DX Spectrum vs SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager comparison

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between DX Spectrum and SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two DX NetOps solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed DX Spectrum vs. SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager Report (Updated: September 2020).
765,386 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
"The solution's most valuable features are its integration with Broadcom tools and scalability.""Scalability is a highly rated feature of this solution. It is better than some of the other tools that I've used in terms of scalability. We scaled it to tens of thousands of devices.""The quick notification of issues, quick alerting because timeliness is always valuable, it's very important for us.""What I like best is the configuration management functionality.""Some of the most valuable features are it's highly scalable, the carrier is great, and if something has SNMP, it can monitor it. It's a great network fault management solution.""The presentation layer is pretty simple and straightforward.""It helps our NetOps group actually handle alarms in a way that lets them see the bigger picture of those alarms, and how they might affect our services. It helps us communicate information about the network state better to services that might be impacted by a specific network condition.""All networks (or network equipment) are monitored through CA Spectrum."

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"It allows us to manage backups in big companies. It is also useful in managing the configuration changes.""The feature that I really enjoy is the ability to script changes across all of your devices.""It is a stable solution.""The solution's view is very nice, and they have a great customized dashboard.""The configuration compliance aspect of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager allows for easy comparison of configuration settings across branches, ensuring adherence to security guidelines and best practices. Automation capabilities have greatly impacted workflows, enabling tasks such as configuration backups, template deployment, and firmware upgrades to be automated, thereby streamlining processes and saving time. Compliance reporting features provide valuable insights into network compliance, offering pre-built security audit reports and customizable options to meet specific requirements.""The most valuable features the solution offers are compliance, reliability, and information about reliability.""SolarWinds NCM provides updates on the status of your network infrastructure. If any issues arise, such as a link failure or a device going offline, you will receive notifications and alerts. Additionally, if someone unplugs a cable, SolarWinds NCM will detect it. It also features a Topology Mapper that displays the connectivity of your network devices, giving you a visual representation of the network's structure. With SolarWinds NCM, you have a clear understanding of what's happening within your network and can generate comprehensive reports.""I use it for monitoring the entire network for the company. We oversee nodes down, we oversee devices heading up to crossing the threshold for CPU usage. We oversee power so power backups on the switches, we oversee if they're down or if they're failing. We oversee any node down or any router from any vendor."

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Cons
"It's not a great performance management tool. Its reporting capabilities are not very good at all.""Huawei devices are not properly supported, and there are incompatibility issues related to certain protocols.""From a functionality perspective, the product is not doing what it should. Also, there are some concerns about the accessibility. I would appreciate additional out-of-the-box troubleshooting scripts, like templates for addressing various issues. Currently, when troubleshooting online, I need to create my scripts. It would be beneficial if the platform could provide pre-built scripts or templates to help automate certain troubleshooting tasks.""The visual is a little archaic.""I would like to see better scalability, and maybe, a more intuitive user interface. ​""It was somewhat complex to implement.""It needs better integration with other CA products.""The solution could improve by allowing the ability to monitor the network shortly after installing the software and adding an auto-discovery function."

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"When it comes to the way of managing the network devices, SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager should provide the simplest way that devices can relate to the server. For example, when we want to get the devices on board, we go by SSH to make the SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager create the connectivity with the device. After that, we pull the configuration. It would be helpful if they could combine both so that everything will be done in one step.""The interface of solar winds could be improved.""Releasing a product compatible with operating systems other than Windows would be advantageous.""The only thing that requires some experience, and training doesn't fix, is how to set up your custom policy-based reports to check compliance.""When we run the SolarWinds NCM jobs at the cellular line, it runs in the morning. They're just not finishing. We're getting false processing.""We want to be able to store it in a data warehouse format and integrate it with Google single sign-on.""I'd like to see additional features like support for devices that don't use CLI for configuration backups, expanded inventory support for other vendors beyond Cisco, and compatibility with newer SD WAN devices. These enhancements would further improve the product's versatility and utility for users. we hope for future enhancements, especially in supporting security devices that lack CLI backup options.""It would be great if they include a network service manager, network performance manager, or a privileged assessment in the next release."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "It is very pricey. With the current trend of enterprises moving towards cheaper and more modern looking solutions like ManageEngine, SevOne, ServicePilot, and Paesller."
  • "It’s a great tool, but an expensive one. Learn how to use it properly."
  • "The cost of some of these products are a little cost prohibitive, which is unfortunate. We have to find lower cost solutions for some of the things that we have to pull in. For the most part, CA has capabilities in pretty much everything that you would need. You just have to figure out where are you going to spend the most money for what you have to actually get done. You can do all these things but, which ones do you have to do? And that's hard to choose sometimes because you want to do them all."
  • "In general, the license cost will be about 30% of the total TCO for this tool (hardware/support team, OS costs, and OS management)."
  • "The product, support, and maintenance are all expensive, which is another reason that we are switching to another solution."
  • "The price is very high."
  • "The price of the solution is reasonable."
  • "Currently, a perpetual license but some services are moving to a subscription"
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  • "With a minimal bundle, we pay about $3000 a year in licensing costs. If you have multiple devices in your network, you must buy the bundle, which is 100% identical for your infrastructure. If you have 15 devices, you need 15 licenses, for example. That's one bundle. You don't pay for anything over and above that."
  • "You have a base license for 50 devices, and then you can add more licenses as you go."
  • "There is a license for the use of this solution and it is priced well, there is a lot of value for the money."
  • "I have a yearly subscription."
  • "In Africa, the cost is a major factor in decision-making for many companies. As a result, some companies may choose cheaper solutions, even if they are open-source, over more expensive ones, such as SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager. However, as an engineer, I believe that the functionalities and services offered by SolarWinds justify the cost. Nonetheless, many companies in Africa may still view the prices as unaffordable."
  • "There is a license needed to use SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager."
  • "The price of the solution is high compared to other solutions."
  • "We have to pay additionally for its support and maintenance."
  • More SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:The solution's most valuable features are its integration with Broadcom tools and scalability.
    Top Answer:DX Spectrum's pricing depends on the license number. It is affordable.
    Top Answer:DX Spectrum needs better documentation on its complex features.
    Top Answer:Its main functionality is highly beneficial as it centralizes the management of configuration items across the network.
    Top Answer:SolarWinds may initially appear cheaper than it is. Additional costs beyond the standard licensing fee are inevitable. Naturally, the greater the number of nodes, the higher the expense. I would rate… more »
    Top Answer:Releasing a product compatible with operating systems other than Windows would be advantageous. Currently, using it on Windows necessitates additional costs, including Windows Server licensing and… more »
    Ranking
    1st
    out of 4 in DX NetOps
    Views
    136
    Comparisons
    104
    Reviews
    11
    Average Words per Review
    435
    Rating
    8.7
    10th
    Views
    1,012
    Comparisons
    797
    Reviews
    11
    Average Words per Review
    686
    Rating
    8.3
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    CA Spectrum
    SolarWinds NCM
    Learn More
    Overview

    DX Spectrum is a complete event and fault management system for network operations teams. The tool provides powerful capabilities for managing your dynamic, complex IT infrastructure, which includes physical, virtual, and cloud environments.The technology allows you to manage and optimize the infrastructure and the professional services that operate on top of it. DX Spectrum is a unified platform that helps your company enhance network service levels while lowering monitoring costs.

    DX Spectrum has intelligent event correlation and root-cause analysis capabilities. It can pinpoint the precise components that are causing issues with availability and network settings. Reports and dashboards can be customized with role-based views. Change management solutions can also be used by teams to govern, track, and remediate changes across network devices.

    DX Spectrum can identify multi-technology and multi-vendor stacks, as well as new software-defined networks (SDNs). It supports Multicast, MPLS, VPN, and VRF, among other routing protocols and technologies.

    DX Spectrum Features

    DX Spectrum has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

    • Service management: DX Spectrum assists personnel in discovering, modeling, visualizing, monitoring, and managing the links between infrastructure and the business services it supports.
    • Fault detection: DX Spectrum offers unique solutions that automate device discovery and root cause analysis, allowing for faster issue detection and resolution.
    • Change management capabilities: DX Spectrum gives administrators the visibility and control they need to prevent erroneous modifications from causing network performance problems and outages.
    • Comprehensive visibility: With DX Spectrum, managers can receive comprehensive insight across physical, virtualized, and cloud environments, as well as a variety of technologies, platforms, and suppliers.
    • Customization: DX Spectrum provides administrators, users, and customers with pre-packaged, easily configurable dashboards and reports that may be adjusted to their individual needs. For maximum performance and visibility, it is intimately connected with other solutions within the DX Service Assurance and DX Service Management systems.

    DX Spectrum Benefits

    There are many benefits to implementing DX Spectrum. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

    • Reduce symptomatic alarms and hasten resolution with DX Spectrum’s root-cause analysis and robust event correlation. Automatically map the relationships between your network infrastructure to find the source of service issues for faster resolution. Whether it's a network configuration or availability issue, our network fault management system pinpoints the exact component responsible for the issue.
    • DX Spectrum supports network access from wireless wearables, mobile phones, tablets, and laptops. Provide network operators with the tools they need to manage their wireless networks, decrease outages, and make them as stable as their wired networks. For wired and wireless networks, DX Spectrum offers a unified view.
    • Fault and event management can be integrated across the Agile Ops, Network Operations, and Analytics portfolios. Fault, inventory, and topology knowledge are combined with performance, application, and log monitoring and a unified view across a full-stack NetOps solution. Additional connections include business service and service desk management.

    Reviews from Real Users

    DX Spectrum stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its robust root cause analysis and its event correlation tool. PeerSpot users take note of the advantages of these features in their reviews:

    Umair A., Enterprise Solutions & Services Head at Duroob Technologies, writes of the product, “It covers networks very well. It has all the capabilities that you're looking for when it comes to monitoring. Spectrum is great for root cause analysis. It has excellent correlation event management. Spectrum's stability and scalability are also amazing. If you have a CA Service Desk, then it can be integrated so that if you have open tickets they can be closed automatically.”

    Itarchit, an IT Architect at a comms service provider, notes, “The most valuable feature is the event correlation mechanism. I also like the product's multi-customer approach.” He adds, “We haven't seen a better product. Overall, I am happy with this solution. Based on the current market, I would rate DX Spectrum a nine out of ten.”

    Before you monitor your network, configure it! A reliable and secure network starts with carefully planned, executed, and monitored network configuration and change management. SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM) saves time and improves network reliability and security by managing configurations, changes, and compliance for routers, switches, and other network devices from Cisco, Juniper, HP, Dell, Brocade, Aruba, Rukus, and more.
    Sample Customers
    National Informatics Centre India, Banese, Olympus, AlphaServe Technologies, Sicredi
    United Lincolnshire Hospitals, Air Rarotonga, NetSuite, Thai AirAsia, REA Group, 335th Signal Command, Agilisys, Marine Expeditionary Force
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm16%
    Comms Service Provider13%
    Healthcare Company13%
    Insurance Company10%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Financial Services Firm16%
    Computer Software Company14%
    Manufacturing Company12%
    Government9%
    REVIEWERS
    Manufacturing Company25%
    Financial Services Firm13%
    Sports Company13%
    Healthcare Company13%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Government13%
    Computer Software Company12%
    Manufacturing Company9%
    Financial Services Firm9%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business19%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise66%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business18%
    Midsize Enterprise9%
    Large Enterprise73%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business48%
    Midsize Enterprise22%
    Large Enterprise30%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business19%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise64%
    Buyer's Guide
    DX Spectrum vs. SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager
    September 2020
    Find out what your peers are saying about DX Spectrum vs. SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager and other solutions. Updated: September 2020.
    765,386 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    DX Spectrum is ranked 1st in DX NetOps with 115 reviews while SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is ranked 10th in Configuration Management with 21 reviews. DX Spectrum is rated 8.4, while SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of DX Spectrum writes "Comprehensive alerts, beneficial overall network viability, and scalability not limited". On the other hand, the top reviewer of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager writes "Network configuration is done well; great pricing". DX Spectrum is most compared with DX NetOps, Zabbix, SolarWinds NPM, Cisco DNA Center and HPE Intelligent Management Center, whereas SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is most compared with Cisco DNA Center, Cisco Prime, Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform, OpenText Network Node Manager i and VMware NSX. See our DX Spectrum vs. SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager report.

    We monitor all DX NetOps 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.