Compare IBM Instana and Riverbed Network Observability 
Featured Products
At a Glance
Market Segments
Mid-Market (42.4% of reviews)
Mid-Market (42.9% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
Starting at $18.00
No pricing available
IBM Instana
Star Rating
(475)4.4 out of 5
Market Segments
Mid-Market (42.4% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
Entry-Level Pricing
Starting at $18.00
Free Trial is available
Browse all 2 pricing plansRiverbed Network Observability
Star Rating
(14)4.4 out of 5
Market Segments
Mid-Market (42.9% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about Riverbed Network ObservabilitySummary
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
- G2 reviewers report that IBM Instana excels in real-time monitoring capabilities, allowing users to quickly identify issues across various components like APIs, backends, and databases. This feature is particularly praised for its effectiveness during testing phases, making it a strong choice for teams focused on application performance.
- Users say that Riverbed Network Observability shines in its ability to provide comprehensive network visibility when configured correctly. Reviewers highlight that with proper traffic mirroring, users can analyze all network activity and pinpoint issues effectively, showcasing its strength in network performance management.
- According to verified reviews, IBM Instana's end-user experience monitoring and transaction tracing are standout features. Users appreciate the clarity it provides, enabling them to trace transactions from the front-end UI through cloud APIs, which is crucial for understanding user interactions and improving application performance.
- Reviewers mention that Riverbed Network Observability offers a user-friendly interface, making it convenient for teams to manage application performance. This ease of use is a significant advantage for organizations looking for straightforward monitoring solutions without a steep learning curve.
- Users highlight that IBM Instana's automated anomaly detection is invaluable, especially in security contexts. It quickly flags abnormal spikes, helping teams respond to potential issues before they escalate, which is a critical feature for maintaining application integrity.
- G2 reviewers note that while Riverbed Network Observability has a strong focus on network performance, it currently has fewer recent reviews compared to IBM Instana, which may indicate a more limited user base or engagement. This could affect the reliability of insights for potential buyers looking for a well-supported product.
Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
IBM Instana
Essentials
Starting at $18.00
Automatic discovery, mapping and monitoring of Infrastructure
- Includes All Infrastructure Monitoring Features
- Includes End User Monitoring
- Includes Unbounded Analytics
Riverbed Network Observability
No pricing availableFree Trial
IBM Instana
Free Trial is available
Riverbed Network Observability
No trial information availableRatings
Meets Requirements
8.6
355
9.0
14
Ease of Use
8.6
369
8.1
14
Ease of Setup
8.8
206
8.0
5
Ease of Admin
8.4
129
8.3
5
Quality of Support
8.6
320
9.0
13
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
8.5
129
9.7
5
Product Direction (% positive)
8.5
340
10.0
14
Features by Category
Network
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Application Performance
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Functionality
9.2
20
Not enough data
9.4
20
Not enough data
9.3
20
Not enough data
9.2
19
Not enough data
9.3
19
Not enough data
8.8
18
Not enough data
Agentic AI - Website Monitoring
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Experience
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Agentic AI - Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM)
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Management
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Performance
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Functionality
9.4
13
Not enough data
8.8
13
Not enough data
8.7
13
Not enough data
8.6
13
Not enough data
8.8
12
Not enough data
8.5
13
Not enough data
Agentic AI - Database Monitoring
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Functionality
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Monitoring - Network Monitoring
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Management
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Analytics - Network Monitoring
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Security - Network Monitoring
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Network Performance - Network Monitoring
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
AI Automation - Network Monitoring
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Agentic AI - Network Monitoring
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Monitoring
8.9
131
Not enough data
8.4
121
Not enough data
8.9
129
Not enough data
8.7
133
Not enough data
9.7
6
Not enough data
Administration
8.6
126
Not enough data
8.7
104
Not enough data
8.5
100
Not enough data
9.4
6
Not enough data
Analysis
8.5
114
Not enough data
8.5
131
Not enough data
8.3
99
Not enough data
Agentic AI - Cloud Infrastructure Monitoring
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
AI Automation - Cloud Infrastructure Monitoring
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Functionality
8.7
27
Not enough data
8.4
25
Not enough data
9.0
34
Not enough data
Issue Resolution
9.1
34
Not enough data
8.9
32
Not enough data
8.7
33
Not enough data
Management
9.0
33
Not enough data
8.9
33
Not enough data
8.7
30
Not enough data
Generative AI
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Agentic AI - AIOps Platforms
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Visibility
7.3
5
Not enough data
8.0
5
Not enough data
7.7
5
Not enough data
Monitoring and Management
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Agentic AI - Hardware Monitoring
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Visibility
9.7
6
Not enough data
9.2
6
Not enough data
8.6
6
Not enough data
Monitoring and Management
7.8
6
Not enough data
7.2
6
Not enough data
8.1
6
Not enough data
Agentic AI - Log Monitoring
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Visibility
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Monitoring and Management
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Cloud environment support
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Agentic AI - Server Monitoring
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Functionality
10.0
6
Not enough data
10.0
6
Not enough data
10.0
6
Not enough data
9.7
6
Not enough data
Management
10.0
6
Not enough data
10.0
6
Not enough data
10.0
6
Not enough data
10.0
6
Not enough data
Agentic AI - Enterprise Monitoring
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Monitoring
8.5
166
Not enough data
8.7
179
Not enough data
8.9
183
Not enough data
7.6
126
Not enough data
8.5
162
Not enough data
Response
8.6
177
Not enough data
8.5
170
Not enough data
8.2
161
Not enough data
Agentic AI - Application Performance Monitoring (APM)
7.3
11
Not enough data
8.3
13
Not enough data
7.4
11
Not enough data
7.4
11
Not enough data
7.2
12
Not enough data
Performance
8.3
143
Not enough data
8.4
156
Not enough data
Functionality
8.1
134
Not enough data
8.4
132
Not enough data
8.2
131
Not enough data
8.5
155
Not enough data
Alerts management
8.1
41
Not enough data
8.1
44
Not enough data
8.5
57
Not enough data
Monitoring
8.3
56
Not enough data
8.8
61
Not enough data
8.2
56
Not enough data
8.9
55
Not enough data
Automation
7.9
35
Not enough data
7.9
37
Not enough data
Analysis
8.2
54
Not enough data
8.1
45
Not enough data
8.6
61
Not enough data
8.5
41
Not enough data
Issue Resolution
8.5
52
Not enough data
7.6
44
Not enough data
8.2
46
Not enough data
Management
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Monitoring
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Support
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Agentic AI - Network Management Tools
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Generative AI
8.7
10
Not enough data
Agentic AI - IT Alerting
8.0
5
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
8.0
5
Not enough data
8.3
5
Not enough data
Telemetry Collection & Ingestion - Observability
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Agentic AI - Observability Software
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Visualization & Dashboards - Observability
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Correlation & Root Cause Analysis - Observability
Not enough data
Not enough data
8.3
5
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Scalability & Ecosystem Integration - Observability
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
AI Features - Observability
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Analysis
Not enough data
Not enough data
Platform
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Security
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Agentic AI - Enterprise IT Management
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
IBM Instana and Riverbed Network Observability are categorized as Cloud Infrastructure Monitoring
Unique Categories
IBM Instana is categorized as Log Monitoring, Hardware Monitoring, Enterprise Monitoring, Observability Software, Server Monitoring, AIOps Platforms, Database Monitoring, Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM), Website Monitoring, IT Alerting, Container Monitoring, and Application Performance Monitoring (APM)
Riverbed Network Observability is categorized as WAN Optimization, Enterprise IT Management, Network Monitoring, and Network Management Tools
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
IBM Instana
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Riverbed Network Observability
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Small-Business
(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market
(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise
(> 1000 emp.)
Reviewers' Industry
Information Technology and Services
19.5%
Computer Software
11.0%
Financial Services
6.6%
Telecommunications
6.3%
Retail
5.4%
Other
51.2%
Retail
14.3%
Computer Software
14.3%
Telecommunications
7.1%
Medical Devices
7.1%
Media Production
7.1%
Other
50.0%
Alternatives
Discussions
What is Application Performance Monitoring (APM)?
2 Comments
TS
Application performance monitoring (APM) is the practice of tracking key software application performance metrics using monitoring software and telemetry...Read more
What is Instana?
2 Comments
SB
Hi,
Instana is a leading Enterprise Observability Platform, powered by automated Application Performance Monitoring. It discovers and maps all services,...Read more
Is there a chatbot available?
2 Comments
OG
Best join a webinar or customer demo to learn more about it. It took me also a while to understand all the bits and pieces. Since IBM was acquired by IBM,...Read more
Riverbed Network Observability has no discussions with answers
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