Cisco ACI Reviews

Name: Cisco ACI
Brand: Cisco
Rating: 4 (99 reviews)

Vendor: Cisco

4.0 out of 5

99 reviews
85% willing to recommend

1,231 followers

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What is Cisco ACI?

Cisco ACI automates data center networking, centralizing management and configuration of diverse network environments. It's used for micro-segmentation, replacing legacy networks, and deploying software-defined networking.

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Cisco ACI is the #1 ranked solution in top Network Virtualization solutions, #2 ranked solution in top Software Defined Networking, and #3 ranked solution in best Cloud Security companies. PeerSpot users give Cisco ACI an average rating of 8.0 out of 10. Cisco ACI is most commonly compared to VMware NSX: Cisco ACI vs VMware NSX. Cisco ACI is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 70% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 24% of all views.

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Featured reviews

Raj Metkar

Director, Head of Networks at MUFG Bank EMEA and Securities International

Cisco's MSO (Multi-Site Orchestrator) or NDO has room for improvement. Cisco monitors ACI through a product called NDI. I find it very frustrating that Cisco has multiple monitoring platforms. It has DNAC for monitoring Cisco NX-OS, campus switches, and any other routers and switches you would have in the environment. That same thing does not work for Cisco ACI monitoring. MEraki cloudbasd platform for Meraki which will get extended to Campus monitoring, to be honest Cisco never got Monitoring 100% right from days of CiscoWorks to Prime to current platforms. To monitor and manage Cisco ACI, you need to have another platform called NDI and Cisco Dashboard Insights. What frustrates me about Cisco is that it never has a central, single pane of glass platform for all its solutions. It has one thing for Cisco ACI and another thing for campus switches. I would really appreciate it if Cisco came up with something centralized to monitor everything. I haven't thought about anything since the Cisco NDO is quite advanced, and you can deploy your cloud networking through it. I don't know how many people use it. I might explore it as my cloud orchestration tool in the future. We do a lot of cloud automation using our scripts like TerraForm, but I would like to see people using NDO more. We could have more case studies on how many people use NDO for their cloud orchestration. That might be a much easier journey for people when they move from an on-premises data center into a cloud and move from one cloud to another cloud. That is where I personally see an orchestrator being effectively used for multiple deployments.

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Vasil Mitrov

Telecom Architect at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees

Cisco ACI, segmentation-wise, could be more flexible, which is an area for improvement. The solution could be improved in terms of macro or micro-segmentation for many access lists and contracts. The process becomes very messy in the end. Cisco seems to have stopped working on the segmentation feature and just put in all the effort on Cisco Tetration, mainly to install the agent on the server rather than do it on Cisco ACI. I'm slightly disappointed about Cisco ACI and ISE integration because Cisco stopped working on that, so if you have ISE, you can only integrate it with one cluster of Cisco ACI. On the segmentation side, Cisco ACI has many issues.

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Eyal Amar

Presales Manager for Networking/DC team at Malam-Team

Cisco ACI is used as an automation solution for the DC environment. The solution is also used for the implementation of agile services with the customer sites The most valuable features of Cisco ACI are micro-segmentation, the VXLAN, and the ACI flattening services. The solution's policy…

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Cisco ACI mindshare

Product category:

As of October 2024, the mindshare of Cisco ACI in the Network Virtualization category stands at 46.5%, down from 47.0% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Virtualization

Key learnings from peers

Last updated Sep 10, 2024

Valuable Features

Cisco ACI offers valuable features such as centralized management, ease of configuration, strong integration with VMware, micro-segmentation, and policy control. It provides robust SDN capabilities, effective automation, and efficient resource management. Cisco ACI also excels in orchestration, service training, and load enhancements. Users appreciate its network-centric approach, scalability, and programmability. Features like Service Graph, white-listing, and the capability to handle throughput and low latency are highly beneficial.

"Cisco ACI's multi-tenancy has been most beneficial for our network management."
"Automation features have been most beneficial for managing complex networks."
"PBR has been beneficial for network efficiency."

Room for Improvement

Cisco ACI needs improved training availability, better integration with hypervisors, streamlined initial setup, and enhanced technical support. Its GUI requires more user-friendliness, flexibility, and better segmentation features. Troubleshooting is complex, and the cost of visibility is high. Licensing and integration with third-party security and storage solutions need work. Bug fixes are frequent, and the deployment process is lengthy. Centralized orchestration and monitoring tools and enhanced virtualization capabilities are also required. Scalability and reliability should be enhanced.

"I would really appreciate it if Cisco came up with something centralized to monitor everything."
"It could benefit from an orchestration tool that makes deploying services easier."
"The GUI is not easy to use."

ROI

Users have experienced substantial gains from Cisco ACI with increased network automation and reduced configuration times leading to faster deployments. Cost savings have been achieved through fewer errors and lower maintenance expenses. Enhanced security features have contributed to protecting data more efficiently. Improved visibility and management have enabled better control over network environments, resulting in greater performance and stability. Overall, Cisco ACI has delivered significant value in terms of operational and cost efficiency.

Pricing

Cisco ACI is consistently regarded as an expensive solution with a high cost of licensing and setup. Users report the transition to smart licensing has been challenging and costly. Partner status significantly impacts pricing, with gold partners receiving substantial discounts. While the overall expense is high, many users believe the quality and benefits justify the price. Cisco ACI is generally recommended for enterprises rather than SMBs due to its cost implications.

"Yearly, we pay around one point two million for the solution."
"The product is not cheap."
"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."

Popular Use Cases

Organizations use Cisco ACI for data center networking, including automation, micro-segmentation, and hybrid cloud management. They deploy and configure upgraded ACIs for project-based needs, centrally managing infrastructure and replacing legacy networks. Cisco ACI integrates well with other brands and is utilized for security, threat detection, and business continuity. It's favored for its scalability, automation, and ability to handle complex, multi-tenant infrastructures, often handling migration from traditional networks to software-defined environments.

Service and Support

Cisco ACI customer service and support receive mixed feedback. Many users find the technical support knowledgeable, responsive, and superior to competitors. Some users report excellent experiences with quick resolutions, while others cite inconsistent quality and longer response times. The onboarding of less experienced engineers has impacted support quality for some. Regional differences in support quality are noted, particularly between EMEA and APAC regions. Licensing and premium support often result in higher satisfaction.

Deployment

Many found Cisco ACI's initial setup straightforward. Some highlighted the need for familiarity with configurations, while others noted its complexity and learning curve. Those with networking experience considered it easier. Preparation and connecting devices generally took a few days to weeks, varying by project scope. Factors like migration complexity and available resources influenced timelines. Cisco’s guides and workshops aided setup. Feedback ranged from easy to moderately challenging, with some citing dependencies and the need for specialized skills.

Scalability

Cisco ACI shows excellent scalability, suitable for medium to large enterprises but not for small-scale users. Users appreciate its ability to add components like spines and leaves to enhance performance. Many highlight the ease of expanding across multiple data centers and integrating with legacy infrastructure. Ratings for scalability are consistently high, with users mentioning it supports significant growth without requiring extensive redesigns. Although some report occasional issues, they generally rate it positively.

Stability

Customers report high satisfaction with Cisco ACI's stability. It is described as stable, reliable, and mature, especially from version 4.2 onwards. Users highlight its performance, noting few problems when following recommended versions. Some encountered bugs that required updates, but these did not significantly impact stability. Ratings frequently hit nine or ten out of ten, with long-term installations running seamlessly for years without issues.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

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Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

24%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Healthcare Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Educational Organization

Retailer

Insurance Company

University

Transportation Company

Construction Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Comms Service Provider

Legal Firm

Media Company

Hospitality Company

Non Profit

Pharma/Biotech Company

Performing Arts

Logistics Company

Outsourcing Company

Aerospace/Defense Firm

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Compare Cisco ACI with alternative products

Learn more about Cisco ACI

Cisco ACI enables seamless integration with cloud platforms and multi-site connectivity. It ensures high availability and redundancy, supports network-centric applications, enhances security, and facilitates agile service implementations across different regions and data centers. The platform offers high throughput, ease of configuration, centralized management, and programmability. Users find value in its single management interface, policy-based routing, Service Graphs, and simplified deployment. Cisco ACI also excels in scalability, automation, low latency, and supports data center expansion efficiently.

What are the key features of Cisco ACI?

High Throughput: Ensures fast data transmission and network efficiency.
Ease of Configuration: Simplifies setup and changes to network configurations.
Centralized Management: Provides a single interface for managing the entire network.
Micro-Segmentation: Enhances security by isolating network segments.
Integration with VMware: Seamlessly integrates with VMware environments.
Scalability: Easily expands to accommodate growing organizational needs.
Automation Capabilities: Reduces manual tasks through advanced automation.
Policy-Based Routing: Optimizes network traffic based on set policies.

What benefits should users look for when evaluating Cisco ACI?

Seamless integration with cloud platforms and multi-site connectivity.
High availability and redundancy ensuring consistent service uptime.
Enhanced security with micro-segmentation and policy-based control.
Agility in service implementations across regions and data centers.
Efficiency in network management with centralized control.

Organizations in industries such as finance, healthcare, and technology implement Cisco ACI to modernize data centers, improve security, and streamline network operations. Its capabilities support expanding infrastructure, integrating with cloud services, and managing complex network architectures with minimal effort.