IBM InfoSphere Optim vs Spotlight comparison

IBM and Quest Software are both solutions in the Database Development and Management category. IBM is ranked #16 with an average rating of 7.0, while Quest Software is ranked #5 with an average rating of 9.0. IBM holds a 2.5% mindshare in DDM, compared to Quest Software’s 6.5% mindshare. Additionally, 75% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Quest Software users who would recommend it.

IBM InfoSphere Optim

Read 4 IBM InfoSphere Optim reviews

617 Views
531 Comparison Views

75% willing to recommend

Spotlight

Read 5 Spotlight reviews

1,185 Views
1,185 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM InfoSphere Optim

Spotlight

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 19, 2025

IBM InfoSphere Optim and Spotlight compete in the realms of data management and application performance monitoring. IBM InfoSphere Optim seems to have the upper hand with its competitive pricing and strong customer support.

Features: IBM InfoSphere Optim provides robust data archiving, test data management, and data privacy solutions, effectively managing data growth and compliance. Spotlight offers real-time performance monitoring, actionable insights, and detailed diagnostics for database systems.

Room for Improvement: IBM InfoSphere Optim can enhance usability and simplify its deployment process. More user-friendly navigation and broader custom reporting options would be beneficial. Spotlight could improve integration capabilities with diverse systems, enhance scalability, and offer more flexible pricing tiers.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM InfoSphere Optim supports a wide range of databases and is noted for its reliable customer service, though its deployment can be complex. Spotlight boasts a straightforward deployment process and strong customer support, making it suitable for fast-paced environments.

Pricing and ROI: IBM InfoSphere Optim offers competitive pricing, providing substantial ROI through efficient data management and reduced storage costs. Spotlight's pricing is higher due to its specialized features, but its premium performance insights justify the cost.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM InfoSphere Optim vs. Spotlight Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM InfoSphere Optim vs. Spotlight

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

IBM InfoSphere Optim

Ranking in Database Development and Management

16th

Average Rating

6.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Spotlight

Ranking in Database Development and Management

5th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Database Development and Management category, the mindshare of IBM InfoSphere Optim is 2.5%, up from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Spotlight is 6.5%, down from 8.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Database Development and Management

Featured Reviews

Kenneth Estanislao

Solutions Designer at a insurance company with 10,001+ employees

Backups become efficient while cost concerns remain

I am still working with IBM and we are transitioning to other tools rather than using IBM InfoSphere Optim. We use other tools, but I cannot recall the name because I am not the one currently handling it. It has transitioned to other architects. For IBM InfoSphere Optim, we are still currently using it, but we have transitioned to the newer version, the latest one with support for AWS S3. I cannot identify a main competitor for IBM InfoSphere Optim because we have transitioned to other architects, and they are the ones looking for other tools. The last comparison I did was almost 4 years ago. I am not using any AI technology with IBM InfoSphere Optim. I rate IBM InfoSphere Optim a seven out of ten. The tool is good, but the price is not favorable as it is the most expensive part. I can recommend IBM InfoSphere Optim for enterprises.

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Seha R

Group Product Manager at Uop Ipl

Good tool for the design and development of public APIs

The software does not support webhooks. It doesn't support advanced versions of APIs. The tool also doesn't support advanced versions of specifications. The change that we do in one part of the model is not reflected throughout the specification. There are also some mutations in the clones. I am not able to do a local source control with the product as well.

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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

"I feel the solution to be a bit faster than the traditional methods, which makes it easy to customize."

"The compression feature is valuable because it achieves around 80% compression."

"We like that we can easily restore the database with just a few clicks. The database is linked as well."

"Its dashboards are most valuable. The drill-down of the dashboards is useful."

"Spotlight provides valuable features such as the ability to get alerted and drill down to a very granular level to find out where actual problems are coming from."

"I consider the solution very scalable."

"The tool is a SaaS product where I just need to type a URL and start with the design process. I can integrate all elements of source control like GitHub, GitLab, etc. The tool also supports authentication-related provisions like SSH."

"Spotlight provides valuable features such as the ability to get alerted and drill down to a very granular level to find out where actual problems are coming from."

Cons

"While the solution is very supportive of Db2, it is not so friendly when it comes to IMS databases."

"The potential room for improvement for IBM InfoSphere Optim is usually its cost, as it is too expensive."

"We're looking for a solution that can be implemented on AWS. IBM InfoSphere Optim can be implemented on AWS, but it costs more than double what we're currently paying. So, it's not really of good value for us."

"One improvement could be the inclusion of suggestions for missing indexes or better analysis of how indexes are utilized and how execution plans are used, similar to what other products offer."

"There's no reporting with this tool, and there really should be. They should add that into future releases."

"One improvement could be the inclusion of suggestions for missing indexes or better analysis of how indexes are utilized and how execution plans are used, similar to what other products offer."

"The software does not support webhooks. It doesn't support advanced versions of APIs. The tool also doesn't support advanced versions of specifications. The change that we do in one part of the model is not reflected throughout the specification. There are also some mutations in the clones. I am not able to do a local source control with the product as well."

"Some customizations of the dashboard, such as having backup reports, would be useful."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"IBM InfoSphere Optim is a very expensive solution. Actually, it's the most expensive archiving solution that we have."

"Its cost was somewhere in the middle."

"The tool is cloud-based. It is priced well."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

27%

Insurance Company

Retailer

Healthcare Company

Financial Services Firm

15%

Healthcare Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with IBM InfoSphere Optim?

The potential room for improvement for IBM InfoSphere Optim is usually its cost, as it is too expensive. Currently, there are no issues with IBM InfoSphere Optim; the only problem is the cost, whic...

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What is your primary use case for IBM InfoSphere Optim?

My current use case for IBM InfoSphere Optim is just for doing backups. We are using IBM InfoSphere Optim specifically for backup purposes.

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What advice do you have for others considering IBM InfoSphere Optim?

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What needs improvement with Quest Spotlight?

One improvement could be the inclusion of suggestions for missing indexes or better analysis of how indexes are utilized and how execution plans are used, similar to what other products offer.

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What is your primary use case for Quest Spotlight?

I primarily use Spotlight for on-the-spot troubleshooting and alerting to see if there are any issues. The drill-down features allow me to pinpoint problems, whether they are indexing, long-running...

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What advice do you have for others considering Quest Spotlight?

I would rate Spotlight probably an nine out of ten. My advice would be to consider its cost-effectiveness and ease of use in smaller environments.

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Comparisons

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Compared 66% of the time

Oracle Enterprise Manager vs IBM InfoSphere Optim

Compared 34% of the time

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Foglight for Databases vs Spotlight

Compared 35% of the time

SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer vs Spotlight

Compared 14% of the time

Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials vs Spotlight

Compared 11% of the time

IDERA SQL Inventory Manager vs Spotlight

Compared 11% of the time

IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server vs Spotlight

Compared 9% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Database Development and Management

July 2025

Download IBM InfoSphere Optim product report

Buyer's Guide

Database Development and Management

July 2025

Download Spotlight product report

Also Known As

IBM Optim, Optim

Dell Spotlight

Overview

IBM Optim solutions manage data from requirements to retirement. They boost performance, empower collaboration, and improve governance across applications, databases and platforms. By managing data properly over its lifetime, organisations are better equipped to support business goals with less risk.

IBM

Spotlight efficiently facilitates database monitoring, performance tuning, and troubleshooting with features that enhance problem isolation and long-term capacity planning. While valuable for API development, improvements in virtualization support and pricing could elevate its appeal.

Spotlight empowers users with capabilities such as alerting processes and comprehensive dashboards, making it an essential asset in analyzing historical data and time monitoring to identify problems. It integrates seamlessly with source control like GitHub and supports authentication, streamlining design processes and facilitating root cause analysis with drill-down capabilities. Primarily used for identifying indexing, long-running processes, and other performance issues, Spotlight aids API design through its daily monitoring capabilities, ensuring smooth operations. It currently has room for enhancements, particularly in support for Hyper-V virtualization overhead, webhooks, and API advancements. Pricing adjustments and improvements in custom dashboards, especially for backup reports, would increase user satisfaction.

What are Spotlight's key features?

Alerting Processes: Swiftly identifies issues with real-time notifications.
Ease of Setup: Simple integration with existing systems.
Comprehensive Dashboards: Offers a clear analysis of system performance.
Historical Data Analysis: Helps in problem identification and anomaly detection.
Drill-Down Capabilities: Enhances problem isolation and root cause analysis.

What benefits can users expect from Spotlight?

Problem Detection: Quick identification of issues improves system performance.
Efficiency in Capacity Planning: Supports long-term infrastructure management.
Seamless Integration: Works well with tools like GitHub to streamline processes.
Enhanced API Development: Aids in creating quality APIs with proper documentation.

Companies in diverse sectors utilize Spotlight for its robust database monitoring and problem-solving capabilities. Its integration with tools like GitHub allows software development teams to streamline processes. Finance and tech industries leverage its performance tuning features to ensure optimal database operations, while organizations focused on API development benefit significantly from its detailed monitoring and alerting functionalities.

Quest Software

Sample Customers

Durham Police Department, Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc., Continental, KCE Electronics Public Company Limited, The University of Adelaide, Migros Zurich, COPROB

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Buyer's Guide

IBM InfoSphere Optim vs. Spotlight

July 2025

Free Report: IBM InfoSphere Optim vs. Spotlight

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