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OpenText Network Node Manager i vs SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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

OpenText Network Node Manag...
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
5.8
Number of Reviews
24
Ranking in other categories
Network Management Applications (16th)
SolarWinds Network Configur...
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
27
Ranking in other categories
Configuration Management (14th), Network Automation (5th)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Network Management solutions, they serve different purposes. OpenText Network Node Manager i is designed for Network Management Applications and holds a mindshare of 2.3%, up 1.6% compared to last year.
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager, on the other hand, focuses on Configuration Management, holds 1.5% mindshare, up 1.1% since last year.
Network Management Applications
Configuration Management
 

Featured Reviews

Qusai Abuomar - PeerSpot reviewer
Network performance optimization achieved with comprehensive visibility and effective event handling
The root cause analysis is valuable. The availability and event handling are also very good, as our team understands the events well. Overall, the tool helps maintain the health of the network. It provides visibility for the network device status, link status, and hardware status of devices such as switches and routers.
RajeshB - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers additional functionality, including warranty management
Setting up a solution involves configuring a server and a web console, which is straightforward. Network team coordination is necessary when applying it to devices. This involves creating device connection profiles and ensuring SNMP is enabled. Initially, there were challenges involved in this process, but once the setup was complete, operations proceeded smoothly. All network devices are automatically added to NPM during auto-discovery in SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor, including Network Configuration Manager features. Once configuration profile credentials are established in NCM, they are automatically deployed to all network devices. The solution is easy to use and deploy, although initial setup may require coordination and overcoming challenges.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It gives us a good overview of what's happening in our networks and the devices in the networks."
"Our monitoring and network teams of less than 100 people use this solution. The availability and fault monitoring are good."
"Topology creation is the most valuable feature."
"The best feature is the solution's entire credibility with all vendors."
"Overall, the tool helps maintain the health of the network."
"If you install one node on Network Node Manager and want to scale it up, it's pretty easy to create more nodes."
"Most valuable function would have to the internal causal engine and its root cause analyzer which keep us updated on critical errors and incidents in our network environment."
"We do not have any issues stability-wise."
"The network performance monitoring of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is a vital feature"
"The most valuable features the solution offers are compliance, reliability, and information about reliability."
"We push all our configurations to the servers with ease and the logs capture almost all the transactions needed for an internal audit."
"The installation is straightforward."
"SolarWinds NCM provides updates on the status of your network infrastructure. If any issues arise, such as a link failure or a device going offline, you will receive notifications and alerts. Additionally, if someone unplugs a cable, SolarWinds NCM will detect it. It also features a Topology Mapper that displays the connectivity of your network devices, giving you a visual representation of the network's structure. With SolarWinds NCM, you have a clear understanding of what's happening within your network and can generate comprehensive reports."
"The tool is useful for security purposes."
"The solution's view is very nice, and they have a great customized dashboard."
"The scanning features have proven to be highly valuable, particularly due to the comprehensive information they provide."
 

Cons

"We had some issues with some of the features, some modules are not meeting expectations."
"Micro Focus Network Node Manager is not powered to drill down for traffic visibility."
"The way the solution currently works means I'm not able to customize my own reports."
"When I open a ticket, usually they respond very late. Some of the people I negotiate with seem undertrained."
"The dashboards are not customizable and it's not user-friendly."
"Only to improve the GUI."
"Right now, we have open tickets and they are not closing as expected."
"The resources utilized could be a bit higher, and that is one of the challenges that isn't optimized"
"On NCM, reporting could be a bit better. It's completely become just one report. When I try to create a custom report, the solution just commits old server data."
"Releasing a product compatible with operating systems other than Windows would be advantageous."
"The interface of solar winds could be improved."
"The Network Configuration Manager needs to improve the access control list compliance."
"I would like to see more integration tools. Something like dialysis, for example."
"Further improvements in automation are needed. Currently, there are limitations in performing tasks without logging into routers directly, and we expect more comprehensive device control."
"The solution could improve by being more secure."
"I would like to see more features in terms of wireless reporting and more historical information for client connectivity in SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It's an expensive solution."
"It is more inexpensive than other products in the market."
"The solution is quite expensive."
"I wasn't involved in the pricing, but I think it's quite expensive."
"The solution is priced mid-range compared to the competition."
"The pricing is good."
"We have to pay additionally for its support and maintenance."
"Additional costs beyond the standard licensing fee are inevitable."
"In Africa, the cost is a major factor in decision-making for many companies. As a result, some companies may choose cheaper solutions, even if they are open-source, over more expensive ones, such as SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager. However, as an engineer, I believe that the functionalities and services offered by SolarWinds justify the cost. Nonetheless, many companies in Africa may still view the prices as unaffordable."
"I have a yearly subscription."
"With a minimal bundle, we pay about $3000 a year in licensing costs. If you have multiple devices in your network, you must buy the bundle, which is 100% identical for your infrastructure. If you have 15 devices, you need 15 licenses, for example. That's one bundle. You don't pay for anything over and above that."
"The price of the solution is high compared to other solutions."
"There is a license for the use of this solution and it is priced well, there is a lot of value for the money."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
19%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Government
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Government
13%
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Micro Focus Network Node Manager?
The interface is outdated and needs to be more dynamic and faster. It would be better if the product was a single module rather than requiring additional modules and licensing for APIs and extra fe...
What is your primary use case for Micro Focus Network Node Manager?
We use OpenText Network Node Manager i ( /products/opentext-network-node-manager-i-reviews ) primarily for network monitoring and diagnostics in our organization. We use this product for fault and ...
What do you like most about SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager?
The configuration compliance aspect of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager allows for easy comparison of configuration settings across branches, ensuring adherence to security guidelines and b...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager?
The licensing costs of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager are expensive, but considering its reliability, feature enhancements, and support, it is worthwhile.
What needs improvement with SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager?
Further improvements in automation are needed. Currently, there are limitations in performing tasks without logging into routers directly, and we expect more comprehensive device control.
 

Also Known As

Micro Focus Network Node Manager, Network Node Manager, HPE Network Node Manager
SolarWinds NCM
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

IPC, Exelon, VivaCom, 
United Lincolnshire Hospitals, Air Rarotonga, NetSuite, Thai AirAsia, REA Group, 335th Signal Command, Agilisys, Marine Expeditionary Force
Find out what your peers are saying about OpenText Network Node Manager i vs. SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager and other solutions. Updated: March 2023.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.