IBM Netcool Network Management vs. SolarWinds Kiwi CatTools

This tool was integrated with Control-M, so whenever we receive any job failure, long-running job, job not started yet, etc, we receive an alert against it. This tool is also integrated with Maximo where we receive the incidents as well for it. Alert's color was as per the criticality of the job and that makes it very easy for an associate to act on it to resolve. We have the SLAs for the jobs as per the urgency of the jobs.

Incentivized

Setting up device backup schedules for individual locations is quick and easy. The application is very straightforward and basic. The application covers 90% of our needs. Some devices that require configuration and file backups utilizing ftp or other methods are configured using a different set of tools. Backups can be stored in configured destination folders for easy review.

Incentivized

• This is one of the best monitoring tools.
• Very simple to user.
• Color code makes it very simple as per severity.
• We receive the heartbeat alert every hour that shows the system is running up and fine.
• We have black, red, yellow, and orange color alerts that show the critical, urgent, major, and minor incidents.

Incentivized

• Network device backups.
• Identify configuration changes from prior backup.
• Automated email notifications.

Incentivized

• Sometimes color differences of the incidents as per the criticality .
• We don't receive the heartbeat alerts sometimes.
• If the tool is down and we don't receive the alerts on the console we wait for the heartbeat alert and it makes some extra delay in resolving things.

Incentivized

• Limited scripting capability.
• Limited reporting/management summarization.

Incentivized

CatTools is simple to set up and administer. Anyone who can install a Windows application can quickly set up an automated backup of one or more devices. It does what it was designed to do.

Incentivized

The software is easy enough to set up and configure that even after using the product for years, we never had to contact support. We used some open source products before utilizing CatTools and could have used a speed dial to try and figure out the intricacies of the products.

Incentivized

This is one of the essential tools for monitoring. This tool was integrated with Maximo and Control-M in my organization. So whenever any job failed in Control-M, we receive an alert against it in the IBM Netcool/OMNIbus. We receive the alerts in different colors as per the criticality. Black for critical ones(Sev1), red for urgent (Sev2), yellow for major(Sev3), and orange for minor(Sev4). So it makes an easy to operate and act on the alerts as per the severity. This tool is very user-friendly and easy to use. No additional training is required for the tool to operate, just a simple KT is enough.

Incentivized

• Color feature of the alerts as per the criticality is the amazing feature.
• Heartbeat alert is also an unique feature.
• No additional training is required to use this tool. just a simple KT is enough.

Incentivized

• Allows InfoSec to review all changes without granting access to actual devices.
• Allows review of "what changed?" if required for particular sites.
• Alerts confirm what devices have been modified every day.

Incentivized