IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager vs Zabbix comparison

IBM and Zabbix are both solutions in the Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability category. IBM is ranked #59, while Zabbix is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.7. IBM holds a 0.6% mindshare in APM, compared to Zabbix’s 2.3% mindshare. Additionally, 50% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Zabbix users who would recommend it.

IBM Tivoli Composite Applic...

Read 2 IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager reviews

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871 Comparison Views

50% willing to recommend

Zabbix

Read 108 Zabbix reviews

24,126 Views
5,066 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

IBM Tivoli Composite Applic...

Zabbix

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 24, 2024

IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager (ITCAM) and Zabbix compete in the monitoring solutions category. ITCAM seems to have the upper hand in vendor support and complex environment integrations, while Zabbix excels in flexibility and feature set customization.

What features are offered by IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager in comparison to Zabbix?

ITCAM is recognized for comprehensive tracking, in-depth analysis, and valuable insights into composite applications. Zabbix offers a wide array of monitoring capabilities, advanced customization options, and extensive feature sets tailored to specific needs.

What areas of improvement can be found in IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager in comparison to Zabbix?

ITCAM has a steep learning curve, issues with non-IBM product integration, and a need for a more intuitive configuration process. Zabbix could improve its dashboard design, reporting functionality, and user interaction experience.

How is the ease of deployment and customer service of IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager in comparison to Zabbix?

ITCAM is complex to deploy but benefits from strong vendor support. Zabbix is easier to deploy but may require external expertise for optimal configuration. ITCAM users generally find structured support from IBM, while Zabbix users rely on community support and sometimes miss dedicated vendor assistance.

What setup costs and ROI can be seen with IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager in comparison to Zabbix?

ITCAM has higher initial setup costs justified by its advanced features and support, leading to a solid ROI. Zabbix offers lower upfront costs as an open-source tool, providing higher ROI for organizations capable of managing and customizing it on their own.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager vs. Zabbix Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager vs. Zabbix

February 2026

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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

IBM Tivoli Composite Applic...

Ranking in Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability

59th

Average Rating

6.6

Reviews Sentiment

4.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Zabbix

Ranking in Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability

9th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

108

Ranking in other categories

Network Monitoring Software (1st), Server Monitoring (1st), IT Infrastructure Monitoring (1st), Cloud Monitoring Software (1st)

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability category, the mindshare of IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager is 0.6%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zabbix is 2.3%, down from 3.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Zabbix	2.3%
IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager	0.6%
Other	97.1%

Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability

Featured Reviews

Christian Campos

Sales manager at Prodeo Innovation

Integrates well with IBM technologies, but it's outdated and lacks essential features

Implementing synthetic monitoring for our Internet banking site has been challenging. The installation process is difficult, requiring continuous support and specialist expertise due to our limited knowledge of managing it effectively. I have concerns about the complexity of the tool and the challenges in managing it effectively. The support provided is not satisfactory, and the specialists available lack sufficient training and expertise in using the tool.

Read full review

KamranBhatti

Network Engineer at a computer software company with 11-50 employees

Helps reduce response time but has room to improve customization complexity

We are not working on simple standalone solutions like Kaspersky DDoS Protection or Hybrid Cloud Security. Once you understand Zabbix, then it is easy to customize those web pages and graphs for our customer use. It is fully automated to your requirements. Zabbix is working fine with no issues, and I am satisfied with it. We have combined Zabbix and SolarWinds. The integration works fine, and it is easy to integrate Zabbix with the IT environment. We were trying to purchase MDR (Managed Detection and Response), but we are not working on that. I don't have real experience with MDR. We are using Falcon software for that. We are working with Falcon Complete, not with Sandbox. We are not using Kaspersky for business or cloud protection. For that, we are using Zabbix CrowdStrike Falcon Complete solution. I have given this review an overall rating of 8.

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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 solution is very stable. We never had any issues with stability."

"IBM's main value lies in its integration with its own technologies, which can be seen as a benefit in environments where IBM products are extensively used."

"Zabbix is a cost-effective solution. We're a small organization with a few dozen devices to monitor, and it was available for free. We can see what we need. We haven't done an in-depth analysis on it, but we're currently okay with the product."

"The initial setup was not complex."

"The most valuable features in Zabbix are those that help us overcome bottlenecks in CPU usage, as well as reduce memory delay. I know that we have only reached the tip of the iceberg of what Zabbix's features can do for us, and we have not used all of them yet."

"Our customers also like that they don't have to use multiple modules. Micro Focus and major vendors typically require you to buy several modules and plugins. Our customers do not like that. We offer them a single product for all their monitoring needs."

"I like being able to use proxy servers for different locations. The agents are pretty cool. They're easy to roll out. The standard out-of-the-box templates are also pretty easy to use. The integration with other learning products is also good. I have, in the past, used Slack, but we've integrated it with Microsoft Teams. We also use it for SMS with a service called Redcoat. It is very flexible. It does what I need it to do, and my manager is very happy because it doesn't cost anything. We are nearing 4,000 hosts inside Zabbix, and we've got another 6,000 access points to add to it. We've thrown everything at it, and it has managed to keep going. I am very impressed with the tool, and I'd shake their hand very hard if I got to say the compliments to the Zabbix team. They keep improving it and doing refreshes, which is one good thing about it. There is also online information as well as books that you can purchase if you're willing to read enough. There is a lot to pick up, but it is a pretty complete solution."

"The most valuable feature is network traffic monitoring."

"The level of discovery-based configuration that lets us auto-configure the monitoring for various systems is a valuable feature."

"The calculations part is the most valuable."

More Zabbix pros

Cons

"The installation process is difficult, requiring continuous support and specialist expertise due to our limited knowledge of managing it effectively."

"The user interface was not good."

"The GUI could be more intuitive. Also, we'd like streaming telemetry. Zabbix might have this feature, but I haven't seen it yet. It took us a long time to get started because the documentation isn't very descriptive. We had to go through various sources like YouTube and forums to get this solution working."

"The user interface could be better."

"Zabbix isn't very good at automation just yet."

"I'm using the free version of Zabbix, and I'd like to see more customization options, especially for setting trigger thresholds."

"Documentation terminology could be improved."

"We had some scalability issues with a large number of nodes."

"The server monitoring could be better."

"The user web interface is a little bit too basic, we need to link Zabbix to Grafana to have more options, such as graphs and charts. The interface needs to be improved. Additionally, there could be better integration with Grafana API."

More Zabbix cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I would rate the pricing a nine to ten. It is very expensive."

"The tool's licensing is good."

"We purchased Zabbix for a good price, including support"

"There are no licenses."

"If you have 20,000 hosts, the support costs around €95,000 for a year."

"It is a true open-source solution, so there are no licensing costs."

"Zabbix is a free solution but the support contact costs money."

"For pricing, it's free. We don't pay anything for it. They open-source the code, and people pay for support."

"My manager is very happy because it doesn't cost anything."

More Zabbix pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability solutions are best for your needs.

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Comparison Review

it_user174738

IT Developer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

May 31, 2015

Nagios vs. Zabbix vs. PRTG vs. Spiceworks vs. Solarwinds Network Performance Monitor

I have researched a quite a few network monitoring tools which can be used for various monitoring purposes of not only the servers, but the intermediate routers as well. There are majorly three types of these softwares. Ones which are completely open-source, you can do almost anything you want…

Read full review

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

26%

Government

10%

Healthcare Company

Non Profit

Computer Software Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	56
Midsize Enterprise	23
Large Enterprise	34

Questions from the Community

Ask a question

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What do you like most about Zabbix?

The template system in Zabbix is very beneficial as it saves time in configuration.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zabbix?

I think Zabbix is economical, whereas SolarWinds is expensive. SolarWinds has a lot of secure features, but Zabbix is providing everything free of cost. Zabbix is economical, and you can install it...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Zabbix?

The potential and customization is a little difficult because you have to learn scripts. I think Zabbix needs to improve the customization better. At present, I am satisfied with the functionality ...

See all answers

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability

February 2026

IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager report

Download IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager product report

Buyer's Guide

Zabbix

January 2026

Download Zabbix product report

Also Known As

Tivoli Composite Application Manager

No data available

Overview

IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager for Application Diagnostics on z/OS manages real-time problem detection, analysis, and repair to help maintain the availability, performance and general health of on-demand composite applications. it can gain in-depth diagnostic information for specific application requests to identify the root cause of problems. This software provides a consistent way to manage composite applications throughout Java EE application environments. Set alerts to help detect and fix potentially troublesome situations before they affect users. It can resolve performance issues faster and reduce downtime costs.

IBM

Zabbix is an open-source monitoring software that provides real-time monitoring and alerting for servers, networks, applications, and services.

It offers a wide range of features including data collection, visualization, and reporting.

With its user-friendly interface and customizable dashboards, Zabbix helps organizations ensure the availability and performance of their IT infrastructure.

Zabbix

Sample Customers

Michelin Tire Corp

1. IBM 2. Dell 3. Cisco 4. HP 5. Oracle 6. Microsoft 7. Amazon 8. Google 9. Facebook 10. Twitter 11. LinkedIn 12. Netflix 13. Adobe 14. VMware 15. Salesforce 16. SAP 17. Intel 18. AT&T 19. Verizon 20. T-Mobile 21. Vodafone 22. Ericsson 23. Nokia 24. Siemens 25. General Electric 26. Honeywell 27. Philips 28. Sony 29. Samsung 30. LG 31. Panasonic 32. Toshiba

Buyer's Guide

IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager vs. Zabbix

February 2026

Free Report: IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager vs. Zabbix

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