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Cisco UCS Manager Reviews

Vendor: Cisco
4.1 out of 5
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What is Cisco UCS Manager?

Cisco UCS Manager helps significantly reduce management and administration expenses by automating routine tasks to increase operational agility. Customers can extend the benefits of Cisco UCS Manager globally across an enterprise to thousands of servers in multiple domains with Cisco UCS Central Software.
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Cisco UCS Manager is the #18 ranked solution in Infrastructure Monitoring tools. PeerSpot users give Cisco UCS Manager an average rating of 8.2 out of 10. Cisco UCS Manager is most commonly compared to Datadog: Cisco UCS Manager vs Datadog. Cisco UCS Manager is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 62% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 13% of all views.
Buyer's Guide
Cisco UCS Manager
March 2026
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Cisco UCS Manager mindshare

As of March 2026, the mindshare of Cisco UCS Manager in the IT Infrastructure Monitoring category stands at 1.3%, down from 1.5% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
IT Infrastructure Monitoring Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco UCS Manager1.3%
Zabbix6.1%
Datadog4.1%
Other88.5%
IT Infrastructure Monitoring

PeerResearch reports based on Cisco UCS Manager reviews

TypeTitleDate
CategoryIT Infrastructure MonitoringMar 28, 2026Download
ProductReviews, tips, and advice from real usersMar 28, 2026Download
ComparisonCisco UCS Manager vs ZabbixMar 28, 2026Download
ComparisonCisco UCS Manager vs DatadogMar 28, 2026Download
ComparisonCisco UCS Manager vs Auvik Network Management (ANM)Mar 28, 2026Download
Suggested products
TitleRatingMindshareRecommending
Datadog4.34.1%97%209 interviewsAdd to research
Zabbix4.26.1%95%108 interviewsAdd to research
 
 
Key learnings from peers

Valuable Features

Cisco UCS Manager offers valuable features including unification of storage, networking, and compute with software-defined capabilities. It provides a flexible, user-friendly management interface, rapid deployment with service profiles, and robust security features. The system's ability to manage resources centrally simplifies administration, with comprehensive dashboard features for visibility. Efficiency in handling hardware swaps and upgrades enhances reliability. Its ergonomic interface supports seamless integration with various server platforms, making it ideal for streamlined infrastructure oversight and troubleshooting.
  • "Cisco UCS Manager is a very useful product for managing our entire ecosystem for Cisco products."
  • "Cisco is globally renowned, which is why it sells so well."
  • "A main feature of Cisco UCS Manager is its reliability, as all of the computing blades are in cluster mode, so we experience high availability and can easily add compute resources and beef up the computing solution."

Room for Improvement

Cisco UCS Manager has several improvement areas like user interface simplicity, integration capabilities, and training access. The firmware upgrade process presents challenges, often requiring downtime. Users desire enhanced security features and better performance monitoring, especially for blades. Simplified server creation templates are needed, and cost reductions are suggested. Users express difficulties with deployment and configuration, indicating the need for an intuitive design that requires less technical expertise. Improved scalability and diverse connection options are also desired.
  • "Its user interface can be improved. It can be more user-friendly."
  • "There is room for improvement in terms of cost and complexity to set up. It doesn't work straight out of the UCS, so someone who knows what they're doing is needed immediately, and it can be quite confusing."
  • "The licensing cost for Cisco UCS Manager is around four out of ten. It is not cost-effective due to its high price, especially regarding memory expansion."

ROI

Cisco UCS Manager demonstrates substantial ROI compared to similar offerings by minimizing hardware failures and thus reducing downtime. Several entities report management efficiency due to its centralized console, eliminating additional equipment needs. Some organizations note reduced deployment times and simplified compute capacity management. However, ROI may vary based on project alignment and implementation. Integration capabilities further augment management effectiveness through automation.

Pricing

Cisco UCS Manager is perceived as more expensive than competitors like Dell and HP, yet offers reliability and a comprehensive bundle without component pricing. Users report that while the initial equipment and annual licensing can be costly, significant discounts and bundled offers may enhance its value. Some users highlight the need to purchase additional licenses for specific features, impacting the total cost. Despite the higher costs, satisfied clients appreciate the stability and bundled savings offered by Cisco.
  • "We need to take a license for each port, which amounts to a big sum."
  • "Cisco UCS Manager’s annual licensing fee is expensive."
  • "Cisco UCS is more expensive than Dell and HP, but it is more reliable. I see less issues and it's quite stable."

Popular Use Cases

Cisco UCS Manager is utilized for managing infrastructure, reducing time and effort, and overseeing UCS C and B blades for virtualization. It supports VDI, private cloud connections, and centralized management of numerous blades, simplifying maintenance and configuration. It integrates networks, interacts with CPU memory, and manages firmware upgrades. Organizations use it to streamline operations in data centers, manage Cisco devices, and support high production loads, focusing on critical applications with redundancy.

Service and Support

Cisco UCS Manager is praised for its responsive and knowledgeable technical support, with users noting excellent global availability, quick issue resolution, and professional service. Some challenges include issues with European support and complexities from existing structure incompatibilities. Despite occasional limitations in customer service availability for urgent cases outside of Cisco UCS Manager, users appreciate the efficient assignment of engineers and timely handling of service requests. HyperFlex upgrade issues are a noted exception.

Deployment

Initial setup of Cisco UCS Manager varies in complexity, influenced by user experience. Some find it straightforward, requiring minimal time or personnel, while others face challenges due to integration needs or configuration intricacies. Deployment duration ranges from a few hours to months based on organizational requirements. A strong understanding of Cisco architecture is crucial for a smooth experience. Despite initial challenges, UCS Manager is praised for its configurational reliability once deployed.

Scalability

Cisco UCS Manager is praised for its high scalability due to its ease of configuration and template-based management. There are constraints with blade and chassis limits, requiring additional managers for expansion beyond set thresholds. Despite this, many find it sufficiently scalable for enterprise needs, supporting a range of environments. Some face cost issues with memory modules, but scalability remains effective, with ratings varying between seven and nine out of ten depending on user experience.

Stability

Cisco UCS Manager exhibits exceptional stability. Numerous users report minimal issues, rating stability seven to ten out of ten, and frequently highlight its reliable performance. Occasional technical glitches, such as memory or firmware-related issues, are swiftly addressed with updates or Cisco's responsive support. Users with complex setups note rare bugs quickly resolved with assistance. High availability is ensured even with public interconnect failures. Cisco UCS Manager is regularly described as robust and dependable.
These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.
Download our Cisco UCS Manager Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise12
By reviewers
By visitors reading reviews
Company SizeCount
Small Business53
Midsize Enterprise34
Large Enterprise144
By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
13%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Computer Software Company
9%
Government
8%
Healthcare Company
4%
University
4%
Comms Service Provider
3%
Construction Company
3%
Insurance Company
3%
Marketing Services Firm
3%
Media Company
3%
Retailer
3%
Outsourcing Company
3%
Hospitality Company
3%
Energy/Utilities Company
3%
Transportation Company
3%
Real Estate/Law Firm
3%
Non Profit
3%
Educational Organization
3%
Wholesaler/Distributor
2%
Consumer Goods Company
2%
Recreational Facilities/Services Company
2%
Legal Firm
2%
Performing Arts
1%
Logistics Company
1%
Aerospace/Defense Firm
1%

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Cisco UCS Manager customers

Management Science Associates, Peak 10, Virtual Consulting Professionals

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Product Categories

Product Categories
IT Infrastructure Monitoring

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Cisco UCS Manager Reviews Summary
Author infoRatingReview Summary
Consultant at rcnss4.0As a consultant, I value its robust scalability and C user interface. However, setup is complex and costly, with hidden settings and inconsistent customer service, despite good tech support. Overall, it's an 8/10 product.
CTO at Next Technologies Ltd4.5I use Cisco UCS Manager primarily with UCS B-Series and X modular deployments. Its valuable features include service profiles and unified management, simplifying deployment and troubleshooting. GUI improvements could simplify tasks further, while cost savings are significant through integrated management.
Systems Engineer at First Rand Bank Ltd.4.5I use Cisco UCS Manager for managing our blade servers and deploying firmware efficiently. It simplifies OS deployment and server configuration, saving time. Improvement is needed in automatic firmware recommendations. I recommend Dell's OpenManage as an alternative.
IT Infrastructure Manager at KTDA4.5We use Cisco UCS Manager primarily to integrate and manage our Cisco switches, providing valuable visibility and ease of provisioning across devices. However, we'd appreciate better visibility into the operating system to streamline problem identification without switching solutions.
Manager Data Center & Services at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees4.0I find Cisco UCS Manager reliable and stable for tier-two applications, backed by professional support. My main concern is its high cost, particularly for memory expansion, and complex initial setup. Despite this, I rate it highly for its reliability.
Sr. Technical Architect at StarOne IT Solutions4.5We use Cisco UCS Manager to manage servers, monitor firmware upgrades, and apply policies efficiently. It enhances operational efficiency with policy-driven management, though its pricing is high. Users are shifting toward cloud solutions, considering the higher memory failure rate.
Data Center SME at Orange España4.0I use Cisco UCS Manager to create profiles for server blades and set policies for maintenance. The standout feature is its ability to align with hardware profiles, though its user interface needs to be more descriptive and user-friendly. Previously, I used a legacy Dell HP server environment.
ICT Leader at Safripol (Pty) Ltd.3.5Cisco UCS Manager offers excellent usability and functionality but is complex to deploy and expensive, requiring technical expertise. Our lack of ROI stems from misaligned usage, not product flaws. Improved deployment and support intuitiveness would benefit smaller organizations.