Cisco DNA Center vs OpenText Network Node Manager i comparison

Cisco DNA Center vs. OpenText Network Node Manager i

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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 (16th), Network Automation (2nd)

OpenText Network Node Manag...

Ranking in Network Management Applications

12th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

5.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2025, in the Network Management Applications category, the mindshare of Cisco DNA Center is 29.7%, up from 27.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of OpenText Network Node Manager i is 2.2%, up from 1.7% 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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Mirit Goldring-Boymshtain

Delivery Manager at We R Tech

Easy-to-implement product with a valuable map topology feature

The platform has a lot of interesting capabilities. Implementation is simplified, in contrast to some products like SolarWinds, where external assistance is often required for meet uploads. It is more inexpensive than other products in the market. In a specific customer implementation, the complex topology of the customer's network revealed a separate and closed segment at one of their sites. We could not understand the status of the broken network and devices. With the help of NNMi, we got a view of the issues. The product helps us reduce downtime and improve incident response time by offering remediation options. The tools run automatically, checking the network activities for different areas and time zones. It provides efficient documentation, interface, and integration features. I rate the product a nine out of ten.

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

"The product gives a consolidated view."

"It is very versatile in terms of analytics."

"The most valuable features were the monitoring, maintenance, and configuration."

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

"The monitoring features are very useful for network engineers."

"The solution helps with the management and orchestration of campaigns. It helps with visibility and analytics. I also like its SDA configuration."

"I like the visibility, instant build, network, policies, and the ability to control access. I also like that you can visualize your whole network."

More Cisco DNA Center pros

"It is stable for fault and availability."

"It is a scalable product."

"If you install one node on Network Node Manager and want to scale it up, it's pretty easy to create more nodes."

"It gives us a good overview of what's happening in our networks and the devices in the networks."

"Our monitoring and network teams of less than 100 people use this solution. The availability and fault monitoring are good."

"The platform has good stability."

"Topology creation is the most valuable feature."

"A good enterprise-level solution."

More OpenText Network Node Manager i pros

Cons

"DNA Center has been on the market for a few years and they need to update it."

"Requires more focus on the digital side of things."

"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."

"The product has many features that do not work properly."

"There are some software problems from version to version. It takes a long time for DNA Center to recognize the video and control access devices."

"The solution's integration feature can be better."

"Cisco DNA Center should improve its configuration management. It is better to have a dev version before pushing it."

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

More Cisco DNA Center cons

"Micro Focus Network Node Manager is not powered to drill down for traffic visibility."

"As the technologies evolve, also these solutions or the monitoring tools should evolve to cover the progress in technology, including capabilities related to monitoring of virtualized devices today, as the DNS is on the table in this way."

"The way the solution currently works means I'm not able to customize my own reports."

"The deployment architecture and installation part needs improvement."

"The solution should integrate with NAC servers."

"Right now, we have open tickets and they are not closing as expected."

"The resources utilized could be a bit higher, and that is one of the challenges that isn't optimized"

"Micro Focus Network Node Manager is not the best when it comes to drilling down for more visibility, especially regarding traffic."

More OpenText Network Node Manager i cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Licensing for Cisco DNA Center is a little bit expensive, just like any Cisco solution. Its cost could still be improved."

"The licensing cost for Cisco DNA Center is not more than that of other solutions."

"Cisco DNA Center is too expensive."

"It is an expensive solution."

"We get a yearly license at the time we buy the product."

"The product is very costly."

"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."

More Cisco DNA Center pricing and cost advice

"It's an expensive solution."

"The solution is quite expensive."

"It is more inexpensive than other products in the market."

"The solution is priced mid-range compared to the competition."

"I wasn't involved in the pricing, but I think it's quite expensive."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

19%

Government

10%

Manufacturing Company

University

Computer Software Company

19%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

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.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco DNA Center?

I would rate the pricing a six out of ten, with ten being expensive.

What needs improvement with Cisco DNA Center?

One area that needs improvement is the upgrade process. The time required for downloading and installing packages during upgrades is too long, often taking around ten hours. This is a significant i...

What do you like most about Micro Focus Network Node Manager?

The platform has good stability.

What needs improvement with Micro Focus Network Node Manager?

They should add AI options in the product's next release.

What is your primary use case for Micro Focus Network Node Manager?

We use the product monitoring network infrastructure, interfaces, and devices.

Juniper Mist Wired Assurance vs Cisco DNA Center

Comparisons

Compared 9% of the time

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 8% of the time

Meraki Dashboard vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 7% of the time

Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 7% of the time

Huawei eSight vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 7% of the time

More Cisco DNA Center Competitors

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs OpenText Network Node Manager i

Compared 40% of the time

DX Spectrum vs OpenText Network Node Manager i

Compared 20% of the time

Fortinet FortiManager vs OpenText Network Node Manager i

Compared 14% of the time

More OpenText Network Node Manager i Competitors

Product Reports

Cisco DNA Center

Download Cisco DNA Center product report

OpenText Network Node Manager i

Download OpenText Network Node Manager i product report

Also Known As

DNA Center

Micro Focus Network Node Manager, Network Node Manager, HPE Network Node Manager

Learn More

Cisco

Video not available

OpenText

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.

OpenText Network Node Manager i (NNMi) delivers powerful capabilities enabling NOCs to manage modern networks. NNMi Smart Plug-ins expand NNMi into specialized environments, helping your team reduce time to resolve issues. NNMi is a core component of Network Operations Management.

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

IPC, Exelon, VivaCom,

Cisco DNA Center vs. OpenText Network Node Manager i