SCOM and Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller compete in the IT infrastructure monitoring category. SCOM holds an advantage in application performance monitoring and Microsoft environment integration, while Cisco excels in comprehensive network management and multi-vendor support.
Features: SCOM is robust in monitoring Microsoft environments with extensive management packs for Windows and other platforms, offering comprehensive visibility and powerful customization options. It also has strong capabilities in .NET and network monitoring, providing flexibility in dashboard creation. Cisco Nexus Dashboard is recognized for its outstanding network management, providing integrated connectivity across data centers and excellent automation capabilities. It features seamless integration with Cisco technologies and supports multi-vendor environments effectively, offering enhanced network monitoring and management.
Room for Improvement: SCOM users face challenges with dashboard complexity and a steep learning curve, with limited monitoring capacity for non-Microsoft environments. Its application performance monitoring is viewed as lagging, and the reporting and configuration processes could be more intuitive. Cisco Nexus Dashboard is perceived as expensive, with a reportedly complicated initial setup. Improvements are needed in reporting functionality and integration with non-Cisco products.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SCOM is mainly deployed on-premises with hybrid cloud options and benefits from Microsoft Premier Support. User experiences with support vary based on contract level, though the online resources are extensive. Cisco Nexus Dashboard is also typically on-premises with private cloud support, and is known for reliable customer service. However, its complexity often requires specialized knowledge.
Pricing and ROI: SCOM licensing is often part of a bundle with other Microsoft System Center products, making it cost-effective for those already within the Microsoft ecosystem. Pricing is competitive under enterprise agreements, but additional costs for necessary management packs should be considered. ROI is usually seen in improved monitoring and reduced downtime. Cisco Nexus Dashboard is considered expensive, with pricing based on the number of managed devices, yet its network management capabilities offer significant value, justifying higher costs in Cisco-centric environments.
The Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) offers a comprehensive solution for managing Cisco NX-OS switches in hybrid-cloud environments, providing automation, visibility, and consistent operations. Designed to simplify and enhance data center management, NDFC integrates with Cisco Nexus Dashboard to streamline network connectivity, reduce deployment times, and ensure seamless transitions with minimal disruptions. Its modular architecture, new user interface, and support for non-Nexus OS platforms make it a robust tool for LAN, SAN, and IP Fabric for Media management. Additionally, NDFC enhances fabric reliability, automates workflows, and supports cloud connectivity with AWS and Microsoft Azure, making it ideal for businesses adapting to increasingly complex digital environments.
SCOM (System Center Operations Manager) is a cross-platform data center monitoring and reporting tool that checks the status of various objects defined within the environment, such as server hardware, system services, etc. The solution allows data center administrators to deploy, configure, manage, and monitor the operations, services, devices and applications of multiple enterprise IT systems via a single pane of glass. It is suitable for businesses of all sizes.
SCOM Features
SCOM has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:
SCOM Benefits
There are several benefits to implementing SCOM. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:
Reviews from Real Users
Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by PeerSpot users currently using the SCOM solution.
A Manager at a financial services firm says, “The feature I like most about SCOM is that it is easy-to-use. I find it very user-friendly. I also like the knowledge base which it has. You can find the resolution to questions or issues directly within the SCOM itself. It will alert you with a recommendation of what you need to do at the same time. This sort of self-diagnosis or prompting is one of the great values you get from SCOM compared to other solutions.”
PeerSpot user Zahari Z., Information Technology Auditor at a financial services firm, mentions, “Availability monitoring is the feature I have found most valuable, as well as the capacity and ability to send notifications. There is a mechanism to set up a notification from the SCOM and whenever there is a drop in the availability the notification alerts not only for availability but for other issues as well. You can align thresholds according to the speed of your environment and you can have a threshold related notification, which is one of the useful features.”
Bill W., Sr. Systems Engineer at Arapahoe County Government, comments, “ I like some of their newer features, such as maintenance schedules, because SCOM records SLA and SLO time. When we patch, things are automatically put into maintenance mode so that the numbers for our systems being down, do not count against us.”
A Project Manager at a tech services company explains, “The feature I have found most valuable is the book feature. While we run the Sprint one we can add some setups for multiple sprints.”
A Systems Engineer at an educational organization states, “Because it's Windows-based, it actually reports quite well. It reports everything you can think of on the Windows server and allows you to monitor anything. It's excellent for those in the Windows world as it's very good at it.”
We monitor all Network Monitoring Software reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.
