (SSO) authentication, and high-performance Perfect Forward Secrecy and Error Correction Code (PFS/ECC). Thunder ADC is designed upon A10 Networks Advanced Core Operating System (ACOS®) platform to provide consistent, efficient application performance and trusted security for any environment.

    A10 Networks Thunder ADC Benefits

    • Consistently accessible: A10 Networks Thunder ADC employs numerous load balancing protocols to evenly distribute workloads to all servers and works to ensure constant application functionality. User requests are monitored to ensure loads are directed to the appropriate server so that there is always a proper response delivery to content. This process ensures the applications are consistently available.

    • Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB): To ensure business processes are fully optimized at all times, A10 Networks Thunder ADC employs a dynamic Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB) process to augment server load balancing capabilities throughout global data centers for high availability and improved user experience and application tolerance.

    • Fast content delivery: A10 Networks Thunder ADC conquers the general WAN latencies, chatty policies, and redundant software programs to ensure quick and responsive service. Employees receive a fast, excellent end-user experience while the organization's business leaders get exceeded SLA mandates and increased productivity with teams working remotely and a step up on the competition.

    A10 Networks Thunder ADC Features

    • Detailed Analytics: When deployed with A10 Networks Harmony Controller, Thunder ADC delivers a large selection of detailed aggregate and per-request reports in real time. The reports include popular URLs, error and health indicators, latencies, and end-to-end response times. The data is further dissected to deliver per-app reporting, availability alerts, and performance.

    • API Coverage: Thunder ADC utilizes A10 Networks REST-based aXAPIs to structure all features with 100 percent API coverage. The resulting interface is then used to seamlessly integrate custom or third-party management solutions, such as VMware or other SDN platforms, OpenStack, Microsoft SCVMM, or other cloud orchestration systems. There are also software plug-ins available for private clouds utilizing VMware’s vRealize Orchestrator.

    • Comprehensive Management Controls: Thunder ADC is fully supported by A10 Networks Harmony Controller and can be deployed in software or as a software-as-a-service (SaaS). This controller functions as a native management platform that organizes and distributes application-centric service protocols and configuration data to numerous Thunder appliances and device cluster infrastructures throughout numerous multi-cloud environments. Users can instantly identify, audit and track every appliance using critical operational metrics, such as CPU, disk usage, device partitions, and end users. The A10 Networks Harmony Controller will also complete configuration backups and restore operations, and will schedule regular software upgrades.

    Kemp LoadMaster is a powerful load balancing solution that also serves as a web application firewall. Its primary use case is load balancing and application load balancing, making it an ideal solution for organizations that must distribute traffic across multiple servers. Kemp's integration with an active directory for ESP usage, hosting/deployment of SSL certificates, and pricing are some of its most valuable features. 

    Using Kemp has helped organizations mitigate cross-scripting vulnerabilities, cookie-related issues, and content security policy issues. It has also allowed them to handle everything with Kemp instead of working on each application individually.

    Sample Customers
    123inkt.nl, Bentley University, Box, Brainshark, Buienradar, Capgemini, CGN/LSN & NAT64, Chengdu Telecom, Club One, Code Ready, CRC Health Group, Cyso, Deutsche Telekom, Earth Class Mail, Excite, FFF Enterprises, Florence County, Framingham State University, From30
    Kent County Council, KEMP, SMA Solar Technology AG, RT€ Player , Victrix (Quebec, Canada), Texas A&M, Macmillan Cancer Support, Cisco, Austin Bank
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    University20%
    Financial Services Firm13%
    Comms Service Provider13%
    Aerospace/Defense Firm7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company20%
    Financial Services Firm11%
    Comms Service Provider8%
    University6%
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company27%
    Financial Services Firm10%
    Energy/Utilities Company10%
    Transportation Company7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization57%
    Computer Software Company7%
    Government4%
    Comms Service Provider4%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business27%
    Midsize Enterprise23%
    Large Enterprise50%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business23%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise62%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business45%
    Midsize Enterprise25%
    Large Enterprise29%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business12%
    Midsize Enterprise63%
    Large Enterprise24%
    Buyer's Guide
    A10 Networks Thunder ADC vs. Kemp LoadMaster
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about A10 Networks Thunder ADC vs. Kemp LoadMaster and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    763,955 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    A10 Networks Thunder ADC is ranked 12th in Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) with 6 reviews while Kemp LoadMaster is ranked 6th in Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) with 7 reviews. A10 Networks Thunder ADC is rated 8.4, while Kemp LoadMaster is rated 9.4. The top reviewer of A10 Networks Thunder ADC writes "Known for its load balancing capabilities, the WAF features need to be improved". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Kemp LoadMaster writes "A Cheap and Stable Load Balancing solution with various Features, Functionalities and a Good Support Team". A10 Networks Thunder ADC is most compared with F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM), Citrix NetScaler, Fortinet FortiADC, Radware Alteon and NGINX Plus, whereas Kemp LoadMaster is most compared with HAProxy, NGINX Plus, Fortinet FortiADC, Citrix NetScaler and Microsoft Azure Application Gateway. See our A10 Networks Thunder ADC vs. Kemp LoadMaster report.

    See our list of best Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) vendors.

    We monitor all Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.