Steelhead and Cradlepoint NetCloud are two prominent products in network optimization and management. Cradlepoint NetCloud is often regarded as superior due to its robust features.
Features: Steelhead is highly valued for its WAN optimization, improving application performance, and data transfer efficiency. Cradlepoint NetCloud stands out with comprehensive cloud management capabilities and LTE connectivity. Users find that Cradlepoint's features are more versatile, catering to a broader range of networking needs.
Room for Improvement: Steelhead users seek enhancements in user interface intuitiveness and integration with newer technologies. Cradlepoint NetCloud users desire better performance consistency and more detailed documentation. Steelhead may need to modernize its interface, while Cradlepoint can improve reliability and support materials.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Steelhead deployment is generally straightforward, with users highlighting effective customer service. Cradlepoint NetCloud also has an easy deployment process but is often praised for superior customer support and in-depth training sessions. Both products are user-friendly, but Cradlepoint is better in support services offered.
Pricing and ROI: Steelhead's setup costs are seen as reasonable, with a strong return on investment attributed to its optimization capabilities. Cradlepoint NetCloud tends to have higher setup costs but justifies this with significant ROI due to its comprehensive feature set and cloud management benefits. Users find Cradlepoint's higher price worth the investment for its advanced functionalities.
Without Steelhead, we would have spent much more on bandwidth costs.
I have worked very closely with Cradlepoint for several years and would rate their customer service as being among the best.
Steelhead's support is generally good for typical issues yet can be time-consuming during complex problem-solving across teams, particularly for Active Directory integration.
I have no issues with technical support from Riverbed.
Riverbed's customer service and technical support would be rated an eight.
Cradlepoint products support scalability very well in medium to large enterprise environments.
If a customer has 1 GB traffic, they will only be able to utilize 600 MB of traffic with Steelhead.
It allows us to maximize use from our MPLS providers by handling traffic efficiently across phased deployments.
It's quite stable and provides all necessary alerts if something is wrong.
For instance, even if there is a power failure, Riverbed still works.
Steelhead helps significantly with large data transfers.
The company realizes that there's a need for affordable connectivity products, especially for lower-end medium enterprises or larger small enterprises.
Steelhead is very expensive, and the vendor should work on handling Oracle type of traffic better.
It would help if Riverbed could prevent such drastic impacts during updates.
It could still be useful in places with satellite communications, such as the south of Chile, or in the mining industry.
Cradlepoint's pricing is viewed as market competitive, offering good value for the money invested.
Buying the hardware initially is costly, but yearly maintenance and licenses are not as expensive.
Steelhead is considered an expensive solution in our country.
Cradlepoint supports the option for wireless to be a primary means of connectivity, rather than just a backup.
Functions like acting as an NTP server, DNS, DHCP, and auto-optimization mode enhance efficiency.
My actual traffic is around 2 GB, but I purchased a link from the ISP for only around 700 to 800 MB. All the prices that need to be paid monthly to the ISP are saved, which is a significant saving for my company after using Riverbed.
Steelhead's most valuable feature is its ability to hash and send only the important parts of the information, avoiding the resending of data.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Cradlepoint NetCloud | 3.1% |
| Steelhead | 2.2% |
| Other | 94.7% |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 5 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 7 |
| Large Enterprise | 14 |
Cradlepoint NetCloud is a leading wireless connectivity solution offering multi-communication switching, cellular options, and improved VPN usage.
Leveraging advancements in 5G networks, Cradlepoint NetCloud enhances connectivity with automatic failover and real-time monitoring tools. It prioritizes flexible and reliable wireless WAN and cellular connectivity, supporting organizations in unconventional locations such as cargo ships. However, improvements are needed in Trend Micro interface for web filtering and budget-friendly options for medium enterprises. Enhancing group-based cloud performance without scripting is also a focal point for further development.
What are the key features of Cradlepoint NetCloud?Cradlepoint NetCloud is implemented widely across industries needing dependable connectivity in challenging locations. Organizations utilize its capabilities on cargo ships, seamlessly switching between network options using Ericsson’s wireless WAN solutions. It collaborates with Fortinet, Meraki, Palo Alto, and Juniper for effective backup failover and recovery, supporting diverse cloud environments while managing Cradlepoint wireless routers for enhanced operational efficacy.
Steelhead is designed to optimize WAN performance by reducing data load and enhancing network efficiency. It utilizes advanced data compression and caching techniques to improve speeds and manage bandwidth, crucial for cost reduction.
Steelhead offers enhancements in data throughput and network optimization with its ability to improve TCP and WAN efficiency. Organizations benefit from scalable data referencing and adaptive transfer schemes that simulate LAN-like speeds over WAN. Its monitoring features provide insights into network dynamics, although potential improvements are noted in areas like QoS configuration and handling encrypted traffic. Users also recognize challenges in upgrading, GUI design, and monitoring tools.
What are Steelhead's key features?Steelhead is widely used in industries like banking and distribution for optimizing traffic between data centers and ensuring efficient branch connectivity. It addresses latency problems, boosts application performance, and helps reduce data traffic. In environments with limited bandwidth, its features ensure critical data is prioritized, creating significant cost savings.
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