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SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor

Overview

What is SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor?

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor (SAM) delivers application and server monitoring capabilities. SAM allows for self-service for easy setup, 1200+ monitoring templates, and customization options, as well as integrate with other SolarWinds products.

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Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor is a versatile tool that has been widely used across various industries and departments for …
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True Insight

10 out of 10
January 27, 2022
Incentivized
I use SolarWinds Server Application Monitor to monitor my infrastructure as well as applications within that environment. It provides a …
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Awards

Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards

Popular Features

View all 12 features
  • Server availability and performance monitoring (269)
    9.8
    98%
  • Threshold alerts (271)
    9.0
    90%
  • Application monitoring (266)
    9.0
    90%
  • Out-of-the box templates to monitor applications (256)
    8.0
    80%
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Pricing

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N/A
Unavailable

What is SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor?

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor (SAM) delivers application and server monitoring capabilities. SAM allows for self-service for easy setup, 1200+ monitoring templates, and customization options, as well as integrate with other SolarWinds products.

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee
For the latest information on pricing, visithttp://www.solarwinds.com/products/pric…

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

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Features

Application Performance Management

Application performance management software monitors software to ensure performance and availability

8.7
Avg 7.6
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Product Details

What is SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor?

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor (SAM) delivers application and server monitoring capabilities for IT pros enabling them to diagnose and troubleshoot issues faster. The vendor’s value proposition is that this solution prevents slow applications and downtime from impacting end-users and business services. Users can use this tool to pinpoint the root cause of application issues across various layers of the IT stack.

The vendor says SolarWinds SAM is affordable, easy to deploy, use and customize. Users can automatically discover their systems environment and start monitoring in about an hour. No professional services or consultation needed.

SAM is built on SolarWinds Orion® platform enabling native integration with Network Performance Monitor and other IT management software from SolarWinds.

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor Features

  • Supported: Single Web interface to monitor multi-vendor applications and server infrastructure.
  • Supported: Out-of-the-box monitoring templates for 200+ enterprise applications.
  • Supported: Easily extend monitoring to virtually any custom or home-grown applications.
  • Supported: Gain contextual visibility of relationships and dependencies between applications and physical and virtual servers.
  • Supported: Monitor server hardware health, perform capacity forecasting, and manage asset inventory. Remediate server issues remotely with built-in management actions.
  • Supported: Monitor VMware and Hyper-V environments to identify problems impacting application performance.
  • Supported: Centrally manage IT asset inventory and keep track of server hardware and software information.
  • Supported: Leverage the wealth of built-in alerts and reports, and easily customize them as needed.
  • Supported: SAM is an agentless monitoring software. Optional agent installation extends monitoring to the cloud.

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor Screenshots

Screenshot of Multi-vendor application performance monitoringScreenshot of Multi-vendor server monitoringScreenshot of Application dependency mapping with AppStackâ„¢ dashboardScreenshot of Microsoft Exchange performance monitoring with AppInsightâ„¢ templateScreenshot of Microsoft IIS performance monitoring with AppInsightâ„¢ templateScreenshot of Server hardware health monitoringScreenshot of Built-in virtualization monitoring for VMware and Hyper-V environmentsScreenshot of Easily extend monitoring to any custom or home-grown application

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor Videos

An introduction to and a brief overview of SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor
In this video, the TrustRadius team is going to take a look at Solarwinds Server and Application Monitor, a powerful tool that can help you monitor your systems and identify issues early. We'll explore the overview, user sentiment, pricing, top features, and use-case, and help...
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Watch SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor Training Videos

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor Competitors

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor Technical Details

Deployment TypesOn-premise
Operating SystemsWindows
Mobile ApplicationNo
Supported LanguagesEnglish

Frequently Asked Questions

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor (SAM) delivers application and server monitoring capabilities. SAM allows for self-service for easy setup, 1200+ monitoring templates, and customization options, as well as integrate with other SolarWinds products.

Progress WhatsUp Gold, Nagios Core, and Tivoli Monitoring (legacy) are common alternatives for SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor.

Reviewers rate Server availability and performance monitoring highest, with a score of 9.8.

The most common users of SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor are from Enterprises (1,001+ employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(653)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor is a versatile tool that has been widely used across various industries and departments for monitoring and managing servers, applications, and network infrastructure. Users rely on the software to ensure that critical systems are up and running smoothly. With its ability to monitor servers, applications, and network nodes, customers appreciate the comprehensive insights it provides into their IT environments.

One of the key use cases of SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor is its role in proactive monitoring and alerting. Users have praised the software's capability to detect issues such as CPU utilization, memory usage, response time, and low disk space. By setting up corresponding alerts, users can address potential problems before they impact end-users. This proactive approach helps prevent system failures and ensures optimal performance.

Another important use case of SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor is its ability to provide detailed insights into server metrics and application performance. Users can monitor various elements such as CPU, memory, and disk usage on servers, as well as track the health of applications like Exchange, SQL, IIS, and SharePoint. The software's integration with other products in the SolarWinds Orion family enhances network management capabilities, allowing for a unified view of segmented networks.

Additionally, SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor is valued for its flexibility in monitoring different types of systems and services. It supports Windows, Linux, Unix, and AIX servers both on-premises and in the cloud. Users have leveraged the software to monitor services, processes, URLs, IP addresses, MAC addresses, SMTP devices like networked cameras, and even Linux services such as IPTables. This broad range of monitoring capabilities makes it a valuable tool for organizations with diverse IT infrastructures.

Overall, SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor has proven to be instrumental in maintaining system stability by providing real-time alerts for potential issues and facilitating efficient troubleshooting. Its ease of use and customization options allow different departments and administrators to tailor monitoring and alerts to their specific needs. The software's comprehensive insights, proactive monitoring, and wide range of supported systems make it a valuable asset for organizations looking to ensure optimal performance and availability of their IT infrastructure.

Customizable Dashboard: Users appreciate the fully customizable dashboard in SolarWinds SAM, which allows them to tailor it to their specific requirements. This feature has been mentioned by several reviewers and enables users to easily access the information they need for effective monitoring.

Proactive Alerting: Reviewers have praised SAM's proactive alerting capabilities, with alerts being triggered for offline servers, low disk space, rebooted servers, and critical network device outages. This feature has been highly valued by users as it helps them stay on top of potential issues and address them promptly.

Reporting Capabilities: SAM's reporting capabilities have received positive feedback from users who find the detailed reports provided by the software helpful for meeting regulatory requirements and ensuring system stability and performance. The granularity in alerts and reporting has been mentioned by multiple reviewers as a valuable feature of SAM.

Confusing User Interface: Users have expressed frustration with the user interface of SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor, stating that it is confusing and difficult to navigate. Some users feel that there is a steep learning curve and find it overwhelming, especially for first-time users.

Lack of Comprehensive Documentation: Several users have criticized the documentation provided for SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor, stating that it is spotty and lacking in examples. They believe that more comprehensive and detailed documentation would greatly aid in understanding and troubleshooting the software.

Poor Customer Support: There have been complaints about the customer support provided by SolarWinds. Multiple users have reported that customer support has worsened over time, causing frustration due to delays in reaching the correct support team and resolving issues in a timely manner.

Users have recommended several key actions for users considering SolarWinds based on their experiences. These include:

  • Recommending utilizing the software for internal use, specifically for monitoring servers and applications.
  • Suggesting taking advantage of the free trial to test the software before making a purchase decision.
  • Advising researching and planning before implementation to ensure the software is suitable for one's needs.
  • Encouraging careful design of the environment, especially when using the software in different locations.
  • Recommending purchasing a license that matches the number of components needed for monitoring.
  • Urging cautiousness when it comes to support and potential glitches with the software.
  • Suggesting working with a detail-oriented engineer for proper setup and configuration.
  • Promoting interaction with the user community site to learn from others' experiences and share knowledge.
  • Emphasizing the need to understand the licensing model before signing up and selecting appropriate licensing based on the number of nodes to be monitored.
  • Suggesting exploring other SolarWinds offerings and using them in conjunction with this software.

While users find SolarWinds to be a valuable tool, they also mention that it may not be suitable for beginners due to its learning curve. Overall, it is recommended to carefully consider setup, pricing, and requirements before implementing SolarWinds.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-2 of 2)
Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
Joe Parlett | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 6 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
It is used to identify poor performing SQL servers and SQL processes.
  • High wait time.
  • Long running queries.
  • Poorly designed SQL tables and code
  • It is not simple to navigate.
  • The user interface takes a while to get familiar with.
For SQL monitoring it does a good job but I am an experienced SQL developer and you need that experience to understand what it finds.
Application Performance Management (12)
8.333333333333334%
0.8
Application monitoring
N/A
N/A
Database monitoring
100%
10.0
Threshold alerts
N/A
N/A
Predictive capabilities
N/A
N/A
Application performance management console
N/A
N/A
Collaboration tools
N/A
N/A
Out-of-the box templates to monitor applications
N/A
N/A
Application dependency mapping and thresholding
N/A
N/A
Virtualization monitoring
N/A
N/A
Server availability and performance monitoring
N/A
N/A
Server usage monitoring and capacity forecasting
N/A
N/A
IT Asset Discovery
N/A
N/A
  • Identifies performance issues.
  • Identifies the code and structure causing the issues.
It was already purchased for me to use.
I have learned to use the tools I use
No
  • Database Size
  • Database poor queries
  • SQL Server memory management
  • Price
It was purchased for me.
10
Operations
3
Network & database.
  • Deep analysis of sql server
  • Evaluating development
It is purchased for me
more specific to dpa
  • Don't know
  • None
I am unfamiliar with other ways to configure it
  • Online training
It was sufficient to read their documentation and watch videos.
No
I do not know how to configure dpa.
I have none.
No - we have not done any customization to the interface
No - we have not done any custom code
No
Not Sure
I do not deal with support. That is another technician.
No
I do not interact with support.
  • dpa
  • dpa
It is hard to find the recommended SQL setup and convince others that is the way you should configure the server when you set it up.
I only use dpa.
DPA is responsive.
  • MS SQL Server
Someone did it for me
No. I only work with DPA.
I only use DPA.
It was done for me.
None.
Someone else in my organization contacts support.
Someone else in my department contacts support.
I did not negotiate with the vendor.
No
No
  • Rebuilding after hack
  • Setup properly with better performance
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
SAM is pretty detailed oriented. No joke - It is a full-time job managing it. Once it is configured and working - it does an awesome job. I had to configure the custom alerts from scratch. The out of the box alerts are not that granular and it is hard to understand. Overall it is a great product once fully configured.
  • Monitoring servers and specific applications
  • Windows monitoring is awesome
  • Process monitoring is good
  • Alerting - Needs more granular alerting out of the box.
  • It sends group alerts - "Windows Server 2003-2013 Services". I would like it to alert each service with a separate alert
It is well suited for large Windows environments.
Application Performance Management (12)
70.83333333333333%
7.1
Application monitoring
80%
8.0
Database monitoring
90%
9.0
Threshold alerts
90%
9.0
Predictive capabilities
60%
6.0
Application performance management console
70%
7.0
Collaboration tools
60%
6.0
Out-of-the box templates to monitor applications
30%
3.0
Application dependency mapping and thresholding
30%
3.0
Virtualization monitoring
70%
7.0
Server availability and performance monitoring
90%
9.0
Server usage monitoring and capacity forecasting
90%
9.0
IT Asset Discovery
90%
9.0
  • ROI - It allows us to see an issue before it becomes wide spread
Managed Workplace RMM is not nothing like SAM. SAM is by far more suited for IT monitoring
  • In-depth monitoring and alerting
  • Being proactive than reactive
  • Interface is easy to use
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
  • Product Reputation
  • Prior Experience with the Product
Used it in the past.
If you want to monitor a specific service you need to create a specific monitor for that
4
Applications
Windows
Linux

1
Create everything from start to finish
  • Desktop support will use the NOC view
  • Application specific monitoring
  • In depth Server health
  • Windows event log monitoring
The renewals are expensive
No
Request additional time to fully go through everything
  • Implemented in-house
Yes
Change management was minimal
  • Getting a list of all the servers
  • SNMP and WMI configurations
Make sure SNMP and WMI are configured ahead of time
  • Self-taught
SNMP and WMI training
too complex
Reduce the number of monitors for Applications
No - there is no facility to customize the interface
No - the product does not support adding custom code
none
The support team is very responsive and awesome
No
There was a time when I needed assistance with discovery. It wasnt detecting my logical drives. The support team looked over my overall SAM server health and found out there was stuck processes. He quickly fixed my server issue and SAM reporting and alerting was working again. He took the time to verify my SAM server was working at optimum capacity
  • Discovery of Windows Servers
  • Adding monitors to servers
  • Specific service/process monitoring
  • Removing monitors
No
Product is large
A few times it stopped alerting. I had to reboot the server
Takes time to load
  • Citrix
  • DFS
Citrix - I had to make sure we were logging to it. It would not discover the application a few times
  • None
No
  • AppExchange or similar marketplace
We do not use all the monitors in App. There are too much
Create your own Appsight
They keep calling every day
They gave us support we needed
Pricing
none
No
  • fixed patches
  • performance
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