Pros and Cons of SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM) 2024

Name: SolarWinds Security Event Manager Overview
Uploaded: 2019-05-23T20:51:20.000Z
Duration: 2 min 14 s
Description: Security Event Manager - Overview

Overview

What is SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM)?

SolarWinds LEM is security information and event management (SIEM) software.

Learn from top reviewers

Set-and-Forget with as needed functionality

Rating: 7 out of 10

March 30, 2022

IncentivizedVetted ReviewVerified User

We use SEM on a daily basis in our environment as per our built-out rules. We are notified of certain security events as they happen. Aside from that, we access SEM to run que...

Kendal Goodrich

Engineer - Information Technology

System Engineer II

South Central Regional Medical Center

5 years of experience

SEM: great software if you're already invested in SolarWinds

Rating: 8 out of 10

December 11, 2020

IncentivizedVetted ReviewVerified User

SolarWinds SEM is currently being used to aggregate all our event logs for our secure on-premises systems into one place for auditing and security purposes. It allows for easi...

Alex Giralias

Engineer - Information Technology

System Support Engineer

Capita Plc

1 year of experience

Solarwinds - great product with a few small flaws.

Rating: 7 out of 10

December 8, 2020

IncentivizedVetted ReviewVerified User

SolarWinds has been implemented across our network as a systems management platform for server, applications and high value workstations. I assisted it's implementation with t...

Joseph Crook

Analyst - Information Technology

Technology Specialist II

Portland Community College

1 year of experience

SEM review of a SolarWinds fanboy at heart

Rating: 7 out of 10

October 23, 2020

IncentivizedVetted ReviewVerified User

We are currently using it within our Operations team to monitor events and alert others of security events and anomalies that it detects. I would like to recommend this produc...

Tim Short

Administrator - Information Technology

Infrastructure Administrator

Compsource Mutual

1 year of experience

SolarWinds Security Event Manager Review

Rating: 8 out of 10

October 13, 2020

IncentivizedVetted ReviewVerified User

We have a deployment of SolarWinds SEM that monitors our Windows and Linux servers currently for login attempts across the whole organization. This allows us to see any possib...

Brandon Demko

Employee - Information Technology

Systems Administrator

SEKISUI SPI

1 year of experience

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Pricing

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SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM)

N/A

Unavailable

What is SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM)?

SolarWinds LEM is security information and event management (SIEM) software.

Entry-level set up fee?

No setup fee

For the latest information on pricing, visithttps://www.solarwinds.com/products/pri…

Offerings

Free Trial
Free/Freemium Version
Premium Consulting/Integration Services

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Trellix Helix

Free

What is Trellix Helix?

Trellix Helix (formerly FireEye Helix) is a SIEM solution providing a non-malware threat detection solution.

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Features

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)

Security Information and Event Management is a category of security software that allows security analysts to look at a more comprehensive view of security logs and events than would be possible by looking at the log files of individual, point security tools

7.7

Avg 7.8

8.5
Centralized event and log data collection
(17) Ratings
Effectiveness of real-time centralized event and log data collection
7.6
Correlation
(14) Ratings
Correlation of logs and events to pinpoint significant threats
7.3
Event and log normalization/management
(17) Ratings
Ability to normalize event syntax so that logs can be compared and are machine-understandable
7.9
Deployment flexibility
(17) Ratings
Ability to tune system to maximize threat detection and minimize false positives
7.9
Integration with Identity and Access Management Tools
(12) Ratings
Integration with access control tools like Active Directory and LDAP
4.9
Custom dashboards and workspaces
(16) Ratings
dashboards that can be customized to meet the needs of specific groups
10
Host and network-based intrusion detection
(3) Ratings
Ability to detect both endpoint intrusion and network ingress detection

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Product Details

About
Competitors
Tech Details
Downloadables
FAQs

What is SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM)?

SolarWinds Security Event Manager (previously know as Log & Event Manager) is presented by the vendor as a powerful and award-winning SIEM. It is an on-prem deployed tool that collects, consolidates, and analyzes logs and events from firewalls, IDS/IPS devices and applications, switches, routers, servers, operating system logs, and other applications.

The main applications are threat detection, automated incident analysis and response, and compliance reporting for IT infrastructure.

SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM) Features

Show Unsupported Features

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Features

Supported: Centralized event and log data collection
Supported: Correlation
Supported: Event and log normalization/management
Supported: Deployment flexibility
Supported: Integration with Identity and Access Management Tools
Supported: Custom dashboards and workspaces

SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM) Screenshots

SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM) Video

Security Event Manager - Overview

SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM) Competitors

SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM) Technical Details

Deployment Types	On-premise
Operating Systems	Windows
Mobile Application	No

SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM) Downloadables

Datasheet

Frequently Asked Questions

SolarWinds LEM is security information and event management (SIEM) software.

Splunk Enterprise Security (ES), LogRhythm NextGen SIEM Platform, and ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer are common alternatives for SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM).

Reviewers rate Host and network-based intrusion detection highest, with a score of 10.

The most common users of SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM) are from Mid-sized Companies (51-1,000 employees).

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Comparisons

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Reviews From Top Reviewers

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(1-5 of 45)

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Set-and-Forget with as needed functionality

Rating: 7 out of 10

Incentivized

March 30, 2022

KG

Kendal Goodrich

System Engineer II

South Central Regional Medical Center (Hospital & Health Care, 1001-5000 employees)

Vetted Review

Verified User

5 years of experience

View profile

Pros

Runs without issue
Logs extensive detail

Cons

The user interface to be more user friendly
The query builder is tedious to use

SolarWinds Security Event Manager Review

Rating: 8 out of 10

Incentivized

October 13, 2020

BD

Brandon Demko

Systems Administrator

SEKISUI SPI (Plastics, 201-500 employees)

Vetted Review

Verified User

1 year of experience

View profile

Pros

It is flexible with a variety of system connectors.
Setup is easy.
Monitoring log size and system resources is simple.

Cons

It is a robust product so, not clear out of the box exactly what it can do.
Agent installs can sometimes need manual removal.
If you're running an older version of SEM, migrating clients to a new install isn't clear-cut.

SEM: great software if you're already invested in SolarWinds

Rating: 8 out of 10

Incentivized

December 11, 2020

AG

Alex Giralias

System Support Engineer

Capita Plc (Information Technology & Services, 1001-5000 employees)

Vetted Review

Verified User

1 year of experience

Pros

Allows alerts to be generated
Slots into pre-existing Orion system
Easy to set up and configure

Cons

Online documentation for setup was not great and at points misleading.

Solarwinds - great product with a few small flaws.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Incentivized

December 08, 2020

JC

Joseph Crook

Technology Specialist II

Portland Community College (Higher Education, 1001-5000 employees)

Vetted Review

Verified User

1 year of experience

View profile

Pros

We use the client on register systems as event forwarders and log collection.
It enables us to verify the access security to high value workstations and register systems.
It provides a repository storage for log files so that they do not solely exist on workstations.
It helps us ensure PCI standards are being maintained and track security risk issues as well as system health.

Cons

Within the scope of my role I have noticed that the client can be problematic during system startup - some of the register systems we use are older and have lower resolution screens. When the client loads it pops up on screen but completely out of scale (to clarify, it may open a window that is 14x14 inches on a screen that only displays 10x10 inches. This is more frustration than a functional problem.
Automated rollout would be useful but it is outside of my scope in my job to even know if it already has automated install capability.
The GUI itself is a little clunky and there is somewhat of a learning curve - training is provided to clients however a friendlier interface would be helpful.