No more typing reviews! Try our Samantha, our new voice AI agent.

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs Cisco Prime [EOL] comparison

The compared Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) and Cisco Prime [EOL] solutions aren't in the same category. Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) is ranked #25 in NMS , with an average rating of 8.4, and holds a 0.6% mindshare in the category. Additionally, 92% of Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 91% of Cisco Prime [EOL] users who would recommend it.
Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabri...
Read 26 Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) reviews
  • 2,740 Views
  • 2,630 Comparison Views
92% willing to recommend
Cisco Prime [EOL]
Read 35 Cisco Prime [EOL] reviews
    91% willing to recommend
     

    Comparison Buyer's Guide

    Download the report
    Executive Summary
    We performed a comparison between Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) and Cisco Prime [EOL] based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

    Find out what your peers are saying about Zabbix, SolarWinds, Auvik and others in Network Monitoring Software.

    DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE REPORT
    To learn more, read our detailed Network Monitoring Software Report (Updated: May 2026).
    Buyer's Guide
    Network Monitoring Software
    May 2026
    Download the complete report
    Helped 896,692 peers since 2012

    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 Nexus Dashboard Fabri...
    Average Rating
    8.0
    Reviews Sentiment
    6.2
    Number of Reviews
    26
    Ranking in other categories
    Network Monitoring Software (25th)
    Cisco Prime [EOL]
    Average Rating
    7.8
    Reviews Sentiment
    6.5
    Number of Reviews
    35
    Ranking in other categories
    No ranking in other categories
     

    Featured Reviews

    Jagdev Dhaliwal - PeerSpot reviewer
    Jagdev Dhaliwal
    Network Engineer at a healthcare company with 1,001-5,000 employees
    Flow monitoring has improved planning for east-west traffic and real-time capacity decisions
    Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) helps to understand the flows and data plane capacities, which are the primary use cases. Usually, people struggle with east-west traffic flow when they need to decide on firewalls or products. People typically understand north-south traffic flows but usually miss the east-west traffic flows in data centers. I was focusing more on this so that people can accordingly plan, such as after F5, the number of servers, the number of sessions needed, and whether we need to plan the interface for groups from the line capacity perspective. This kind of information was valuable to us. The real-time telemetry feature was beneficial. When experiencing performance issues, I could determine if there were any issues related to flows or areas where bottlenecks were occurring.
    Read full review
    AR
    AndrewRichardson
    Network Engineer at Edmonton Catholic School Board
    Has an easy implementation process, but the performance monitoring feature could be more intuitive
    The project implementation was easy overall. Adapting Cisco's solutions to our specific environment required effort, as their documentation only covers some network scenarios. The deployment didn't happen all at once; it was staged and controlled to ensure a smooth transition. We started with a small test environment before gradually rolling it out to all campuses. This gradual approach helped mitigate the risk of any issues arising across multiple locations simultaneously, especially on a critical day like Monday morning. We have a team of three executives working on the process. Their job roles included network specialists and a manager. It requires maintenance, which is included in the annual cost. We receive updates and support as part of the renewal process.
    Read full review

    Quotes from Members

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

    Pros

    "The interface of this solution is easy to use overall."
    "We have had a good ROI from Data Center Network Manager, and there is also a facility on Cisco's website to calculate the ROI from adopting this solution."
    "The product makes the management of our environment simpler."
    "The tool's most valuable feature is the consolidated dashboard, providing insights into parameters and overall usage of network features. It allows us to easily summarize insights through the dashboards. The solution offers automation capabilities, particularly in the context of connecting LAN sites with websites."
    "You can integrate all the networks into the software."
    "The solution is very stable and it has never crashed on us."
    "It uses push technology, which pushes the changes to all relevant devices to ensure they are updated accordingly."
    "The most valuable features of Cisco Data Center Network Manager are consistency and the core server. The teams have had a good experience."
    More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) pros
    "The product's most valuable features are monitoring and configuration."
    "Cisco Prime is very good management-wise, giving you the ability to upgrade switches remotely, schedule the upgrade time, perform backups, and monitor the health of all networks."
    "The most valuable features of Cisco Prime include its comprehensive functionality as a one-stop solution for basic SNMP port management."
    "Cisco Prime has been around for a long time, and it keeps getting better and better."
    "The most valuable is the assistance for network support."
    "Our clients are happy with Prime, the stability is good and it's easy to manage."
    "The dashboard is a valuable feature. It's very clear, and the metrics make it easy to see the current network situation."
    "It gives you the ability to upgrade switches remotely, schedule the upgrade time, perform backups, and monitor the health of all networks."
    More Cisco Prime [EOL] pros
     

    Cons

    "Data Center Network Manager is a little complex because it includes a lot of hardware to be installed."
    "It is not very easy to monitor or to browse."
    "The automation feature could be improved."
    "The configuration is too complicated and you have to create templates and use a lot of menus."
    "The reporting is not very intuitive and has room for improvement."
    "The product is good but quite expensive."
    "The visibility of applications is not great."
    "The solution needs to improve reports."
    More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) cons
    "The reporting feature of Cisco Prime should be improved."
    "If you think about a centralized monitoring system, Cisco Prime is not good because it does not support third-party vendors like Palo Alto or FortiGate."
    "Lacking in integration with a SIEM tool."
    "That is unacceptable and it's the biggest downfall of the solution."
    "Cisco Prime could improve the graphical user interface."
    "The solution is not easy to configure."
    "If you look at some of the wireless site-survey tools that are available in the commercial space, Cisco should include similar solutions, which would help our on-plant engineers when they're doing a site survey."
    "Maybe it could be a little cheaper."
    More Cisco Prime [EOL] cons
     

    Pricing and Cost Advice

    "The price of Cisco Data Center Network Manager is expensive compared to other vendors on the market."
    "The tool is always expensive, but their service, product quality, and support are good. We're happy with it, but it's still an expensive solution. There are cheaper alternatives but no similar platform across all domains."
    "We usually opt for a yearly plan, commonly for three or five years upfront. Some customers may not utilize all the features included in the product, and this can lead to them paying for functionalities they don't need."
    "The product is licensed with contracts that work on a yearly basis rather than a monthly model."
    "When we purchase a Nexus box, the MDS CM license comes with it."
    "On average, Data Center Network Manager's pricing isn't too costly unless you choose a premier license."
    "The solution is very expensive."
    "I would say that the pricing offers great value for the money."
    "You need to get special quotes from the company for each order."
    "The price of Cisco Prime was reasonable because we purchased it as part of a Cisco One package. The package was a bundle of Cisco solutions together, such as Cisco ISE and CMX. The price is reasonable com compared to other solutions."
    "I would rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."
    "I rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."
    "Cisco Prime is an expensive solution."
    "I would rate the pricing of Cisco Prime a seven out of ten."
    "The solution is not inexpensive but is worth it for large-scale environments."
    "If we have a license for Cisco DNA, we can use the same license for Cisco Prime."
    More Cisco Prime [EOL] pricing and cost advice
    report
    See which vendors are best for you
    Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Network Monitoring Software solutions are best for your needs.
    See recommendations
    896,692 professionals have used our research since 2012.
     

    Answers from the Community

    ChrisPoe - PeerSpot reviewer
    ChrisPoe
    Vice President of Offerings - Advanced Technology & Security Solutions at Carousel Industries
    Mar 2, 2023
    Mar 2, 2023
    What are the overall differences between Cisco Prime and Cisco DNAC?
    Two major differences: 1. The actual models that they manage, the p-dart Cisco migration report will tell you where you stand on this issue. Not all CPI models are supported on DNA. 2. Installation and maintenance automation of connected devices. A modern must-have for device deployment and maintenance. Having said these two points, DNA is and will be the integration point for a whole suit...
    See 2 answers
    Olajide Olusegun - PeerSpot reviewer
    Olajide Olusegun
    Network Team Lead at Atlas Security
    Mar 1, 2023
    We use both Cisco DNAC and Cisco Prime (PI). Actually, you can easily use the migration tool on Cisco PI 3.10 to migrate your data and integrate it with DNAC. DNAC is more dynamic and robust than PI supporting intent-based networking, analytics and assurance, and many automated operations.  Best suited for enterprise environments with many Cisco platforms and multiple managed devices where automated operations are highly required. If we didn't have PI before, we would have just settled for DNAC because DNAC can do a lot more and better.
    Read full answer
    RM
    Roger Martinez
    President at TCT
    Mar 2, 2023
    Two major differences: 1. The actual models that they manage, the p-dart Cisco migration report will tell you where you stand on this issue. Not all CPI models are supported on DNA.   2. Installation and maintenance automation of connected devices. A modern must-have for device deployment and maintenance.   Having said these two points, DNA is and will be the integration point for a whole suite of products like CPO which will become a DNA module and tighter integration with ICE. Furthermore, the new automation feature is really a prequel to the more interesting self-diagnosis and self-correction of device operations. Hope this answers your question, but install the PDART migration report to really understand the ROI of DNA.
    Read full answer
     

    Top Industries

    By visitors reading reviews
    Construction Company
    10%
    Comms Service Provider
    8%
    Healthcare Company
    8%
    Government
    8%
    Government
    12%
    Construction Company
    9%
    Comms Service Provider
    7%
    Manufacturing Company
    7%
     

    Company Size

    By reviewers
    Large Enterprise
    Midsize Enterprise
    Small Business
    By reviewers
    Company SizeCount
    Small Business10
    Midsize Enterprise6
    Large Enterprise16
    By reviewers
    Company SizeCount
    Small Business9
    Midsize Enterprise5
    Large Enterprise24
     

    Questions from the Community

    What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Data Center Network Manager?
    The tool is always expensive, but their service, product quality, and support are good. We're happy with it, but it's still an expensive solution. There are cheaper alternatives but no similar plat...
    See all answers
    What needs improvement with Cisco Data Center Network Manager?
    I do not believe it integrated well with different infrastructures for hybrid environments. I am uncertain because we have never attempted that in our environment, so they could perform better in t...
    See all answers
    What is your primary use case for Cisco Data Center Network Manager?
    The main use case for URL filtering with PAN-DB is that it performs quite well. Earlier, when I started in 2012, there was a Blue Coat product available during that period. I am not certain whether...
    See all answers
    Ask a question
    Earn 20 points
     

    Comparisons

    Cisco DNA Center vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) Logo
    Cisco DNA Center vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)
    Compared 11% of the time
    SolarWinds NPM vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) Logo
    SolarWinds NPM vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)
    Compared 10% of the time
    Arista Data ANalyZer vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) Logo
    Arista Data ANalyZer vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)
    Compared 10% of the time
    Zabbix vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) Logo
    Zabbix vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)
    Compared 9% of the time
    SolarWinds Network Automation Manager vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) Logo
    SolarWinds Network Automation Manager vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)
    Compared 9% of the time
    More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) Competitors
    DX Spectrum vs Cisco Prime [EOL] Logo
    DX Spectrum vs Cisco Prime [EOL]
    Compared 14% of the time
    ExtremeCloud IQ vs Cisco Prime [EOL] Logo
    ExtremeCloud IQ vs Cisco Prime [EOL]
    Compared 13% of the time
    NetMaster Network Intelligence vs Cisco Prime [EOL] Logo
    NetMaster Network Intelligence vs Cisco Prime [EOL]
    Compared 10% of the time
    Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco Prime [EOL] Logo
    Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco Prime [EOL]
    Compared 10% of the time
    Junos Space Network Director vs Cisco Prime [EOL] Logo
    Junos Space Network Director vs Cisco Prime [EOL]
    Compared 9% of the time
    More Cisco Prime [EOL] Competitors
     

    Product Reports

    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)
    May 2026
    Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) reportDownload Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) product report
    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco Prime [EOL]
    May 2026
    Cisco Prime [EOL] reportDownload Cisco Prime [EOL] product report
     

    Also Known As

    Cisco Data Center Network Manager
    Cisco Prime Infrastructure
     

    Overview

    Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller, formerly DCNM, provides a consolidated dashboard offering insights into network operations, real-time telemetry, and automation capabilities. Users noted enhanced data center management and seamless SD-WAN integration.

    Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller integrates Python, Ansible, and Terraform for efficient traffic management. Comprehensive data center insight and stability highlight its utility across policy updates and network troubleshooting. With support for hybrid environments and enhanced network health data visibility, the platform suits complex, evolving infrastructures.

    What are the Key Features?
    • Automation Capabilities: Simplifies network operations with automated workflows and scheduling.
    • Programming Support: Facilitates integration through Python, Ansible, and Terraform compatibility.
    • Comprehensive Dashboard: Provides a centralized view of network performance and health.
    • Real-Time Telemetry: Enhances decision-making with up-to-the-moment data.
    • SD-WAN Integration: Ensures seamless traffic flow across network borders.
    What Benefits Should Users Look for?
    • Enhanced Network Monitoring: Allows precise tracking and troubleshooting of network issues.
    • Efficient Resource Management: Streamlines policy updates and component management.
    • Improved Security: Facilitates tighter control over Nexus switch configurations.
    • Centralized Management: Reduces complexity in maintaining data centers through a unified interface.

    In data center operations, businesses leverage Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller for improved security, tackling tasks like VPN operations and private cloud development. It enhances storage management, providing robust support to manage Nexus switches for optimized component oversight and security protocols.

    Cisco

    Cisco Prime products deliver next-generation management by supporting an intuitive workflow-oriented user experience and integrated lifecycle operations across Cisco architectures, technologies, and networks.

    Cisco
     

    Sample Customers

    Banco de Guayaquil, Cox Communications, Kuwait Petroleum Italia, Roper St. Francis, University of British Columbia
    Mohawk Industries, Universidad EAFIT, Halton Healthcare
    Buyer's Guide
    Network Monitoring Software
    May 2026
    Download Free Report
    Find out what your peers are saying about Zabbix, SolarWinds, Auvik and others in Network Monitoring Software. Updated: May 2026.
    DOWNLOAD NOW
    896,692 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    We monitor all Network Monitoring Software reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.