NetWrix Change Reporter Suite

Chances are that if something has been changed, this product will know about it and be able to report the alterations to those that need to know. This software solution can monitor for changes almost anywhere on the network, including Active Directory, file servers, Microsoft Exchange, storage appliances (such as NetApp or EMC), virtual and physical infrastructure, and SQL Server databases, among many others. Using this suite, administrators can easily keep an eye on the environment and know who changed what, what the value was changed from and to, and, more importantly, when and where the change originated.

We found installation to be simple and straightforward. However, it can be a tad tedious. The suite includes many installers that must be implemented for the tool to operate. The first step in installation is to deploy a Microsoft SQL Server or have one available to house the backend database. After the SQL server is up and running, the various components must be installed. From there, all administration is done via a management console that has the look and feel of a Microsoft management console, so most administrators will feel right at home navigating and managing the product.

We also found that setting up the environment to report changes was easy. Once set up, we were getting results almost instantly. One thing we really liked about this product was the large amount of directories and other places it could plug in to, as well as how easy it was to configure change management across many types of devices. The final component to the Change Reporter Suite is compliance management. The suite comes pretty much ready to go to aid in managing compliance standards throughout the environment and making sure a change will not affect policy compliance. Using the built-in AuditAssurance technology, Change Reporter Suite can provide detailed reports that include information on every change that has occurred throughout the enterprise.

Documentation included many guides and manuals for deploying and managing the various components of the product. We found all these guides to be helpful and well-organized with many screen shots and easy-to-follow instructions, but we would have liked to see a more streamlined documentation structure. Consolidating the many documents into a full administrator guide would not only be more efficient, but also ensure that parts of the documentation will not get lost or deleted accidently.

NetWrix offers no-cost and paid support options to customers. Customers can access many online aid resources at no cost, including full, unlimited access to a user support forum and 20-day access to a knowledge base and trouble ticket submission portal. After the first 20 days, customers can obtain a contract, which includes unlimited access to the knowledge base, as well as full email- and phone-based technical support.

With a price starting at just over $18 per user for up to 150 users, we find this product to be a good value for the money. The Change Reporter Suite offers a lot of integration options to help monitor and manage changes throughout the enterprise.