Azure Network Watcher vs DX Performance Management comparison

Microsoft and Broadcom are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Microsoft is ranked #42 with an average rating of 8.5, while Broadcom is ranked #41 with an average rating of 9.0. Microsoft holds a 0.5% mindshare in NMS, compared to Broadcom’s 0.6% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Broadcom users who would recommend it.

Azure Network Watcher

Read 13 Azure Network Watcher reviews

1,676 Views
1,626 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

DX Performance Management

Read 32 DX Performance Management reviews

2,691 Views
2,045 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Azure Network Watcher

DX Performance Management

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

DX Performance Management and Azure Network Watcher compete in network performance and monitoring. Azure Network Watcher has the upper hand due to its robust features, though DX Performance Management is favorable for its cost-effectiveness and customer support.

Features: DX Performance Management provides comprehensive insights into network performance, offers extensive analytics, and customizable reports. Ideal for continuous performance improvement, it caters to diverse monitoring needs. Azure Network Watcher stands out with built-in diagnostics, detailed network topology visualization, and automatic configuration checks, making it powerful for monitoring and troubleshooting.

Room for Improvement: DX Performance Management can improve in areas such as expanding advanced diagnostics capabilities, enhancing visualization features, and streamlining integration with other tools. Azure Network Watcher might benefit from simplified user onboarding, improved customer training resources, and more consistent support experiences.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: DX Performance Management is recognized for smooth deployment and effective customer support, catering to various network environments efficiently. Azure Network Watcher offers integrated deployment within the Azure ecosystem, benefitting Azure Cloud users particularly, but it may present a steeper learning curve with varying levels of support satisfaction.

Pricing and ROI: DX Performance Management presents a lower initial setup cost, appealing to organizations seeking a cost-effective solution with tangible ROI improvements in performance. Conversely, Azure Network Watcher, while having higher upfront costs, delivers substantial ROI through comprehensive monitoring and agile troubleshooting capabilities, adding value for those deeply integrated with the Azure platform.

To learn more, read our detailed Azure Network Watcher vs. DX Performance Management Report (Updated: April 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Azure Network Watcher vs. DX Performance Management

April 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Azure Network Watcher

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

42nd

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

5.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

DX Performance Management

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

41st

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Infrastructure Capacity Planning (1st), DX NetOps (2nd)

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of Azure Network Watcher is 0.5%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of DX Performance Management is 0.6%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Monitoring Software Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
DX Performance Management	0.6%
Azure Network Watcher	0.5%
Other	98.9%

Network Monitoring Software

Featured Reviews

Bijoyendra Roychowdhury

Program Manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees

Network monitoring provides comprehensive analytics while the interface requires further development

The quality of Azure Network Watcher is quite good in terms of the in-depth analysis you can create from these matrices. There are other monitoring tools such as New Relic, AppDynamics, and Dynatrace which provide very detailed network tracing. Cloud providers such as Azure or AWS do not have that kind of GUI-based capability at this point, but using PowerShell or Python, you can develop it yourself. From the GUI perspective, it still needs to evolve in terms of quality and standard, though overall, it is quite good for troubleshooting. Regarding areas for improvement, when comparing to other network tools beyond Azure Monitor or Azure Network Watcher, those tools can identify single failed packets. This level of granularity is not currently possible with cloud providers as they only go to a certain level rather than the granular level needed for deep troubleshooting, though they do provide hints with available matrices.

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reviewer1810893

Senior IT Operations Specialist at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees

Flexibility and detailed performance stats enable effective network monitoring

Spectrum is very good at monitoring all network faults and configurations. It enables me to take action based on network issues. The Performance Management provides detailed network performance stats, including CPU, memory, and interface bandwidth. Additionally, Spectrum is flexible and allows me to organize and treat devices uniquely without impacting other devices.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The most valuable feature of Azure Network Watcher is the cloud-native application firewall, which is helpful for securing databases."

"The solution is stable."

"The most valuable feature of Azure Network Watcher is the cloud-native application firewall. It is helpful for securing databases."

"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."

"It provides good visibility."

"The stability is very good. I rate it a ten out of ten."

"The solution is good for monitoring device behavior."

"This is a stable system providing stable performance."

More Azure Network Watcher pros

"It is very easy to add devices; just be aware that it requires SNMP to be enabled."

"Customer service is top-notch."

"The licensing is very straightforward; it doesn't matter how many devices you have and would like to monitor, it's very straightforward."

"The feature that is inherent to its core, of being able to graphically represent a trend and status, is nice."

"Scalability is the reason we bought the product to begin with. It was designed from the ground up for carrier-grade services, and we are in effect a MSP ourselves. So we were really interested in looking at something to be able to handle the multi-tenancy and scale as large as possible. This was the only solution that we really considered at that level."

"Scalability is the reason we bought the product to begin with; it was designed from the ground up for carrier-grade services, and we are in effect an MSP ourselves, so we were really interested in looking at something to be able to handle the multi-tenancy and scale as large as possible, and this was the only solution that we really considered at that level."

"In the last three years, it has had a great improvement in its stability; it is great that it works and we have had no outages in this time."

"The network teams have transitioned to becoming proactive in responding to network performance issues, rather than being just reactive to outages."

More DX Performance Management pros

Cons

"The solution could improve by limiting the need to clarify the logs. When the clarification is minimized, it is better for everyone involved."

"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."

"Sometimes, you encounter a VPN tunnel, network, or routing issue, but finding out more about the blockage is challenging."

"The initial setup and initial learning curve could be improved to be easier."

"Azure Network Watcher needs to have better documentation and it needs to capture information accurately."

"The solution could use some additional components of the network culture, not only VMs. I'd like to see some additional security features because what they currently have concentrates only on the network."

"Azure Network Watcher could improve by having other built-in applications. For example, an application to log activities for in and outbound traffic."

"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."

More Azure Network Watcher cons

"Product has issue collecting IP SLA data."

"This may be available by now but for server space, when it comes to the disk file system, I'd like to see that graphically represented, or the trend, rather than what I'm seeing now."

"We experience disconnections between the solutions own components."

"For CA PM, there should be a way of easily migrating the reports coming from eHealth going to CA Performance Center, since CA PC is replacing eHealth."

"It could be a little easier to integrate new metrics."

"This solution's implementation process could be quicker. They could also optimize the hardware requirements."

"When it goes through discovery, or whatever it is doing in the back-end that slows it down, sometimes we get some failures with it. "

More DX Performance Management cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Azure Network Watcher is a little bit expensive."

"The price of the solution is reasonable."

"Price-wise, I have no information on how much Azure Network Watcher costs."

"The pricing is good. It's not too expensive."

"They should provide more scalable licensing for the product."

"I like the licensing model because it's device-based."

"We purchase a license to use the solution every three years and we have multiple contracts. They have been increasing the price annually. We have a baseline for three years and then we need to pay the difference from the baseline, and we are in the process of negotiating a new price for all the licenses we need. The price overall is affordable."

"The tool's pricing is based on the number of network devices."

"Do your homework and know how many devices you will be managing out of the gate. Be sure to project what your growth will be each year."

"We were looking at other vendors in the marketplace for NetFlow, and CA just beat everybody else in price, cost, and the size to implement. "

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

23%

Construction Company

10%

Government

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Outsourcing Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Large Enterprise	7

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Large Enterprise	25

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Network Watcher?

I do not have the exact setup cost information on hand, but it is available in the public Azure portal. You can access the calculator there to get detailed pricing information.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Azure Network Watcher?

The main area for improvement is AI-based features. Currently, many intelligent tools are coming from third parties, and Azure Network Watcher needs to improve in this area. The focus should be on ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Azure Network Watcher?

Azure Network Watcher is used for monitoring network traffic. It provides insight into egress and ingress traffic, which helps determine whether consumption can be controlled. Most Azure services c...

See all answers

What needs improvement with DX Performance Management?

Spectrum's topology view sometimes does not rebuild automatically when a device is shut down and reconnected. It requires manual discovery and rebuilding of the topology, which I hope can be improved.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for DX Performance Management?

I have used Spectrum for monitoring all network faults, configurations, and troubleshooting network issues. It provides network performance stats, such as CPU, memory, and interface bandwidth detai...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering DX Performance Management?

I would recommend this solution based on its functionality, flexibility, customizability, and ease of use. Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. I am just a customer and not a par...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 7% of the time

Microsoft Network Monitor vs Azure Network Watcher

Compared 6% of the time

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DX Spectrum vs DX Performance Management

Compared 6% of the time

Datadog vs DX Performance Management

Compared 6% of the time

Kentik vs DX Performance Management

Compared 5% of the time

IBM SevOne Network Performance Management (NPM) vs DX Performance Management

Compared 5% of the time

WhatsUp Gold vs DX Performance Management

Compared 5% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Azure Network Watcher

May 2026

Download Azure Network Watcher product report

Buyer's Guide

DX Performance Management

May 2026

Download DX Performance Management product report

Also Known As

No data available

CA Performance Management

Overview

Azure Network Watcher provides advanced network monitoring capabilities including packet capture, cloud-native firewall, and traffic diagnosis, aiding in VPN troubleshooting and security enforcement with enhanced visibility and alerting features.

Azure Network Watcher is essential for monitoring, diagnosing, and analyzing network traffic. It efficiently handles VPN connection issues and enhances network security by capturing and analyzing traffic to assess performance or latency problems. The tool facilitates traffic flow control, security rule verification, and bandwidth monitoring. Users benefit from its capabilities in diagnosing service connections, offering insights into network activity, and identifying potential threats, crucial for maintaining compliance and efficient network management.

What are the key features of Azure Network Watcher?

Packet Capture: Enables detailed network traffic inspection to troubleshoot issues.
Cloud-Native Application Firewall: Provides enhanced protection for applications running in the cloud.
Traffic Monitoring: Allows for real-time analysis and troubleshooting of network traffic.
NSG Flow Logs & AI-Based Monitoring: Enhances flow control and threat detection.
Alerting & Threshold Configuration: Offers customizable alerts via Azure Monitor for proactive management.

What benefits can users look for in reviews?

Improved Network Security: Helps in identifying and mitigating threats efficiently.
Enhanced Visibility: Provides clear insights into network operations and potential issues.
Compliance Support: Assists in maintaining regulatory compliance with thorough monitoring capabilities.
Effective Bandwidth Management: Facilitates control and optimization of network bandwidth.

In industries like finance and healthcare, Azure Network Watcher is implemented to ensure robust security and compliance, crucial for safeguarding sensitive data. It aids retail and manufacturing sectors in optimizing network performance and maintaining seamless connectivity, supporting their digital infrastructure needs.

Microsoft

DX Performance Management provides crucial network visibility and performance monitoring, offering device certification, integration with key tools, and efficient network analytics through advanced features.

DX Performance Management is a comprehensive solution for network performance, health, and capacity monitoring. It facilitates baselining, trending, and real-time visibility, aiding in capacity planning and incident alerting. It integrates with services like NetFlow, NFA, and ADA, supporting multiple device types. Its database performance allows for efficient analysis with scalability across different device counts, while customizable dashboards provide a single-pane-of-glass view for network insights.

What are the key features of DX Performance Management?

Device Certification: Ensures network devices meet specific standards and requirements through thorough certification processes.
Integration: Seamlessly connects with NetFlow, NFA, ADA, Spectrum, and CAPC for robust network insights.
Report Generation: Offers automated report generation for enhanced network analysis.
Customizable Dashboards: Provides a tailored view of network performance metrics on a single screen.
Advanced Alerting: Monitors network conditions with sophisticated alerting mechanisms for proactive responses.
Scalability: Adapts to growing network demands with efficient performance across multiple device counts.
Multi-Tenancy: Supports various tenants within the same infrastructure, ensuring resource optimization.
Historical Data Analysis: Delivers past performance data for in-depth trend analysis and decision support.

Which benefits and ROI should users expect from using DX Performance Management?

Efficiency: Enhances network analysis through fast database performance and customizable interfaces.
Decision-Making: Improves decision support via comprehensive visibility and detailed performance metrics.
Scalability: Offers a flexible solution capable of growing with network demands.
Customization: Allows tailoring of reports and dashboards to meet specific analytical needs.
Integration: Provides seamless connectivity with other network management tools and service desks.

Network service providers implement DX Performance Management to deliver in-depth insights, monitoring routers and switches for SNMP data collection, aiding CPU, memory, and interface utilization analysis. It's integrated with network fault management and service desks, providing comprehensive performance analytics.

Broadcom

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Jack Henry & Assoc, Target, CenturyLink, Bell Canada, BrightHouse Networks, Telus, Unisys, Verizon, Southern California Edison, GEICO, Fidelity Investments, Wells Fargo, American Family Insurance Group, Deutsche Telekom AG

Buyer's Guide

Azure Network Watcher vs. DX Performance Management

April 2026

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