NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG vs SolarWinds NPM comparison

NETSCOUT and SolarWinds are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. NETSCOUT is ranked #73, while SolarWinds is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.3. NETSCOUT holds a 0.5% mindshare in NMS, compared to SolarWinds’s 3.7% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of NETSCOUT users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of SolarWinds users who would recommend it.

NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG

Read 13 NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG reviews

2,426 Views
2,305 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

SolarWinds NPM

Read 161 SolarWinds NPM reviews

23,097 Views
18,016 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG

SolarWinds NPM

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

SolarWinds NPM and NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG compete in the network performance monitoring domain. SolarWinds NPM has the upper hand in pricing and support, while NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG excels in feature robustness, attracting users willing to invest more.

Features: SolarWinds NPM offers an intuitive dashboard, scalability, and a comprehensive alerting system. NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG provides deep packet inspection, real-time analytics, and forensic capabilities.

Room for Improvement: SolarWinds NPM could enhance its feature set for more advanced network analysis, improve data depth processing, and offer more tailored solutions. NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG could simplify its deployment process, offer more cost-effective options, and improve ease of monitoring variety.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SolarWinds NPM benefits from a straightforward installation and detailed customer support, allowing for quick onboarding. NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG has a more complex deployment but offers advanced technical assistance, making it ideal for users seeking expert advice.

Pricing and ROI: SolarWinds NPM provides competitive pricing with high ROI due to its cost-effective structure and scalability. NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG, while requiring a higher initial investment, offers advanced capabilities advantageous for comprehensive network insights, delivering long-term benefits.

To learn more, read our detailed NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG vs. SolarWinds NPM Report (Updated: August 2026).

Buyer's Guide

NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG vs. SolarWinds NPM

August 2026

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Helped 909,725 peers since 2012

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

NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

73rd

Average Rating

8.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

SolarWinds NPM

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

2nd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

161

Ranking in other categories

IT Infrastructure Monitoring (6th), Cloud Monitoring Software (7th)

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG is 0.5%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SolarWinds NPM is 3.7%, down from 4.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Monitoring Software Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
SolarWinds NPM	3.7%
NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG	0.5%
Other	95.8%

Network Monitoring Software

Featured Reviews

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…

Read full review

Vivek Jaiswal

Manager IT at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Central monitoring has improved outage alerts and now needs smarter detection and modern dashboards

Regarding the automated network topology and mapping feature in SolarWinds NPM, I am not satisfied with it. For static monitoring, it is acceptable. However, if it is possible, I would need a feature in SolarWinds in the future for some kind of malfunctioning detection, such as malware attacks or that type of environment. We did not have any facility to detect that in SolarWinds. I think it would be better to incorporate those types of features. Regarding customization options in SolarWinds, the ability to customize the dashboard has room for improvement. The dashboard is quite old, and we need some improvement in it. Nowadays, we have multiple tools with AI-based monitoring and web-based dashboards. SolarWinds also has a web-based dashboard, but I think there is scope for improvement in the UI. There may be other areas I would like to improve in SolarWinds NPM.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Go with NETSCOUT."

"We use it for monitoring whenever we update a new circuit or site."

"The packet flow switch is the most valuable aspect of the solution."

"If you are looking for a good application monitoring and packet analysis tool, you can strategically use NETSCOUT to get it done."

"Because we are doing proactive monitoring instead of reactive, the end users don't even see that there is something wrong."

"The most valuable features are speed and cost."

"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

"With SolarWinds, everything just works."

"What I like about SolarWinds is the application health monitoring system, which is a very good system that I recommend to big companies in the pharmaceutical or the banking industries with large networks and very critical servers."

"Technical support has always been great."

"From web interfaces to custom monitors and alarms, this product has a high level of flexibility that can be molded to suit your business needs, regardless of the size of your organization."

"It covers everything from end to end, from the standpoint of endpoint machines and the routers and switches. The switch port also comes there."

"SolarWinds' network and server application monitoring features are strong."

"It's very easy to scale; the scalability is brilliant, and if you need additional monitoring resources or need to plug in your secondary data center, it takes thirty minutes and is easy to use."

"Simplicity in use, in administration and the ability to present anything that management or the business wants is a killer to other products."

More SolarWinds NPM pros

Cons

"The single pane of glass feed still needs work."

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

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

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

"The monitoring and reporting tool needs improvement."

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

"Only problems that we have had are fiber issues going into the TAPs or vSTREAMs, which are usually local site issues."

More NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG cons

"The market is changing, and people are expecting automation. I think that's a disadvantage."

"The SolarWinds notification and alerting configuration could be simplified as it would be easier to find if it was within the NPM web application instead of in a separate client application."

"SolarWinds NPM could improve the graphics of the interface and more customized reporting."

"It is difficult for stakeholders to translate technical requirements, which results in difficulties selecting a platform or implementing a solution."

"We also had to be attentive to vulnerabilities, because SolarWinds NPM have some issues in that area. We had to work with our security team, so that they could help us check and backup the data, and check what they needed to secure."

"They could make the process of adding various devices easier and more intuitive."

"The price could be better."

"SolarWinds should have integrations back into products like ExtraHop, VIAVI, Riverbed, and NETSCOUT."

More SolarWinds NPM cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

"This product could be cheaper."

"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."

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

"The price is a little high."

"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 cost is based on the number of nodes, so it is expensive when you have a lot of them."

"It's expensive and there are costs in addition to the standard licensing."

"Price could be improved on"

"We pay approximately $4,000 annually for SolarWinds NPM. There are no additional fees required other than the standard fees."

"I would rate the pricing a five out of ten"

"The pricing is very expensive for SolarWinds. That's a huge disadvantage for it."

"Most of the licenses are perpetual, and the annual maintenance charges are not high."

"There's standard licensing, and then it depends on the size of the customer."

More SolarWinds NPM pricing and cost advice

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Comparison Review

it_user174738

IT Developer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

May 31, 2015

Nagios vs. Zabbix vs. PRTG vs. Spiceworks vs. Solarwinds Network Performance Monitor

I have researched a quite a few network monitoring tools which can be used for various monitoring purposes of not only the servers, but the intermediate routers as well. There are majorly three types of these softwares. Ones which are completely open-source, you can do almost anything you want…

Read full review

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

14%

Construction Company

13%

Comms Service Provider

Outsourcing Company

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

Outsourcing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	8

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	59
Midsize Enterprise	33
Large Enterprise	87

Questions from the Community

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Earn 20 points

What is the best network monitoring software for large enterprises?

It actually depends on the exact purpose or kind of devices (network devices, servers, something else). Some tools are better for only network devices while others are better for a cloud monitoring...

See all answers

What is the best network monitoring software for large enterprises?

From my point of view, SolarWind is the best tool.

See all answers

What is the best network monitoring software for large enterprises?

We are partners with SolarWinds and we sell a lot of Network management to large enterprises also because of scalability, products like Network Performance Monitor & Netflow Traffic Analyzer ar...

See all answers

Comparisons

Riverbed NPM+ vs NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG

Compared 11% of the time

Cisco Secure Network Analytics vs NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG

Compared 11% of the time

NETSCOUT vSTREAM vs NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG

Compared 10% of the time

Flowmon vs NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG

Compared 8% of the time

Observer Apex vs NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG

Compared 2% of the time

More NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG Competitors

ManageEngine OpManager vs SolarWinds NPM

Compared 3% of the time

Nagios XI vs SolarWinds NPM

Compared 3% of the time

DX Spectrum vs SolarWinds NPM

Compared 3% of the time

Zabbix vs SolarWinds NPM

Compared 3% of the time

PRTG Network Monitor vs SolarWinds NPM

Compared 2% of the time

More SolarWinds NPM Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG

August 2026

Download NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG product report

Buyer's Guide

SolarWinds NPM

July 2026

Download SolarWinds NPM product report

Also Known As

InfiniStreamNG, NETSCOUT ISNG, Infinistream

Solarwinds Network Performance Monitor, SolarWinds Network Bandwidth Analyzer

Overview

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

SolarWinds NPM is a network performance monitoring tool offering a user-friendly interface with customizable dashboards. It provides real-time tracking of device health, latency, and bandwidth utilization, supporting diverse integration and scalability needs.

SolarWinds NPM's robust features include real-time monitoring of network performance and efficient tracking of device health, latency, and bandwidth utilization. The tool is appreciated for its ease of deployment, scalability, and support for integration with other tools. Features like SNMP monitoring, NetPath, and comprehensive reporting enhance its diagnostic capabilities and network visibility. However, users identify areas for improvement such as real-time analytics, advanced customization options, and enhanced scalability for larger enterprises. Better customer support, improved integrations, and security measures are also desired.

What are the key features of SolarWinds NPM?

User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies navigation and operation.
Customizable Dashboards: Allows personalized data views.
Real-Time Monitoring: Provides instant updates on network performance.
Strong Alerting Capabilities: Offers immediate notifications for issues.
Scalability: Supports growth with ease.
Integration: Works smoothly with other tools for comprehensive monitoring.
SNMP Monitoring: Tracks device stats effectively.
NetPath: Helps visualize network paths and performance.

What benefits and ROI can users expect?

Improved Network Visibility: Enables proactive issue resolution.
Enhanced Diagnostics: Facilitates quicker troubleshooting.
Real-Time Performance Data: Supports informed decision-making.
Ease of Deployment: Reduces setup time and complexity.
Infrastructure Monitoring: Ensures network stability and reliability.
Custom Integration: Adapts to existing IT environments.

In enterprise environments, SolarWinds NPM is deployed to monitor network health and device status, sending alerts for any issues. It provides visibility into network performance, tracking bandwidth utilization and server metrics efficiently. Its applications span from monitoring routers, switches, and firewalls to supporting infrastructure monitoring across industries.

SolarWinds

Sample Customers

U.S. Department of Defense

Microsoft, Federal Express, Hewlett-Packard, and MasterCard

Buyer's Guide

NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG vs. SolarWinds NPM

August 2026

Free Report: NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG vs. SolarWinds NPM

Find out what your peers are saying about NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG vs. SolarWinds NPM and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.

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