What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for traffic grouping and SSL detection.
What is most valuable?
The tool's most valuable feature is the encryption feature. From a security perspective, the solution hasn't significantly strengthened our security posture. However, it has greatly improved performance by streamlining encryption processes and avoiding encryption at multiple layers. This has also simplified troubleshooting, as we can whitelist certain processes.
The traffic aggregation and transformation feature has significantly impacted our analysis process. The tool helps us investigate our network packet capture. Data aggregation occurs at the network packet capture level, enabling thorough investigation. However, the tool lacks intelligence in providing visibility or traffic flow analysis. Instead, we use other tools to enhance our visibility and analysis based on the captured data.
What needs improvement?
The Gigamon Deep Observability Pipeline should have a feature showing the traffic flow within its platform. Currently, customers have to use separate tools for monitoring, which is inconvenient. If it had its visibility feature, it would make monitoring easier and more complete without needing extra tools.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The tool is stable, and I haven't encountered any issues. I rate it a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability depends on the specific hardware model deployed. In our case, we didn't encounter any scalability issues, and for virtualization, scalability was not a problem. Overall, I would rate the scalability of the Gigamon Deep Observability pipeline at around eight or nine out of ten, as it's straightforward to scale up in cloud environments by adding virtual machines.
On-premise deployments can have scalability challenges if the hardware is outdated or at the end of its lifecycle. Adding more capacity isn't always possible—you may need to replace or upgrade the hardware.
How are customer service and support?
Support from the product has not been very good. They outsource their support to third-party vendors, making receiving direct assistance difficult. Instead, we have to go through intermediaries, such as partners or vendors, which can be challenging and may not always provide satisfactory support.
How would you rate customer service and support?
How was the initial setup?
The tool's deployment is difficult. There are multiple dependencies, especially with certificates. It didn't support some certificates, so we had to upgrade them. Also, from a design perspective, the physical setup changed significantly. We needed more cables and connections, and it wasn't a simple plug-and-play process. Implementing the product required downtime, usually around four to eight hours, which needed careful planning. Overall, it wasn't straightforward but more on the tough side. Understanding the current design, planning, and implementation took almost two months for us.
What about the implementation team?
Two resources from our side were involved in deploying the product, and two resources from the third-party vendor were working on the deployment. The entire process, from planning to implementation, took two to three months. This duration included planning, designing, obtaining change approvals, and making necessary network changes.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the solution as expensive, around an eight or nine out of ten. There are other competitive solutions available.
What other advice do I have?
Gigamon Deep Observability Pipeline has not significantly improved network visibility because it functions primarily as a packet broker. It does not provide visibility directly but instead requires integration with third-party tools to get the visibility.
Overall, it's a good solution, but there's room for improvement, particularly in configuration competency and data visibility. Currently, there's a lack of data visibility directly from the appliance itself, which needs to be addressed. I rate it an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
*Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.