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Cisco DNA Center vs IBM Tivoli NetCool comparison

Cisco and IBM are both solutions in the Network Management Applications category. Cisco is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.0, while IBM is ranked #16 with an average rating of 7.7. Cisco holds a 26.9% mindshare in NMA, compared to IBM’s 1.9% mindshare. Additionally, 89% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 83% of IBM 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
IBM Tivoli NetCool
Read 13 IBM Tivoli NetCool reviews
  • 647 Views
  • 183 Comparison Views
83% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 2, 2025

IBM Tivoli NetCool and Cisco DNA Center are competitors in network management solutions. Cisco DNA Center leads due to its advanced features and perceived value, despite IBM Tivoli NetCool's competitive pricing and support.

Features: IBM Tivoli NetCool excels in event management and monitoring automation, providing APIs for integration and strong alerting capabilities. Cisco DNA Center offers network visualization, AI insights, and automation, enhancing usability for complex networks and integrating policies and security.

Room for Improvement: IBM Tivoli NetCool could improve in simplifying its complex setup, refining its user interface, and enhancing real-time data integration. Cisco DNA Center can focus on reducing dependency on Cisco infrastructure, expanding flexibility for non-Cisco devices, and improving ML-driven predictive analyses.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco DNA Center boasts a straightforward deployment with thorough documentation and proactive customer support. IBM Tivoli NetCool, while requiring a complex deployment, benefits from a vast knowledge base for user-driven troubleshooting.

Pricing and ROI: IBM Tivoli NetCool offers favorable licensing with competitive setup costs, catering to businesses looking for cost efficiency. Cisco DNA Center, although more expensive initially, justifies the cost with advanced features promising a higher ROI through efficient network management and integration.

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To learn more, read our detailed Cisco DNA Center vs. IBM Tivoli NetCool Report (Updated: March 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Cisco DNA Center vs. IBM Tivoli NetCool
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
41
Ranking in other categories
Network Monitoring Software (12th), Network Automation (2nd)
IBM Tivoli NetCool
Ranking in Network Management Applications
16th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

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 IBM Tivoli NetCool is 1.9%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Network Management Applications
 

Featured Reviews

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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Petar Ganev - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable for enterprise monitoring but no longer actively developed
There are problems with the latest security requirements because many things have changed in recent years, and now the security audits are very strict. And we need to switch to something else. We need to patch it constantly. Moreover, it is a very old tool and a little bit difficult to support. Otherwise, they work okay.
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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

"Cisco DNA Center is a user-friendly solution."
"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."
"I like the visibility, instant build, network, policies, and the ability to control access. I also like that you can visualize your whole network."
"Automation is another key highlight. With automation, you can automate everything through a single port."
"Cisco is a leading network company."
"The most valuable features were the monitoring, maintenance, and configuration."
"The monitoring features are very useful for network engineers."
"Has a good processing feature with a high level of accuracy."
More Cisco DNA Center pros
"The feature I have found most valuable with NetCool is how it collaborates all the alarms, and then it does a predictive analysis, providing a consolidated alarm view and management."
"The solution has very good integration capabilities."
"It's very easy to use."
"The tool had many built-in automation capabilities."
"Tivoli NetCool allows us to grasp a lot of data that can be applied toward predictive analytics and auto-remediation."
"The tool is much easier to manage than running scripts and figuring out how many endpoints have been exceeded."
"The scalability of monitoring, the breadth of supported network components, the scale of the number of monitoring events, and the flexibility in customization make this a well-rounded product."
"Anything is possible with Tivoli. It's quite a robust system."
More IBM Tivoli NetCool pros
 

Cons

"The weaknesses primarily involve pricing and the ongoing need for increased bandwidth and data throughput."
"An area for improvement in Cisco DNA Center is the latency in data correlation. For example, sometimes, when an issue happens, and I check the logs, I can't find the corresponding log. There's a delay in log replication, so this is what needs improvement in Cisco DNA Center. Reporting in Cisco DNA Center could also be improved because it only has a few templates, and you can't customize it based on your requirements. There aren't many options available in Cisco DNA Center regarding reporting, versus Cisco Prime, which has excellent features for different levels of detailed reports. I'd like to see real-time data replication in the next release of Cisco DNA Center, similar to what's done in Meraki. Data in Meraki is real-time with no delay, so data is immediately replicated in the cloud. Currently, there's a lag in Cisco DNA Center, and addressing that lag is the enhancement I'd like to see in Cisco DNA Center. The solution also needs to be more user-friendly."
"Cisco DNA Center should improve its configuration management. It is better to have a dev version before pushing it."
"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 tool's IoT integration should be better."
"The network, data center, and SD-WAN are all being treated as different services, but I would like to have only one solution to manage all of them."
"When it comes to deploying wireless fields, integrating defaults into the DNS interface can be challenging."
"Requires more focus on the digital side of things."
More Cisco DNA Center cons
"The solution is too expensive."
"Customization and integration that you need to do to make the product fit your needs is very complex. It is not a product that somebody could easily pick up without any prior training or experience."
"Tivoli NetCool is based on a Linux platform, it would be beneficial if they moved it to Windows because not everyone is acquainted with Linux."
"The solution does not have any AI capabilities."
"The installation could be simplified, and technical support could be faster."
"In terms of improvement, I would like to see more AIOps, Artificial Intelligent Operations in the next release. IBM develops new features for Power BI or Cognos Analytics, which is good. As of now, we use Cognos Analytics, we are not using Power BI. They have the Insight concept but we don't like that."
"Tivoli NetCool's has medium scalability - there are some problems with its replications not being mature."
"UI is outdated, very old legacy."
More IBM Tivoli NetCool cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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 tool's licensing may not come across as something that may be friendly for users."
"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."
"The product is very costly."
"Licensing for Cisco DNA Center is a little bit expensive, just like any Cisco solution. Its cost could still be improved."
"Cisco DNA Center is expensive."
"The tool is medium-priced."
"It is an expensive solution."
More Cisco DNA Center pricing and cost advice
"Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis."
"Customers are required to pay a licensing fee."
"It costs around 100k for every ten servers, which is lower than similar products from other vendors."
"The price of the product is too expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
17%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Computer Software Company
31%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Educational Organization
6%
 

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.
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What needs improvement with Cisco DNA Center?
The system is working fine for me currently.
See all answers
What is the best network monitoring software for large enterprises?
I have worked from 1973 with all kind of systems in large enterprises across the world. And have experience with all kind of software in monitoring from infra to end to end, it depends on the funct...
See all answers
What do you like most about IBM Tivoli NetCool?
The tool had many built-in automation capabilities.
See all answers
What needs improvement with IBM Tivoli NetCool?
The main challenge is its licensing model, which is very complicated.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

Cisco Catalyst Center vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
Cisco Catalyst Center vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 10% of the time
Juniper Mist Wired Assurance vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
Juniper Mist Wired Assurance vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 7% of the time
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 7% of the time
Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 7% 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
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs IBM Tivoli NetCool Logo
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs IBM Tivoli NetCool
Compared 54% of the time
HPE Intelligent Management Center vs IBM Tivoli NetCool Logo
HPE Intelligent Management Center vs IBM Tivoli NetCool
Compared 25% of the time
More IBM Tivoli NetCool Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Cisco DNA Center
March 2025
Cisco DNA Center reportDownload Cisco DNA Center product report
Buyer's Guide
IBM Tivoli NetCool
March 2025
IBM Tivoli NetCool reportDownload IBM Tivoli NetCool product report
 

Also Known As

DNA Center
Tivoli NetCool
 

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
IBM Tivoli Netcool delivers near real-time, consolidated event management across business infrastructure, data centers, complex networks and IT domains. The software provides full management and automation to help you deliver continuous uptime of business services and applications.
IBM
 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Claranet, Consolidated Communications, Telus, €sterreichische Bundesbahnen (€BB), Telekom Srbija, Bendigo Community Telco, Capgemini, Schweizerische Bundesbahnen (SBB)
Buyer's Guide
Cisco DNA Center vs. IBM Tivoli NetCool
March 2025
Free Report: Cisco DNA Center vs. IBM Tivoli NetCool
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