Cisco Secure Network Analytics vs NetMon comparison

Cisco and Exabeam are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Cisco is ranked #36 with an average rating of 8.0, while Exabeam is ranked #53 with an average rating of 7.5. Cisco holds a 0.9% mindshare in NMS, compared to Exabeam’s 0.6% mindshare. Additionally, 88% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Exabeam users who would recommend it.

Cisco Secure Network Analytics

Read 61 Cisco Secure Network Analytics reviews

8,028 Views
3,131 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

NetMon

Read 12 NetMon reviews

2,473 Views
2,003 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Cisco Secure Network Analytics

NetMon

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 1, 2026

Cisco Secure Network Analytics and NetMon are both network monitoring solutions, competing in the IT security and analytics category. Cisco Secure Network Analytics is perceived to have an edge due to its comprehensive features and user satisfaction

Features: Cisco Secure Network Analytics offers comprehensive network visibility, advanced threat detection, and the ability to integrate with Cisco's security suite. It stands out with features like network maps, server response times, and NetFlow data, enhancing threat analysis and packet inspection. NetMon excels in traffic analysis, offering a bundled solution with detailed summary reports and real-time traffic insights, but it lacks the application-level insights provided by Cisco.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Secure Network Analytics could improve integration in non-internet-connected environments and refine its reporting interface. Enhancements in device discovery and AI capabilities would also be beneficial. NetMon could benefit from more seamless third-party integrations, better setup documentation, and streamlined initial deployment processes.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both solutions provide on-premises deployment. Cisco Secure Network Analytics is predominantly on-premise and is praised for its support structure, though there's room for improvement in the Asia-Pacific region. NetMon has good technical support, but users report challenges with integration and expanded network capabilities.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Secure Network Analytics is considered expensive, with a pricing model based on network flows, but offers a positive ROI due to enhanced security and incident response. NetMon offers moderate pricing, but some users feel its cost isn't matched by performance benefits, indicating a need for more competitive pricing.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Secure Network Analytics vs. NetMon Report (Updated: April 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Network Analytics vs. NetMon

April 2026

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Helped 893,221 peers since 2012

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

Cisco Secure Network Analytics

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

36th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Traffic Analysis (NTA) (5th), Network Detection and Response (NDR) (8th), Cisco Security Portfolio (9th)

NetMon

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

53rd

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR) (13th)

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of Cisco Secure Network Analytics is 0.9%, down from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NetMon is 0.6%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Monitoring Software Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Cisco Secure Network Analytics	0.9%
NetMon	0.6%
Other	98.5%

Network Monitoring Software

Featured Reviews

Muhammad Harun-Owr-Roshid

CEO at BRIGHT-i SYSTEMS LIMITED

Have streamlined network visibility and troubleshooting while seeing benefits from AI integration

In terms of improvements for Cisco Secure Network Analytics, from the implementation point of view, now that AI is in use, some other features need to be upgraded considering AI solutions. Proper management of the database is also important; it should be centralized for easier data collection from a single database. When precise manual analysis is needed, it's sometimes difficult, so having a centralized database will allow network admins to find actual scenarios more effectively, especially since some information may not be visible on the GUI. Cisco should upgrade their hardware part to run the database, because sometimes it cannot handle the load while all features are running in the network. The database management should indeed be centralized because while AI runs behind the systems, central management is essential. For example, in a network with 100 Cisco switches, a few routers, firewalls, and access points, all data generated should be preserved in a central database. This approach simplifies management and analysis for troubleshooting, as GUI interfaces may not always provide visible information. Centralizing the database will allow for better understanding of which information is preserved for each specific device.

Read full review

SumitRangari

Pan India IT Infrastructure Management / End-user Services at Tata Group

Has supported real-time event detection and reporting accuracy while database integration has required extra effort

Sometimes it may be difficult to incorporate new additional databases in NetMon, and we faced some challenges at that time. However, currently, it is not giving many challenges.It is difficult to integrate NetMon with other databases. We can customize NetMon's monitoring views, but it is done by the team who handles it, as it is outsourced.

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

"The solution has been beneficial because it's cut down the amount of time involved in doing complex scenarios and research."

"This product alleviates the day-to-day headaches for us, in regards to metrics."

"I believe this solution has reduced our incident response time."

"Stealthwatch has greatly improved our network visibility, in terms of bandwidth, malware, and PCI violations."

"We find that Stealthwatch can detect the unseen."

"It has improved our internal knowledge of what's going on with the network, and that's helpful."

"When we saw what Lancope can do, not just from a visibility perspective, but from a network and security perspective, we jumped on board."

"It's easy to set up. The deployment takes one or two days. You need to collect the data from a device and then direct it to the portal."

More Cisco Secure Network Analytics pros

"The protocols with which you see the traffic for a particular website that a client has in their environment, for example, are valuable. We can monitor whether the traffic is up to the mark or whether they need to add more bandwidth. Also, we can see if we're able to get real-time environment data as well. The customization dashboard is really good. LogRhythm NetMon has its own in-built dashboards which are helpful in guiding customization."

"Visibility is a valuable feature, the ability to see even if the traffic is not going into the firewall"

"The initial setup is straightforward because we can deploy an open server."

"It has a very strong artificial intelligence engine."

"Compared to many other products in the market, I think LogRhythm has the highest cost to performance ratio in terms of its value."

"NetMon's best feature is traffic analysis."

"But just having it there, it's incredibly smart, incredibly easy to use, and the breadth of information we get off it is really good for investigations for us."

"We are using NetMon's real-time traffic analysis regularly with a team of four members who effectively monitor all alerts and events, which has helped them identify whether there could be a severe incident."

More NetMon pros

Cons

"There could be better integration on the programming side, which uses Python. StealthWatch could provide a template for Python to manage the switches. For example, it would be nice if StealthWatch bounced a port automatically it detected something anomalous."

"If they can make this product more web-based, that would be amazing."

"The version with the Dell server had iDRAC problems. Often, it reported iDRAC failure."

"I would like to see more expansion in artificial intelligence and machine learning features."

"The interface is sluggish and not updated."

"The customizability of the UI should improve."

"This is an expensive solution and the license is expensive."

"It hasn't really improved our direct detection rate but it has definitely reduced our incident response time as we wouldn't have been able to detect threats or immediate risks without this solution."

More Cisco Secure Network Analytics cons

"The training for this product is not very good and needs to be improved."

"LogRhythm NetMon's pricing model is an area of concern that should be made a little bit cheaper in comparison to the other players in the market currently."

"Could use a topology diagram which would help get an exact visual."

"Some of the automated tasks we can perform on QRadar cannot be performed on LogRhythm because the solution has limitations."

"I would like to see better integration with multiple products. Integration is not something that is readily available for most of the products."

"One thing that surprised me was the current version of LogRhythm does not natively support Windows 2016."

"The training for this product is not very good and needs to be improved."

"There is an issue with tunneling in relation to how the connectivity is established between the end devices and where NetMon is installed. On the console, I often observe that there's a difference of a few seconds or maybe a minute, and this lag time should not be there."

More NetMon cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Licensing is on a yearly basis."

"Pricing is much higher compared to other solutions."

"On a yearly basis, licensing is somewhere around $30,000."

"It has a subscription model. There is yearly support, and there is also three-year support. It depends on what the customers want."

"The licensing costs are outrageous."

"There are additional licenses needed for the number of so-called network flows. It's hard to plan the number of flows you need in the network, this is a problem. The price of the Cisco Stealthwatch is relatively inexpensive"

"NetFlow is very expensive."

"One of the things which bugs me about Lancope is the licensing. We understand how licensing works. Our problem is when we bought and purchased most of these Lancope devices, we did so with our sister company. Somewhere within the purchase and distribution, licensing got mixed up. That is all on Cisco, and it is their responsibility. They allotted some of our sister company's equipment to us, and some of our equipment to them. To date, they have never been able to fix it."

More Cisco Secure Network Analytics pricing and cost advice

"The price of this solution is too high, so it should be made more practical and more valuable for the customer."

"LogRhythm's licensing part is something that depends on the license you want since they offer it on a perpetual and subscription basis."

"NetMon's licensing costs about $85k per year, with some extra costs for support."

"Pricing is okay. There were some competitors that were extremely expensive and there were some which were really inexpensive but LogRhythm stayed in the middle of them."

"The product is expensive for smaller companies."

"I don't have visibility into the pricing of LogRhythm NetMon as it's handled through our commercial partnerships."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Government

Computer Software Company

Transportation Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	11
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	52

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	2
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	7

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Stealthwatch?

Regarding cost, for the Bangladesh context, Cisco Secure Network Analytics is a little bit high-priced because we are a developing country, making it tough to manage affordable solutions. However, ...

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What needs improvement with Cisco Stealthwatch?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Cisco Stealthwatch?

Our customers mainly use Cisco Secure Network Analytics to get whole network visibility and easy troubleshooting to find actual problems and also to mitigate loopholes or findings immediately to pr...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for LogRhythm NetMon?

I don't have visibility into the pricing of LogRhythm NetMon as it's handled through our commercial partnerships.

See all answers

What needs improvement with LogRhythm NetMon?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for LogRhythm NetMon?

We have outsourced our SIEM solutions at the moment, and we are using it.We have been using LogRhythm in our organization as a SaaS offering. We have outsourced it as part of the actual scope where...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 8% of the time

Vectra AI vs Cisco Secure Network Analytics

Compared 4% of the time

ThousandEyes vs Cisco Secure Network Analytics

Compared 4% of the time

Nmap vs Cisco Secure Network Analytics

Compared 3% of the time

SolarWinds NPM vs Cisco Secure Network Analytics

Compared 3% of the time

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Compared 6% of the time

Ixia CloudLens vs NetMon

Compared 6% of the time

ObserverLIVE vs NetMon

Compared 5% of the time

Niagara Visibility Controller vs NetMon

Compared 5% of the time

LogicMonitor vs NetMon

Compared 4% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Network Analytics

May 2026

Download Cisco Secure Network Analytics product report

Buyer's Guide

NetMon

April 2026

Download NetMon product report

Also Known As

Cisco Stealthwatch, Cisco Stealthwatch Enterprise, Lancope StealthWatch

LogRhythm Network Monitor

Overview

Cisco Secure Network Analytics enhances network security through integrated threat detection and detailed traffic visibility, optimizing performance with AI analytics and strong platform integrations.

Cisco Secure Network Analytics offers deep visibility into network traffic, with tools like network maps and server response times. Its AI-driven analytics help detect threats, focusing on east-west traffic. Integration with platforms such as pxGrid and ISE complements its capabilities. Reporting and telemetry help in identifying bandwidth issues, yet improvements are desired in AI for better data organization. Installation complexity and false positives present challenges, and managing network loads effectively is a recognized need.

What are the key features of Cisco Secure Network Analytics?

Deep Visibility: Provides comprehensive insights into network traffic and server behavior.
Network Maps: Enhances understanding of traffic flow and infrastructure layout.
AI Analytics: Uses AI for superior threat detection and anomaly recognition.
Integration: Compatible with platforms like pxGrid and ISE for enhanced security management.
Telemetry: Delivers detailed bandwidth usage and traffic analysis reports.

How does Cisco Secure Network Analytics provide value?

Enhanced Security: Elevates threat detection and response capabilities.
Traffic Insights: Identifies encrypted and anomalous network behaviors.
Compliance Support: Assists in meeting industry standards for data protection.
Endpoint Protection: Guards network endpoints against potential threats.

Industries such as banking, defense, and police rely on Cisco Secure Network Analytics for securing networks against threats. Its capability to provide insights into encrypted traffic and facilitate device auditing makes it a sought-after choice for those requiring extensive network visibility. Users appreciate its application for threat prevention and response in demanding sectors.

Cisco

NetMon offers significant capabilities in log aggregation, traffic analysis, and real-time network insights. Its ease of use accommodates both entry-level and advanced functionalities, enhancing network visibility and threat detection.

NetMon provides seamless analytics with its real-time dashboards and advanced AI integration. The platform is designed for comprehensive monitoring and detailed analysis, making it indispensable for identifying network traffic, origins, destinations, and facilitating threat detection through lateral traffic visibility. Despite its powerful analytics and customization features, improvements in product integration, customer support, and pricing could increase its competitive edge. Connectivity, topology visualization, and server performance are areas noted for enhancement. Integration with protocols like Gflow and Netflow might alleviate agent-based restriction challenges. NetMon sends correlated data to LogRhythm SIEM for enhanced threat analysis and is used for tasks like traffic analysis and DPA.

What are NetMon's key features?

Log Aggregation: Seamless collection of diverse network logs for analysis.
Traffic Analysis: Detailed inspection of network traffic for identifying irregular patterns.
AI Integration: Advanced analytics powered by robust AI capabilities.
Customizable Dashboards: Real-time insights tailored to user requirements.
Correlation Engine: In-depth correlation of network activity for comprehensive reports.
Deep Packet Analytics: Thorough examination of data packets for granular insights.

What benefits and ROI can users expect?

Enhanced Threat Detection: Significant improvements in identifying lateral threats.
Comprehensive Insights: Complete visibility into network and user activities.
Efficient Monitoring: Real-time analytics streamline network monitoring processes.
Compliance Support: Strong integration supports adherence to compliance standards.

NetMon is widely adopted in industries requiring detailed traffic monitoring and security, such as finance and healthcare. Its capabilities in traffic type identification and correlated analysis make it essential for environments where detecting irregular patterns is critical. It's utilized for network security through comprehensive analysis and integration with SIEM systems.

Exabeam

Sample Customers

Edge Web Hosting, Telenor Norway, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, Webster Financial Corporation, Westinghouse Electric, VMware, TIAA-CREF

Sera-Brynn

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Secure Network Analytics vs. NetMon

April 2026

Free Report: Cisco Secure Network Analytics vs. NetMon

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