Azure Network Watcher vs ManageEngine OpManager comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Microsoft and ManageEngine are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Microsoft is ranked #46 with an average rating of 8.0, while ManageEngine is ranked #18 with an average rating of 8.3. Microsoft holds a 0.5% mindshare in NMS, compared to ManageEngine’s 1.4% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 82% of ManageEngine users who would recommend it.

Azure Network Watcher

Read 13 Azure Network Watcher reviews

2,673 Views
2,620 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

ManageEngine OpManager

Read 56 ManageEngine OpManager reviews

8,498 Views
8,158 Comparison Views

82% willing to recommend

Azure Network Watcher

ManageEngine OpManager

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

ManageEngine OpManager and Azure Network Watcher are competing products in network management. ManageEngine OpManager appears to have the upper hand with comprehensive network monitoring features, making it more effective for large environments.

Features: ManageEngine OpManager offers comprehensive network and device monitoring, automation, and alerting. It also uses NetFlow analysis to enhance monitoring capabilities, allowing proactive threshold and alert definitions. Azure Network Watcher provides cloud-native capabilities like packet capture, application firewall, and topology visualization, useful in cloud environments.

Room for Improvement: Users of ManageEngine OpManager report issues with change control and stability during upgrades, documentation challenges, and a complex licensing model. Azure Network Watcher could benefit from enhanced documentation, more built-in tools like Wireshark, and an easier initial setup process.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: ManageEngine OpManager, primarily on-premises, offers stable yet complex installations with satisfactory technical support, though improvement is needed in level-one support. Azure Network Watcher, designed for the public cloud, benefits from excellent technical support but presents a steeper learning curve.

Pricing and ROI: ManageEngine OpManager is competitively priced, often more affordable than SolarWinds, offering good value and quick return on investment through improved uptime. Azure Network Watcher, considered more expensive, aligns with enterprise users seeking cloud-native solutions, though its cost may be less accessible for smaller businesses.

To learn more, read our detailed Azure Network Watcher vs. ManageEngine OpManager Report (Updated: September 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Azure Network Watcher vs. ManageEngine OpManager

September 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

46th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

5.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

ManageEngine OpManager

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

18th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

5.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 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 ManageEngine OpManager is 1.4%, down from 1.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Monitoring Software Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
ManageEngine OpManager	1.4%
Azure Network Watcher	0.5%
Other	98.1%

Network Monitoring Software

Featured Reviews

PrashantSarmalkar

Enterprise Architect at ATOS

Monitoring traffic has improved cost control and threat visibility across network flows

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 getting better analytics and foundation models for proactive monitoring through AI models. While these capabilities exist, they are still in beta version. Azure Network Watcher should improve to match the capabilities that Google is targeting from an analytical point of view. Azure Network Watcher needs to improve foundation models in terms of AI-specific features and analytics, which are still evolving. This may take some time, but within one or two years, these improvements should reach a nine rating.

Read full review

Llahir Albar

Technical Solution Specialist at Crypto-gen

Has helped centrally manage users and assets while making operational tasks more efficient

The main drawback is there is less documentation available, both public documentation and partner-available documentation. The learning materials are very limited, and there is also a limitation of support SLA. It takes a huge amount of time to resolve certain issues when ManageEngine OpManager technical support gets involved. The expertise of support is limited. Reporting could be improved with more details. The content and richness can be improved on the reports. To make ManageEngine OpManager a better product, the first priority is improving the after-sales support and learning materials for local engineers and partners to enhance their capacities and expertise. The second priority is improving the product itself, including dashboards and reporting enrichment. Lastly, new feature adoption such as DLP or endpoint monitoring should be considered. Features that should be offered include DLP, Privileged User Access, data classification, and MDR. These are features that can be groomed around the MMS if properly configured.

Read full 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 is stable, there are no bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze, it's reliable."

"The most valuable features I have found are typology, visualization, and capture."

"This is a stable system providing stable performance."

"It provides good visibility."

"The solution is good for monitoring device behavior."

"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."

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

"We use the solution to monitor network services. It helps to capture any network issues."

More Azure Network Watcher pros

"It is easy to use and deploy."

"Monitoring is the most valuable feature of this solution."

"The most valuable feature of ManageEngine OpManager makes it easy to monitor all the network alerts on the application."

"The most valuable feature is the monitoring alerts, as the administrators are immediately notified and can do the required action immediately, and this is the feature we value and use the most."

"We have found the solution to be stable."

"The product provides intensive reports."

"You can put all of your work on there, they'll send you an email or send you a text. That functionality as a network engineer is the one I like the most. I do like the fact that we can schedule reports. That works too because that's a lot fewer spreadsheets that I have to create."

"The dashboard, versatility and larger horizon are valuable."

More ManageEngine OpManager pros

Cons

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

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

"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."

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

"There are some occasional downtimes, but these were based on Azure-specific issues."

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

"Azure is good, however, the Fortinet GUI is more intuitive and I like it more than anything else."

"User experience could be improved."

More Azure Network Watcher cons

"Support is very bad. They should improve support and customer relationship."

"If you have a ton of devices, it might slow down a bit."

"The pricing of the solution is high. They should work to adjust the pricing model to see if they can help reduce costs."

"ManageEngine OpManager could improve by having a better cloud presence."

"This solution is not suitable for enterprise-sized deployments, as it sometimes hangs and needs to be restarted."

"The licensing model is confusing."

"We have been facing an issue since last year when a lot of our users started to work from home through their mobiles or computers. We are having trouble reaching these devices. We are now planning to publish our instance to the cloud so that we can reach these devices. Its performance should be improved in terms of the discovery of the devices. I would like to feel confident with the discovery that this solution does. For example, on my dashboard, I would like to be able to view a list of all devices seen on a specific server. At present, it is difficult to find such information. This would be an excellent feature to have."

"We had some stability issues at the outset that have since been resolved."

More ManageEngine OpManager cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of the solution is reasonable."

"Azure Network Watcher is a little bit expensive."

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

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

"The licensing is on a yearly basis and the pricing is on the cheaper side."

"The price of ManageEngine OpManager is reasonable. We have an annual license and the cost comes from how many devices are being monitored. There is not anything extra cost for maintenance and support."

"The solution's pricing is very low compared to other products."

"ManageEngine OpManager has a three-tier licensing model."

"The solution's licensing costs are yearly and based on the number of applications."

"As far as cost, it was around six hundred thousand rands ($40,500) for the year, for the renewals. That's the total cost for a four thousand node system including support and maintenance."

"It is not really expensive; it is nominal licensing."

"We have a standard license for ManageEngine OpManager. We purchased the license for one year and now we are upgrading it soon."

More ManageEngine OpManager pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

21%

Construction Company

13%

Outsourcing Company

Comms Service Provider

Outsourcing Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

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	17
Midsize Enterprise	15
Large Enterprise	27

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?

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...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ManageEngine OpManager?

Based on my experience and use case, the setup cost and price of ManageEngine OpManager is good. However, if it were available in both on-premises and cloud versions, it would be more reliable for ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with ManageEngine OpManager?

ManageEngine OpManager could improve by adding network device control capabilities. The control feature would be more helpful for our operations. Currently, there is no feature for controlling inte...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for ManageEngine OpManager?

I am using ManageEngine OpManager for network and server reliability. We have multiple locations, so integrating all location devices in ManageEngine OpManager into one single console allows us to ...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 13% of the time

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Compared 10% of the time

Ixia Network Taps vs Azure Network Watcher

Compared 7% of the time

Microsoft Network Monitor vs Azure Network Watcher

Compared 7% of the time

PRTG Network Monitor vs Azure Network Watcher

Compared 7% of the time

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SolarWinds NPM vs ManageEngine OpManager

Compared 9% of the time

DX Spectrum vs ManageEngine OpManager

Compared 5% of the time

LibreNMS vs ManageEngine OpManager

Compared 5% of the time

OpenNMS vs ManageEngine OpManager

Compared 5% of the time

ScienceLogic vs ManageEngine OpManager

Compared 4% of the time

More ManageEngine OpManager Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Azure Network Watcher

October 2026

Download Azure Network Watcher product report

Buyer's Guide

ManageEngine OpManager

September 2026

Download ManageEngine OpManager product report

Also Known As

No data available

OpManager

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

ManageEngine OpManager offers real-time network performance monitoring and reporting. Known for its customizable dashboards and topology maps, it supports device monitoring and alerting, enhanced by features like Firewall Analyzer and NetFlow.

Designed for network infrastructure management, ManageEngine OpManager monitors servers, devices, applications, and security across on-premise and cloud environments. Adaptive thresholds and automation simplify proactive monitoring, while issues with dashboard design, business view enhancements, performance stability in large deployments, and licensing warrant attention. Its machine learning and AI could be more advanced. Despite these, organizations use its comprehensive dashboards for real-time insights into CPU, RAM, and disk utilization, receiving notifications for unauthorized requests or performance issues.

What are the key features of ManageEngine OpManager?

Network Reporting: Provides detailed reports for network performance.
Real-time Monitoring: Offers continuous monitoring of network parameters.
Customizable Dashboards: Allows for personalized dashboard setups for unique insights.
Topology Maps: Visualizes network layout for easier management.
Device Monitoring: Ensures all network devices are operating efficiently.
Automation: Streamlines network operations with automated tasks.
Firewall Analyzer: Enhances security measures and performance monitoring.
NetFlow: Analyzes bandwidth usage and traffic patterns.
Application Manager: Monitors server and application performance.

What benefits should users expect from ManageEngine OpManager?

Improved Network Performance: Real-time insights enhance network efficiency.
Proactive Alerts: Early warnings help address issues before they escalate.
Ease of Integration: Simplifies management with comprehensive integration features.
Scalability: Supports growth with multi-location deployment capabilities.

ManageEngine OpManager is widely implemented in industries requiring robust network infrastructure management. Companies in sectors with complex server and application needs benefit from its monitoring and alerting capabilities. Its ability to manage and provide insights across distributed locations makes it a valuable tool for enterprises operating in both on-premise and cloud environments.

ManageEngine

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Bonita, Thorp Reed & Armstrong, Galaxy, Fiserv Credit Union Division, Universitas 21 Global, ERP Suites LLC

Buyer's Guide

Azure Network Watcher vs. ManageEngine OpManager

September 2026

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