CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

Network Critical vs SolarWinds

Network Critical sells modular TAP and Packet Broker solutions for network visibility. SolarWinds sells monitoring, observability and service management capabilities on a platform offered in self-hosted and SaaS deployment models. CISO Tribune files both under Network visibility and traffic brokering. This page sets the two records side by side: what each sells, where it is based, who owns and funds it, the customers it names and its recent news, each fact numbered to its source.

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  • Network Critical
  • SolarWinds
Network Critical vs SolarWinds: Products, Customers and Funding Compared
Network CriticalNetwork Critical sells modular TAP and Packet Broker solutions for network visibility.networkcritical.comSolarWindsSolarWinds sells monitoring, observability and service management capabilities on a platform offered in self-hosted and SaaS deployment models.solarwinds.com
What it sells
  • Network TAPs[1][3]A network TAP creates an exact copy of all data flowing between two points in a network.
  • Packet Brokers[1][7][8][13]Network packet brokers process inputs from multiple sources and deliver the right traffic to the right tools.
  • Hybrid TAP and Packet Broker[8]A hybrid test access point and packet broker combines the functions of a TAP and a packet broker in one package.
  • Bypass TAPs[9][10]A bypass TAP monitors security devices and reroutes network traffic around failing tools.
  • INVIKTUS[1][11][12]INVIKTUS is a zero-trust security solution.
  • Ethernet TAPs[6]Ethernet TAPs capture network traffic without impacting performance.
  • Passive Fiber TAPs[5]Passive fiber TAPs provide always-on monitoring, including when the power is out.
  • Security Event Manager[1]An on-premise SIEM tool built with threat feeds designed to automatically detect and respond to user, application and network threats.
  • SolarWinds Observability SaaS[6]Observability delivered as SaaS, built to connect data from web applications, their services, and cloud and hybrid infrastructures.
  • SolarWinds Observability Self-HostedSelf-hosted observability that can be deployed behind a firewall or self-hosted in AWS, Microsoft Azure or GCP.
Categories
Headquarters
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Founded
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Ownership and funding
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Named customers
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Recent news
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G2 and Gartner Peer Insights
  • G2: Not stated on its pages
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
  • G2: listed, seen November 10, 2026[4]
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
Who it fits
Network Critical provides bypass TAPs for data centres running inline IPS, firewalls and DDoS mitigation tools. Network Critical describes its data diodes as suitable for highly regulated sectors, such as military, ICS and SCADA infrastructure. Network Critical describes its environmentally protected OT devices as suited to manufacturing floors, utility substations and outdoor installations.SolarWinds offers a choice of self-hosted, SaaS or hybrid deployment. SolarWinds offers small business IT solutions and IT education solutions for students, staff and faculty. The federal government is a customer of SolarWinds. SolarWinds Service Desk can be used across the entire organization as an enterprise service management solution.
Last verified
November 8, 2026October 14, 2026

Where they overlap

  • Network visibility and traffic brokering is the primary category of both Network Critical and SolarWinds.

Where they differ, field by field

  • Network Critical is also filed under OT and ICS security and DDoS protection. SolarWinds is also filed under SIEM.
  • Network Critical lists Network TAPs, Packet Brokers, Hybrid TAP and Packet Broker, Bypass TAPs, INVIKTUS and 2 more. SolarWinds lists Security Event Manager, SolarWinds Observability SaaS and SolarWinds Observability Self-Hosted.

How they differ

Network Critical sells network TAPs, packet brokers, hybrid TAP and packet broker units, bypass TAPs, Ethernet TAPs and passive fiber TAPs. It also sells INVIKTUS, a zero-trust security solution, and offers OT network monitoring that covers industrial traffic using protocols such as Modbus and DNP3.

SolarWinds sells monitoring, observability and service management capabilities on a platform offered in self-hosted and SaaS deployment models. CISO Tribune also files SolarWinds under SIEM, and its Security Event Manager is an on-premise SIEM tool built with threat feeds to detect and respond to user, application and network threats. SolarWinds also sells Network Performance Monitor, NetFlow Traffic Analyzer and Service Desk.

Network Critical says its solutions are used in sectors including Finance, Telco, Government, Energy and Healthcare, and it names Bourne Leisure as a SmartNA-XL deployment. It also states that it has over 20 years experience. SolarWinds names the federal government as a customer, and it holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification for the system supporting its products and services. SolarWinds offers a choice of self-hosted, SaaS or hybrid deployment.

What it sells: Network Critical

What Network TAPs does[1][3]
A network TAP creates an exact copy of all data flowing between two points in a network. TAPs are used to monitor network traffic for performance, security, or compliance.
What Packet Brokers does[1][7][8][13]
Network packet brokers process inputs from multiple sources and deliver the right traffic to the right tools. SmartNA-PortPlus is a packet broker that aggregates low-speed links onto fewer high-speed tools.
What Hybrid TAP and Packet Broker does[8]
A hybrid test access point and packet broker combines the functions of a TAP and a packet broker in one package. Hybrid TAP and packet brokers offer traffic aggregation, load balancing and port mapping. They use interchangeable, hot-swappable TAP modules, including fail-safe copper.
What Bypass TAPs does[9][10]
A bypass TAP monitors security devices and reroutes network traffic around failing tools. Bypass TAPs send small test signals, known as heartbeats, to security appliances. SmartNA-XL bypass TAPs detect when inline security tools fail and redirect traffic in real-time.
What INVIKTUS does[1][11][12]
INVIKTUS is a zero-trust security solution. INVIKTUS network security is built on the zero-trust framework and analyzes and validates traffic.
What Ethernet TAPs does[6]
Ethernet TAPs capture network traffic without impacting performance. Ethernet TAPs can be deployed as standalone TAPs or within SmartNA chassis for advanced traffic management.

What it sells: SolarWinds

What Security Event Manager does[1]
Security Event Manager comes with hundreds of pre-built connectors that gather logs from various sources, parse their data and put it into a common readable format. Security Event Manager has built-in File Integrity Monitoring capabilities to monitor and alert on suspicious or potentially malicious activity in sensitive files. Active Response provides preconfigured, customizable actions for incident response based on which trigger conditions are satisfied. SEM provides hundreds of out-of-the-box reports for HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOX, ISO, DISA STIGs, FISMA, FERPA, NERC CIP, GLBA, GPG13 and more.
What SolarWinds Observability SaaS does[6]
The application performance monitoring solution collects metrics, logs, traces and user experience data. It is extensible with an open-source framework, a public API and out-of-the-box third-party integrations. Through Platform Connect, SolarWinds Observability, the SaaS-delivered observability solution, can consume data from self-hosted Hybrid Cloud Observability.
What SolarWinds Observability Self-Hosted does
AIOps capabilities are part of SolarWinds Service Desk, SolarWinds Observability Self-Hosted and SaaS. Customers running self-hosted Orion modules on version 2022.2 or later are using the SolarWinds Platform. Self-hosted Hybrid Cloud Observability data can be consumed by SolarWinds Observability through Platform Connect.

Questions about Network Critical and SolarWinds

What do Network Critical and SolarWinds sell?
Network Critical sells Network TAPs, Packet Brokers, Hybrid TAP and Packet Broker, Bypass TAPs, INVIKTUS and 2 more. SolarWinds sells Security Event Manager, SolarWinds Observability SaaS and SolarWinds Observability Self-Hosted.
Are Network Critical and SolarWinds in the same category?
Yes. Network visibility and traffic brokering is the primary category of both on CISO Tribune.
Who are Network Critical and SolarWinds sold to?
Network Critical provides bypass TAPs for data centres running inline IPS, firewalls and DDoS mitigation tools. SolarWinds offers a choice of self-hosted, SaaS or hybrid deployment.

About Network Critical

Network Critical sells modular TAP and Packet Broker solutions for network visibility. Network Critical states that it has over 20 years experience. Network Critical says its solutions are used in global networks across sectors including Finance, Telco, Government, Energy and Healthcare.[3]

A network TAP creates an exact copy of all data flowing between two points in a network. TAPs are used to monitor network traffic for performance, security, or compliance. Passive fiber TAPs provide always-on monitoring, including when the power is out. Ethernet TAPs capture network traffic without impacting performance. Ethernet TAPs can be deployed as standalone TAPs or within SmartNA chassis for advanced traffic management.[4][5][6]

Network packet brokers process inputs from multiple sources and deliver the right traffic to the right tools. A hybrid test access point and packet broker combines the functions of a TAP and a packet broker in one package. Hybrid TAP and packet brokers copy network traffic for analysis while the original traffic flows unimpeded. Hybrid TAP and packet brokers offer traffic aggregation, load balancing and port mapping. Hybrid TAP and packet brokers use interchangeable, hot-swappable TAP modules, including fail-safe copper. Hybrid TAP and packet brokers connect to existing network security tools, including protocol analyzers, probes and intrusion detection systems. Hybrid TAP and packet brokers are deployed in places from server rooms and data centers to remote offices and manufacturing plants. Hybrid TAP and packet brokers are built around a 1-2RU chassis.[7][8]

SmartNA-PortPlus is a packet broker that aggregates low-speed links onto fewer high-speed tools. Network Critical offers platforms like SmartNA-PortPlus that TAP, filter and route traffic in one device. The SmartNA-XL chassis combines TAP, bypass and packet broker functionality in a single 1RU unit, with dual hot-swappable power supplies and hot-swap fans.[4][9]

Network Critical provides bypass TAPs for data centres running inline IPS, firewalls and DDoS mitigation tools. A bypass TAP monitors security devices and reroutes network traffic around failing tools. Bypass TAPs send small test signals, known as heartbeats, to security appliances. If a security tool stops responding to heartbeat checks, the bypass TAP redirects network traffic around the problematic device. SmartNA-XL bypass TAPs detect when inline security tools fail and redirect traffic in real-time. The bypass TAP chassis is managed through the Drag-n-Vu web GUI via HTTPS, or CLI via SSH. The bypass TAP chassis supports RADIUS and TACACS+ authentication, authorization and accounting.[9][10]

INVIKTUS is a zero-trust security solution. INVIKTUS network security is built on the zero-trust framework and analyzes and validates traffic. A data diode enforces one-way communication at the hardware level. Network Critical data diodes are offered as standalone devices or integrated into monitoring tools like TAPs, Packet Brokers and SmartNA systems. Network Critical data diodes support all IP-based protocols. Network Critical describes its data diodes as suitable for deployment in highly regulated sectors, such as military, ICS and SCADA infrastructure.[1][11][12][13]

Network Critical offers OT network monitoring that covers industrial network traffic with OT-specific protocols including Modbus and DNP3. Environmentally protected OT devices feature ruggedized enclosures designed to withstand harsh conditions, including extreme temperatures, dust, moisture and vibration. The environmentally protected OT devices list an extended temperature range of -40°C to +85°C.[12]

Bourne Leisure deployed SmartNA-XL to aggregate eight 1Gbps links onto a single 10Gbps security tool per site. Network TAPs were deployed in the Airbus network in the avionics bus analyser known as FdXplorer.[2][3][5][9][12]

Network Critical on the record

Sources

Network Critical full record

  1. [1]networkcritical.comNetwork Critical · networkcritical.com · undated page, accessed November 8, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Stars group case studyNetwork Critical · networkcritical.com · undated page, accessed November 8, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]Aviation Case Study | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Network TAPs | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Passive Fiber TAPs | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Ethernet TAPs | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Network Visibility Solutions | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Hybrid TAP and Packet Broker | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Bypass TAPs for Inline Data Centre Security | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]Network Bypass TAPs | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]Healthcare Case Study | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]OT Network Monitoring Solutions | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]Data Diodes | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A

SolarWinds full record

  1. [1]Security Event Manager - View Event Logs Remotely | SolarWindsSolarWinds · undated page, accessed October 14, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]SolarWinds productsSolarWinds · undated page, accessed November 2, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]Observability, Database, and IT Service Management | SolarWindsSolarWinds · undated page, accessed November 2, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]SolarWinds Observability Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2G2 · undated page, accessed November 2, 2026 · Tier C
  5. [5]Orion Platform now self-hosted on the SolarWinds Platform | SolarWindsSolarWinds · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Application Performance Monitoring | SolarWindsSolarWinds · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]AIOps Solutions & AI-Powered IT Operations | SolarWindsSolarWinds · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Security Resources | SolarWindsSolarWinds · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Deployment Services | Customer SuccessSolarWinds · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]IT Service Management Software Solutions | SolarWindsSolarWinds · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]IT Asset Management Solutions | SolarWindsSolarWinds · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]SolarWinds SolutionsSolarWinds · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]IT Service Desk Software | SolarWindsSolarWinds · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A

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