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Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management vs IBM Instana Observability comparison

Broadcom and IBM are both solutions in the Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability category. Broadcom is ranked #49 with an average rating of 7.0, while IBM is ranked #41 with an average rating of 8.0. Broadcom holds a 0.0% mindshare in APM, compared to IBM’s 0.6% mindshare. Additionally, 50% of Broadcom users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of IBM users who would recommend it.
Cross-Enterprise Applicatio...
Read 2 Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management reviews
  • 117 Views
  • 117 Comparison Views
50% willing to recommend
IBM Instana Observability
Read 3 IBM Instana Observability reviews
  • 750 Views
  • 750 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 10, 2025

Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management and IBM Instana Observability compete in the performance monitoring and observability category. IBM Instana Observability appears superior due to its feature-rich platform and real-time observability edge.

Features: Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management provides extensive integration capabilities, in-depth analytics, and comprehensive data insights. IBM Instana Observability offers advanced automation, real-time tracking, and intelligent notifications, enhancing real-time observability.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM Instana Observability ensures straightforward deployment and efficient customer support, offering quick resolutions. Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management offers flexible deployment options but may lag in rapid customer support response, leading to a smoother IBM Instana Observability experience.

Pricing and ROI: Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management incurs lower setup costs appealing to budget-conscious organizations, providing significant ROI over time due to effective performance enhancements. IBM Instana Observability, while requiring a higher initial investment, offers robust long-term gains through its feature-rich platform, providing substantial ROI with considerations on both upfront cost and long-term capabilities guiding the product choice.

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To learn more, read our detailed Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management vs. IBM Instana Observability Report (Updated: July 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management vs. IBM Instana Observability
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

Cross-Enterprise Applicatio...
Ranking in Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability
49th
Average Rating
6.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
IBM Instana Observability
Ranking in Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability
41st
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability category, the mindshare of Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management is 0.0%, up from 0.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Instana Observability is 0.6%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability
 

Featured Reviews

Mohammed Shahpoup - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers a great reporting experience, with much customization and flexibility in extracting reports but it can be more user-friendly
My experience indicates that it needs enhancements in the UI. We are in 2024, and the GUI doesn't meet current expectations for user interfaces or Excel integration. Mainly, CA Service Desk has such a bad user interface. All features and systems, like servers, should have a modern graphical user interface, but CA Service Desk remains classic and still uses a desktop-based interface. It doesn't add features easily; if you need additional functionality, you have to go through many steps. Competitors like ServiceNow, Micro Focus SMAX, and ManageEngine all have better user interfaces. This is the main solution that needs improvement. I am very satisfied with the modeling systems, the grid, and the existing features, except for the graphical user interface.
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Tomas Kim - PeerSpot reviewer
Not expensive and offers good performance
The most valuable feature of the solution is performance. A one-vendor solution serves as a good feature of the tool. In the IT industry, the IT support team has lots of vendors to contact. DB monitoring is done by one company, while WaaS monitoring is done by another and done by another company, which makes it really complicated for the IT team concerned about the security levels. The tool's main feature is that it is a one-vendor solution. The analysis done by the tool is a good feature. The tool is used as an open-source tool. The tool is growing, and new features are being added to the product.
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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 technical support and documentation are quite good."
"All solutions from Broadcom are very easy to install."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is performance."
"The most valuable features of IBM Instana are its quick data collection and analytics after installing the agent."
"The solution has a one-second resolution, giving you the status of your application within one second."
 

Cons

"The UI could be better. When I look at the dashboard, for example, the information looks cluttered and unorganized."
"They lack support and presence in Egypt."
"The product's initial setup phase is not very easy."
"One area that requires improvement is related to the automation part, specifically automated actions like sending SMS."
"The solution should include log management and improve reporting and integration with Cognos."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I would rate the pricing a three out of ten, with ten being expensive. So, it is rather cheap."
"The solution's pricing is reasonable compared to that of its competitors like Dynatrace."
"The tool's cost is normal as per the market. The tool is not expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
No data available
Financial Services Firm
17%
Computer Software Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Hospitality Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management?
I would rate the pricing a three out of ten, with ten being expensive. So, it is rather cheap. On a yearly basis, we pay $400,000. It is fixed, but it differs from year to year because we can add m...
See all answers
What needs improvement with Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management?
My experience indicates that it needs enhancements in the UI. We are in 2024, and the GUI doesn't meet current expectations for user interfaces or Excel integration. Mainly, CA Service Desk has suc...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management?
At our bank, we have two teams: * one for Network Operations Center (NOC) and * another for administration and innovation. I am the technical lead in administration. For daily basis, the NOC team u...
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Instana Observability?
The tool's cost is normal as per the market. The tool is not expensive.
See all answers
What needs improvement with IBM Instana Observability?
The tool should offer more LDR AI models. The monitoring is just a status, but the next level of a monitoring solution is to prevent an accident or stop an accident status. The solution should be t...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for IBM Instana Observability?
Before IBM, I ordered our company's engineer to have a look at the tool and test it. I think it was two years ago, the transfer to IBM happened in our company. At the beginning, IBM Instana Observa...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

No data available
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Compared 14% of the time
Splunk Observability Cloud vs IBM Instana Observability Logo
Splunk Observability Cloud vs IBM Instana Observability
Compared 10% of the time
Azure Monitor vs IBM Instana Observability Logo
Azure Monitor vs IBM Instana Observability
Compared 10% of the time
Dynatrace vs IBM Instana Observability Logo
Dynatrace vs IBM Instana Observability
Compared 9% of the time
More IBM Instana Observability Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability
August 2025
Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management reportDownload Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management product report
Buyer's Guide
Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability
August 2025
IBM Instana Observability reportDownload IBM Instana Observability product report
 

Also Known As

CA Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management
No data available
 

Overview

CA Cross-Enterprise APM provides 24/7 monitoring of business transactions for complex application environments by monitoring the real-time performance of mainframe subsystems and providing CA Application Performance Management with this data on a single pane of glass.

Broadcom

IBM Instana Observability offers real-time application monitoring and management, designed for automation and intelligence on modern cloud-based environments.

IBM Instana Observability provides deep visibility into application performance, empowering businesses with automated root cause analysis and intelligent alerts to optimize cloud-native applications. It captures and visualizes comprehensive health metrics to enhance operational efficiency across distributed systems, making it an invaluable tool for IT and DevOps teams seeking to improve application reliability and performance.

What are the key features of IBM Instana Observability?
  • Automatic Discovery: Identifies application components and dependencies without manual configuration.
  • Real-Time Monitoring: Delivers live data for instant visibility across application metrics.
  • AI-Powered Root Cause Analysis: Quickly pinpoints issues to reduce downtime and enhance user experience.
  • Intelligent Alerts: Provides actionable insights, minimizing false alarms.
  • Seamless Integration: Easily integrates with popular DevOps tools.
What benefits should users look for when evaluating IBM Instana Observability?
  • Increased Productivity: Reduces manual monitoring efforts, enhancing team efficiency.
  • Enhanced Performance: Improves application responsiveness and user satisfaction.
  • Cost Efficiency: Optimizes resource allocation, leading to reduced operational costs.
  • Scalable Solutions: Adapts to growing business needs, ensuring long-term value.
  • Detailed Insights: Offers granularity in monitoring, aiding in swift decision-making.

IBM Instana Observability is widely adopted across industries like finance, healthcare, and retail, addressing specific challenges in each sector. In finance, it helps manage high-volume transactions with minimal latency. Healthcare benefits from its compliance support and reliable data monitoring. Retail industries utilize it for maintaining seamless customer interactions and operational uptime, ensuring business continuity and customer satisfaction.

IBM
 

Sample Customers

NIIT Technologies, Cetip Safeguards
Information Not Available
Buyer's Guide
Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management vs. IBM Instana Observability
July 2025
Free Report: Cross-Enterprise Application Performance Management vs. IBM Instana Observability
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We monitor all Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability 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.