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Azure Network Watcher vs NETSCOUT vSTREAM comparison

Microsoft and NETSCOUT are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Microsoft is ranked #51 with an average rating of 8.3, while NETSCOUT is ranked #82. Microsoft holds a 0.4% mindshare in NMS, compared to NETSCOUT’s 0.2% mindshare. Additionally, 91% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of NETSCOUT users who would recommend it.
Azure Network Watcher
Read 12 Azure Network Watcher reviews
  • 743 Views
  • 698 Comparison Views
91% willing to recommend
NETSCOUT vSTREAM
Read 3 NETSCOUT vSTREAM reviews
  • 455 Views
  • 414 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

NETSCOUT vSTREAM and Azure Network Watcher are both network monitoring tools, but Azure Network Watcher has an edge due to its native cloud integration and user satisfaction with feature set and value proposition.

Features: NETSCOUT vSTREAM offers in-depth packet analysis, rich network insights, and comprehensive monitoring capabilities for detailed network forensics. Azure Network Watcher provides real-time network performance monitoring, seamless integration with Microsoft Azure, and diagnostic tools for Azure environments.

Room for Improvement: NETSCOUT vSTREAM could enhance its user interface, integration with non-traditional environments, and reduce setup complexity. Azure Network Watcher might improve its packet-level analysis, offer broader functionality for non-cloud networks, and enhance feature flexibility for diverse environments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: NETSCOUT vSTREAM is praised for deployment flexibility in diverse environments and dedicated support services. Azure Network Watcher benefits from integrated Azure support, making it well-suited for deployment within Azure-centric operations, thus offering ease of integration with Azure infrastructure.

Pricing and ROI: NETSCOUT vSTREAM generally comes with higher setup costs attributed to its extensive feature set, providing substantial ROI through deep network visibility. Azure Network Watcher benefits from lower initial costs and offers strong ROI through efficient cloud-native monitoring, with more cost-effective cloud alignment.

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To learn more, read our detailed Azure Network Watcher vs. NETSCOUT vSTREAM Report (Updated: July 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Azure Network Watcher vs. NETSCOUT vSTREAM
July 2025
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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

Azure Network Watcher
Ranking in Network Monitoring Software
51st
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.0
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
NETSCOUT vSTREAM
Ranking in Network Monitoring Software
82nd
Average Rating
8.0
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of Azure Network Watcher is 0.4%, down from 0.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NETSCOUT vSTREAM is 0.2%, down from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Network Monitoring Software
 

Featured Reviews

Bijoyendra Roychowdhury - PeerSpot reviewer
Network monitoring provides comprehensive analytics while the interface requires further development
The quality of Azure Network Watcher is quite good in terms of the in-depth analysis you can create from these matrices. There are other monitoring tools such as New Relic, AppDynamics, and Dynatrace which provide very detailed network tracing. Cloud providers such as Azure or AWS do not have that kind of GUI-based capability at this point, but using PowerShell or Python, you can develop it yourself. From the GUI perspective, it still needs to evolve in terms of quality and standard, though overall, it is quite good for troubleshooting. Regarding areas for improvement, when comparing to other network tools beyond Azure Monitor or Azure Network Watcher, those tools can identify single failed packets. This level of granularity is not currently possible with cloud providers as they only go to a certain level rather than the granular level needed for deep troubleshooting, though they do provide hints with available matrices.
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KL
A user-friendly solution that is easy to install and improves visibility
I would like to see improvements made to the user guide. From my personal experience, it is helpful to see a list of steps describing what to do next in different situations. An example is what to do and what to back up in the case of certain types of failure. There are also cases where a customer can't understand specific features. Enhancements to the user guide would be helpful for this. More features for network fragmentation would be helpful.
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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 most valuable features I have found are typology, visualization, and capture."
"I like the visibility."
"We use the solution to monitor network services. It helps to capture any network issues."
"The solution is good for monitoring device behavior."
"The solution is stable."
"The most valuable feature of Azure Network Watcher is using the gateways with the connections. The monitoring is useful for the logs and application insights into the data. The traffic filtering issues when it comes to deploying those applications are helpful."
"What I like most about Azure Network Watcher is that it's focused more on the architecture. I also like that it has a packet capture feature that tells you how the packet travels and whether it's exiting Azure, etc."
"The most valuable feature of Azure Network Watcher is the cloud-native application firewall. It is helpful for securing databases."
More Azure Network Watcher pros
"vSTREAM gives us better visibility and reporting about our network infrastructure, allowing for cost-optimization."
"One of the valuable features is the packet decoding."
 

Cons

"User experience could be improved."
"I still use Wireshark and Azure Network Watcher to get the required data. My team captures the traffic from Azure Network Watcher, downloads it, then imports that traffic into Wireshark to get more details on the number of hits and replies, for example. If you can do that on Azure Network Watcher and have Wireshark built-in, that would make Azure Network Watcher better. If Azure Network Watcher has that functionality where you won't need a third-party tool to get what you need, that would be helpful. I'm also expecting more from Azure Network Watcher. It's more complex than knowing how the IP flows from its source to the destination. The tool also needs more open-source features, such as having some built-in Wireshark that improves monitoring for customers. Sometimes, you encounter a VPN tunnel, network, or routing issue, but finding out more about the blockage is challenging. Is it one hundred percent an Azure issue? Is it a peer issue? You don't get complete information from Azure Network Watcher, so you must use other tools and depend on your strategies to resolve a specific issue. If more features could be added in the next release of Azure Network Watcher, specifically ones you can find on open-source tools, then that would be a plus point for the tool."
"Lacks sufficient security features."
"Azure Network Watcher needs to have better documentation and it needs to capture information accurately."
"The solution could improve by limiting the need to clarify the logs. When the clarification is minimized, it is better for everyone involved."
"The initial setup and initial learning curve could be improved to be easier."
"Azure is good, however, the Fortinet GUI is more intuitive and I like it more than anything else."
"Azure Network Watcher could improve by having other built-in applications. For example, an application to log activities for in and outbound traffic."
More Azure Network Watcher cons
"I would like for it to have a smaller footprint of the virtual appliance and better performance."
"I would like to see improvements made to the user guide."
"Room for improvement exists in filtering in the packet decode."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of the solution is reasonable."
"Price-wise, I have no information on how much Azure Network Watcher costs."
"The pricing is good. It's not too expensive."
"Azure Network Watcher is a little bit expensive."
"Licensing is quite expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
16%
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
11%
University
5%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Energy/Utilities Company
13%
Government
11%
Computer Software Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Azure Network Watcher?
I like the visibility.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Network Watcher?
It is affordable.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Azure Network Watcher?
User experience could be improved.
See all answers
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Comparisons

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Compared 18% of the time
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Nmap vs Azure Network Watcher
Compared 18% of the time
PRTG Network Monitor vs Azure Network Watcher Logo
PRTG Network Monitor vs Azure Network Watcher
Compared 18% of the time
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NETSCOUT nGeniusONE vs NETSCOUT vSTREAM Logo
NETSCOUT nGeniusONE vs NETSCOUT vSTREAM
Compared 100% of the time
More NETSCOUT vSTREAM Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Azure Network Watcher
August 2025
Azure Network Watcher reportDownload Azure Network Watcher product report
Buyer's Guide
Network Monitoring Software
August 2025
NETSCOUT vSTREAM reportDownload NETSCOUT vSTREAM product report
 

Also Known As

No data available
vSTREAM
 

Overview

Azure Network Watcher is a comprehensive network monitoring and diagnostic service offered by Microsoft Azure. It provides a range of tools and capabilities to help users monitor, diagnose, and gain insights into their Azure network infrastructure. With Network Watcher, users can capture and analyze network traffic, monitor network performance, troubleshoot connectivity issues, and gain visibility into network topology. It also offers features like packet capture, flow logs, connection monitoring, and VPN diagnostics to ensure the smooth operation of Azure networks. Network Watcher enables users to proactively identify and resolve network issues, optimize network performance, and enhance the overall reliability and security of their Azure network environment.

Microsoft

The vSTREAM virtual appliance complements existing Adaptive Session Intelligence (ASI)-based instrumentation to provide the same level of visibility within virtualized and cloud infrastructures that is already possible in physical environments. The vSTREAM virtual appliance is ideal for monitoring service-critical traffic running within virtualized or cloud infrastructures, either locally on a host or as an aggregation point for multiple hosts. With complete visibility across physical, virtual and cloud networks, the vSTREAM virtual appliance presents real-time views of end-to-end call trace data and network-wide KPIs, to protect the reliability and availability of networks and application services.

NETSCOUT
 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Metropolitan Police Agency, Banpara, PropertyRoom.com
Buyer's Guide
Azure Network Watcher vs. NETSCOUT vSTREAM
July 2025
Free Report: Azure Network Watcher vs. NETSCOUT vSTREAM
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