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SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM) vs. Webex Meetings

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)

    Score8.3 out of 10
    N/ASolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is network diagnostics and troubleshooting technology, from Austin-based SolarWinds.N/A

    Webex Meetings

    Score8.7 out of 10
    N/AWebex Meetings is a video conferencing solution powering hybrid work. It enables a seamless collaboration experience and better results with meetings that are designed to give everyone the ability to engage no matter their location, language, or communication style.

    $14.50

    per month per user

    Pricing
    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)Webex Meetings
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    Webex Meet
    $14.50
    per month per user
    Webex Suite: Meet + Call
    $25
    per month per user
    Enterprise
    Contact Sales
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)Webex Meetings
    Free Trial
    YesYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoYes
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoYes
    Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalOptional
    Additional Details—Discount available for annual pricing.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)Webex Meetings
    Considered Both Products
    SolarWinds
    No answer on this topic
    Cisco
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    92%
    Would buy again
    34 Answers
    92%
    Would buy again
    609 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    89%
    Delivers good value for the price
    31 Answers
    96%
    Delivers good value for the price
    517 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    95%
    Happy with the feature set
    35 Answers
    94%
    Happy with the feature set
    622 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    94%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    31 Answers
    96%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    380 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    94%
    Implementation went as expected
    32 Answers
    97%
    Implementation went as expected
    452 Answers
    Features
    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)Webex Meetings
    Performance & Compatibility of Online Events Software
    Comparison of Performance & Compatibility of Online Events Software features of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM) and Webex Meetings
    Feature
    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)
    -
    Ratings
    Webex Meetings
    8.7
    845 Ratings
    9% above category average
    High quality audio00 Ratings9.0840 Ratings
    High quality video00 Ratings9.0832 Ratings
    Low bandwidth requirements00 Ratings8.0800 Ratings
    Mobile support00 Ratings8.6762 Ratings
    Screen Sharing
    Comparison of Screen Sharing features of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM) and Webex Meetings
    Feature
    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)
    -
    Ratings
    Webex Meetings
    8.5
    830 Ratings
    7% above category average
    Desktop sharing00 Ratings8.8829 Ratings
    Whiteboards00 Ratings8.1721 Ratings
    Online Meetings / Events
    Comparison of Online Meetings / Events features of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM) and Webex Meetings
    Feature
    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)
    -
    Ratings
    Webex Meetings
    8.6
    838 Ratings
    5% above category average
    Calendar integration00 Ratings8.7795 Ratings
    Meeting initiation00 Ratings8.5825 Ratings
    Integrates with social media00 Ratings8.4351 Ratings
    Record meetings / events00 Ratings8.9783 Ratings
    Slideshows00 Ratings8.7708 Ratings
    Online Events Collaboration
    Comparison of Online Events Collaboration features of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM) and Webex Meetings
    Feature
    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)
    -
    Ratings
    Webex Meetings
    8.8
    793 Ratings
    8% above category average
    Live chat00 Ratings8.8772 Ratings
    Audience polling00 Ratings9.0682 Ratings
    Q&A00 Ratings8.6691 Ratings
    Online Events Security
    Comparison of Online Events Security features of SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM) and Webex Meetings
    Feature
    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)
    -
    Ratings
    Webex Meetings
    8.8
    787 Ratings
    8% above category average
    User authentication00 Ratings8.8740 Ratings
    Participant roles & permissions00 Ratings8.8767 Ratings
    Confidential attendee list00 Ratings9.0475 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)Webex Meetings
    Small Businesses
    No answers on this topic
    ClickMeeting
    Score9.5 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    No answers on this topic
    JioMeet
    Score9.8 out of 10
    Enterprises
    No answers on this topic
    Google Meet
    Score8.4 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)Webex Meetings
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.0
    (142 ratings)
    8.8
    (864 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    8.1
    (6 ratings)
    8.5
    (58 ratings)
    Usability
    7.0
    (9 ratings)
    8.0
    (117 ratings)
    Availability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (441 ratings)
    Performance
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.5
    (416 ratings)
    Support Rating
    7.7
    (9 ratings)
    7.9
    (116 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.8
    (6 ratings)
    Online Training
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    8.5
    (6 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    9.1
    (2 ratings)
    9.7
    (22 ratings)
    Configurability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.2
    (15 ratings)
    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.3
    (10 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (10 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.3
    (412 ratings)
    Professional Services
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.9
    (9 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.6
    (12 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.9
    (13 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)Webex Meetings
    Likelihood to Recommend
    SolarWinds
    Network Configuration Manager is well suited for backing up configurations of all your devices. It also has a great comparison tool for seeing only the differences in config. Another great feature is it's ability to push a script to any number of devices. This is very handy for pushing changes to one, 10 or multiple devices. There are also some great reports that you can run against the devices in inventory
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    The first reason is the ease of use and availability, which makes WebEx work for all. The quality of audio and video is adorable. As a business development associate, I must make an impression on the other side, and WebEx helps me make first impressions. A few features are complex for new users but can be resolved.
    Incentivized
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    Pros
    SolarWinds
    • Integrates with Network Performance Management for Alerting and Reporting.
    • NetPath and detects issues due to Configuration Change.
    • Keeps a record of which user made the change.
    • Which devices are not being backed up, devices where backups are failing, dashboard and alerting available.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    • Anywhere at anytime virtual meetings and conferences.
    • Secure collaboration end-to-end.
    • Webex Assistant, I like this feature every much.
    • Customizable layouts as needs arise.
    • Great User Interface (UI).
    • Historical capture of meetings.
    • The shape and gesture recognition features using AI.
    • Note-taking.
    • Close Captioning in various languages.
    Incentivized
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    Cons
    SolarWinds
    • For our use case, it does everything great and some of the features we underutilize but I would like to be able to set a configuration baseline when initially adding a node instead of after the configuration is pulled but it's not a particularly big deal to let it pull the configuration then set it as the baseline.
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    Cisco
    • Only a few options are there for non-verbal feedback like hand raising or emoji reactions. They should work on it as expressing understanding or agreement would help collaborate with the cross-functional teams.
    • More options for creating custom workflows and integrations with internal tools would be helpful and the whiteboard also looks basic compared to other similar tools. I think, adding features like sticky notes and freehand drawing would be a great boost.
    • The mobile app is functional but I find it less intuitive and feature-rich compared to the desktop version. Should have parity in features and a more user-friendly interface will become more helpful for mobile users like me who sometimes conduct or attend meetings on the go.
    Incentivized
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    Likelihood to Renew
    SolarWinds
    Medium complexity to set up in the beginning if using any non-standard devices or configurations, else fairly easy (e.g. Cisco Nexus or IOS-based devices). Reports are fairly straightforward to set up. Updates to the platform are fairly straightforward and don't take a major effort. Easy to add or remove devices.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    Because Webex Meetings is known for its consistent performance, with high quality audio and video that works well even in low bandwidth situations. This makes it a dependable tool for both small and large meetings without worrying about technical glitches. Also, the platform is easy to navigate, both for meeting hosts and participants. Features like screen sharing, chat, and breakout rooms are intuitive
    Incentivized
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    Usability
    SolarWinds
    The user interface is lacking. It is difficult to navigate at times and things can be done multiple ways. Quite often I am confused by how their notification structure works. It is not very intuitive. They do offer a free Academy. They also offer a community of other technical folks. I have enjoyed both.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    Webex Meetings does not provide enough audio feedback for users with visual disabilities to properly navigate the tool. Students, faculty, and staff who are blind or have low vision may not be able to use Webex Meetings. Users with motor disabilities that navigate via keyboard, may not be able to navigate the web conferencing session enough to participate fully.
    Incentivized
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    Reliability and Availability
    SolarWinds
    No answers on this topic
    Cisco
    So personally I have never faced any kind of meeting unavailability issue while scandaling meeting with WebEx the bandwidth is really good and in terms of application performance the same is my opinion what I mentioned for availability it is good and the objective of communication is quite fruitfully achieved with a simple and effective product like WebEx which is often bundled with the purchase of course which is which we have at our company and great discount is being offered so it is easy on our pocket. I really don't have any specific errors which have faced I should mention over here the operation or application uses is quite smooth.
    Incentivized
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    Performance
    SolarWinds
    No answers on this topic
    Cisco
    We use browsers to join Webex Meetings and it is very good no issue also appears from Webex APP is very organized and does not consume more resources of PC so no issues appeared. We join audio and video in many ways, all of which are good. We integrated it with active Microsoft Exchange with easy deployment.
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    SolarWinds
    To be fair, I have not had to involve Support in a number of years, but when I did, I was greeted with enthusiastic engineers who wanted to understand and solve the issue. It was a fairly complex scenario and I have discovered in my most recent implementation that engineering included that option as a standard now.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    The support cases can be opened instantly. The support engineers can support you via Telephone, E-Mail, WebEx Meetings, and My favorite WebEx application.24X7 Availability of the engineers. Step-by-step guidance is available by an engineer. https://help.webex.com/ - Great Site for instant FAQ's. https://status.webex.com/ - Is helpful to identify the updated schedule of WebEx or to know the server status of WebEx services.
    Incentivized
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    In-Person Training
    SolarWinds
    No answers on this topic
    Cisco
    It was straight to the point and very informative. effective training often includes clear explanations, hands-on practice opportunities, time for questions and answers, real-world examples, and follow-up support. If you're trying to assess the quality of a specific training session, you might consider these factors. For organizations looking to assess the quality of their in-person training, it's best to solicit feedback directly from the participants. This can be done through anonymous surveys or feedback sessions, enabling the organization to gather firsthand information and improve future training sessions accordingly.
    Incentivized
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    Online Training
    SolarWinds
    Solarwinds has actually produced new training since I last used it that is available on their site at any time. Their previous training was more than enough to get us started but now there is significantly more content. Since I'm comfortable with the Orion platform and the products we use I haven't checked the new training out yet but we have new staff go through portions of that training and they always come away with an understanding of the platform and ready to use it
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    It was very interactive and well explained. The trainor is very much knowledgeable of the product. He was able to answer all of our inquiries in a timely and professional manner. There were lots of exercises done during the duration of the training to ensure that we have a better view on what to expect from the product.
    Incentivized
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    Implementation Rating
    SolarWinds
    it was a fairly easy implementation and everything was pretty straightforward. only challenge we had was getting all the snmp communities updated on the networking equipment
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    That we needed complex implementation that we didn't get tells me 2 things: 1) the product was not designed in a way that "just worked" like some of its peers (Zoom / BlueJeans) and 2) had our company defined actual user needs and validated / verified that they had bought something that matched those, we would have pursued features / designs more closely aligned with what the product actually does: screen share, sometimes video, definitely VOIP audio (always an option regardless of license), and easy recording and retrieval of meetings.
    Incentivized
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    Alternatives Considered
    SolarWinds
    At the time SolarWinds was the biggest player in the space and their whole portfolio was very comprehensive. As time progressed and newer technologies came about (i.e. SDWAN) their products couldn't keep up with the consumer demands and changing market. Security became such a big focus that once Solarwinds got hacked we had to remove all their products from our environment
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    The ability to transfer multimedia files directly into the platform and a very robust free plan helped me make the decision to try out Webex Meetings. Easy to set up in a company environment and accessible once the learning curve and sign up process are complete. In-platform web navigating is also a nice feature when onboarding new staff or doing market research.
    Incentivized
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    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    SolarWinds
    No answers on this topic
    Cisco
    We use the free version of Webex Meetings to allow us to connect with suppliers/vendors that demand Webex Meetings be used for collaboration.
    Incentivized
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    Scalability
    SolarWinds
    No answers on this topic
    Cisco
    I work for a Fortune 500 company with many employees so I can testify to its usability for large corporations. In addition, I use the software within my small team of sales reps so it is always usable on a small scale as well. In my eyes, this tool is scalable for businesses of all sizes without any hiccups or issues.
    Incentivized
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    Professional Services
    SolarWinds
    No answers on this topic
    Cisco
    It is a user friendly application. We have had no adoption problems within the company.
    Incentivized
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    Return on Investment
    SolarWinds
    • Saves 100s of hours a year in man hours over manual configuration.
    • Saved easily 50k in lost revenue when a switch rebooted with months old unsaved configuration. NCM let us quickly restore a snapshot of the running config from the previous day.
    • Saves us several man hours per week of config auditing by reducing all changes to a summary email.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    • The costly nature of individual accounts across multiple schools made it difficult to maintain the budget when our student population grew exponentially.
    • Often communicated to clients and stakeholders that we were a trustworthy and elevated provider.
    • Limited engagement and interactive features with students often contributed to complaints around student engagement and buy-in.
    Incentivized
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    ScreenShots

    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM) Screenshots

    Screenshot of Network Automation -  manage rapid change across complex and multi-vendor networks, reduce time needed to complete repetitive tasks, and maintain standards and service levels for uninterrupted ITScreenshot of Config Backup - rest easy knowing you can locate the most current configuration and quickly apply it to a replacement spare, or to roll back a blown configuration.Screenshot of Vulnerability Scanning - Take the hassle out of vulnerability scanning using NCM's integration with the National Vulnerability Database and access to the most current CVE’s to identify vulnerabilities in your Cisco devices.Screenshot of Inventory Management - Be able to know what devices are connected to your network, their hardware and software configurations, and when they approach end-of-service and end-of-life, with NCM device configuration management tool.Screenshot of User Management - Use NCM's integrated console to lock down devices from unauthorized access, delegate who can view device details and make configuration changes, and determine when network changes can occur.Screenshot of Baselines and Diffs - IT professionals can get a more comprehensive view by leveraging baselines across multiple nodes. Diff view in NCM’s network configuration management tool is designed to highlight only those lines that changed.