What is our primary use case?
My main use case for Cisco Crosswork Network Insights is that it provides real-time network monitoring, BGP and internet route monitoring, and predictive analysis.
For real-time network monitoring with Cisco Crosswork Network Insights, we can see which link is getting overloaded, which router is unstable, and where the traffic is flowing, as well as where the latency and packet loss are happening. These are the main use cases when we look at real-time network monitoring. Related to predictive analysis, it can predict which link has been running at very high utilizations over the last few days or over the last few retention periods.
The automation features of Cisco Crosswork Network Insights allow us to set smart alerts using high latency, packet drops, BGP flaps, router changes, and bandwidth spikes, as well as connections between different routers. These are the primary use cases where we can integrate with the automation tool to trigger actions automatically.
Moreover, when we get the RCA, we can create any SOPs using that RCA so that whenever we encounter the same types of issues, we are well-prepared with our pre-checks, preventing those issues from arising. This is how it impacts downtimes and enables faster troubleshooting.
What is most valuable?
Cisco Crosswork Network Insights provides very good visualization dashboards, and it is also very effective in alerting and automations.
The best features Cisco Crosswork Network Insights offers include its effectiveness in alerting and automations, visualization dashboards, and its suitability for banking organizations, telecom providers, or any large enterprises that heavily work with networking and security needs.
Cisco Crosswork Network Insights has positively impacted my organization by reducing downtime when any problems are detected early before impacting users, allowing us to take action. It also facilitates faster troubleshooting, enabling network engineers to identify the root cause quickly and carry out any RCA without manually checking the logs at every point. Additionally, it can detect suspicious routing behavior and BGP hijacking attempts, thereby improving the security of our organizations.
Cisco Crosswork Network Insights has helped with time efficiency, as it leads to low downtimes, and the automations and alerting features help reduce the manpower needed in organizations.
What needs improvement?
Cisco Crosswork Network Insights can improve in its setup complexity, as it has a very complex setup that requires skilled network engineers for deployment and tuning. Additionally, the licensing and deployment costs are quite high, and if these aspects could be better managed on the Cisco end, it would be beneficial.
Improvements are also needed in the official documentation, particularly with more insightful diagrams and explanations.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Crosswork Network Insights for the last two to three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Crosswork Network Insights is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In terms of scalability, Cisco Crosswork Network Insights performs very well in both UAT and production. The documentation is well-maintained, and updates are released in a timely manner, making it stable. We have been using it for the last few years and have not faced any challenges related to production releases.
How are customer service and support?
Customer support for Cisco Crosswork Network Insights is very good. Whenever we need assistance, they engage via email and also connect through online calls. They are also very responsive during physical meetings, especially when RCA is required.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Regarding my experience with pricing, setup costs, and licensing for Cisco Crosswork Network Insights, those aspects are handled by the accountant and TAM teams, so I am not too aware of those details. However, I find the deployment to be somewhat GUI-based or routing-based, and overall, it is a very good experience.
What other advice do I have?
Cisco Crosswork Network Insights performs best within the Cisco ecosystem. When the infrastructure is very Cisco-based, it can deliver optimal performance. However, it is quite expensive in terms of licensing and deployment costs, which are some of its weak points. I have given this product a rating of 8.
If you are working in banking, large enterprises, or data centers, and you seek a solution that helps reduce downtime, particularly in complex networks, I advise considering Cisco Crosswork Network Insights for faster troubleshooting.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises