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Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs. Splunk AppDynamics

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

    Score7.8 out of 10
    N/AMicrosoft Defender for Cloud Apps (formerly Microsoft Cloud App Security) is a multimode cloud access security broker.N/A

    Splunk AppDynamics

    Score8.5 out of 10
    N/AAppDynamics is an APM and Mobile APM program, with application mapping and predictive capabilities. These capacities enable automated remediation and code-level diagnostics in real time. It can be deployed on-premise or as a SaaS.N/A
    Pricing
    Microsoft Defender for Cloud AppsSplunk AppDynamics
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Microsoft Defender for Cloud AppsSplunk AppDynamics
    Free Trial
    NoYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoYes
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoYes
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details——
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Microsoft Defender for Cloud AppsSplunk AppDynamics
    Considered Both Products
    Microsoft
    No answer on this topic
    Cisco
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    92%
    Would buy again
    11 Answers
    99%
    Would buy again
    70 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    12 Answers
    94%
    Delivers good value for the price
    64 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    100%
    Happy with the feature set
    12 Answers
    99%
    Happy with the feature set
    70 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    91%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    10 Answers
    96%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    55 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    91%
    Implementation went as expected
    10 Answers
    95%
    Implementation went as expected
    61 Answers
    Features
    Microsoft Defender for Cloud AppsSplunk AppDynamics
    Application Performance Management
    Comparison of Application Performance Management features of Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps and Splunk AppDynamics
    Feature
    Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
    -
    Ratings
    Splunk AppDynamics
    9.1
    83 Ratings
    15% above category average
    Application monitoring00 Ratings9.383 Ratings
    Database monitoring00 Ratings8.979 Ratings
    Threshold alerts00 Ratings9.281 Ratings
    Predictive capabilities00 Ratings8.981 Ratings
    Application performance management console00 Ratings9.480 Ratings
    Collaboration tools00 Ratings9.269 Ratings
    Server availability and performance monitoring00 Ratings9.353 Ratings
    Server usage monitoring and capacity forecasting00 Ratings8.852 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Microsoft Defender for Cloud AppsSplunk AppDynamics
    Small Businesses
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Medium-sized Companies
    No answers on this topic
    SolarWinds AppOptics
    Score7.6 out of 10
    Enterprises
    No answers on this topic
    SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor
    Score7.7 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Microsoft Defender for Cloud AppsSplunk AppDynamics
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.1
    (12 ratings)
    8.9
    (83 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.3
    (5 ratings)
    Usability
    8.8
    (2 ratings)
    8.9
    (22 ratings)
    Availability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.2
    (1 ratings)
    Performance
    -
    (0 ratings)
    5.5
    (1 ratings)
    Support Rating
    5.0
    (1 ratings)
    6.4
    (7 ratings)
    Online Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    6.4
    (1 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.2
    (1 ratings)
    Configurability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.3
    (1 ratings)
    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    -
    (0 ratings)
    6.4
    (1 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    -
    (0 ratings)
    6.4
    (1 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    6.4
    (1 ratings)
    Professional Services
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.2
    (1 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.2
    (1 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.2
    (1 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Microsoft Defender for Cloud AppsSplunk AppDynamics
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Microsoft
    Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is well suited when working with other Microsoft Applications. For example, if you are working with Microsoft Office 365 it works very well when implementing CASB features. It works when implementing monitoring or blocks on Sanctioned applications however customizing the message to users is not that great.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    Platforms for software as a service (SaaS) frequently cater to a large number of users with a variety of needs and usage patterns. Because AppDynamics offers multi-tenant monitoring capabilities to track performance across various customer environments, it is a good choice for SaaS platform monitoring. SaaS providers can maximize resource utilization, proactively detect and resolve performance issues, and provide a dependable and consistent user experience for their clients with AppDynamics.
    Read full review
    Pros
    Microsoft
    • The integration to Microsoft Entra ID is seamless, which allows Conditional Access to redirect the session to Microsoft Defender for Cloud App for it to take actions (Block or Monitor).
    • Tracker users' activity is very good when troubleshooting or running an investigate.
    • Detecting risky users through tight integration with Microsoft Entra ID is a very good feature.
    • Detecting mass downloads and blocking the download of files from non-manage company devices is a very good feature as well.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    • Business Transaction Monitoring is one of its signature strengths. This represents a major differentiator from generic infrastructure monitoring tools.
    • AI‑driven anomaly detection and intelligent alerting provide a significant advantage over traditional monitoring.
    • When combined with Splunk AppDynamics, full‑stack observability becomes a key part of Cisco/Splunk’s unified observability strategy.
    Incentivized
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    Cons
    Microsoft
    • It takes some time to scan and apply the policies when there is some sensitive information.
    • After it applies the policies, it works, but there is a delay.
    • It doesn't provide any way to scan Microsoft Teams when an external exchange of images is happening. You can always do the filtering on the documents during the chat, but if there is an image, then some kind of OCR capability is required to detect it. At present, there is no way [Microsoft Cloud App Security] can go and detect those kinds of images and alert us
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    • AppDynamics may enhance its capacity to track transactions through complex distributed systems and microservices, offering a more comprehensive understanding of application behavior.
    • Better search and filtering capabilities would enable engineers to quickly obtain deeper context by drilling down into individual data points.
    • AppDynamics might be more widely available to engineers and organizations if it offered subscription plans or tiered pricing options.
    Incentivized
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    Likelihood to Renew
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Cisco
    cause it achieves all our targets and we are satisfied with using Splunk also stable no technical challenges or problem caused by Splunk a lot for innovative integrations also all layers are using splunk NOC team , DEV team, application support team, managers security team also in forcasting for EA team
    Incentivized
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    Usability
    Microsoft
    The interface is pretty simple and easy to use; however, you will need to do a lot of investigative research on your own to get comfortable with it. Originally, many of the Microsoft security tools had their own seperate consoles. Overtime, they have blended into one interface which is the ideal state. In some cases it is clear Microsoft had to pick which console a certain feature or setting was going to reside in and this leads to some confusion. For example, DLP is managed through Defender for Cloud Apps but you will also need to jump into Purview. For things like reverse proxy on your M365 tenant, you will need to go into Azure and setup conditional access rules. Not a big problem and I can understand why the settings are located where they are but for someone just starting out with Defender for Cloud Apps, it will take some time to figure out.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    Splunk AppDynamics is great product that has positively maintained solid application workflows. It has simple and clean UI that displays graphical representation of our database and application behaviour. It gives us an opportunity to customize and set most reliable alerts and data configurations that aligns with our policies. It is easy to monitor operation hypothesis and lower RCA if you identify application coding errors.
    Incentivized
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    Reliability and Availability
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Cisco
    On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate the availability of Splunk AppDynamics as a 9. Overall, the platform has proven to be highly reliable and is available when we need it. It consistently supports our monitoring and performance management needs across critical applications and infrastructure. There have been occasional issues with platform availability, such as intermittent application errors or brief unplanned outages. However, these instances have been infrequent and typically resolved quickly, minimizing any significant impact on operations. The stability and uptime of the platform have met our expectations, and we continue to rely on it as a core component of our APM strategy.
    Incentivized
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    Performance
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Cisco
    On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate the performance of Splunk AppDynamics as a 6. While the platform generally delivers the expected functionality, we’ve experienced periodic slowness—particularly with page loads and report generation. These performance issues can be frustrating, especially when trying to quickly access critical data during incident response or analysis. One contributing factor may be our use of a shared controller environment with other enterprises, which can introduce resource contention and impact overall responsiveness. In some cases, this has led to delays in accessing dashboards or completing complex queries. Despite these challenges, the platform remains a valuable tool, and we’re exploring options to improve performance, including potential changes to our deployment model and support agreements.
    Incentivized
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    Support Rating
    Microsoft
    I have not utilized actual support but the Sales and Product teams have been super helpful in moving our implementation forward and showing us the best practices.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    AppDynamics has its own community site that includes forums and a knowledge base. On the forums, you can converse with other members of the community and ask technical questions as you have them. Though this forum isn’t filled with people there are active members for you to gain some valuable insights.
    Incentivized
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    Online Training
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Cisco
    On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate the online training for Splunk AppDynamics as a 7. The training was generally acceptable and covered the core concepts and functionality of the platform. However, there were some challenges with communication during sessions—particularly around clarity and instructor engagement—which occasionally made it difficult to fully grasp certain topics. Additionally, the training could benefit from being more focused and tailored to specific roles or use cases. A more structured approach with clearer learning paths and practical, hands-on examples would enhance the overall effectiveness and help users apply the knowledge more confidently in real-world scenarios.
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    Implementation Rating
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Cisco
    On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate our satisfaction with the implementation of Splunk AppDynamics as a 9. The deployment process was smooth and well-coordinated, thanks to the collaborative efforts between Cisco Professional Services, our internal business stakeholders, and agency technical teams. Key Insights from the Implementation: Cross-functional Collaboration Was Critical: Engaging both technical and business teams early in the process ensured that the platform was configured to meet a wide range of operational and strategic needs. Value of Expert Guidance: Cisco’s Professional Services provided invaluable expertise, helping us navigate complex configurations and tailor the solution to our environment. Their involvement accelerated deployment and ensured best practices were followed. Importance of Planning and Communication: A well-defined implementation roadmap and regular communication across teams helped us stay aligned, manage expectations, and address challenges proactively. Scalable Architecture: We designed the implementation with scalability in mind, allowing us to expand usage across agencies and applications without major rework. Overall, the implementation laid a strong foundation for our APM program and positioned us for long-term success.
    Incentivized
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    Alternatives Considered
    Microsoft
    More flexible and more features with easy integration with cloud services like Microsoft Azure and other cloud services. Overall both gives similar features but we prefer Microsoft cloud app security due to its high threat detection rate. mostly we have been able to stop the threat in very very less time.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    It is distinguished from these programs because the platform provides visualizations of application processes, showing the interplay between various parts and services. Understanding the architecture of complicated apps and finding their weak spots is greatly aided by this.
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    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Cisco
    While the overall value of the Splunk AppDynamics platforms is strong, the pricing structure and contract terms can be complex and difficult to navigate. Unit pricing, licensing tiers, and billing frequency are not always intuitive, which can make it challenging to align purchases with the State’s evolving needs. I rely heavily on our Account Manager to help interpret and tailor the licensing model to our specific requirements. Their support has been invaluable in ensuring we make informed decisions. The most impactful change would be to simplify the licensing and pricing model. Clearer documentation, more transparent pricing tiers, and streamlined purchasing processes would significantly improve the experience and reduce administrative overhead.
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    Scalability
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Cisco
    On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate the overall scalability of Splunk AppDynamics as a 7. The platform is designed to support enterprise-wide deployments across multiple departments and sites, and it performs well in large-scale environments. Its architecture allows for horizontal scaling and supports a wide range of application types and infrastructures. However, the agent management and deployment process can be complex and time-consuming, especially when onboarding a large number of applications or systems. Coordinating agent installation, configuration, and updates across diverse environments requires careful planning and often significant manual effort. Streamlining these processes—perhaps through more centralized management tools or automation—would enhance scalability and reduce operational overhead. Despite these challenges, once deployed, AppDynamics scales effectively and provides consistent performance and visibility across the enterprise.
    Incentivized
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    Professional Services
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Cisco
    Our experience with the professional services team supporting Splunk AppDynamics has been exceptional. They demonstrated deep technical expertise, strong collaboration skills, and a clear understanding of our business objectives. Their guidance was instrumental in the successful implementation of our APM program and platform integration. The rating of 9 reflects our high level of satisfaction, with a small margin left to acknowledge that continuous improvement is always possible. Overall, their support has been a key factor in the success of our deployment.
    Incentivized
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    Return on Investment
    Microsoft
    • Cloud App Security saves us thousands of dollars finding and rectifying apps security issues
    • Identity Security Posture helps the organization identity stay in shape, saving thousands of dollars on security consultations
    • The cost of suffering a breach cannot be quantified, CAS helps minimize the chances of the attackers succeeding, with excellent historical logging for most operations
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    • Through the identification of performance bottlenecks and efficient resource allocation, AppDynamics has contributed to cost savings and resource optimization. This has a direct positive impact on our overall return on investment.
    • While AppDynamics' numerous capabilities help maximize efficiency, they may place a strain on your system. Organizations with limited infrastructure capacity may have difficulties and therefore give this serious thought before implementing it.
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