Cisco DNA Center pros and cons

Vendor: Cisco

4.0 out of 5

40 reviews
89% willing to recommend

486 followers

Pros & Cons summary

Cisco DNA Center centralizes network management, enabling switch deployment and traffic management across fabrics. It enhances security through Cisco ISE integration and supports Software-Defined Networking. The platform automates configurations with zero-touch provisioning and offers network insights for troubleshooting. Known for scalability, it manages large networks but faces VRF limitations and security integration challenges. Requires improved third-party management, real-time data replication, and cost optimization while being cost-effective.

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Prominent pros & cons

PROS

Cisco DNA Center offers centralized management capabilities, allowing network configurations and deployments from a single dashboard for efficiency and simplicity.

The platform enhances network security through integration with Cisco ISE and the use of Scalable Group Tags, supporting a Software-Defined Networking approach in LAN environments.

Cisco DNA Center provides comprehensive analytics and monitoring tools, enabling network engineers to efficiently oversee network health and troubleshoot issues effectively.

It supports scalability, making it suitable for organizations managing large numbers of devices and extensive network infrastructures.

Automation features in Cisco DNA Center reduce manual configuration efforts and time, implementing zero-touch provisioning and network configuration changes across multiple sites.

CONS

There is a limitation with the number of VRFs that can impact customer networks.

Cisco DNA Center needs improvements in task failure reporting and provisioning failure reporting.

Licensing costs for Cisco DNA Center are considered high.

Integration with analytic tools and API integrations needs improvement.

Real-time data replication is currently lacking and should be improved.

Cisco DNA Center Pros review quotes

Syed Aathif Hussain

Senior Network Engineer at Tech Mahindra

Oct 6, 2022

What I found valuable in Cisco DNA Center is the Software-Defined Access Network, so the entire LAN network can be centralized and managed from a single dashboard. Cisco DNA Center is suitable for centralized management and lets you deploy switches in a centralized fashion. You can also do multiple switch port configurations simultaneously and segregate your traffic into multiple fabrics. Another valuable feature of Cisco DNA Center is enhanced security through Scalable Group Tags. Cisco DNA Center can be integrated with your Cisco ISE to enhance the port securities, and this paves the way for Software-Defined Networking in the LAN segment, which is the main advantage of Cisco DNA Center. I also like that you can use Cisco DNA Center for data assurance or correlation. The solution shows your network and client health parameters, which I find convenient for troubleshooting.