We compared Cisco DNA Center and Cisco Prime based on our user's reviews in several parameters.
Users have mentioned the need for improved integration capabilities with third-party tools and additional customization options to better suit their specific requirements. Additionally, users have highlighted the importance of enhanced documentation and training resources to facilitate platform adoption and understanding. Some users have also suggested improvements to the user interface for a more intuitive and streamlined experience.
Features: Cisco DNA Center stands out with its unity of configuration, versatile analytics, enhanced security, AI and machine learning capabilities, VXLAN and SD-Access features, and wireless assurance. On the other hand, Cisco Prime shines with its comprehensive network management, efficient automation and fault detection tools, intuitive interface, robust security features, and effective performance monitoring.
Pricing and ROI: The setup costs for Cisco DNA Center are mentioned as straightforward and hassle-free, ensuring a smooth implementation process. Users appreciate the flexibility in licensing options. Cisco Prime also has a straightforward setup cost that does not require excessive time or resources. The licensing process for Cisco Prime is also commended as seamless and hassle-free., Cisco DNA Center provided a significant ROI by streamlining network management, improving operational efficiency, and optimizing network performance. Users praised its comprehensive monitoring and automation features. On the other hand, Cisco Prime demonstrated its value by improving network management capabilities, enhancing network visibility, and reducing downtime. Users appreciated its user-friendly interface and effective troubleshooting capabilities.
Room for Improvement: Cisco DNA Center users have requested a more intuitive and streamlined user interface, improved documentation and training resources, better integration capabilities with third-party tools, and customization options. Cisco Prime could also benefit from enhancements according to user feedback.
Deployment and customer support: The reviews for Cisco DNA Center suggests varying timeframes for deployment, setup, or implementation phases, with some users mentioning spending a week for both, while others spent three months on deployment and an additional week on setup. In contrast, the reviews for Cisco Prime show that some users spent three months on deployment, while others only required a week. The term "setup" is used alongside deployment, indicating they refer to the same period for some users. Understanding the context is important when evaluating the time required for each phase., Cisco DNA Center product has been highly praised for its customer service and support. Users appreciate the knowledgeable and responsive staff who quickly address queries. On the other hand, Cisco Prime's customer service has also received positive feedback, with users highlighting the promptness and helpfulness of the support team.
The summary above is based on 58 interviews we conducted recently with Cisco DNA Center and Cisco Prime users. To access the review's full transcripts, download our report.
"The product offers an intuitive and automated way to manage user networks. It gives me an insight into the network health."
"It gives us automation capabilities for pushing out the configuration to branch networks. It also provides visibility into the health of user network devices."
"It does a lot of things automatically, and that's the big thing with it. They're making the software so that you don't need to be as knowledgeable as me on the switching and routing side to get your work done. If you want, you can have DNA troubleshoot your problem for you and give you solutions or fix it itself, if it was something that's just a configuration issue."
"Cisco DNA Center provides operational support, compliance support, security vulnerability detection, and automatic scheduling."
"Cisco is a leading network company."
"The best feature of Cisco DNA Center is the visibility page, where you can see everything on the dashboard, and you don't have to be a technical person to view the issues."
"Cisco VXLAN is a protocol that has been around for some time, but the practical implementation and operational capability of Cisco DNA Center bring it to life."
"Has a good processing feature with a high level of accuracy."
"The solution's configuration management tool is amazing because it centralizes and pushes configurations which saves a lot of volume and effort."
"We use Cisco Prime for network mapping and surveys."
"Cisco Prime is a good tool for inventory monitoring and wireless management."
"If an AP or any wireless device goes into critical mode, Cisco Prime sends an alert. That is the most helpful feature."
"Cisco Prime is helpful as it provides us with real-time monitoring. This allows us to be proactive in our environment."
"The VLAN mapping function has been most impactful in simplifying our network management tasks."
"The most valuable features of Cisco Prime include its comprehensive functionality as a one-stop solution for basic SNMP port management."
"We use this solution to troubleshoot our wireless systems, specifically regarding signal strength."
"The tool's deployment is complex. It also needs to improve its GUI."
"The product has many features that do not work properly."
"There should be an option for automation of template deployment by using the stored data. It is not easy to save configuration information for lots of devices without using other tools. There should be a tighter, better repository of information that can be merged with the templates."
"The solution's integration feature can be better."
"The features of Cisco DNA Center and Cisco Prime could have more parity."
"The weaknesses primarily involve pricing and the ongoing need for increased bandwidth and data throughput."
"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."
"What I want to see in Cisco DNA Center in the future is more support for other platforms so that you can manage third-party products, such as Fortinet."
"They could consider offering more flexible pricing options for their customers."
"Cisco Prime needs to have lower prices and more customization options."
"The product is expensive compared to other vendors in the market."
"The reporting could be simplified and the information made clearer to the user."
"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."
"The product's pricing can be cheaper."
"The overall management capabilities of Prime need to be improved."
"Cisco can only be used for Cisco environments and is not compatible with other vendors."
Cisco DNA Center is ranked 1st in Network Management Applications with 37 reviews while Cisco Prime is ranked 2nd in Network Management Applications with 35 reviews. Cisco DNA Center is rated 7.8, while Cisco Prime is rated 7.8. The top reviewer of Cisco DNA Center writes "Practical implementation of VXLAN is good and provides centralized control". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Cisco Prime writes "Robust, cost-effective, and provides good visibility, but the scalability could improve". Cisco DNA Center is most compared with Aruba Airwave, SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager, Huawei eSight, Juniper Mist Wired Assurance and Fortinet FortiManager, whereas Cisco Prime is most compared with SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager, Aruba Airwave, Huawei eSight, Fortinet FortiManager and HPE Intelligent Management Center. See our Cisco DNA Center vs. Cisco Prime report.
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