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Azure Network Watcher vs NIKSUN NetVCR comparison

Microsoft and NIKSUN are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Microsoft is ranked #51 with an average rating of 8.3, while NIKSUN is ranked #99. Microsoft holds a 0.4% mindshare in NMS, compared to NIKSUN’s 0.2% mindshare. Additionally, 91% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution.
Azure Network Watcher
Read 12 Azure Network Watcher reviews
  • 743 Views
  • 698 Comparison Views
91% willing to recommend
NIKSUN NetVCR
Read 2 NIKSUN NetVCR reviews
  • 246 Views
  • 241 Comparison Views
0% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

Azure Network Watcher and NIKSUN NetVCR are competing products in the network monitoring and analysis category. Azure Network Watcher appears to have the upper hand in pricing and support, making it attractive for budget-conscious buyers, while NIKSUN NetVCR provides advanced capabilities justifying a higher price.

Features: Azure Network Watcher integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Azure services, offering packet capture, topology visualization, and connection troubleshooting. NIKSUN NetVCR delivers comprehensive network monitoring and analysis across protocols and environments with real-time data analysis, anomaly detection, and advanced reporting.

Room for Improvement: Azure Network Watcher could enhance its on-premise capabilities and offer more advanced analytics for non-cloud environments. Expanding support options beyond automated solutions would be beneficial. NIKSUN NetVCR might benefit from simplifying its deployment process and improving pricing transparency. Expanding cloud integration capabilities could attract more users engaging in hybrid setups.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Azure Network Watcher benefits from integration with Azure, offering straightforward deployment for existing users, supported by Microsoft's infrastructure. NIKSUN NetVCR requires a more complex setup but provides robust on-site support and training, appealing to those needing personalized assistance.

Pricing and ROI: Azure Network Watcher is cost-effective, with pricing models tied to Azure's infrastructure, making it attractive for those using Azure services. NIKSUN NetVCR has a higher initial setup cost but offers substantial ROI with advanced monitoring capabilities, essential for enterprises needing deep network insights.

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To learn more, read our detailed Azure Network Watcher vs. NIKSUN NetVCR Report (Updated: July 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Azure Network Watcher vs. NIKSUN NetVCR
July 2025
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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
51st
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.0
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
NIKSUN NetVCR
Ranking in Network Monitoring Software
99th
Average Rating
0.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of Azure Network Watcher is 0.4%, down from 0.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NIKSUN NetVCR is 0.2%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Network Monitoring Software
 

Featured Reviews

Bijoyendra Roychowdhury - PeerSpot reviewer
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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Himanshu Shah - PeerSpot reviewer
High performance, quick packet monitoring, and helpful support
The solution could improve by having automatic mitigation. For example, as soon as a problem occurs the solution alarms and mitigates the situation immediately. In a feature release of the solution they should add features related to automation and remediation. Automation would help increase level of security the solution provides.
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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. It is helpful for securing databases."
"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."
"The solution is good for monitoring device behavior."
"The stability is very good. I rate it a ten out of ten."
"I like the visibility."
"The most valuable features I have found are typology, visualization, and capture."
"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."
More Azure Network Watcher pros
"The most valuable features of NIKSUN NetVCR are its performance and forensic capabilities. Additionally, the information that the solution provides is highly detailed and useful. When dealing with network traffic packets can be sent at a high speed causing some security issues, but this solution is able to rapidly monitor the packets providing security."
"The unique selling point of NIKSUN is its ability to scale and its reporting capabilities. NIKSUN captures the packets at a very high speed, from one GB to 160 Gbps also. It offers report granularity in nanoseconds."
 

Cons

"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."
"Azure Network Watcher needs to have better documentation and it needs to capture information accurately."
"Azure Network Watcher could improve by having other built-in applications. For example, an application to log activities for in and outbound traffic."
"User experience could be improved."
"Lacks sufficient security features."
"Azure is good, however, the Fortinet GUI is more intuitive and I like it more than anything else."
"The initial setup and initial learning curve could be improved to be easier."
"The initial setup and deployment could be improved to be simplified."
More Azure Network Watcher cons
"NIKSUN is a passive solution. It provides you with you data, alerts, reports and the root cause of issues. However, it requires a person to make use of this functionality. If an event is happening and nobody attends to it, the effects of the event could be severe."
"The solution could improve by having automatic mitigation. For example, as soon as a problem occurs the solution alarms and mitigates the situation immediately."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of the solution is reasonable."
"The pricing is good. It's not too expensive."
"Azure Network Watcher is a little bit expensive."
"Price-wise, I have no information on how much Azure Network Watcher costs."
"The price of the solution is high. There is an annual license costs."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
16%
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
11%
University
5%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Azure Network Watcher?
I like the visibility.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Network Watcher?
It is affordable.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Azure Network Watcher?
User experience could be improved.
See all answers
Ask a question
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Compared 18% of the time
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Compared 63% of the time
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Compared 37% of the time
More NIKSUN NetVCR Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Azure Network Watcher
August 2025
Azure Network Watcher reportDownload Azure Network Watcher product report
Buyer's Guide
Network Monitoring Software
August 2025
NIKSUN NetVCR reportDownload NIKSUN NetVCR product report
 

Also Known As

No data available
NetVCR
 

Overview

Azure Network Watcher is a comprehensive network monitoring and diagnostic service offered by Microsoft Azure. It provides a range of tools and capabilities to help users monitor, diagnose, and gain insights into their Azure network infrastructure. With Network Watcher, users can capture and analyze network traffic, monitor network performance, troubleshoot connectivity issues, and gain visibility into network topology. It also offers features like packet capture, flow logs, connection monitoring, and VPN diagnostics to ensure the smooth operation of Azure networks. Network Watcher enables users to proactively identify and resolve network issues, optimize network performance, and enhance the overall reliability and security of their Azure network environment.

Microsoft

Powered by groundbreaking technologies, NIKSUN NetVCR redefines the way we monitor networks. It provides seamless service and application performance analytics for the right visibility into your traditional, virtual or hybrid environments. The NetVCR suite gives you unmatched insight while still dramatically reducing power consumption by 60% and requiring 80% less rack space.

NIKSUN
 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Visa, FedEx, CitiGroup, IDC
Buyer's Guide
Azure Network Watcher vs. NIKSUN NetVCR
July 2025
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