Cisco DNA Center vs ExtremeCloud IQ comparison

Cisco and Extreme are both solutions in the Network Management Applications category. Cisco is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.0, while Extreme is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.3. Cisco holds a 26.9% mindshare in NMA, compared to Extreme’s 3.0% mindshare. Additionally, 89% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 97% of Extreme users who would recommend it.

Cisco DNA Center

Read 41 Cisco DNA Center reviews

6,085 Views
3,733 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

ExtremeCloud IQ

Read 76 ExtremeCloud IQ reviews

557 Views
417 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Cisco DNA Center

ExtremeCloud IQ

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 2, 2025

ExtremeCloud IQ and Cisco DNA Center compete in the network management and cloud solution market. ExtremeCloud IQ appears to have the upper hand in ease of deployment and customer service, while Cisco DNA Center leads in automation capabilities.

Features: ExtremeCloud IQ offers flexibility with controller-less APs, cloud management, and advanced network insight tools providing robust security with built-in firewalls and maintaining network operations during management system downtimes. Cisco DNA Center automates network workflows, integrates with Cisco infrastructure, and provides strong wireless analytics and security features like Software-Defined Access.

Room for Improvement: ExtremeCloud IQ users seek an improved user interface and more powerful access points, noting configuration complexity and software bugs that could benefit from clearer documentation. Cisco DNA Center faces criticism over its pricing structure and challenges in integrating with third-party systems, with licensing costs and a less user-friendly dashboard being notable concerns.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: ExtremeCloud IQ is praised for its varied deployment options, including public and hybrid cloud, and responsive customer service that resolves issues efficiently. Cisco DNA Center, typically deployed on-premises, may offer less flexibility than cloud solutions, with customer service experiences varying in response times but generally considered knowledgeable.

Pricing and ROI: ExtremeCloud IQ is considered cost-effective with straightforward licensing, though hardware and support contracts can be pricey. Its ROI is seen positively due to reduced operational costs and network efficiency. Cisco DNA Center is perceived as expensive with complex licensing, possibly deterring smaller companies. However, its advanced capabilities offer larger enterprises a justified investment, achieving favorable ROI when fully utilized.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco DNA Center vs. ExtremeCloud IQ Report (Updated: March 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco DNA Center vs. ExtremeCloud IQ

March 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

Cisco DNA Center

Ranking in Network Management Applications

1st

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Monitoring Software (12th), Network Automation (2nd)

ExtremeCloud IQ

Ranking in Network Management Applications

10th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Access Control (NAC) (10th), Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) (18th)

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Network Management Applications category, the mindshare of Cisco DNA Center is 26.9%, down from 29.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ExtremeCloud IQ is 3.0%, down from 3.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Management Applications

Featured Reviews

AvrahamSonenthal

Senior Network Engineer at Inside Global

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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Sriman L

Senior Network Engineer at Nipun Net Solutions

One of the best cloud-based wireless solutions that helps manage multiple APs from a single dashboard across multiple locations

ExtremeCloud IQ’s user interface needs to be improved, and its current bugs need to be fixed. Sometimes, AP details, like the AP firmware and the AP hostname, are not updating properly because of a few bugs in the current version, which they might fix in the next version. Compared to the central and other cloud solutions, a couple of bugs still running on these portals need to be rectified. For ExtremeCloud IQ's next releases, I expect to get all the users and the events alerts. Also, if any AP goes down, I should be able to do some scheduled reports specific to the site because it is currently in beta. If any AP goes offline, that's an event. If you want to do the filter for a specific site event, we don't have that filter option. I expect specific site-level and category-level events and alert filters to get reports.

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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

"The product gives a consolidated view."

"It is very versatile in terms of analytics."

"It enables monitoring of various components such as access points, switch cards, and other elements within the company's solutions."

"The product offers an intuitive and automated way to manage user networks. It gives me an insight into the network health."

"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."

"It gives us automation capabilities for pushing out the configuration to branch networks. It also provides visibility into the health of user network devices."

"The automation features are significant, reducing configuration time. This means outstanding functionality. By deploying the controller automatically, the rest becomes automated"

"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."

More Cisco DNA Center pros

"When we deployed the new IP that is managed wirelessly in the cloud, it fixed the problems. Now, we don't have any more reports, and everything works fine."

"The technical support for this solution is good."

"The few times we have needed help, Aerohive has been there for us and I am confident that If I need them they will be there again."

"Integrated Firewall in every AP (with DPI inspection) is a killer feature and it is included already in the price of licence (with others, this feature is an add-on licence)."

"The deployment made my life very easy."

"I like ExtremeCloud IQ's unified single-pane-of-glass dashboard. It offers a lot of visibility of performance, and it's great for troubleshooting. You don't have to go to 55 different places. You can get the information you need with just a few clicks."

"Extreme is transitioning to 802.11ax facilities running the 2G and the 5G cloud, allowing for higher density in education use cases, and ExtremeCloud IQ provides you with novel ways to manage everything. In the old days, you used to have a controller on-site for your access points, but everything is easier now."

"It allows me to see APs and clients that are having issues, allowing for faster support response and less downtime."

More ExtremeCloud IQ pros

Cons

"The solution can be quite pricey."

"Cisco DNA Center was a new technology for us, at the beginning, it was not easy to do, but Cisco did a lot of training with us to a level we could handle everything. The team is managing itself now without the assistance of Cisco."

"The solution needs to improve the dashboard."

"Integration with analytic tools and API integrations would be ideal."

"The features of Cisco DNA Center and Cisco Prime could have more parity."

"An area that needs improvement is the integration with other vendors."

"The weaknesses primarily involve pricing and the ongoing need for increased bandwidth and data throughput."

"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."

More Cisco DNA Center cons

"For me, the only issue is the potential delay in the tool statistics updating in real time after making changes."

"The tool has simplified things, but it also adds a complexity that sometimes stumps some users."

"We'd like to have a cloud dashboard from which we can see all devices."

"Need port aggregation on the 2384 switches to take full advantage of ac on the APs. I understand that is on their product road map."

"The dashboard and stability need to be improved."

"An area for improvement in ExtremeCloud IQ is its technical support. Support could be better, especially when you need help concerning ExtremeCloud IQ and WinG."

"The Virtual Appliance crashed once while doing an upgrade. The good thing here is, even if the management system fails, all our networks and features still remain 100% stable and working."

"Having a wizard for customers who are just starting might be helpful."

More ExtremeCloud IQ cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool's licensing may not come across as something that may be friendly for users."

"The price could be better. It's a very expensive tool."

"The solution is expensive."

"Cisco DNA Center is too expensive."

"I rate the product's pricing an eight on a scale of one to ten, where one is very cheap, and ten is very expensive."

"The partnership price is notably high, but it ultimately depends on the chosen business model."

"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."

"The tool is medium-priced."

More Cisco DNA Center pricing and cost advice

"Buy near the end of Q4 in order to get a deal."

"The price was okay."

"It is costly as compared to Meraki, Aruba, Juniper, and Cisco. Cloud IQ is an enterprise solution, whereas Meraki is specifically a single solution."

"Previously, ExtremeCloudIQ provided free licensing for all the basic requirements of their customers. An advanced cloud user had to purchase advanced licenses for automation and advanced country features at the enterprise level. They have restricted the licensing, allowing only up to ten units for testing, which is challenging. This limitation becomes problematic, especially in countries like Sri Lanka or other Asian countries, where customers face economic challenges and have limited budgets. The previous free option was beneficial, but it has become tougher to manage with these new changes. They should revise their pricing structure, offering the basic features free of charge for up to 50 AP. Larger entities with more than 50 APs have the budget to support them. Still, it becomes more difficult for small and medium-sized businesses with less than 50 APs to allocate a significant budget for control and management features."

"I am not involved in the price, but I am sure that it is not cheap."

"ExtremeCloud IQ's pricing is medium, but its support contract costs more."

"It is easy for customers to use this product because they are able to interchange the license depending on their usage rather than having to buy individual licenses for each asset."

"It is not the cheapest product but I think that the price is reasonable because you get a lot of support of it's needed."

More ExtremeCloud IQ pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Government

10%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

15%

Educational Organization

10%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

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

What are pros and cons of Aruba 515 Series AP vs. Cisco Meraki or Extreme Networks?

Depends. I have personally used both Cisco and Aruba so I am familiar with them. Extreme I am not, so unless they have some feature that I need or want, I wouldn't consider them. Do you have expe...

See all answers

What do you like most about ExtremeCloud IQ?

The Client 360 feature provides a comprehensive view of your clients and their activities, including the devices they use. Additionally, a feature called Network 360 offers a 360-degree view of the...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ExtremeCloud IQ?

The licensing was a challenge due to budget constraints, and I used ExtremeCloud IQ without a license for a period. The documentation and training courses were also costly, impacting how easily I c...

See all answers

Comparisons

Cisco Catalyst Center vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 10% of the time

Juniper Mist Wired Assurance vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 7% of the time

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 7% of the time

Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 7% of the time

SolarWinds NPM vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 3% of the time

More Cisco DNA Center Competitors

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs ExtremeCloud IQ

Compared 16% of the time

Ubiquiti Wireless vs ExtremeCloud IQ

Compared 12% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs ExtremeCloud IQ

Compared 11% of the time

Aruba ClearPass vs ExtremeCloud IQ

Compared 7% of the time

Aruba Wireless vs ExtremeCloud IQ

Compared 6% of the time

More ExtremeCloud IQ Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco DNA Center

March 2025

Download Cisco DNA Center product report

Buyer's Guide

ExtremeCloud IQ

March 2025

Download ExtremeCloud IQ product report

Also Known As

DNA Center

Aerohive Networks, Aerohive HiveManager, HiveManager, ExtremeCloud , ExtremeSecurity

Overview

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

ExtremeCloud is a resilient and scalable cloud-based network management solution offered by Extreme Networks as a subscription service.

The network is your platform of engagement for clients and staff. We have designed ExtremeCloud to provide superior user experience by empowering you and the applications that drive your business. The combination of Extreme Networks’ smart wired and wireless edges and the elasticity, resilience and scalability provided via state-of-the-art datacenters distributed strategically for worldwide availability allows you to respond to the changing needs of your business, at the speed of cloud, through a simple, multi-site aware user interface.

Extreme

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Henry Ford Health System, Baltimore Ravens, Brandili, Federal University of Alagoas, CEDAE, Caxias do Sul, UNISC Concurrency, CenturyLink Field, Louisiana College, Cricket Tasmania Stadium, Moscow Internet Exchange

Buyer's Guide

Cisco DNA Center vs. ExtremeCloud IQ

March 2025

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