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Comparison · Analytics
ManageEngine M365 Security Plus vs Neo4j
A side-by-side editorial comparison of ManageEngine M365 Security Plus and Neo4j — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
ManageEngine M365 Security Plus vs Neo4j: at a glance
| Feature | ManageEngine M365 Security Plus | Neo4j |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | Analytics | Analytics |
| Velocity score | 5.0 | 6.3 |
| Sparks · 30d | 0 | 1 |
| Top themes | microsoft-365, security-auditing, on-premises, dependency-upgrades | graph-database, graph-analytics, access-control, cypher |
| Last editorial update | 1mo ago | 2d ago |
| Website | Visit → | — |
What is ManageEngine M365 Security Plus?
An on-prem M365 auditing tool whose releases are mostly dependency hygiene.
M365 Security Plus is an on-premises Java application for auditing and alerting on Microsoft 365 activity, shipped as numbered builds a few times a year. The last two builds are typical of the pattern: 4821 upgrades the bundled JRE from Java 8 to 11 and refreshes 7-Zip and Jackson libraries, while 4820 carries the only real functional work in the window — mailbox backups to local, shared, or NAS repositories, PST splitting for large exports, bulk mailbox selection from CSV, and audit logs that show object names instead of GUIDs. Security fixes appear in nearly every build.
What is Neo4j?
Neo4j gives away graph analytics, then builds out the language and console around it.
August was unusually dense and closes on language work. Aura Graph Analytics landed on the AuraDB free tier, multiple databases entered public preview, ABAC brought dynamic and time-based access control, and Query Tabs reworked how queries are organised. The Enterprise Studio release was administrative rather than analytical - cloud secret managers, universal role mapping for Studio creators, consistent error handling, plus virtual-graph support, rule-based table styling and a presentation mode across Bloom and Dashboards. The month-end Aura release is Cypher 25 itself: a native UUID type, string interpolation, exportable access-setup commands, and list predicates in property-based access control.
ManageEngine M365 Security Plus vs Neo4j: editorial side-by-side
ManageEngine M365 Security Plus
5.0ANALYTICS
An on-prem M365 auditing tool whose releases are mostly dependency hygiene.
◆ Current state
M365 Security Plus is an on-premises Java application for auditing and alerting on Microsoft 365 activity, shipped as numbered builds a few times a year. The last two builds are typical of the pattern: 4821 upgrades the bundled JRE from Java 8 to 11 and refreshes 7-Zip and Jackson libraries, while 4820 carries the only real functional work in the window — mailbox backups to local, shared, or NAS repositories, PST splitting for large exports, bulk mailbox selection from CSV, and audit logs that show object names instead of GUIDs. Security fixes appear in nearly every build.
◆ Where it's heading
Two forces set the release agenda, and neither is a roadmap. The first is Microsoft: deprecated cmdlets forced an audit rewrite onto Get-MessageTraceV2, and a tenant configuration change broke onboarding until build 4817 patched around it. The second is the supply chain — Log4j, Tomcat, Bouncy Castle, Zulu JRE, and now the Java 8 to 11 jump, all tracked build by build because on-premises customers inherit whatever the vendor bundles. The product work that does land clusters around the Backup module, which is the one area growing rather than being maintained.
◆ Prediction
With the JRE finally past Java 8, Tomcat 9 is the next end-of-life dependency in the bundle, and the Backup module's steady additions suggest export and retention options continue there.
Neo4j
6.3ANALYTICS
Neo4j gives away graph analytics, then builds out the language and console around it.
◆ Current state
August was unusually dense and closes on language work. Aura Graph Analytics landed on the AuraDB free tier, multiple databases entered public preview, ABAC brought dynamic and time-based access control, and Query Tabs reworked how queries are organised. The Enterprise Studio release was administrative rather than analytical - cloud secret managers, universal role mapping for Studio creators, consistent error handling, plus virtual-graph support, rule-based table styling and a presentation mode across Bloom and Dashboards. The month-end Aura release is Cypher 25 itself: a native UUID type, string interpolation, exportable access-setup commands, and list predicates in property-based access control.
◆ Where it's heading
Neo4j is competing on what its free and managed tiers include rather than on the engine, and everything around that bet is being brought up to the standard it implies - secret storage, uniform role mapping, and now a query language gaining the ergonomics that make self-service credible. Access control is the thread that compounds fastest: ABAC mid-month, PBAC list predicates at month's end, and commands that let an operator export and replay a whole grant setup. The pattern is a database company doing platform work, with the differentiators given away at the bottom of the range and the operational surface above them made convincing enough for the enterprises expected to pay.
◆ Prediction
Multiple databases in public preview is the obvious candidate for general availability next, and the steady access-control work suggests the tenancy and role model will be extended to cover it. Expect the monthly Aura and Studio cadence to keep alternating between Cypher surface and operational plumbing.
Alternatives to ManageEngine M365 Security Plus and Neo4j
Other Analytics products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either ManageEngine M365 Security Plus or Neo4j.
Chord
Chord is turning its analytics assistant into something with memory, and now feeding it more sources
Datawrapper
Datawrapper ships one small fix at a time, each named for the chart it touches
Holistics
After a summer fencing in its AI layer, Holistics points it at the question analysts get asked most.
dbt Core
Fusion's 2.0 train has become adapter work: Exasol from scratch, ClickHouse toward parity.
AgencyAnalytics
Reporting tool turning itself into the place agencies prove AI visibility to clients
See all ManageEngine M365 Security Plus alternatives → · See all Neo4j alternatives →
Recent activity from ManageEngine M365 Security Plus and Neo4j
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 3d agoNeo4jCypher 25 adds a native UUID type and string interpolation
- 5d agoNeo4jEnterprise Studio adds cloud secret managers and uniform role mapping
- 8d agoNeo4jMultiple Databases now in Public Preview
- 21d agoNeo4jAura Graph Analytics is now available on AuraDB Free ⚡
- 21d agoNeo4jDynamic & Time-Based Access Control with ABAC, now in Neo4j Aura!
- 28d agoNeo4jQuery Tabs: A new way to work with your queries
- 1mo agoManageEngine M365 Security PlusBuild 4821: bundled JRE moves to Java 11
- 1mo agoManageEngine M365 Security PlusBuild 4820: NAS backup targets, PST splitting, readable audits
- 2mo agoManageEngine M365 Security PlusBuild 4817: tenant configuration unblocked
- 5mo agoManageEngine M365 Security PlusBuild 4816: Export Graph data-access fix and Log4j upgrade
- 7mo agoManageEngine M365 Security PlusBuild 4814: Duo SDK update before certificate expiry
- 7mo agoManageEngine M365 Security PlusBuild 4811: proxy, scheduler, and SSL launch fixes
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ManageEngine M365 Security Plus and Neo4j?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Neo4j is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 5.0), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is ManageEngine M365 Security Plus better than Neo4j?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Neo4j is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 5.0), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Analytics products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to ManageEngine M365 Security Plus?
Top ManageEngine M365 Security Plus alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "ManageEngine M365 Security Plus alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/manageengine-m365-security-plus for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to Neo4j?
Top Neo4j alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Neo4j alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/neo4j for the full list with editorial commentary on each.