Articles

The Hidden Costs of Pcap Software: What CIOs/CISOs Need to Consider

Today, pcap analysis relies on distributed open-source tools, in-house analysis solutions, and manual processes for collaboration and monitoring. These become increasingly expensive and inefficient when enterprises attempt to scale these tools across an entire organization. 

CIOs, CISOs, and IT directors responsible for securing and optimizing enterprise infrastructure must ask: Does our current approach to packet analysis reduce complexity, improve security, and scale with our enterprise needs? Here are three things to consider when planning enterprise-grade packet analysis for your organization.

1. Individual pcap tools have high IT overhead

Many pcap tools lack enterprise-level support or centralized deployment. IT teams must manually handle every new deployment, integration, or update, which amounts to additional overhead for enterprises that grows exponentially with team size and complexity.

  • Software updates & patches: Many pcap tools require continuous monitoring for security vulnerabilities and compatibility issues. IT must manually apply patches and ensure they work across all environments.
  • Installation & configuration: Setting up Wireshark, Zeek, or Suricata across multiple locations and teams requires custom configuration, integrations, and security controls.
  • Integration with existing workflows: Enterprises must invest in custom scripts, APIs, or third-party integrations to ensure these tools integrate seamlessly with ticketing, SIEM, or SOAR solutions.

Hidden cost: support, maintenance, and custom development from your IT department. The labor required to maintain and support tools across an enterprise quickly outweighs the perceived cost savings of using “free” software.

2. Individual tools lack scalability & standardization

Many packet analysis tools were built for individual use cases, not large-scale, enterprise-wide deployments. As a result, organizations often struggle with:

  • Fragmented workflows: Different teams use different tools in different ways, which leads to inconsistent results.
  • Slow incident response: Analysts waste time manually correlating data instead of using pre-configured workflows that speed up analysis
  • Complicated reporting: Keeping a record of how something happened, why it happened, and its impact is more difficult without standardized procedures.

Hidden cost: higher MTTR. Without a standardized solution, enterprises waste time and resources dealing with inefficiencies, security gaps, and knowledge silos.

3. Many pcap analysis tools are built for experts 

Wireshark, Zeek, and Suricata are powerful but complex tools. While experienced engineers may thrive with these solutions, many organizations struggle with skills gaps and onboarding challenges.

  • High learning curve: These tools are designed for expert users, making it difficult for junior staff to onboard quickly.
  • Wider knowledge gap: The experts in packet analysis often know the complex tools well but are not equipped with the tools to share that knowledge or work with others who have much less experience.
  • Difficult succession planning: Packet analysis often falls on a small number of experts or champions who take that knowledge with them once they have moved on to other opportunities.

Hidden cost: lack of training and knowledge pipeline. Without tools designed for the enterprise, the essential and powerful benefits of packet analysis fall by the wayside. 

Shifting the focus to enterprise packet analysis

Enterprises need a centralized, scalable, and secure solution to manage packet captures efficiently. If your organization still struggles with inefficiencies, knowledge gaps, and scalability challenges, it’s time to explore enterprise-ready alternatives. Ask yourself:

  • What does your current packet analysis workflow look like across teams?
  • How do you onboard and train new NOC/SOC staff?
  • What are the hidden costs of relying on a patchwork collection of software?
  • Could a centralized, scalable solution improve efficiency and lower TCO?

Better options are available for IT leaders looking to modernize packet capture workflows, streamline operations, and reduce administrative overhead. CloudShark Enterprise is built for all this and more.