How customer voice
drives business

Selenium and Tricentis Tosca are competing test automation solutions. Selenium is open source, and the most popular script-based test automation tool in the world; users work in Selenium IDE, which supports its own scripting language, Selenese. Tricentis Tosca is available at cost but provides a scriptless, no-code, model-based approach to test automation. Selenium and Tricentis Tosca present similar automation features, but they can be used together in a test suite by test management tools such as Tricentis qTest. Selenium and Tosca are both used predominantly in enterprises, however Selenium is often deployed at mid-size companies as well. Given that it is open source, Selenium can be learned by anyone willing to take the time. Features There are many reasons to deploy Tosca or Selenium (or both) in agile test suites. Beyond simply being open source, Selenium can support tests written in a variety of programming languages including Java, Ruby, Ruby, C#, PHP, etc., as well as its own Selense language, making it accessible to devs. It supports testing a variety of web UI components, and supports cross-browser testing. Despite being scripted, Selenium is relatively easy to use, and also supports parallel testing. The primary reason for using Tosca is its […]

Apache Camel and Mule ESB are both integration platforms designed to help developers create connections between different pieces of software. Both platforms are open-source, but they differ significantly in their implementation of the open-source model. Apache Camel is a free standalone program supported solely by its community of developers. Mule ESB is the runtime engine of MuleSoft’s Anypoint Platform, a licensed and professionally-supported product. Both products are primarily used by enterprise-level organizations, who have more time, budget, and business need for custom-built integrations when compared to smaller companies.. Features Although both Apache Camel and Mule ESB allow developers to create customized software integrations, their user interfaces and architecture are very different. Apache Camel uses a code-based interface that will be familiar to most developers with experience writing code. Users can create their integrations in a variety of languages, including XML configuration files and domain-specific languages (DSLs). Apache Camel has a robust developer community with a wide array of accumulated experience, skills, and tutorials available. And with a free license, Apache Camel has the lowest possible upfront cost, requiring no purchase to start using. Mule ESB, on the other hand, has the backing and support of a professional company. Besides traditional […]

Oracle Linux and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) are both distributions of the Linux open-source operating system. Oracle Linux is a free distribution used mainly by small to mid level outfits with existing Oracle databases, while RHEL is favored by enterprise-level businesses that prioritize stability and uptime.  Features Though Oracle Linux and RHEL have similar uses, there are standout features of each.  Oracle Linux comes pre-configured for Oracle database systems, so businesses who already use Oracle products will be happy with how well Oracle Linux integrates with their existing system. Users cite support as Oracle Linux’s biggest strength, as support is readily available and can help even with complicated issues. For those using multiple Oracle products, different support departments from each product can work together to solve difficult problems quickly. Security and bug fixes are another strength of the distribution, and installation is relatively simple. Oracle Linux is also compatible with many types of hardware. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is a lighting-fast Linux distribution used mostly at the enterprise level. Users report replacing their entire Windows systems with RHEL and cutting their tech support requirements considerably, due to RHEL’s near-complete stability and unprecedented uptime. For those running servers that […]

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (formerly Microsoft Defender ATP) and VMware Carbon Black Cloud Endpoint Standard (formerly Cb Defense) are endpoint security platforms designed to detect and prevent network security threats. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (not to be confused with Microsoft Defender, the free antivirus bundled with Windows 10) is part of the Microsoft 365 Enterprise suite and is designed primarily for use on Windows machines. VMware Carbon Black Cloud Endpoint Standard is a stand-alone cloud solution designed for enterprise deployment across a variety of operating systems. This is likely why most of its users are from mid-sized companies who need a robust security solution without committing to an entire suite of products. Features Both products offer full-fledged malware prevention and mitigation features, but they each have unique strengths as well. The biggest value point for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is that it’s already integrated with Windows and the larger Microsoft platform. This makes it easy to configure and deploy for Windows users and companies that have already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem of products and services. Additionally, its tight Windows integration means that it uses very few system resources when compared to other third-party antivirus solutions. Users report that it’s […]

Apache Kafka and Mule ESB are both enterprise service bus (ESB) and integration platforms, which allow users to capture real-time data from multiple sources. Apache Kafka is robust and complex for large companies with ESB experience, while Mule ESB’s easy to use interface will come in handy for those newer to integration platforms.  Features Though both Apache Kafka and Mule ESB are used by enterprise-level companies, there are a few standout features of each that differentiate them. Apache Kafka is, in essence, a message-brokering platform that delivers data from one point to another. Its uniqueness lies in its ability to distribute, store and process events. Users report that Apache Kafka is easy to configure and handles large amounts of data from different sources with ease. Its flexibility allows for success when handling millions of small files or a small number of large files, and it will accommodate bursts of traffic as well. Kafka is stable, secure, and well supported by Apache, so it can be a mission-critical part of a system without worry that it will fail. The fact that Apache continues to develop and improve it inspires confidence that it won’t go away anytime soon.  Mule ESB is a […]

PRTG and SolarWinds NPM are network performance monitoring options with similar feature sets, both able to support multi-vendor and multi-site enterprise networks, both well rated. They are directly competing solutions and are both available on a paid license (subscription or perpetual), however PRTG also is available on a limited free version. SolarWinds NPM is generally deployed at midsize or larger organizations and enterprises, while PRTG is deployed at companies of all sizes, predominantly midsize companies. Features Users describe several standout reasons that either PRTG or SolarWinds NPM might be an excellent choice for monitoring network performance. They are solutions with somewhat overlapping strengths. PRTG is generally noticed for its customizability, offering a vast array of sensors as well as configurable alerting to suit any need. It is a leading agent-based solution, and its sensors are noted to be easy to set up and flexibly deployed to monitor almost anything. Additionally, users like the price, and report that PRTG stands out as one of the most affordable, enterprise capable monitoring options. SolarWinds NPM is also favored for its configurability, though the emphasis is on its reporting and historicals, as well as its detailed high-level overview of network performance; it’s excellent reporting […]

Monday.com and Smartsheet are team project management applications designed to help co-workers plan projects, assign tasks, track progress, and share information. Both products offer multiple ways of viewing projects and tasks, including Gantt charts, calendar views, and kanban boards. However, Smartsheet uses spreadsheets as the fundamental building blocks of projects, while monday.com has a custom UI with only a passing resemblance to tables or spreadsheets. monday.com is used primarily by small businesses, likely because it is slightly cheaper and its feature set is aimed at smaller-scale projects and teams. Smartsheet is primarily used by mid-sized companies and has a significant enterprise-level user base, likely because its spreadsheet-based design lends itself to larger-scale teams and projects. Features Both monday.com and Smartsheet offer core project management functionality, but they each offer unique benefits to their users. monday.com is designed to be quick and easy to pick up and use. The software offers a single board for each project, giving managers and team members a quick overview of the project’s status. Each project board can be customized to display the most relevant data for that project. Users appreciate the automation tools to create tasks, move tasks through workflow processes, and automatically assign tasks […]

pfSense, from Netgate and Sophos XG Firewall serve as entry level firewalls or options for small and midsize businesses. The Sophos XG Firewall is a full-featured firewall bundling Sophos’ security software and appliances. pfSense is an open source software solution based on the FreeBSD OS. It can run on Netgate’s own SG & XG appliances, as well as deploy virtually on AWS or Azure or on commodity computers, transforming the machine into a small or home office firewall, for an almost no-cost solution. Sophos XG Firewall appears most in the middle-market, while pfSense appears most in budget constrained small businesses. They are competing solutions, however it is possible to use the Sophos XG Firewall for security with pfSense for other features like VPN, load balancing, etc. Sophos XG Firewall has a free “home” edition which may be useful for single branch businesses or home offices as a basic firewall on commodity hardware; this option presents a direct alternative to the open source pfSense. Features There are some advantages to using pfSense and Sophos XG Firewall. It is pfSense’s ease of use for ancillary firewall features where the solution shines. It has an effective and reliable VPN, and presents great NAT […]

FortiGate, from Fortinet, and SonicWall TZ are next-gen firewalls (NGFWs). They are competing solutions, however SonicWall TZ aims more at smaller companies as an entry level NGFW, while FortiGate customers include large enterprises. Both vendors are network security specialists and provide related products and services besides their firewalls; see the respective SonicWall and Fortinet vendor pages. Fortinet will tend to be deployed at larger companies and enterprise vis-a-vis SonicWall, with a correspondingly higher price tag. Features Both FortiGate and SonicWall TZ present certain advantages that might make them the correct solution for some networks. FortiGate is an established vendor and the product receives frequent feedback and across the board high ratings. For a few standout features, FortiGate users say its VPN is high performing, its GUI and administrative setup are fluid and easy to understand. Users will get great results when the firewalls are properly configured, which most users say is not hard to do with proper training. Additionally, and unusually for many appliances that can be deployed in enterprise environments, users praise FortiGate for clear and straightforward pricing. SonicWall TZ is just as highly rated for its market. Reviewers single out its excellent traffic inspection and geolocation based traffic […]

Red Hat Virtualization and VMware ESXi are server virtualization solutions. VMware ESXi is a proprietary bare-metal hypervisor bundled with VMware’s vSphere product. Red Hat Virtualization is an open-source, Linux-based platform that includes hypervisors and a virtualization manager. Both products are most heavily used by mid-size and enterprise-level organizations, likely because both are primarily designed for and marketed to businesses with large-scale virtualization needs. Features Although both VMware ESXi and Red Hat Virtualization provide similar virtualized server benefits, they differ in their usage and structure. The prevailing opinion of VMware ESXi is that it’s a straightforward, dependable hypervisor, with some users experiencing years of consistent server uptime even during hardware failures and other setbacks. It requires relatively few hardware resources, making a minimal impact on its host machine. Deploying new servers with VMware ESXi is quick and simple, even when you need to configure the server from scratch. When it’s time to upgrade hardware, VMware’s detailed hardware compatibility guidelines help IT departments make the right selection. Red Hat Virtualization is designed for smooth implementation, even if you’re replacing an existing virtualization solution. Red Hat Virtualization offers pre-built scripts and professional assistance to help new customers have a smooth migration experience. Their […]

Boomi is a business unit of Dell Technologies, and an enterprise iPaaS. Mule ESB is a Java-based enterprise service bus and the runtime engine of the Anypoint Platform, also an integration platform, from Mulesoft, a division of Salesforce. The solutions are used to integrate data from across different systems, internally or across different business entities, and are competing solutions. As enterprise solutions, Mule ESB (as part of Anypoint Platform) and Dell Boomi are both generally deployed at midsize and larger companies with separate business units and departments or complex or multifarious partner relationships where unification of data is useful. ESBs in general are not as commonly used as a middleware solution as they used to be given the movement towards the relatively low maintenance iPaaS or other API-based integration solutions. Thus, Mule ESB is not often deployed apart from Anypoint Platform; however it is open source and free (Mule Kernel) without the Anypoint Studio for users willing to edit XML directly without the Anypoint Studio graphic design environment, so it may present an option for some use cases. Features Dell Boomi’s cloud-based deployment brings low maintenance overhead, and it tends to be very well-liked particularly by Netsuite users for its […]

At their core, Microsoft Teams and Workplace by Facebook are collaboration tools designed to improve group or workplace communications. Microsoft Teams is a popular choice for businesses that use Office 365 products. It is packaged in with the Office 365 suite and syncs up well with other Microsoft technologies. Workplace will feel familiar to Facebook users and it allows businesses to use news feeds and live videos to keep their users informed.  Both Microsoft Teams and Workplace are excellent choices for businesses of all sizes because they both offer free versions for small teams and can scale to meet the needs of enterprise clients as well.  Features Microsoft Teams and Workplace both provide collaborative abilities, but each also has unique features that set them apart. Microsoft Teams includes a robust chat service that allows users to communicate quickly without setting up a conference. Syncing with Office 365 also makes collaboration easy by allowing file sharing and calendar support as well as integrations with other Microsoft applications. Teams works on all iOS and Windows platforms and Users also enjoy how easy it is to share files and messages in the application.  Workplace offers many of Facebook’s core features like groups but […]

Google Analytics and Pendo.io are both analytics platforms for tracking user behavior and experience. Since the standard version of Google Analytics is free, it is ideal for individuals and small to midsize companies looking for robust tracking of user behavior on their websites. On the other hand, Pendo.io is popular with businesses looking for a platform to help them collect product feedback, track user engagement levels, and measure customer satisfaction.  Features Google Analytics is a fully-featured tool for monitoring and understanding the behavior of website and app users. It allows businesses to keep track of where most of their website traffic is coming from, and which parts of their site are attracting and engaging the most users. Google Analytics allows businesses to see their data in real-time, view user demographics, and conduct basic funnel reporting and marketing attribution modeling. The Google Analytics interface makes it easy to track multiple web properties at once and invite multiple team members to work from within one account. As part of the Google ecosystem of products and services, Google Analytics also integrates seamlessly with other Google products such as Google Ads, Google Search Console, Optimize, and Data Studio.  Pendo.io’s primary focus is helping product […]

Cisco ASA and FortiGate are products that provide security for network applications, including firewall, SSL, web filtering and VPN. Both Cisco ASA and FortiGate are well liked among medium to enterprise sized businesses, but large established businesses tend to choose ASA, especially if their server environment is already Cisco. FortiGate is more popular among medium-sized businesses, which are more likely to be price sensitive. Features Cisco ASA and FortiGate provide many of the same services, but there are standout features of each. Cisco ASA is easy to deploy and works well in most environments. It adapts well to small and medium scale servers, especially servers that use Cisco products already. Users like the VPN for connecting remote users to the network or connecting one site to another, and businesses appreciate the web filtering component. The hardware is reliable, as is Cisco technical support.  FortiGate is a newer up-and-comer to the world of network security. It handles traffic spikes and larger server loads with ease, and is more affordable than its comparable competitors. The interface is simple to use, and the firewall is easy to configure. Simplified pricing allows businesses to pay only for the services they use. Limitations Each of […]

Apache Cassandra and PostgreSQL (or Postgres) are popular open-source databases; Apache Cassandra is NoSQL and boasts high availability. PostgreSQL is an object-relational database and overall one of the world’s most adopted database management systems after only MySQL, Oracle, and Microsoft SQL Server. Cassandra is available free under the Apache License 2.0 and PostgreSQL is free under the liberal PostgreSQL License, which is similar to the BSD or MIT licenses. PostgreSQL and Cassandra are frequently compared but not necessarily competitors as each is suitable for different use cases. PostgreSQL is deployed at companies of all sizes and enterprises, while Cassandra is more often deployed at larger companies and enterprises given its focus on helping users manage large volumes of possibly unstructured data across multiple data centres. Features There are differing reasons to deploy either Apache Cassandra or PostgreSQL for a project. Cassandra is a wide column store suitable for supporting high velocity read and write. It is liked for its core competency, which in its case is scalability and availability. Other advantages users point out is that it is low maintenance, able to perform well on low cost commodity hardware, and that CQL (Cassandra Query Language) is easy to use, being […]

Appian and Pega Platform are cloud-based platforms that help developers quickly build apps for business process management (BPM), case management, customer relationship management (CRM), and other business needs. Appian sacrifices some flexibility in favor of ease of use, while Pega Platform sometimes prioritizes customization over usability. Overall, however, both platforms offer similar functionality. Due to their focus on addressing enterprise business needs, both products are used primarily by large companies and organizations. Features Although both Pega Platform and Appian offer similar features and capabilities, they differ in their user experience and flexibility. Appian is focused on being quick and easy to use, both for developers and end users. Developers find Appian intuitive and suitable for quick-turnaround development, allowing them to create mockups and prototype apps within hours or even within minutes. Users with development experience are able to get up to speed with the platform quickly and easily. The platform integrates well with external systems such as Salesforce and DocuSign, helping businesses develop apps that play well with their existing systems. Appian is also actively developed, with quarterly releases responsive to user feedback and changing business landscapes. Pega Platform, on the other hand, offers detailed customization options and is open […]

FreeNAS and QNAP NAS are network attached storage (NAS) solutions designed to compartmentalize file storage for access by multiple clients. FreeNAS is a free, open-source operating system for NAS systems. QNAP NAS is sold as a complete hardware and software NAS solution. FreeNAS is used primarily by mid-sized companies and large enterprises, probably because it allows customers to completely own and customize an enterprise-ready NAS solution without paying for licensing fees. Features Both FreeNAS and QNAP NAS help individuals and businesses store and access large amounts of data, they have significant differences. First of all, FreeNAS is, as its name implies, free. The software is open-source and distributed for no cost, meaning your software cost for a FreeNAS system will be zero. For a free solution, FreeNAS has plenty of enterprise-level features. It covers most data sharing protocols, making it compatible with a majority of client systems. The software also integrates with cloud storage providers like Amazon S3 and Google Cloud out-of-the-box, and you can further customize its capabilities with a library of third-party plugins. The web-based UI is easy to understand and has a clean, modern feel. QNAP NAS is sold as ready-to-use hardware and software systems, making it […]

Microsoft Teams is a collaboration tool designed to improve group or workplace communications while monday.com is a project management software that allows teams to work collaboratively to set and achieve goals.  Microsoft Teams is a popular choice for businesses that use Office 365 products. It is packaged in with the Office 365 suite and syncs up well with other Microsoft technologies. monday.com allows users to automate repetitive tasks and offers visualizations so users can spend more time working towards their objectives.  Both Microsoft teams and monday.com are excellent choices for businesses of all sizes thanks to their low starting prices, however only Microsoft Teams has a free version available and monday.com’s pricing model may make it less appealing to some prospective users.    Features Microsoft Teams and monday.com both provide collaborative abilities, but each also has unique features that set them apart. Microsoft Teams includes a robust chat service that allows users to communicate quickly without setting up a conference. Syncing with Office 365 also makes collaboration easy by allowing file sharing and calendar support as well as integrations with other Microsoft applications. Teams works on all iOS and Windows platforms and Users also enjoy how easy it is to share […]

Qualtrics and SurveyGizmo are tools used for creating and distributing surveys, and collecting and analyzing responses. They’re both designed to make the survey creation process easy and fast, with multiple options to customize question types. SurveyGizmo is a scalable solution that can meet the needs of different types of organizations, while Qualtrics is designed for use within larger organizations.  On TrustRadius, usage of SurveyGizmo is evenly distributed among small, medium, and large businesses. A majority of Qualtrics users on TrustRadius are from enterprise-level organizations. Features Although both Qualtrics and SurveyGizmo can be used to create and distribute surveys, they’re each different enough to not be interchangeable. Qualtrics is designed first and foremost for advanced, enterprise-level usage. Qualtrics is also popular among academic users and higher education institutions. It has a wide variety of options for collecting survey data, running analytics on that data, and generating reports. The software integrates with third-party tools like Jira, Slack, and Salesforce, allowing it to automatically generate service requests, send messages, and update customer data based on survey results. However, Qualtrics doesn’t sacrifice usability, with most users reporting that the software is intuitive and easy to use. SurveyGizmo is designed to be fast. It comes […]

JMeter and Micro Focus LoadRunner are performance and load testing tools that help businesses test the capabilities of their systems. Micro Focus LoadRunner is a proprietary tool that supports a wide array of protocols and includes some time-saving features. By contrast, JMeter is open-source and free, with many plugins that can extend its functionality. Although both products are used most commonly by enterprise-level organizations, JMeter’s free licensing also makes it popular with mid-sized companies. Features Both Micro Focus LoadRunner and JMeter can be used to perform large-scale load testing on services and applications, but they each have standout features and capabilities. JMeter’s users appreciate its powerful capability to replicate realistic scenarios with variable user inputs and randomization tools. The replay tool helps users with minimal programming experience design tests, and its scripting language isn’t too complicated for new users to get accustomed to. JMeter integrates well with continuous delivery tools such as Jenkins to automate repeated testing and reporting. Since the tool is open-source, it’s free to use and has strong support from its community of users and developers. Micro Focus LoadRunner benefits primarily from its access to a wide range of protocols, from common protocols like HTTP and FTP […]