SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs WhatsUp Gold comparison

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs. WhatsUp Gold

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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

Microsoft Intune

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Configuration Management category, the mindshare of Microsoft Intune is 4.9%, down from 10.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is 3.1%, up from 1.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of WhatsUp Gold is 1.7%, up from 0.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Configuration Management Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Microsoft Intune	4.9%
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager	3.1%
WhatsUp Gold	1.7%
Other	90.3%

Configuration Management

Featured Reviews

OluwashileAdeniyi

Senior Infrastructure Security Engineer at a outsourcing company with 51-200 employees

Centralized endpoint security has improved and supports hybrid work and BYOD policies

Regarding what I dislike about Microsoft Intune and its downsides, I would say that more Mac controls are needed because we have limited Mac and Linux control. When comparing controls and policies between Windows, Mac, and Linux, Windows has almost everything you can think of, while Mac and Linux have limited types of control. You cannot implement certain things on Mac and Linux that you can on Windows. The limited controls are a major issue. Additionally, if Microsoft could find a way to embed servers into Microsoft Intune, that would be beneficial. Microsoft Intune is not really designed for servers or Windows servers. It is more tailored towards Windows 11 and Windows 10 operating systems. Windows servers are not fully supported. Enterprise organizations usually have both servers and endpoints, which are users' workstations. For servers, most people look for other solutions such as SCCM, which is Configuration Manager. However, SCCM is what Microsoft Intune is trying to replace. Both SCCM and Microsoft Intune belong to Microsoft. Microsoft is trying to transition organizations into Microsoft Intune, the native cloud solution. However, because this update is still in process, servers are not fully compatible with Microsoft Intune and cannot be managed by it. The current policy that has emerged from issues with clients is what they call co-management, which is relatively new, and I do not know if adoption is significant. Many legacy or older customers who have been using these products for decades still have SCCM. When it is time for them to manage their Windows devices, they use what is called cloud attach. Cloud attach is a term whereby your SCCM is connected to your Microsoft Intune. Most people do not know about it, but I have deployed it for several organizations. Cloud attach and co-management work together so that your device is in SCCM, but some policies are pushed from Microsoft Intune. It is like two different solutions working hand in hand. That is what they call co-management. Microsoft Intune does not bring all of your endpoint and security management tools into one place, which is the goal and how it should be. However, as I mentioned, servers are not included. If we talk about end users, Microsoft Intune does bring all your devices together. In a typical enterprise environment, you have end users with workstations, laptops, company-issued phones, and bring your own devices. You can create policies for all of these. However, for the backend, your servers do not have much coverage. Servers are not really covered by Microsoft Intune in that way.

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reviewer1327239

Software Engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

Automated configuration management has improved monitoring, backups, and policy control

I do not think there is anything I would like to improve at this point in time because SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager compares almost perfectly to what it is supposed to do. I think it is one of the best products in its category. Regarding the automation capabilities of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager, I think that is an area they will need to explore in making it more autonomous. Discovery happens through IP address scanning, but building out automation is something they need to focus on. I absolutely believe in providing automation for SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager. It is essential to address how to deploy, discover, and remediate wherever possible. I think that is something they should already be looking at because AAFS is currently something everybody is focused on, and storage also needs to consider it.

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Erik Cheng

Technical Manager at Quan Hung Gourmet

Efficient monitoring with detailed customization, yet complexity remains

The best feature of WhatsUp Gold is the automatic generation of topology and its integration with virtualization and wireless. I have used the automated device discovery with this topology feature. The interactive map feature helps me manage the topology because sometimes we cannot draw the topology correctly, so we need to manually edit the connections. The alerting system is very tunable and customizable, but it's a little complicated to use. Many customers cannot manage it by themselves and need support from us, the provider. We always use the dashboards in the SOC, where we constantly display a dashboard or multiple dashboards. This allows us to know immediately if the connection or bandwidth is full or if the connection is broken.

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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 ability to block and erase remote devices is valuable to us, especially when those devices are lost."

"This is a great solution for anyone wanting a modern endpoint device management solution."

"Microsoft Intune has a pretty positive impact overall, especially in terms of device management efficiency and supporting remote work."

"Microsoft Intune is a good solution and it is purely based on Azure cloud, so I can use all the benefits of Azure cloud in Microsoft Intune and several good features in Microsoft Intune to manage devices."

"Overall, the stability is good."

"Intune has significantly benefited our organization by providing comprehensive visibility into our device ecosystem."

"For our office workers who are not based in Norway, when we order the PC, we can do some of the settings for them. These are standardized settings. We can set them up exactly as they are in Norway so that they're the same."

"It allows our clients to have the confidence to centrally manage policies for security, and it helps them in securing the organization from a technology aspect."

More Microsoft Intune pros

"Configuration pushing, upgrade capabilities, job backup, configuration backup, and real-time configuration change monitoring are highly beneficial features of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager."

"It allows us to manage backups in big companies. It is also useful in managing the configuration changes."

"Configuration refers to the specific settings and options that determine how a device or system behaves. It can include things, such as network settings, security settings, and other options that are specific to the device or system in question. One of the most valuable features of the solution was its ability to track and monitor changes to the configuration of devices on a network. This can be useful for troubleshooting and identifying potential issues. By keeping track of who made changes to the configuration and when it can be easier to determine the cause of any problems that may arise."

"I use it for monitoring the entire network for the company. We oversee nodes down, we oversee devices heading up to crossing the threshold for CPU usage. We oversee power so power backups on the switches, we oversee if they're down or if they're failing. We oversee any node down or any router from any vendor."

"SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager can be used for backing up network device configuration, which helps you be more secure because when you have a system failure, you can get the information back."

"The configuration compliance aspect of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager allows for easy comparison of configuration settings across branches, ensuring adherence to security guidelines and best practices. Automation capabilities have greatly impacted workflows, enabling tasks such as configuration backups, template deployment, and firmware upgrades to be automated, thereby streamlining processes and saving time. Compliance reporting features provide valuable insights into network compliance, offering pre-built security audit reports and customizable options to meet specific requirements."

"NCM also helps with vulnerability assessment and remediation."

"The installation is straightforward."

More SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager pros

"We no longer have to manually search for problems because we are alerted when something in the network goes down."

"The most valuable feature is the monitoring of resources."

"One thing good about WhatsUp Gold is that it is fairly stable."

"It's a good product, and if one has the expertise to use it, it will be a good investment and it will help IT to save and plan for the future."

"WhatsUp Gold is very easy to deploy."

"The threshold alerting is the most valuable feature."

"The new version has a lot of improved features."

"The most valuable feature is the auto-discovery function."

More WhatsUp Gold pros

Cons

"Every time we call, we get bounced to a new team... there is no cohesive end-to-end support, which is very frustrating and time-consuming."

"Applying security recommendations can be difficult in Microsoft Intune. Sometimes, they give you recommendations, but you need a different server to manage the pieces, or you have to go to each device individually. However, it has been improving. Before, there were certain policies you could not implement directly in Intune, but now I see progress. I would like to see more improvement in policy management, similar to how we used group policies on-premises."

"Each feature has a separate license, making logistics and cost management difficult if not strategically bundled together."

"Sometimes, it takes time to synchronize the policies between the portal and the devices, you don't have a way to estimate how long it will take to deploy. You have some kind of gray area, where it can deploy in 30 minutes or three days."

"Enrollment into the Microsoft Intune service can still get easier, especially for legacy-managed systems, such as how we get it from a GPO or an SCCM configuration into Intune."

"The synchronization could be improved."

"It would be nice to have a location tracker for the mobile device management tool. I'm not sure if it exists but hasn't been configured or if it's missing, but we've been unable to utilize the location features."

"We do not utilize Microsoft customer service and technical support since it is generally a waste of time."

More Microsoft Intune cons

"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 network logs could be improved. When the error logs come across with those false positive alarms in the error logs."

"The integration with the network performance monitor wasn't complete as at the last time I used it."

"Releasing a product compatible with operating systems other than Windows would be advantageous."

"I would like to see more features in terms of wireless reporting and more historical information for client connectivity in SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager."

"There is room for improvement in automation."

"The AI features do not work well."

"We want to be able to store it in a data warehouse format and integrate it with Google single sign-on."

More SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager cons

"There are some subscription charges that are quite heavy. I need to pay for support every year and these charges can be quite expensive."

"I haven't had any issue with stability, except during the upgrade to 2017 when we encountered slow responses."

"We can never achieve or get a good picture of the network topology."

"The interface needs some work."

"This product should add other options for monitoring. It does not currently meet the broader needs of the banking industry in the version we have deployed."

"The product is old and not updated."

"The point system is not clear and clarity around this would improve our understanding of the system."

"The tool should focus on increasing its market share, as it is the only area of concern where improvements are needed."

More WhatsUp Gold cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The E5 license is expensive."

"The price of Intune is often included as part of a bundle with other Microsoft licenses, which makes it somewhat cheaper."

"Its pricing seems reasonable."

"There is a cost benefit of using Microsoft Intune because of the packaging with other Microsoft products."

"Its price is in the medium range. It is acceptable because you're paying for the features. I am not aware of any additional costs."

"Intune's pricing is reasonable considering its benefits and the high costs it helps avoid."

"My team members bundled it together with their Microsoft solutions, including Microsoft 365 and related products."

"I would rate the price a four out of ten with ten being the most expensive."

More Microsoft Intune pricing and cost advice

"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."

"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."

"You have a base license for 50 devices, and then you can add more licenses as you go."

"We have to pay additionally for its support and maintenance."

"The price of the solution is high compared to other solutions."

"Additional costs beyond the standard licensing fee are inevitable."

"There is a license needed to use SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager."

"There is a license for the use of this solution and it is priced well, there is a lot of value for the money."

More SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager pricing and cost advice

"Pricing is reasonable compared to other products."

"It is per device, per year. The pricing is very clear. If you have a service agreement, you get all of your major upgrades and minor upgrades. It was under $10,000 to go all-in with all of the different add-ons for it."

"This is a well priced solution."

"I'm not sure, but it's expensive. We don't pay any additional fees."

"The tool's price is reasonable. WhatsUp Gold is cheaper than SolarWinds."

"There is a license needed to use WhatsUp Gold."

"There are some subscription charges that are quite heavy. I need to pay for support every year and these charges can be quite expensive. Aside from the initial cost for the tool, you need to pay additionally for support."

"The pricing can be on the expensive side when considering competing products."

More WhatsUp Gold pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Government

12%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Construction Company

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	189
Midsize Enterprise	65
Large Enterprise	185

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	15
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	9

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	9
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	14

Questions from the Community

How does Microsoft Intune compare with VMware Workspace One?

Microsoft Intune is a great tool for managing a mobile device fleet while keeping access control. The solution makes ...

What are the pros and cons of Microsoft Intune?

Microsoft Intune is a great configuration management tool and has a lot of good things going for it. Here are some of...

How does Google Cloud Identity compare with Microsoft Intune?

Microsoft Intune offers not only an easy-to-deploy data protection and productivity management solution, but also ...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager?

On pricing, I would rate SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager as one of the best in its segment among leading pro...

What needs improvement with SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager?

I do not think there is anything I would like to improve at this point in time because SolarWinds Network Configurati...

What is your primary use case for SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager?

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is used for managing a large number of IPs, distributing them within my ente...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for WhatsUp Gold?

Clients find the licensing calculator confusing, but we simplify this for them by collecting relevant information fir...

What needs improvement with WhatsUp Gold?

It would be great if WhatsUp Gold could add features that simplify management with AI, as it is currently too complic...

What is your primary use case for WhatsUp Gold?

My use case for WhatsUp Gold includes all device availability checks, bandwidth usage, CPU, and memory usage, as well...

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Product Reports

Microsoft Intune

Download Microsoft Intune product report

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager

Download SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager product report

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager report

WhatsUp Gold

Download WhatsUp Gold product report

Also Known As

Intune, MS Intune, Microsoft Endpoint Manager

SolarWinds NCM

No data available

Overview

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based service designed for device management, security, and compliance. It supports automation and facilitates endpoint management for Windows, iOS, and Android devices, ensuring data protection and efficient policy enforcement.

Microsoft Intune offers seamless integration with tools like Windows Autopilot to automate device setup and deployment. Integrated with Azure Active Directory, it enhances policy management while providing robust reporting and analytics tools for compliance tracking. Despite its intuitive interface aimed at simplifying navigation and device security management, there are challenges such as compatibility issues with Linux and Mac, limited policy support for Android, and demands for better third-party integration. It's widely used for both corporate-owned devices and BYOD scenarios in dynamic IT environments.

What are the key features of Microsoft Intune?

Windows Autopilot: Automates device setup for rapid deployment.
Azure Active Directory Integration: Enhances user policy management.
Reporting and Analytics: Improves compliance visibility.
Mobile Application Management: Ensures app security without compromising personal data.
Cloud-Based Management: Allows management from any location.

What benefits and ROI can users expect?

Time Efficiency: Automation reduces time in policy enforcement and configuration updates.
Enhanced Security: Ensures data protection across corporate-owned and BYOD devices.
Improved Compliance: Advanced reporting tools enhance compliance visibility.
Flexible Management: Cloud-based nature supports management from any location.

In industries such as finance and healthcare, Microsoft Intune is implemented to ensure data protection and compliance with regulatory standards. Manufacturing sectors utilize Intune for managing a distributed workforce across global locations, while educational institutions employ it to secure and manage devices in learning environments supporting both students and faculty.

Microsoft

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager provides essential tools for network performance monitoring, configuration compliance, and vulnerability management, ensuring streamlined operations for network administrators with real-time change detection and backup automation capabilities.

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager offers extensive features that empower network management through integration with platforms like Microsoft Teams and ServiceNow. It manages network devices effectively, automating backups and streamlining configuration compliance. Users find it flexible and reliable for network configuration and security management, including support for IP SLA management, which enhances device health checks. The solution facilitates remote network configuration, mass changes across devices, and efficient backup and restore procedures for disaster recovery. While improvements in node-related limitations, AI features, and integrations are noted, the tool remains critical for aligning configurations with enterprise standards and ensuring network visibility.

What are the key features?

Network Performance Monitoring: Provides insights into network health and potential issues.
Configuration Compliance: Ensures all network configurations align with internal policies.
Real-Time Change Detection: Alerts users immediately about configuration changes.
Backup Automation: Simplifies backup processes for network configurations.
Vulnerability Management: Identifies and manages security vulnerabilities effectively.
IP SLA Management: Enhances device health checks through service level agreements.
Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Teams, ServiceNow, and more.

What benefits should users consider?

Enhanced Security: Protects networks with robust vulnerability management.
Streamlined Operations: Automates routine tasks to save time and resources.
Improved Compliance: Ensures adherence to configuration policies and standards.
Comprehensive Network Visibility: Offers a clear view of network performance and issues.
Disaster Recovery Support: Facilitates quick recovery from network failures with efficient backups.

In industries such as telecommunications, finance, and healthcare, SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is implemented to manage complex network infrastructures, optimize performance, and maintain security compliance. These sectors rely on the tool's ability to conduct mass device configurations and ensure continuous network monitoring, which is crucial for operations that require consistent uptime and quick response to potential security threats.

SolarWinds

WhatsUp Gold stands out with its comprehensive network monitoring, dynamic mapping, and real-time alerts, offering essential tools for managing extensive IT infrastructures.

WhatsUp Gold provides robust capabilities in network visibility through dynamic mapping and NetFlow analysis. The platform's interactive topology aids in pinpointing issues effectively. Auto-discovery ensures complete network device tracking. While offering an intuitive interface and integration with Cisco ServiceNow, users find server performance monitoring useful for incident handling. However, improvements are anticipated in application monitoring and Active Directory integration. The pricing model and customization options leave room for enhancement. Despite these, users benefit from its integrated dashboards for immediate device health checks and network updates, making it beneficial for large-scale infrastructure management.

What features does WhatsUp Gold offer?

Network Monitoring: Provides continuous oversight of network components
Dynamic Mapping: Offers visual representation of network topology
NetFlow Analysis: Delivers insights into bandwidth utilization
Threshold Alerts: Notifies users upon reaching set performance thresholds
Auto-Discovery: Detects devices automatically for complete network coverage

What benefits should users expect from reviews?

Comprehensive Visibility: Enhanced understanding of network elements
Real-Time Monitoring: Immediate insights into network and device status
Cost-Effectiveness: Competitive solution suitable for expansive networks
User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies the management of complex networks

Organizations in sectors like telecommunications, education, and healthcare utilize WhatsUp Gold for their network monitoring needs. Telecom companies track switches and routers, educational institutions manage bandwidth usage, and healthcare facilities monitor device availability to ensure seamless operations.

Progress Software

Sample Customers

Mitchells and Buzzers, Callaway

United Lincolnshire Hospitals, Air Rarotonga, NetSuite, Thai AirAsia, REA Group, 335th Signal Command, Agilisys, Marine Expeditionary Force

Artoni Trasporti, Austin Independent School District, Banca Marche, Burke County North Carolina, Cambridge University School of Clinical Medicine, Clayco, Community Integrated Care, Desca, Deutsche Bergbau, Flexi-Van, Gropper, Hamleys, Hammonds Furniture, Knowledge IT, Idras S.P.A., Sibeg, Swann Engineering, Trivium Lindenhof

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs. WhatsUp Gold