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CA Unified Communications Monitor vs Cisco DNA Center comparison

Broadcom and Cisco are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Broadcom is ranked #102, while Cisco is ranked #12 with an average rating of 8.0. Broadcom holds a 0.1% mindshare in NMS, compared to Cisco’s 1.4% mindshare. Additionally, 50% of Broadcom users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 89% of Cisco users who would recommend it.
CA Unified Communications M...
Read 2 CA Unified Communications Monitor reviews
  • 181 Views
  • 135 Comparison Views
50% willing to recommend
Cisco DNA Center
Read 41 Cisco DNA Center reviews
  • 1,783 Views
  • 1,076 Comparison Views
89% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

CA Unified Communications Monitor and Cisco DNA Center both operate in the network management and monitoring category, with Cisco DNA Center having the upper hand due to its comprehensive features and perceived value.

Features: CA Unified Communications Monitor provides real-time communication monitoring, call quality analytics, and network traffic insights. Cisco DNA Center offers robust automation capabilities, detailed network monitoring, and integration features for modern environments.

Room for Improvement: CA Unified Communications Monitor could enhance its automation capabilities, expand integration options, and advance network analytics. Cisco DNA Center might improve deployment ease, streamline user interface experiences, and optimize resource requirements.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: CA Unified Communications Monitor offers straightforward deployment with responsive customer service, while Cisco DNA Center involves a more complex setup with extensive support resources facilitating problem-solving.

Pricing and ROI: CA Unified Communications Monitor is cost-effective with lower setup fees and quicker ROI, appealing to budget-conscious organizations. Cisco DNA Center involves higher initial costs but delivers strong ROI through its advanced features.

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To learn more, read our detailed CA Unified Communications Monitor vs. Cisco DNA Center Report (Updated: April 2025).
Buyer's Guide
CA Unified Communications Monitor vs. Cisco DNA Center
April 2025
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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

CA Unified Communications M...
Ranking in Network Monitoring Software
102nd
Average Rating
6.6
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
Unified Communications Monitoring (5th), IT Infrastructure Monitoring (71st)
Cisco DNA Center
Ranking in Network Monitoring Software
12th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
41
Ranking in other categories
Network Management Applications (1st), Network Automation (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of CA Unified Communications Monitor is 0.1%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco DNA Center is 1.4%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Network Monitoring Software
 

Featured Reviews

itarchit489981 - PeerSpot reviewer
Good end-to-end voice quality monitoring and offers valuable features
The solution should have automatic baseline detection. On the per hour, per base, per week. That's usually the best. And on a per individual CI level. I know that they're working on it and when that's available then we will definitely implement it because it will reduce the effort we need to maintain all the products. Right now we have to set thresholds for every location, and it needs to be actually dynamic so if we have better thresholding, we'll have faster alarms across all our locations. We won't have to expend effort on it by resetting or checking them on a regular basis.
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AvrahamSonenthal - PeerSpot reviewer
Efficiently manages our wireless network and provides valuable monitoring features
The platform's biggest benefit has been in managing our wireless network. Having a single pane of glass to control all wireless controllers and access points and to monitor activity has been a significant advantage. We're a small federal agency with around 300 network devices, so automation is a minor focus. It's more relevant for larger networks. The main benefits we've seen are in inventory management and the potential for configuration automation. However, I recommend using the DNA Centre only for larger networks with over a thousand devices; otherwise, it may not be cost-effective. Before proceeding, ensure that your devices are compatible with DNA Center, as not all Cisco devices are supported. Also, investing in proper training is different from plug-and-play. I rate it an eight.
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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"We use the solution to meet the needs of the customer."
"Good end-to-end monitoring"
"The product offers an intuitive and automated way to manage user networks. It gives me an insight into the network health."
"DNA Center is scalable."
"Cisco VXLAN is a protocol that has been around for some time, but the practical implementation and operational capability of Cisco DNA Center bring it to life."
"Cisco DNA Center is a user-friendly solution."
"Automation helps configure devices without manual intervention, enabling zero-touch provisioning."
"The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the fact that it gives some kind of ease in operations, especially since our company is moving from CLI to GUI-based configuration."
"Application Assurance works very well."
"The monitoring is very valuable to me."
More Cisco DNA Center pros
 

Cons

"The solution should have automatic baseline detection."
"All the features and functions of the solution can be improved."
"What could be improved is the licensing cost of Cisco DNA Center. It's a little bit expensive."
"The product has many features that do not work properly."
"I would like is to have a small information pointer available. It could be a plus feature that I want to implement. When I hover my mouse over the user interface, it should provide a brief explanation. It would be helpful to have it incorporated into the UI."
"The solution's integration feature can be better."
"It seems to be a little bit more centered toward wireless than wired. You've got more options you can do wirelessly than you can with the wired switches, but it works for what we need it to do. We would like to see a little bit more about the traffic, and we're looking at what's out there to see about that. We are looking at something that might give us a bit more insight into the actual traffic. If they had the full functionality on the wired side, as they do on the wireless side in terms of being able to view traffic and everything, it would be good."
"As a user, it would be good if I could plug in controllers, suites, and devices from other vendors to Cisco DNA Center."
"Cisco could improve the security side of their solutions."
"The task failure reporting or provisioning failure reporting could be a little bit better in the UI, with more information given to the user."
More Cisco DNA Center cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"The price of the solution is expensive. The hardware is licensed on the device, but the hardware on the server is expensive."
"We get a yearly license at the time we buy the product."
"I do know that Cisco does offer some really good promotions for DNA Center to bring the costs down."
"The price could be better. It's a very expensive tool."
"Cisco DNA Center is a licensed product with multiple levels of licensing available such as basic, advanced, and essential. I don't have the exact figure, but Cisco DNA Center is costly. For example, the box has information about the essential license and costs a considerable amount of money. You need to pay extra to use advanced features in Cisco DNA Center. My company sees Cisco DNA Center as a solution that's worth the money, which is why it invested in the solution. If you want centralized management for your network, especially when upgrading it, Cisco DNA Center is perfect, but it's more suitable for a large-scale rather than a small-scale network."
"Affordability is a problem because it's created for large enterprises only. So, some customers, even if their engineers want the solution, might have problems with budget limitations."
"Cisco DNA Center is expensive."
"Cisco DNA Center is too expensive."
More Cisco DNA Center pricing and cost advice
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
No data available
Computer Software Company
17%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

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What do you like most about Cisco DNA Center?
The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the fact that it gives some kind of ease in operations, especially since our company is moving from CLI to GUI-based configuration.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco DNA Center?
The cost is very high.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Cisco DNA Center?
The system is working fine for me currently.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 6% of the time
Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 6% of the time
Meraki Dashboard vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
Meraki Dashboard vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 6% of the time
More Cisco DNA Center Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
CA Unified Communications Monitor vs. ScienceLogic
April 2025
CA Unified Communications Monitor reportDownload CA Unified Communications Monitor product report
Buyer's Guide
Cisco DNA Center
April 2025
Cisco DNA Center reportDownload Cisco DNA Center product report
 

Also Known As

CA UC Monitor
DNA Center
 

Overview

CA Unified Communications Monitor is a unified communications monitoring solution that evaluates and reports on the network’s support of real-time applications in multi-vendor environments, so that Network Administrators can optimize the network’s quality of service and end user experience.

Broadcom

Cisco DNA Center offers a comprehensive platform for network automation and management, providing detailed analytics, enhanced security, and streamlined operations for both wired and wireless networks.

Cisco DNA Center integrates with Cisco infrastructure to deliver efficient network automation and management, helping organizations improve network visibility, security, and control. It supports AI-driven analytics and automated workflows to enhance operational efficiency and reduce errors. Challenges include compatibility with third-party systems, steep learning curve, and complex deployment. Its interface facilitates centralized control, vital for troubleshooting, policy management, and configuration management, with support for zero-touch provisioning and SD-Access.

What are the key features of Cisco DNA Center?
  • Robust Analytics: Provides detailed insights into network health with AI-driven analytics.
  • Centralized Security: Integrates with ISE for comprehensive security management.
  • Automated Device Management: Simplifies device provisioning and configuration transfers.
  • Wi-Fi Analytics: Offers deep insights into wireless network performance.
  • Zero-Touch Provisioning: Streamlines new device deployments with minimal human intervention.
  • Scalable Segmentation: Efficiently segments network traffic ensuring security and performance.
What benefits should users consider?
  • Operational Efficiency: Automation reduces potential errors and streamlines workflow.
  • Enhanced Security: Integration with Cisco ISE bolsters security capabilities.
  • Network Visibility: Comprehensive dashboards and analysis tools enhance monitoring.
  • Troubleshooting: Real-time monitoring aids in identifying and resolving issues swiftly.

In sectors such as healthcare, finance, and retail, Cisco DNA Center is utilized for its ability to enhance security and compliance, manage large-scale networks, and provide detailed analytics for better operational decision-making. Its support for location tracking and policy automation ensures efficient network management across diverse environments.

Cisco
 

Sample Customers

BBVA Compass
Information Not Available
Buyer's Guide
CA Unified Communications Monitor vs. Cisco DNA Center
April 2025
Free Report: CA Unified Communications Monitor vs. Cisco DNA Center
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