Azure Network Watcher vs NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Microsoft and NETSCOUT are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Microsoft is ranked #46 with an average rating of 8.0, while NETSCOUT is ranked #72. Microsoft holds a 0.5% mindshare in NMS, compared to NETSCOUT’s 0.6% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of NETSCOUT 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

NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG

Read 13 NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG reviews

3,014 Views
2,863 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

Azure Network Watcher

NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG and Azure Network Watcher compete in network monitoring and management. NETSCOUT leads with its in-depth analytics and packet-level visibility, while Azure Network Watcher's integration with Microsoft Azure gives it an edge in cloud environments.

Features: NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG offers advanced packet-level analysis, extensive network performance monitoring, and comprehensive data analytics. Azure Network Watcher provides robust cloud integration, security group view, and diagnostic logging.

Room for Improvement: NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG could enhance its cloud integration, offer a more cost-effective pricing model, and improve ease of use for beginners. Azure Network Watcher may refine its packet-level analysis, expand hybrid deployment options, and increase support for non-Azure environments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG offers flexible deployment options for on-premises and hybrid environments, coupled with dedicated customer support. Azure Network Watcher facilitates straightforward deployment within Azure, supported by Microsoft's cloud infrastructure.

Pricing and ROI: NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG has a higher initial setup cost but provides substantial ROI through its analytics capabilities. Azure Network Watcher offers a scalable, cost-effective model, particularly appealing for Azure subscribers.

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

Buyer's Guide

Azure Network Watcher vs. NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG

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

NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

72nd

Average Rating

8.4

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 NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG is 0.6%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Monitoring Software Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Azure Network Watcher	0.5%
NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG	0.6%
Other	98.9%

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.

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Michael Gideon Genita

Associate System Engineer at SMS Global Technologies, Inc.

Easy to set up with good documentation and helpful support

I'm using it for a customer The packet flow switch is the most valuable aspect of the solution. It's an easy product to set up. We can scale the solution if we need to. It's stable. The documentation is well-written and quite useful. It's compatible with other products. Under the pocket flow…

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

"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."

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

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

"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."

"My advice to others looking into using Azure Network Watcher is to go for it, as you'll have the tool by default when you're subscribed to Azure VNet."

"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."

More Azure Network Watcher pros

"We are attracting customers in good sized numbers as we advertise and market this solution."

"This solution has cut our overall troubleshooting time, sometimes going down to a few hours over what might have taken one to two days to fully troubleshoot an issue, and it has helped to increase our application uptime as we try to keep the five nines."

"The most valuable feature is utilization."

"The product is stable. I have never had any issue where we have lost an InfiniStream, or visibility from that particular InfiniStream, throughout the bank."

"The most valuable features are speed and cost."

"It helps us to assist our customers to isolate problems. If it is us who is having the problem, then we can use it to streamline the process."

"I love the single pane of glass view. It makes it easier to not have to navigate everywhere. It allows more simplistic visibility, without having to go from tool to tool to tool, or from window to window to window."

"The solution has helped to increase application and network uptime, reduced our mean time to repair significantly for application and network issues, and cut our overall troubleshooting time from an hour down to five minutes."

More NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG pros

Cons

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

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

"Technical support from Microsoft needs significant improvement compared to other product vendors."

"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."

"User experience could be improved."

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

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

"The initial setup and deployment could be improved to be simplified."

More Azure Network Watcher cons

"The monitoring and reporting tool needs improvement. Users want more information, such as the level of detail when doing a packet analysis. They want more detail to be able to isolate down to a specific point."

"I'd like them to make the product more user-friendly."

"There is a timeout feature that we have been asking for awhile."

"I would like to see an improved level of stitching between IPs."

"The NetFlow Collectors could handle more flows per minute."

"The monitoring and reporting tool needs improvement."

"The stability depends on who is using the tool, because you only can get as much out of the tool as you put into it. There are a lot of patches for this particular environment, so you have to keep on them. If you lose track of them, then the product is not useful anymore."

"It can be scalable. It just costs too much."

More NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

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

"Azure Network Watcher is a little bit expensive."

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

"The price of the solution is reasonable."

"It can be scalable. It just costs too much. With a company as big as ours, it gets too expensive to accommodate every single site."

"This product could be cheaper."

"To capture more with the solution that we bought, you have to buy another InfiniStreamNG, and there are only four ports in the back."

"The price is a little high."

"I would like it to be more scalable with less spend."

"The scalability is good, but it comes at a cost. E.g., if you need 100 InfiniStream because you are sending gigs or terabytes of data to one InfiniStream, then you will have to purchase another InfiniStream, which are not cheap."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

23%

Construction Company

12%

Outsourcing Company

Comms Service Provider

Outsourcing Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

13%

Comms Service Provider

12%

Construction Company

11%

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
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	8

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.

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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...

See all answers

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Compared 9% of the time

NIKSUN NetVCR vs NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG

Compared 6% of the time

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Compared 5% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Azure Network Watcher

October 2026

Download Azure Network Watcher product report

Buyer's Guide

NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG

September 2026

Download NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG product report

Also Known As

No data available

InfiniStreamNG, NETSCOUT ISNG, Infinistream

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

NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG delivers fast, cost-efficient network visibility with a single pane of glass view, featuring real-time traffic analysis, dependency mapping, and performance metrics for comprehensive management.

InfiniStreamNG stands out for its real-time insights into network activity, providing a unified platform for managing network components. Its deep packet inspection, scalability, and compatibility make it an essential tool for IT professionals looking to optimize network performance and resolve issues quickly. User-friendly interface enhancements are anticipated for improved usability, alongside early product lifecycle notifications due to extensive certification periods.

What are the key features of NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG?

Speed: Enhances real-time traffic analysis and performance monitoring.
Network Visibility: Provides a comprehensive view with single pane device management.
Packet Inspection: Supports deep packet inspections for detailed data analytics.
Stability and Scalability: Ensures reliable performance and adapts to varying network sizes.
Compatibility: Seamlessly integrates with other technologies for smooth operations.

What are the benefits and ROI of using NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG?

Quick Issue Resolution: Identifies and addresses network issues swiftly.
Efficient Utilization: Offers insights for optimizing resource use and network management.
Proactive Monitoring: Facilitates early detection of potential issues to maintain performance.
Application Performance Tracking: Monitors app connectivity and performance effectively.
KPI Evaluation: Provides comprehensive data for informed decision-making.

NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG is implemented across industries for packet collection and analysis, serving network monitoring and troubleshooting needs. Companies in telecommunications monitor LTE roaming traffic, while financial institutions rely on it for analyzing banking data. It supports application connectivity checks and proactive remote site monitoring, becoming integral in evaluating KPIs and reporting network issues.

NETSCOUT

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

U.S. Department of Defense

Buyer's Guide

Azure Network Watcher vs. NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG

September 2026

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