Vendor Spotlight: ManageEngine

ManageEngine produces software that monitors and manages IT systems. The company has a long list of products that include tools that feature one specific domain, such as its Firewall Analyzer. Or packages that cover all systems on a site or multiple sites, such as its RMM Central and OpManager Plus products.

ManageEngine is a division of an even larger company that excels as a software provider: Zoho Corporation, which is an Indian company. Zoho Corporation is a private company without any investment fund involvement..

ManageEngine Founding and Background

ManageEngine was established in 2003. However, to get the full picture of how this company came about, we need to rewind a little further to 1996 and examine the creation of AdventNet, Inc. That business grew and evolved six years later in 2002, which is when the ManageEngine name came about. However, ManageEngine contained more of the existing products than the functions that were left in the rump AdventNet operation.

AdventNet started out with a network monitoring tool, based on the Simple Network Management Protocol; the modern-day successor to that package is ManageEngine OpManager. The Zoho name came about as a product line, starting with Zoho Virtual Office in 2004. With all of its products carrying the Zoho name, AdventNet, Inc. changed its name to Zoho Corporation in 2009. So, ManageEngine is actually older than its parent company.

Zoho has since generated more divisions both through executives starting up side businesses, which Zoho later bought and integrated, and by splitting off sections of one brand to create another. An example of the latter is Site24x7, a cloud-based brand of system monitoring and management tools that was split off from ManageEngine in 2006.

AdventNet has been a multinational since its inception. The company was created by Indian technologists working in the USA and their friends and relatives back in India. The US branch presented an American brand, while the development division took advantage of the lower cost base of India. So, the company operated dual HQs for most of its history until it consolidated its structure when its Board of Directors all ended up being based in India.

ManageEngine produces on-premises software because the management of Zoho decided to create the Site24x7 brand as its cloud version of ManageEngine. However, the ManageEngine team provided its tools as services available on the marketplaces of AWS and Azure. These are self-managed cloud-based systems rather than a SaaS platform. The company is now introducing SaaS versions of its most successful tools, such as Log360.

Timeline and Evolution

ManageEngine is the enterprise IT management division of Zoho Corporation. So, the history of ManageEngine is closely linked to that of Zoho.

• 1996: Originally founded as AdventNet Inc., the company began as a network management software provider, focused on the telecoms industry.
• 1997-2002: AdventNet expands its products with more network monitoring services. Pivots its marketing to the general business community.
• 2002: AdventNet starts to plan its new ManageEngine brand.
• January 2003: AdventNet Inc. rebranded its IT management software as ManageEngine. Early products were focused on network and server monitoring.
• 2005-2008: Expansion of IT management tools portfolio to include solutions for helpdesk management, applications monitoring, and Active Directory management.
• 2009: Name of company changed to Zoho Corporation.
• 2010: ManageEngine launches its first MSP offering, producing ServiceDesk Plus for use by managed service providers.
• 2010-2015: Cloud solutions and security focus, addressing the rise of cloud computing by introducing cloud-based versions of its solutions, such as ServiceDesk Plus Cloud.
• 2017: GDPR compliance is integrated into ManageEngine products and processes. The company produces tools for customers to use in becoming GDPR-compliant and retaining the status.
• 2021: ManageEngine launches RMM Central, an unified remote monitoring and management solution, for MSPs.
• 2022: ManageEngine turns 20. Zoho Corporation also crossed $1 billion in revenue worldwide.

Today, ManageEngine offers over 60 products and tools across various areas like network performance, help desk management, endpoint security, Active Directory management, cloud infrastructure, and IT analytics. With a global presence and continuous innovation, ManageEngine is a leading player in the IT management industry, catering to small businesses and large enterprises alike.

Key People

• Sridhar Vembu is the CEO of Zoho Corporation, which he originally founded as AdventNet in 1996 with two of his brothers and three friends. As CEO, Sridhar guides strategic programs around employee advocacy, business development, and Zoho’s portfolio of online business software, one of the industry’s first cloud computing software suites. He is also responsible for Zoho’s unique staffing practice, which employs high school graduates that have completed Zoho University, the company’s six-month training program that serves as an alternative to a four-year college degree.
• Shailesh Kumar is co-founder of Zoho Corporation and vice president of engineering at ManageEngine. As the head of Zoho Labs, he works on problems related to databases, datacentre and data-related AI/ML.
• Rajesh Ganesan is president of ManageEngine, and a part of the leadership team overseeing product strategy and direction for the overall suite. Rajesh has been with Zoho Corporation for around 25 years developing software products in various domains including telecommunications, network management, and IT security. He is currently focussed on delivering enterprise IT management solutions as SaaS.

Locations

ManageEngine has offices worldwide, some of which it shares with its sister brand, Zoho. The global headquarters of the business is in Chennai, India. The registered US headquarters of Zoho Corporation is located in Pleasanton, California. The company runs 18 data centers around the world, including in Riyadh, Mumbai, Sydney, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Toronto. It has offices in major cities, such as Dubai, Singapore, Beijing, Jeddah, Sao Paulo and Cairo.

Target Market and Customer Base

ManageEngine targets a broad spectrum of customers across industries, primarily focusing on IT management and operations for businesses of all sizes. The company’s diverse product portfolio allows it to cater to various segments, ranging from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to large enterprises.

Target Market

Here’s a breakdown of the target market of ManageEngine:

1. Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): Cost-effective IT management solutions. Many products have Free editions that limit the capacity of the tool, specifically for use by small businesses.
2. Large Enterprises: Scalable, integrated solutions and support for hybrid infrastructures appeal to larger enterprises with sophisticated IT environments. These solutions handle large volumes of data, user bases, and multi-site networks.
3. Managed Service Providers (MSPs): Multi-tenant versions of standard ManageEngine systems, plus new tools that were specifically written for MSPs. Remote monitoring, IT service management, and ticketing allow MSPs to serve multiple clients.
4. Government and Public Sector: Tools that provide secure, compliant IT management solutions help government agencies maintain their networks, systems, and security. Data security products are particularly important in this sector.
5. Educational Institutions: Universities, colleges, and schools need ManageEngine’s tools for managing large-scale IT infrastructure. Solutions manage user access, ensure network uptime, and maintain security without stretching IT budgets.
6. Healthcare: Strict security, compliance, and uptime to protect patient data and ensure smooth operations are vital in this sector. ManageEngine provides systems for the security of sensitive healthcare data, compliance, and network management.
7. Finance and Banking: Management of security, compliance, and networks. Log360 and Password Manager Pro are popular products used in the financial sector.

Customer Base

ManageEngine serves a global customer base across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East. It is widely used in regions with high demand for IT management solutions due to increasing digital transformation efforts.

Key Industries:

• Information Technology
• Government
• Healthcare
• Education
• Finance
• Retail

ManageEngine has over 180,000 customers globally, ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. Notable customers include:

• Barclays Bank
• Siemens
• NASA
• Sony
• Intel
• UNICEF

ManageEngine’s wide range of solutions and customizable offerings allow it to address various industry-specific IT needs, making it a versatile provider across multiple sectors.

ManageEngine’s Product Suite

ManageEngine offers a wide-ranging product suite that covers various aspects of IT management, designed to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes. All its solutions are built in-house completely, a testament to its innovation and R&D efforts.

1. Unified Service Management (USM)

Enterprise and IT service management

• ServiceDesk Plus: Full-stack service management for enterprises (On-premises | Cloud | MSP)

Customer service management

• SupportCenter Plus: Customer support with built-in billing for businesses (On-premises)

IT asset management

• AssetExplorer: IT asset management with an integrated CMDB (On-premises | Cloud)

2. IT Operations Management (ITOM) and observability

Full-stack observability and digital experience monitoring

• OpManager Plus: Full-stack observability with AIOps and digital experience monitoring (On-premises)
• Site24x7: AI-powered, all-in-one SaaS platform for observability and digital experience monitoring (Cloud | MSP)
• Applications Manager: Digital experience, application performance, and infrastructure monitoring (On-premises)
• Digital Risk Analyzer: All-in-one vendor risk assessment tool to ensure domain security (Cloud)

Network and server performance monitoring

• OpManager: Network, server, and storage performance monitoring (On-premises)
• NetFlow Analyzer: Bandwidth monitoring and traffic analysis (On-premises)
• Network Configuration Manager: Network change and configuration management analysis (On-premises)
• Firewall Analyzer: Firewall rule, configuration, and log management (On-premises)
• OpUtils: IP address and switch port management (On-premises)

IT incident management

• AlarmsOne: Centralized IT alert management (Cloud)
• Site24x7 StatusIQ: Status pages for real-time status and incident communication (Cloud)

DNS and DHCP management

• CloudDNS: All-in-one DNS management service (Cloud)
• DDI Central: Unified DNS, DHCP, and IP address management (On-premises)

Cloud cost management

• CloudSpend: AI-powered cloud cost observability for modern businesses (Cloud)

3. Unified Endpoint Management and Security (UEMS)

Endpoint management and protection platform (UEM and EPP)

• Endpoint Central: Integrated endpoint management and protection platform (On-premises | Cloud | MSP)

Endpoint management

• Mobile Device Manager Plus: Seamless mobile device management from onboarding to retirement (On-premises | Cloud | MSP)
• Patch Manager Plus: Automated patching across multiple OSs and over 850+ third-party apps (On-premises | Cloud)
• Patch Connect Plus: Simplified third-party patch deployment via ConfigMgr and Intune (On-premises)
• OS Deployer: Automated OS image creation and seamless role-based deployment (On-premises)
• Remote Access Plus: Remote troubleshooting with integrated chat, voice, and video (On-premises | Cloud)
• RMM Central: Unified network monitoring and endpoint management for MSPs (MSP)

Endpoint security

• Vulnerability Manager Plus: Prioritization-focused enterprise vulnerability management (On-premises)
• Device Control Plus: Data theft prevention with strict peripheral device control (On-premises)
• Application Control Plus: App control and endpoint privilege management software (On-premises)
• Browser Security Plus: Browser security with isolation, lockdown, and activity tracking (On-premises)
• Endpoint DLP Plus: Sensitive data protection and compliance for endpoint devices (On-premises)

4. Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)

SIEM

• Log360: Unified SIEM solution with integrated DLP and CASB capabilities (On-premises | Cloud | MSSP)

Log and compliance management

• EventLog Analyzer: Comprehensive log and IT compliance management (On-premises | MSSP)
• Firewall Analyzer: Firewall rule, configuration, and log management (On-premises)

Security auditing

• ADAudit Plus: Real-time Active Directory, file, and Windows server change auditing (On-premises)
• SharePoint Manager Plus: SharePoint reporting and auditing (On-premises)
• M365 Security Plus: Microsoft 365 security (On-premises)
• Cloud Security Plus: Cloud security monitoring and analytics (On-premises)
• DataSecurity Plus: File auditing, data leak prevention, and data risk assessment (On-premises)
• FileAnalysis: File security and storage analysis (On-premises)

5. IT Analytics

IT analytics

• Analytics Plus: AI-enabled IT analytics for enterprises (On-premises | Cloud)
• SaaS Manager Plus: Spending management platform for SaaS subscriptions (Cloud)

6. Identity and Access Management (IAM)

Active Directory management

• ADManager Plus: Active Directory, Microsoft 365, and Exchange management and reporting (On-premises | MSP)
• ADAudit Plus: Real-time Active Directory, file, and Windows server change auditing (On-premises)
• ADSelfService Plus: Identity security with adaptive MFA, SSPR, and SSO (On-premises)
• Exchange Reporter Plus: Reporting, auditing, and monitoring for hybrid Exchange and Skype (On-premises)
• RecoveryManager Plus: Active Directory, Microsoft 365, and Exchange backup and recovery (On-premises)

Identity governance and administration

• AD360: Workforce identity and access management for hybrid ecosystems (On-premises)
• M365 Manager Plus: Microsoft 365 management, reporting, and auditing (On-premises)
• Identity360: A cloud-native identity platform for workforce IAM (Cloud)

Privileged access management

• PAM360: Complete privileged access security for enterprises (On-premises | MSP)
• Password Manager Pro: Privileged password management (On-premises | MSP)
• Access Manager Plus: Secure remote access and privileged session management (On-premises)
• Key Manager Plus: SSH key and SSL/TLS certificate management (On-premises)

7. Low-code app development

Custom solution builder

• AppCreator: Advanced low-code platform for building powerful applications (On-premises)

Notable Products

ManageEngine OpManager

ManageEngine OpManager is a network and server monitoring tool designed to help IT teams monitor and manage their network infrastructure efficiently.

Key Features:

• Network Discovery: Automatically discovers network devices and servers, which simplifies the setup process.
• System documentation: Automatically generates a hardware inventory and a network topology map.
• Network Monitoring: Provides real-time visibility into the performance and availability of network devices, servers, and applications.
• Performance Management: Monitors key performance metrics such as bandwidth usage, CPU load, and memory usage.
• Alerting and Notifications: Configures alerts based on performance thresholds and other criteria. Supports multiple notification methods, including email, SMS, and integration with other ITSM tools.
• API Support: Provides APIs for custom integrations and automation.

OpManager offers a broad range of capabilities for monitoring and managing network infrastructure. While it excels in performance and flexibility, potential users should be aware of the complexities associated with its setup and the resource demands of the software.

Applications Manager

ManageEngine Applications Manager helps organizations ensure the availability and performance of servers, databases, cloud environments, virtual infrastructure, and web services. Key features include real-time monitoring, in-depth performance analytics, automatic discovery of applications, and root cause analysis. The customizable dashboards and detailed reports give insights into application health, response times, memory usage, and transaction performance.

The package will integrate with other ManageEngine tools, creating a unified IT management ecosystem. However, for users new to APM solutions or those with less technical expertise, the product’s extensive feature set can be overwhelming, leading to a steep learning curve. Despite these challenges, Applications Manager is a solid choice for businesses seeking a reliable, all-in-one APM solution.

ADAudit Plus

ManageEngine ADAudit Plus is an administration and reporting solution that helps organizations monitor and secure their AD environment. It provides real-time auditing, tracking, and alerting of critical changes across AD, Azure AD, and Windows Server. ADAudit Plus allows IT teams to monitor user activities, group policy changes, login patterns, and more, helping detect suspicious activities. Its compliance reports simplify adherence to regulatory requirements like HIPAA, GDPR, and SOX.

ADAudit Plus provides more than 200 out-of-the-box reports that illuminate AD changes, user behaviors, and login activities. The tool integrates with AD environments, and it provides real-time alerts for threat detection. This package is a valuable solution for organizations that need to enhance security, ensure compliance, and maintain a comprehensive audit trail of AD activities.

Major Competitors

Here are some major competitors to ManageEngine:

1. Datadog A cloud-based infrastructure monitoring and APM platform that provides end-to-end visibility into application performance, logs, and metrics, widely used for its scalability in cloud-native environments.
2. Paessler PRTG A versatile network monitoring tool offering an all-in-one solution to monitor traffic, bandwidth, and device health. It excels in ease of use and real-time reporting for medium-sized enterprises.
3. Nagios An open-source network monitoring tool that provides real-time monitoring of systems, networks, and infrastructure with customizable plugins and dashboards, ideal for organizations looking for a flexible solution.
4. Zabbix An open-source monitoring solution that covers networks, servers, and cloud services. It provides highly customizable monitoring options, ideal for organizations seeking cost-effective and flexible control.
5. Splunk A powerful data analytics platform that focuses on IT operations management and security, providing robust log management, monitoring, and incident response capabilities for large-scale enterprise environments.
6. Microsoft System Center A suite of tools for managing Windows
7. SolarWinds A leading provider of network, systems, and IT management tools, offering comprehensive monitoring and performance management for hybrid IT environments, known for its scalability and rich feature set.environments, offering capabilities for network management, configuration, and application monitoring, favored by organizations heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem.
8. BMC Software A comprehensive IT service management platform offering tools for monitoring, automation, and IT operations. Its strength lies in providing enterprise-level solutions for infrastructure and cloud management.
9. New Relic A cloud-based observability platform that delivers real-time insights into application performance, infrastructure, and user experiences, ideal for DevOps teams focused on optimizing software performance and delivery.
10. IBM Tivoli A suite of enterprise-level monitoring tools for managing networks, applications, and storage. Tivoli is known for its scalability and customization options, suited for complex, large-scale IT environments.

Conclusion

Post-pandemic, ManageEngine focused on helping organizations adapt to the remote work culture. It enhanced its cloud offerings and strengthened remote IT management tools. It expanded its product suite with new capabilities around endpoint security, zero-trust models, and advanced threat management, responding to the increased cybersecurity risks.