Compare Splunk Enterprise vs. Wireshark vs. Zeek

Accelerate the transition from data to tangible business results with Splunk. Splunk Enterprise streamlines the process of gathering, analyzing, and leveraging the hidden potential of the vast data created by your technological framework, security measures, and enterprise applications—equipping you with the knowledge necessary to enhance operational efficiency and achieve business objectives. Effortlessly gather and index log and machine data from a variety of sources. Merge your machine data with information stored in relational databases, data warehouses, as well as Hadoop and NoSQL data repositories. The platform's multi-site clustering and automatic load balancing capabilities are designed to accommodate hundreds of terabytes of data daily, ensuring quick response times and uninterrupted access. Customizing Splunk Enterprise to suit various project requirements is straightforward with the Splunk platform. Developers have the flexibility to create bespoke Splunk applications or incorporate Splunk data into existing applications. Furthermore, applications developed by Splunk, our collaborators, and the community enhance and expand the functionalities of the Splunk platform, making it a versatile tool for organizations of all sizes. This adaptability ensures that users can extract maximum value from their data in a rapidly changing business landscape.

Wireshark stands as the leading and most widely utilized network protocol analyzer in the world. This tool allows users to observe the intricate details of their network activity and has become the standard reference point for various sectors, including commercial enterprises, non-profit organizations, government bodies, and academic institutions. The continued advancement of Wireshark is fueled by the voluntary efforts of networking specialists from around the world, originating from a project initiated by Gerald Combs in 1998. As a network protocol analyzer, Wireshark enables users to capture and explore the traffic traversing a computer network interactively. Known for its extensive and powerful capabilities, it is the most favored tool of its type globally. It operates seamlessly across a range of platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and UNIX. Regularly employed by network professionals, security analysts, developers, and educators worldwide, it is accessible without cost as an open-source application and is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 2. Additionally, its community-driven development model ensures that it remains up-to-date with the latest networking technologies and trends.

Zeek, initially known as Bro, stands as the premier platform for monitoring network security. It is an adaptable, open-source solution driven by those dedicated to defense in the cybersecurity realm. With its origins tracing back to the 1990s, the project was initiated by Vern Paxson to gain insights into activities on university and national laboratory networks. In late 2018, to acknowledge its growth and ongoing advancements, the leadership team transitioned the name from Bro to Zeek. Unlike conventional security tools such as firewalls or intrusion prevention systems, Zeek operates passively by residing on a sensor, which can be a hardware, software, virtual, or cloud-based platform, that discreetly monitors network traffic. By analyzing the data it collects, Zeek generates concise, high-quality transaction logs, file contents, and customizable outputs that are well-suited for manual examination on storage devices or through more user-friendly applications like security information and event management (SIEM) systems. This unique approach allows for a deeper understanding of network activities without interfering with the traffic itself.