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Azure Network Watcher pros and cons

Vendor: Microsoft
4.0 out of 5

Pros & Cons summary

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Prominent pros & cons

PROS

Azure Network Watcher is praised for its stability and reliability, without any bugs or glitches.
The cloud-native application firewall is highly valuable for securing databases.
The packet capture feature offers insights into how packets travel, aiding in network monitoring.
The tool is beneficial for tracking network bandwidth, throughput, and data flow consumption while controlling costs.
Its monitoring capabilities include useful logs and application insights, particularly for traffic filtering and visualization.

CONS

Azure Network Watcher could improve by having more built-in applications for logging activities and monitoring traffic.
More security features should be added, as the existing ones primarily focus on the network.
There is a reliance on third-party tools like Wireshark because Azure Network Watcher lacks detailed traffic analysis capabilities.
Documentation and information capture need improvement to assist users in troubleshooting issues.
Initial setup and deployment could be simplified to make Azure Network Watcher more accessible.
 

Azure Network Watcher Pros review quotes

PS
Enterprise Architect at ATOS
Jan 19, 2026
Azure Network Watcher provides valuable features based on your specific requirements and use cases, helping you monitor network bandwidth, throughput, data flow consumption, and control costs by giving insight into egress and ingress traffic, total input and output operations, bandwidth, and threats through IP identification.
Madhukar N - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Azure DevOps Cloud Engineer at a pharma/biotech company with 10,001+ employees
Nov 4, 2022
The most valuable feature of Azure Network Watcher is the cloud-native application firewall, which is helpful for securing databases.
Sami Esber - PeerSpot reviewer
Cyber Security Consultant at a engineering company with 10,001+ employees
Jul 21, 2022
The solution is good for monitoring device behavior.
Learn what your peers think about Azure Network Watcher. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2026.
900,747 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Adolfo Albanell - PeerSpot reviewer
Owner at ICAL S.A.
Jun 6, 2024
The stability is very good. I rate it a ten out of ten.
RM
System Network Engineer at Kitana Media
Nov 7, 2023
I like the visibility.
reviewer2068839 - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr Devops Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Jan 10, 2023
The most valuable feature of Azure Network Watcher is using the gateways with the connections. The monitoring is useful for the logs and application insights into the data. The traffic filtering issues when it comes to deploying those applications are helpful.
Ben AmaraSeif Alah - PeerSpot reviewer
Cloud Architect Azure at Thales
Nov 23, 2022
The most valuable features I have found are typology, visualization, and capture.
Kondal Reddy - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Lead at SNP
Nov 3, 2022
What I like most about Azure Network Watcher is that it's focused more on the architecture. I also like that it has a packet capture feature that tells you how the packet travels and whether it's exiting Azure, etc.
VV
Cloud solution architect at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
Jul 18, 2023
We use the solution to monitor network services. It helps to capture any network issues.
reviewer1641486 - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr IT Engineer / Manager at a tech company with 51-200 employees
Sep 1, 2021
The solution is stable.
 

Azure Network Watcher Cons review quotes

PS
Enterprise Architect at ATOS
Jan 19, 2026
There are some occasional downtimes, but these were based on Azure-specific issues.
Madhukar N - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Azure DevOps Cloud Engineer at a pharma/biotech company with 10,001+ employees
Nov 4, 2022
Azure Network Watcher could improve by having other built-in applications, for example, an application to log activities for inbound and outbound traffic.
Sami Esber - PeerSpot reviewer
Cyber Security Consultant at a engineering company with 10,001+ employees
Jul 21, 2022
Lacks sufficient security features.
Learn what your peers think about Azure Network Watcher. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2026.
900,747 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Adolfo Albanell - PeerSpot reviewer
Owner at ICAL S.A.
Jun 6, 2024
User experience could be improved.
RM
System Network Engineer at Kitana Media
Nov 7, 2023
The initial setup and initial learning curve could be improved to be easier.
reviewer2068839 - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr Devops Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Jan 10, 2023
The solution could improve by limiting the need to clarify the logs. When the clarification is minimized, it is better for everyone involved.
Ben AmaraSeif Alah - PeerSpot reviewer
Cloud Architect Azure at Thales
Nov 23, 2022
I would like to see in the future if we can troubleshoot as a firewall because it is equipment as a network player and some diagnostics.
Kondal Reddy - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Lead at SNP
Nov 3, 2022
I still use Wireshark and Azure Network Watcher to get the required data. My team captures the traffic from Azure Network Watcher, downloads it, then imports that traffic into Wireshark to get more details on the number of hits and replies, for example. If you can do that on Azure Network Watcher and have Wireshark built-in, that would make Azure Network Watcher better. If Azure Network Watcher has that functionality where you won't need a third-party tool to get what you need, that would be helpful. I'm also expecting more from Azure Network Watcher. It's more complex than knowing how the IP flows from its source to the destination. The tool also needs more open-source features, such as having some built-in Wireshark that improves monitoring for customers. Sometimes, you encounter a VPN tunnel, network, or routing issue, but finding out more about the blockage is challenging. Is it one hundred percent an Azure issue? Is it a peer issue? You don't get complete information from Azure Network Watcher, so you must use other tools and depend on your strategies to resolve a specific issue. If more features could be added in the next release of Azure Network Watcher, specifically ones you can find on open-source tools, then that would be a plus point for the tool.
VV
Cloud solution architect at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
Jul 18, 2023
Azure Network Watcher needs to have better documentation and it needs to capture information accurately.
reviewer1641486 - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr IT Engineer / Manager at a tech company with 51-200 employees
Sep 1, 2021
Azure is good, however, the Fortinet GUI is more intuitive and I like it more than anything else.