What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for traffic monitoring. For example, when you want to see requests or inspect packets within your cloud network, to see how the traffic is flowing, or how the traffic and the packets are being transmitted from one host to another, and from one source or resource to another.
How has it helped my organization?
To connect a virtual machine or if you want to monitor the communication between a VM and certain endpoints, we have to specify the endpoints to fully qualify the domain name. It determines how the traffic is flowing. At the end of the day, it should show you this map or graph resource about your current setup, on how traffic is flowing within your network or your environment. This will help the company or the administrator, by helping them see how the traffic moves, to make sure that no entities are having any communication issues or different endpoints with task issues. It can help them also spot which endpoints should not be communicating to others. This is the value of the Network Watcher.
What is most valuable?
I like that it delivers. It does the job. It provides good visibility.
What needs improvement?
I don't find it that appealing. It's not the most friendly or straightforward to set up. For me, it's not that appealing that I want to go ahead and set it up each time. I don't see the value versus the way you have to set it up at first. The initial setup and deployment could be improved to be simplified. From my perspective, this is something that should be out of the box, available, and given. I don't see why there is a need to set it up. The experience should be there, the servers or the insights, they should be readily available out of the box, once you start setting up your environment on Azure. The setup is a huge part of what needs to be better, as well as the view, or the graph could be improved. Microsoft has the capability to enrich it and to make it look more granular. I would like to see a graph with simple diagrams and richer information.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used it or known about it for between four and five years. I rarely use it, but I know it pretty well.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Azure itself is pretty stable, but It depends on the different resources on Azure. For example, if the resources on Azure are not stable, then it would become unstable as well.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's not a server that scales in a way that, when the traffic comes or there is heavy traffic or loads, it scales. You just monitor the traffic within your environment. I don't see how scalability applies.
How are customer service and support?
I have not had to contact technical support regarding Network Watcher.
How was the initial setup?
It's not that is complex, however, for the sake of what it does, yes, I would say it's complex. It could be a lot easier. It could be a much simpler experience, especially when you can set up a whole infrastructure with a couple of clicks. I don't see why you have to perform so many steps or very specific steps with Network Watcher.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I don't remember the pricing.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate Azure Network Watcher a six out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner