PRTG Network Monitor and Cisco Secure Network Analytics compete in the network monitoring and management category. Based on feature comparisons, Cisco Secure Network Analytics has the upper hand in threat detection and network visibility.
Features: PRTG Network Monitor offers rapid deployment, high scalability, and cost-effectiveness. It provides out-of-the-box monitors for comprehensive infrastructure compatibility with an alerting system that is easy to set up and use. In contrast, Cisco Secure Network Analytics excels in providing in-depth traffic analysis with advanced threat protection capabilities and highly valued analytics, making it a top choice for security-focused environments.
Room for Improvement: PRTG Network Monitor users suggest enhancements in template management, dashboard designs, and application monitoring capabilities. Its interface can be cumbersome, lacks modern graphic features, and offers limited cloud monitoring options. On the other hand, Cisco Secure Network Analytics could improve its integration with other systems, simplify deployment, and enhance reporting features. Its complex and costly licensing model is often perceived as a drawback for users.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: PRTG Network Monitor is versatile, supporting hybrid, public cloud, and on-premises setups but faces challenges with time zone differences in support. The deployment is straightforward, with abundant online resources, but direct support is primary email-based. Cisco Secure Network Analytics primarily operates in on-premises environments. Although its deployment complexities are greater, it benefits from responsive and knowledgeable support personnel. Users commend both products for support, but PRTG Network Monitor users desire a more interactive support channel.
Pricing and ROI: PRTG Network Monitor presents a cost-effective solution, particularly for straightforward and smaller-scale environments. It has flexible licensing with a free package for limited use and an all-in-one licensing scheme. In contrast, Cisco Secure Network Analytics uses a segmented, costly licensing approach, priced on flow data, necessitating larger investments. While PRTG is perceived as providing quick ROI due to its simplicity and low initial cost, Cisco Secure Network Analytics is appreciated for its security benefits despite its higher price point.
There is a lack of adequate local support from the Indian side.
For technical support of Cisco, the support they provide depends on how the client procures it, and so far, it's understandable.
Tutorials are available so I can manage any issue with PRTG Network Monitor easily.
The setup process is well-documented, making it easy to deploy.
PRTG Network Monitor has the ability to scale and add new devices.
On a scale of one to ten, scalability is rated as 9.5.
For less than one hundred devices, it is stable.
Cisco products are incredibly stable, boasting a 200% stability.
Once resolved, the system works well, and overall I think it's good.
The solution should have the ability to analyze security events not only at the network layer but also at the application and OS layers.
Proper management of the database is also important; it should be centralized for easier data collection from a single database.
PRTG Network Monitor can sometimes be too detailed and cluttered at the beginning, making it heavy to use.
PRTG Network Monitor should provide syslog monitoring since it is not available at this time.
They need to improve application performance monitoring, error tracing mechanisms, and log management.
Cisco solutions are considered to be very expensive.
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.
It's not too high, nor too low, but it's reasonable.
The prices are very high for PRTG Network Monitor.
Pricing is by the number of devices, not by sensor.
The most valuable features include encrypted traffic analytics and the ability to fulfill requirements at the network level.
Every solution is gradually integrated with AI, and Cisco has already implemented AI building features in their solution.
PRTG Network Monitor already provided me with 100 free sensors, which is enough for my network monitoring.
It is advantageous because it can be deployed on-premises.
PRTG Network Monitor is easy to set up. Within a few minutes, it is operational.
Cisco Secure Network Analytics is a highly effective network traffic analysis (NTA) solution that enables users to find threats in their network traffic even if those threats are encrypted. It turns an organization’s network telemetry into a tool that creates a complete field of vision for the organization’s administrators. Users can find threats that may have infiltrated their systems and stop them before they can do irreparable harm.
Cisco Secure Network Analytics Benefits
A few ways that organizations can benefit by choosing to deploy Cisco Secure Network Analytics include:
Cisco Secure Network Analytics Features
Some of the many features that Cisco Secure Network Analytics offers include:
Reviews from Real Users
Cisco Secure Network Analytics is a solution that stands out even when compared to many other comparable products. Two major advantages that it offers are the way that it enables users to define the threshold at which the solution will issue a warning to administrators and the predefined alerts that it offers straight out of the box.
Gerald J., the information technology operations supervisor at Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc., writes, “StealthWatch lets me see the ports running in and out and the country. It has excellent reporting, telemetry, and artificial intelligence features. With the telemetry, I can set thresholds to detect sudden changes and the alarms go through the PLC parts. I can see all the ports running on that trunk.”
A senior security engineer at a tech services company, says, “Cisco Stealthwatch has predefined alerts for different types of security issues that might happen in the network. Whether it's PCs or servers that are used for botnets or Bitcoin mining we receive the alerts automatically. This functionality is what we receive from the solution out of the box.”
PRTG Network Monitor runs on a Windows machine within your network, collecting various statistics from the machines, software, and devices which you designate. PRTG comes with an easy-to-use web interface with point-and-click configuration. You can easily share data from it with non-technical colleagues and customers, including via live graphs and custom reports. This will let you plan for network expansion, see what applications are using most of your connection, and make sure that no one is hogging the entire network just to torrent videos.
To monitor a large IT environment, it's important to be able to scale PRTG up. Paessler PRTG Enterprise Monitor includes all the proven capabilities of PRTG Network Monitor, which are enhanced by exclusive ITOps Board for a service-oriented, central overview of multiple PRTG servers.
We monitor all Network Monitoring Software reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.