Cisco DNA Center vs SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper comparison

Cisco and SolarWinds are both solutions in the Network Management Applications category. Cisco is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.0, while SolarWinds is ranked #18 with an average rating of 9.0. Cisco holds a 29.7% mindshare in NMA, compared to SolarWinds’s 1.5% mindshare. Additionally, 89% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of SolarWinds users who would recommend it.

Cisco DNA Center

Read 40 Cisco DNA Center reviews

7,170 Views
4,184 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

SolarWinds Network Topology...

Read 1 SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper review

302 Views
234 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Cisco DNA Center

SolarWinds Network Topology...

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cisco DNA Center and SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Fortinet, HPE Aruba Networking and others in Network Management Applications.

To learn more, read our detailed Network Management Applications Report (Updated: November 2024).

Buyer's Guide

Network Management Applications

November 2024

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Helped 823,875 peers since 2012

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 (18th), Network Automation (2nd)

SolarWinds Network Topology...

Ranking in Network Management Applications

18th

Average Rating

9.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2024, in the Network Management Applications category, the mindshare of Cisco DNA Center is 29.7%, up from 27.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper is 1.5%, down from 1.6% 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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Sumaiya Sirat

Student at Centennial College

Very user-friendly and stable

I'm still learning how the solution works, figuring out how to check reports and system information. I'm a student and customer of SolarWinds The tool seems to be widely used and I find it user-friendly The Network Topology Mapper is on the expensive side - it would be helpful if it were less…

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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

"Application Assurance works very well."

"The product gives a consolidated view."

"People like to use the dashboards to get an overview of their network."

"We have many people from the team who manage a lot of devices. By using Cisco DNA Center, it has taken some of that burden away, we are impressed with it. We did the investment in CAPEX, but in the OPEX was very low."

"Automation helps configure devices without manual intervention, enabling zero-touch provisioning."

"The most valuable features of the solution are all of its security features...It is a highly scalable solution."

"It offers automation, security enforcement, analytics, and integration with other Cisco technologies, making it a key driver for efficient network operations and compliance with security protocols."

"Cisco DNA Center provides operational support, compliance support, security vulnerability detection, and automatic scheduling."

More Cisco DNA Center pros

"It's user-friendly."

Cons

"The solution's setup process needs enhancement."

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

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

"From the recent DNA point of view, there are some stability challenges with Cisco, but very minor."

"There is a limitation with the number of VRFs that you can have in your network, and this has caused us problems with some customers."

"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."

"When it comes to deploying wireless fields, integrating defaults into the DNS interface can be challenging."

More Cisco DNA Center cons

"This is a relatively expensive product."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Our licensing agreement is for three years."

"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 solution is a little bit expensive but depends a lot on the customer's usage. If you use it in the right place, you can easily pay for it."

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

"It is an expensive solution."

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

More Cisco DNA Center pricing and cost advice

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

19%

Government

10%

Manufacturing Company

University

Government

23%

Computer Software Company

13%

Educational Organization

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

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?

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

See all answers

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...

See all answers

What do you like most about SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper?

It's user-friendly.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper?

Licensing costs are on the expensive side.

See all answers

What needs improvement with SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper?

The Network Topology Mapper is on the expensive side - it would be helpful if it were less so.

See all answers

Comparisons

Juniper Mist Wired Assurance vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 9% of the time

Meraki Dashboard vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 8% of the time

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 7% of the time

Huawei eSight vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 7% of the time

Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 7% of the time

More Cisco DNA Center Competitors

Fortinet FortiManager vs SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper

Compared 58% of the time

Aruba Airwave vs SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper

Compared 42% of the time

More SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco DNA Center

December 2024

Download Cisco DNA Center product report

Buyer's Guide

Network Management Applications

November 2024

SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper report

Download SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper product report

Also Known As

DNA Center

SolarWinds NTM

Learn More

Cisco

Video not available

SolarWinds

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.

Automate device discovery and mapping
Build multiple maps from a single scan
Export network diagrams to Visio
Auto-detect changes to network topology
Perform multi-level network discovery
Address regulatory PCI compliance

Buyer's Guide

Network Management Applications

November 2024

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