OmniPeek vs SolarWinds NPM comparison

BlueCat and SolarWinds are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. BlueCat is ranked #48 with an average rating of 8.0, while SolarWinds is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.3. BlueCat holds a 0.6% mindshare in NMS, compared to SolarWinds’s 3.7% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of BlueCat users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of SolarWinds users who would recommend it.

OmniPeek

Read 8 OmniPeek reviews

3,652 Views
2,155 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

SolarWinds NPM

Read 161 SolarWinds NPM reviews

21,458 Views
16,523 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

OmniPeek

SolarWinds NPM

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

SolarWinds NPM and OmniPeek are competing in the network monitoring tools category. SolarWinds NPM may have the upper hand when it comes to pricing and customer support, offering a more cost-effective and user-friendly solution, while OmniPeek's strength lies in its comprehensive feature set which provides greater value through advanced packet-level analysis.

Features: SolarWinds NPM offers network performance monitoring with advanced alerting, robust visibility into network status, and health, as well as comprehensive reporting capabilities. OmniPeek provides in-depth packet-level analysis, advanced network troubleshooting, and diagnostics. The primary difference is OmniPeek's ability to offer detailed data analysis compared to SolarWinds NPM's broad network visibility.

Room for Improvement: SolarWinds NPM can enhance its packet analysis depth, focus on advanced troubleshooting capabilities, and improve data visualization. OmniPeek could benefit from simplifying its deployment process, optimizing user interface for easier navigation, and reducing initial setup costs.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SolarWinds NPM has a smoother deployment process supported by a strong support system. OmniPeek's deployment can be complex due to detailed configuration but is complemented by specialized technical assistance.

Pricing and ROI: SolarWinds NPM offers a cost-effective setup appealing to budget-conscious buyers, delivering ROI through efficient network performance monitoring. OmniPeek involves higher initial costs due to its powerful packet analysis capabilities, but long-term ROI is justified by detailed network insights.

To learn more, read our detailed OmniPeek vs. SolarWinds NPM Report (Updated: June 2026).

Buyer's Guide

OmniPeek vs. SolarWinds NPM

June 2026

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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

OmniPeek

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

48th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability (37th)

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 (4th), Cloud Monitoring Software (8th)

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2026, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of OmniPeek is 0.6%, up from 0.3% 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%
OmniPeek	0.6%
Other	95.7%

Network Monitoring Software

Featured Reviews

AjayKumar19

Senior Software Engineer at Microchip Technology Inc.

Helps analyze network packets effectively and saves time for testers

I have utilized the packet capturing capabilities in OmniPeek. Using the Alpha sniffer and hardware-supported network devices, we can perform sniffer capturing for Wi-Fi wireless packets and router packets. The interface allows us to capture packets and observe connection establishment, data transfer, and the downloading and uploading of packets, such as TCP and UDP packets. The software works for both wireless and wired connections, including Ethernet. As a wireless test engineer in the wireless industry, the features of OmniPeek help me monitor network activity. While there are alternatives such as Wireshark, OmniPeek supports Windows and is particularly helpful for testers, especially for device certification validation. This software enables packet analysis to verify protocol compliance and identify issues. For developers, packet captures from OmniPeek assist in understanding and debugging issues.

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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

"I believe the most crucial feature of OmniPeek search is the ability to sniff packets based on channel switching."

"This is a good product; I would recommend and encourage people to use it because it has helped me a lot in the field."

"OmniPeek's ability to convert application visibility into flow helps me quickly understand application performance over LAN, WAN, or wireless."

"It's a solid piece of software. It's stable."

"The most valuable feature is OmniPeek is user-friendly."

"The most valuable feature of OmniPeek is the ability to assign custom color codes to the different packets easily."

"The most valuable features are the voice bot, which checks the quality of service for voice, and the expert view that gives me insight on what and where to troubleshoot."

"OmniPeek is a good product, but you should know its purpose for your organization."

More OmniPeek pros

"Performance history is the most valuable feature, especially when tracking down a problem."

"The alerting and usage tracking notifications on disk space capacity, network and processor utilization."

"I like the tracking feature to track devices and see where they are connected, which is very practical."

"The SolarWinds NPM framework, upon which most of their flagship products are built, empowers a wide variety of admins and users to quickly find value in their installed products."

"As far as assisting in being proactive in our network, it's been a great help in helping us maintain a healthy environment and being proactive and making sure things are up to date and upgraded."

"SolarWinds makes a great product and their support is second to none!"

"Provides instant visibility to our support team across all the networks we monitor, allowing us to zero in on the most urgent issues and easily identify root causes of problems."

"With reporting, we are able to spool ISP WAN links availability for the month and make necessary deductions based on the service level agreement we signed with the service providers."

More SolarWinds NPM pros

Cons

"Centralized management of configurations needs improvement."

"OmniPeek doesn't support Linux or Unix installations, which prompted the shift to Wireshark."

"Sometimes setting up the filters for the product is difficult, and I can't quickly sharpen them from the home screen."

"I don't see a clear roadmap in the future for improving this software."

"I would like to see the saving feature improved. We have had issues if you do not save your progress then you have to start from the beginning."

"I am not using OmniPeek for automation, we only do manual testing. Automation testing is tedious to do. The automation should be more user-friendly. I have exposed some APIs but the usage is not user-friendly."

"Making it more clear on how to configure the filters, or really automating them, would be an improvement."

"I would like to see the tool work in an open environment the same as how it does in a closed environment."

More OmniPeek cons

"SolarWinds could offer more support and insights for a broader range of devices. Currently, it focuses on routers, switches, and some load balancers. However, it lacks an out-of-the-box dashboard for monitoring firewalls and some other modern network security devices. We have to customize it a lot."

"There are issues with newer features so it can take a long time to adjust. The solution is in bad shape because of software hacks."

"They don't have a local support team."

"We'd like to see a bit more automation in the future."

"The product is scalable, but at a cost. Extra modules have to be purchased for each extra server. The initial set up isn't complex, but will require someone who is experienced with the network monitoring system"

"I would like to have a Syslog server module for this product. That would make the solution better."

"The user interface is not intuitive enough and needs improvements in certain parts."

"A need for improvement is in the technical support provided by SolarWinds. Customers have given feedback about the delayed response times from the technical team, especially during application-level issues."

More SolarWinds NPM cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There are different types of licenses available."

"We have only purchased the add-on once and have not paid for any subsequent versions as it was too costly for us."

"The pricing for this solution could be improved, as it is a very expensive product."

"Licenses depend on the number of devices, but all license levels come with technical support."

"You have to license it per year, for the support. You don't really need to have support once you've already set it up. Once you install SolarWinds, you can skip on the licensing. It will still work."

"There can be fees in addition to the licensing fees if you add on."

"The pricing needs to be improved. It is too high. One full engine costs around $10 000, which is why we don't have high availability right now."

"The NPM component of the system costs approximately $1,000 USD per year."

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

"There is a permanent license and also a subscription level which has annual fees. The price of the solution is fair."

"I believe the original setup cost was around $3500 with an annual cost of around $1200-$1500 to renew the support license. This would bring the average day-to-day cost of around $5-$6 over three years."

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

Comms Service Provider

13%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Educational Organization

Construction Company

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	7

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

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with OmniPeek?

There isn't anything specific that needs improvement in OmniPeek, as it performs better than Wireshark for our requirements. However, OmniPeek could benefit from supporting different platforms. Pla...

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What is your primary use case for OmniPeek?

I have been working with the OmniPeek product for almost two years at the start of my career, primarily using it for wireless 802.11 Wi-Fi packets, sniffer, and analysis. My experience with OmniPee...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering OmniPeek?

I didn't explore much about OmniPeek beyond its basic features. OmniPeek is user-friendly and easy to start working with, especially on the Windows platform. For beginners, it is very easy to handl...

See all answers

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

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Compared 3% of the time

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Compared 3% of the time

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Compared 3% of the time

PRTG Network Monitor vs SolarWinds NPM

Compared 2% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

OmniPeek

July 2026

Download OmniPeek product report

Buyer's Guide

SolarWinds NPM

July 2026

Download SolarWinds NPM product report

Also Known As

Savvius OmniPeek

Solarwinds Network Performance Monitor, SolarWinds Network Bandwidth Analyzer

Overview

OmniPeek enables effective network monitoring by offering packet capturing capabilities for Wi-Fi and routers, providing insights crucial for maintaining network performance and troubleshooting issues.

OmniPeek serves as a pivotal tool for wireless packet analysis, assisting teams with capturing and analyzing Wi-Fi 802.11 packets across standards. It aids in testing WLAN protocols and provides application performance and security analytics, supporting network issue monitoring, protocol analysis, and troubleshooting both on-premises and cloud applications. Real-time analytics integration with LiveNX and expert view functionalities make it a preferred choice for user-friendly network operation, although improvements in platform support, automation, and guidance are sought by users.

What are OmniPeek's key features?

Packet Capturing: Efficiently captures Wi-Fi and router packets for robust network analysis.
Channel-Based Sniffing: Monitors DFS and non-DFS transitions, vital for network stability.
Real-Time Analytics: Integrates with LiveNX for live data insights.
Custom Color Coding: Enhances packet visibility for easier analysis.
Expert View: Offers in-depth troubleshooting capabilities.

What benefits should users consider?

Ease of Use: Simple interface enhances usability and efficiency.
Protocol Compliance: Verifies protocols for reliable network operations.
Application Performance Monitoring: Ensures optimal application functionality.
Voice Quality Checks: Maintains high communication standards.

OmniPeek is implemented across sectors that require precise wireless packet analysis. It's crucial for testing WLAN protocols, validating IP blocks, and ensuring network performance during enterprise-level authentications and internet egress, offering organizations user-friendly solutions for comprehensive WLAN monitoring.

BlueCat

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

Apcon, Aruba Networks, Avaya Inc., Cisco Systems, Ekahau, Gigamon Systems, HP, IBM, IXIA, Meru Networks, Napatech, NextComputing, Procera Networks, Qualcomm Atheros, Ralink Technology Corporation, Telchemy

Microsoft, Federal Express, Hewlett-Packard, and MasterCard

Buyer's Guide

OmniPeek vs. SolarWinds NPM

June 2026

Free Report: OmniPeek vs. SolarWinds NPM

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