What is our primary use case?
Our company used the solution to provide a good view of traffic movement and issues along the way. For example, the solution can look at a voice quality issue between point A and point B and determine the path, exact issue, and issue point.
Unfortunately, we did not receive the required enhancement support we so had to stop using the solution.
What is most valuable?
The reporting abilities are valuable.
The alerting feature is very good because it allows you to set MOS alerts at various network junctures or data points. The MOS level measures the quality of voice and video to industry standards. Some junctures or data points might be more important to monitor. For example, you might want to receive alerts when an MOS value is high in a CEO's office or for a VIP phone.
What needs improvement?
Sometimes the solution does not register devices properly and that is a bug.
Device utilization between links needs to be added.
Improvements are needed for the syslog and NetFlow messages.
The technical support is not great.
For how long have I used the solution?
I used the solution for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable with no issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable based on the license you purchase. For example, our license covered 100 device points.
How are customer service and support?
If enhancements are not required, then support for the product is good.
The solution was a new product so we wanted some enhancements. For example, we had some issues registering a device. We placed a support call and were hoping they would give us a timeline for resolving the issue one way or the other. But support refused to provide a timeline and that was where everything fell apart. The support system was not great and we rarely got support for required enhancements.
Overall, technical support is rated a five out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used Route Explorer which gave us BGP peering for all routers around the globe.
How was the initial setup?
The setup is not that difficult. Installation support was not great but our technical staff figured it out.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented the solution in-house.
The initial deployment took three months. At that point, the first piece of the solution was working.
We wanted to use other features but couldn't get them to work so we approached technical support. Enhancements, product change requirements, and support requirements took an additional three months.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is fairly expensive compared to other products and there is not much flexibility for reducing costs.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
About five years ago, we were using Route Explorer but there were some shortcomings. We started exploring options and around that same time Cisco purchased the solution. Since we have a Cisco house, we were introduced to the solution as an alternative and opted to get started with a minimal license.
The solution was not exactly a one-to-one replacement for Route Explorer, but gave us a very good view of traffic movement and issues.
What other advice do I have?
Before choosing the solution, it is important to rank your requirements from high to low priority. The solution has a lot of features but at a high price. If you will only use 30% of the solution to meet your requirements, then it would be better for you to explore other products. Find the solution that best fulfills your requirements.
The solution itself is great. If I could use it properly, then I would rate it a seven out of ten. Unfortunately, support is a factor when determining usability or cost effectiveness. We did not receive the needed support so had to stop using the solution.
For that reason, my overall rating for the solution is a five out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
