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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 #19 in NMS , with an average rating of 8.1, and holds a 0.5% 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 25 Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) reviews
  • 817 Views
  • 529 Comparison Views
92% willing to recommend
Cisco Prime [EOL]
Read 35 Cisco Prime [EOL] reviews
    91% willing to recommend
     

    Comparison Buyer's Guide

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

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    Buyer's Guide
    Network Monitoring Software
    January 2025
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    Helped 831,158 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
    6.8
    Number of Reviews
    25
    Ranking in other categories
    Network Monitoring Software (19th)
    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

    Olajide Olusegun - PeerSpot reviewer
    Easy to deploy, stable, scalable and best data center manager for your infra.
    The reporting is not very intuitive and has room for improvement. I opened a case with Cisco regarding the DCNM report, however, they were unable to help me. The report comes in the form of a programmable report, which requires high-level knowledge of Python and JSON script. As I was in a meeting and had to present the report, I had to settle for generating an Excel sheet to showcase the data. Unfortunately, this was not well-received as they expected a more detailed report. In order to identify any issues in the data center, we must thoroughly examine a variety of components such as links, errors, SSPs, supervisor engines, power supply, and more. Forty of each element need to be examined.
    Read full review
    ZeeshanAli1 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Robust, cost-effective, and provides good visibility, but the scalability could improve
    We are extremely satisfied with the reliability and robustness of Cisco Prime Infrastructure, which we have been using for many years. Compared to newer products such as DNS centers or others, it has proven to be much more stable, which is important for large-scale operations. Stability is a primary concern for us, and we are glad that Cisco Prime Infrastructure meets our expectations in that regard. Furthermore, in regards to Legacy Plus new hardware, Cisco Prime has proven to be a reliable and adaptable solution thus far. Not only can it support older hardware, but it also has the capability to handle new features with the latest updates. If we consider new solutions such as DNS Center, we may have to sacrifice some legacy features that we still rely on. We may need to continue using these legacy features for a few more years due to various reasons such as budget constraints or the site not being a high priority. However, if we switch to a new product at this stage, we may lose a lot of the monitoring and other capabilities that we have with Cisco Prime. We have a close relationship with Cisco and understand that they are not prioritizing investments in Cisco Prime as they are encouraging customers to adopt the Cisco DNA Center. This means that we don't anticipate many new features to be added to the product in the future. While we know that we will eventually have to transition to a new solution, in the meantime, we plan to do a quick refresh of our legacy products.
    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

    "Automation of the ILS."
    "The feature I find most valuable, is the stability of the solution."
    "You can integrate all the networks into the software."
    "The monitoring capability is the best in Cisco Data Center Network Manager. It helps me improve network management tasks and optimize processes."
    "Stability is not an issue."
    "Fabric suite automation is a great feature."
    "Monitoring system provides a clear indication of what's going on in the network."
    "After installation, you almost forget that it is working."
    More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) pros
    "We use Cisco Prime for network mapping and surveys."
    "The endpoint information Cisco Prime generates helps us troubleshoot, and it's also useful for compliance reporting and endpoint identification."
    "The interfaces are a valuable feature."
    "It gives you the ability to upgrade switches remotely, schedule the upgrade time, perform backups, and monitor the health of all networks."
    "The hardware Cisco provides is excellent. It's a well-made product."
    "The dashboard is a valuable feature. It's very clear, and the metrics make it easy to see the current network situation."
    "The product's most valuable features are monitoring and configuration."
    "The installation is easy."
    More Cisco Prime [EOL] pros
     

    Cons

    "The tool should be more user-friendly and improve AI integration."
    "The initial setup is challenging."
    "We need better performance and reliability."
    "The solution needs to improve reports."
    "It's very costly."
    "The reporting is not very intuitive and has room for improvement."
    "The visibility of applications is not great."
    "Data Center Network Manager is a little complex because it includes a lot of hardware to be installed."
    More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) cons
    "They can also improve the management of more enterprise devices."
    "Cisco needs to improve Prime's monitoring tab. If any device goes down, there is a 15-second lapse before we know. It would be much better if we were alerted two or three minutes before a device is about to fail, so we can dispatch a field engineer and avoid network downtime. I would like to see a feature that allows you to access the devices directly from Prime's monitoring tab. That would make work easier for us."
    "It should be able to monitor Palo Alto, Juniper, and Check Point products - not just Cisco solutions."
    "Cisco can only be used for Cisco environments and is not compatible with other vendors."
    "The user interface of Cisco Prime could be more user-friendly and increase its performance."
    "The solution is not easy to configure."
    "They could consider offering more flexible pricing options for their customers."
    "The solution needs to include centralized management that aligns with the Greenfield network and its focus on real-time, scenario-based applications."
    More Cisco Prime [EOL] cons
     

    Pricing and Cost Advice

    "I would say that the pricing offers great value for the money."
    "The solution is very expensive."
    "The product is licensed with contracts that work on a yearly basis rather than a monthly model."
    "The price of Cisco Data Center Network Manager is expensive compared to other vendors on the market."
    "On average, Data Center Network Manager's pricing isn't too costly unless you choose a premier license."
    "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."
    "When we purchase a Nexus box, the MDS CM license comes with it."
    "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."
    "I would rate the pricing of Cisco Prime a seven out of ten."
    "If we have a license for Cisco DNA, we can use the same license for Cisco Prime."
    "Cisco Prime is an expensive solution."
    "The solution is not inexpensive but is worth it for large-scale environments."
    "You need to get special quotes from the company for each order."
    "I rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."
    "The cost is quite high."
    "We update the license every five years."
    More Cisco Prime [EOL] pricing and cost advice
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    Answers from the Community

    ChrisPoe - PeerSpot reviewer
    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
    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
    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
    Computer Software Company
    24%
    Financial Services Firm
    14%
    Government
    12%
    Real Estate/Law Firm
    6%
    Computer Software Company
    16%
    Government
    14%
    Manufacturing Company
    10%
    Educational Organization
    6%
     

    Company Size

    By reviewers
    Large Enterprise
    Midsize Enterprise
    Small Business
     

    Questions from the Community

    What do you like most about Cisco Data Center Network Manager?
    It uses push technology, which pushes the changes to all relevant devices to ensure they are updated accordingly.
    See all answers
    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?
    In a mixed architecture where Nexus switches are used as border devices and are connected to a Palo Alto firewall (e.g., version 9.1 or 10.1), you might encounter issues with BGP peering. For insta...
    See all answers
    What do you like most about Cisco Prime?
    The most valuable features of Cisco Prime include its comprehensive functionality as a one-stop solution for basic SNMP port management.
    See all answers
    What needs improvement with Cisco Prime?
    The product's performance monitoring feature could be more intuitive.
    See all answers
    What is your primary use case for Cisco Prime?
    We use Cisco Prime for centralized configuration management backups and monitoring.
    See all answers
     

    Comparisons

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    Compared 28% of the time
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    Compared 18% of the time
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    Cisco DNA Center vs Cisco Prime [EOL] Logo
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    Compared 63% of the time
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    Compared 10% of the time
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    Compared 7% of the time
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    Compared 4% of the time
    More Cisco Prime [EOL] Competitors
     

    Product Reports

    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)
    January 2025
    Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) reportDownload Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) product report
    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco Prime [EOL]
    January 2025
    Cisco Prime [EOL] reportDownload Cisco Prime [EOL] product report
     

    Also Known As

    Cisco Data Center Network Manager
    Cisco Prime Infrastructure
     

    Learn More

    Cisco
    Cisco
     

    Overview

    The Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) offers a comprehensive solution for managing Cisco NX-OS switches in hybrid-cloud environments, providing automation, visibility, and consistent operations. Designed to simplify and enhance data center management, NDFC integrates with Cisco Nexus Dashboard to streamline network connectivity, reduce deployment times, and ensure seamless transitions with minimal disruptions. Its modular architecture, new user interface, and support for non-Nexus OS platforms make it a robust tool for LAN, SAN, and IP Fabric for Media management. Additionally, NDFC enhances fabric reliability, automates workflows, and supports cloud connectivity with AWS and Microsoft Azure, making it ideal for businesses adapting to increasingly complex digital environments.

    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.

     

    Sample Customers

    Banco de Guayaquil, Cox Communications, Kuwait Petroleum Italia, Roper St. Francis, University of British Columbia
    Mohawk Industries, Universidad EAFIT, Halton Healthcare
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    January 2025
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