Cisco DNA Center vs Cisco Prime [EOL] comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Cisco DNA Center and Cisco Prime [EOL] are both solutions in the Network Management Applications category. Additionally, 90% of Cisco DNA Center users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 91% of Cisco Prime [EOL] users who would recommend it.

Cisco DNA Center

Read 44 Cisco DNA Center reviews

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4,212 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

Cisco Prime [EOL]

Read 35 Cisco Prime [EOL] reviews

91% willing to recommend

Cisco DNA Center

Cisco Prime [EOL]

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 2, 2025

Cisco DNA Center and Cisco Prime are network management solutions from Cisco. Cisco DNA Center appears to have the upper hand due to its integration with Cisco ISE and enhanced features.

Features: Cisco DNA Center provides robust analytics and security features, offering integrated identity services and a centralized dashboard for simplified deployment and monitoring. Its template-driven configuration and visual and wireless assurance features give comprehensive network insights. Cisco Prime, valued for its stability, includes heat map functionalities and inventory monitoring but lacks in-depth analytics and centralized management characteristics.

Room for Improvement: Cisco DNA Center could improve its third-party compatibility, expand VRF capacity, and strengthen integration with older hardware and other Cisco products like Meraki. Enhancements in error reporting and user interface usability are also suggested. For Cisco Prime, outdated interface, lack of support for newer Cisco devices, and limited third-party solution integration hinder its performance. Improved graphical interface and real-time monitoring could further enhance its effectiveness.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both solutions offer on-premises or cloud deployments, with Cisco DNA Center having a more intuitive deployment process. Customer service is more positively reviewed for DNA Center, though it experiences some delays in support response. Cisco Prime also receives favorable support reviews but has challenges with new product integration.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco DNA Center has a high cost, which can affect smaller businesses, but its features justify the price by delivering significant ROI through time savings. Cisco Prime is more affordable, with bundled deals that can reduce costs, making it a worthwhile investment for large-scale deployments. However, the pricing strategy might be challenging for small enterprises.

To learn more, read our detailed Network Management Applications Report (Updated: September 2026).

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Network Management Applications

September 2026

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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 DNA Center

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Management Applications (2nd), Network Monitoring Software (33rd), Network Automation (2nd)

Cisco Prime [EOL]

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Featured Reviews

Mahir Öztürk

Network Engineer at NGN Bilgi ve İletişim Hizmetleri

Client history has helped resolve past network issues more efficiently

I mostly use the client history feature of Cisco DNA Center. I didn't use the real-time monitoring capability of Cisco DNA Center because I primarily used it for client history regarding issues and problems. I don't use it for real-time monitoring. If there is a problem, I can inspect the situation and see what is happening, which is beneficial.

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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.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"My advice to others is if you are a large enough company to have the Cisco DNA Center technology, you must try it because for a large enterprise or multi-site organization it's impressive and it saves a lot of money and time."

"Application Assurance works very well."

"I like the visibility, instant build, network, policies, and the ability to control access. I also like that you can visualize your whole network."

"It enables monitoring of various components such as access points, switch cards, and other elements within the company's solutions."

"The most valuable features of Cisco DNA Center are wireless assurance and visibility."

"What I found valuable in Cisco DNA Center is the Software-Defined Access Network, so the entire LAN network can be centralized and managed from a single dashboard. Cisco DNA Center is suitable for centralized management and lets you deploy switches in a centralized fashion. You can also do multiple switch port configurations simultaneously and segregate your traffic into multiple fabrics. Another valuable feature of Cisco DNA Center is enhanced security through Scalable Group Tags. Cisco DNA Center can be integrated with your Cisco ISE to enhance the port securities, and this paves the way for Software-Defined Networking in the LAN segment, which is the main advantage of Cisco DNA Center. I also like that you can use Cisco DNA Center for data assurance or correlation. The solution shows your network and client health parameters, which I find convenient for troubleshooting."

"The biggest lesson that I have learned from working with this solution is that this technology is much easier now."

"DNA Center is scalable."

More Cisco DNA Center pros

"The solution is very easy to use, and I absolutely advise using it, as long as your budget has no limits."

"The hardware Cisco provides is excellent. It's a well-made product."

"The VLAN mapping function has been most impactful in simplifying our network management tasks."

"The solution is not inexpensive but is worth it for large-scale environments because it saves time, prevents manual errors during deployment, and is easier to troubleshoot."

"If an AP or any wireless device goes into critical mode, Cisco Prime sends an alert. That is the most helpful feature."

"Cisco Prime allows us to do a lot of functions with the users and it is flexible."

"Cisco Prime, from a management perspective, has good reporting."

"We use the solution to control the physical service station that is part of the SCADA network. We connect and control them remotely."

More Cisco Prime [EOL] pros

Cons

"The solution’s security side could be improved."

"The solution needs to improve the dashboard."

"There are some software problems from version to version. It takes a long time for DNA Center to recognize the video and control access devices."

"They should include UTM features in the product."

"It's a very good product, however, it comes with a very high price."

"In terms of the clustering part, there are some concerns."

"In my opinion, the client history in Cisco DNA Center can be longer than 10 days, perhaps extending to 15 or 20 days."

"The pricing, setup cost, and licensing of Cisco DNA Center are expensive."

More Cisco DNA Center cons

"They could consider offering more flexible pricing options for their customers."

"The product needs to improve its stability."

"The solution has issues with real time monitoring of devices and NetFlow such as inadequate visualization for reports, sources, and destinations."

"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."

"Now, the complexity has increased, so the quality of work also has taken a slight hit with respect to their TAC support especially."

"Some improvements are needed, specifically in the form of more updates and enhancements."

"Cisco Prime could improve the graphical user interface."

"The overall management capabilities of Prime need to be improved."

More Cisco Prime [EOL] cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool's licensing may not come across as something that may be friendly for users."

"The price of the solution is expensive. The hardware is licensed on the device, but the hardware on the server is expensive."

"The solution is expensive."

"The solution is a little bit expensive but depends a lot on the customer's usage. If you use it in the right place, you can easily pay for it."

"Licensing for Cisco DNA Center is a little bit expensive, just like any Cisco solution. Its cost could still be improved."

"It is an expensive solution."

"Cisco DNA Center is too expensive."

"The licensing cost for Cisco DNA Center is not more than that of other solutions."

More Cisco DNA Center pricing and cost advice

"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 pricing of Cisco Prime a seven out of ten."

"The product is expensive compared to other vendors in the market."

"You need to get special quotes from the company for each order."

"The product's performance monitoring feature could be more intuitive."

"Cisco Prime is an expensive solution."

"The cost is quite high."

"The solution is not inexpensive but is worth it for large-scale environments."

More Cisco Prime [EOL] pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

13%

Government

Financial Services Firm

Outsourcing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	12
Midsize Enterprise	9
Large Enterprise	24

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	9
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	24

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco DNA Center?

After evaluating other solutions, we will provide feedback.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco DNA Center?

The deployment of Cisco DNA Center was complex due to the fact that on the data center side, we have a Juniper infrastructure, which created some complexity, though not significant. The deployment ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Cisco DNA Center?

In my organization, we currently have some Cisco devices such as access switches, and we also have infrastructure, but that is not part of our responsibility. We do not manage that infrastructure. ...

See all answers

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco DNA Center

September 2026

Download Cisco DNA Center product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Prime [EOL]

September 2026

Download Cisco Prime [EOL] product report

Also Known As

DNA Center

Cisco Prime Infrastructure

Overview

Cisco DNA Center delivers powerful centralized security, automation, and comprehensive analytics for enhanced network management. With an intuitive dashboard and integration with Cisco devices, it reduces errors, boosts efficiency, and ensures seamless wired and wireless network operations.

Organizations leverage Cisco DNA Center for network management and automation, offering increased visibility into traffic flows and efficient device provisioning. It supports real-time data transmission, network segmentation, and integrates with ISE. Features like wireless assurance, centralized management, and AI-driven insights into network health promote an efficient network environment while addressing compliance issues. However, improvements are necessary for better third-party integration, affordability, and more user-friendly documentation.

What are the solution's most important features?

Comprehensive Analytics: Provides in-depth network insights through real-time data.
Centralized Security: Unifies security management, offering enhanced protection.
Network Management: Simplifies device configuration and policy compliance.
Automation Capabilities: Reduces human error and facilitates efficient network operations.
AI-Driven Assurance: Delivers insights into network health for proactive management.

What benefits and ROI should users look for?

Increased Efficiency: Streamlines operations by reducing manual tasks.
Improved Security: Enhances protection through centralized policies.
Cost Effective: Simplifies management, potentially lowering operating costs.
Enhanced Visibility: Offers comprehensive data for better decision-making.

In industries like healthcare, finance, and education, Cisco DNA Center's advanced features facilitate the management of complex network infrastructures and aid in achieving compliance efficiently. Its ability to manage LANs and WLANs supports diverse networking environments including greenfield projects and SPN setups.

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

Information Not Available

Mohawk Industries, Universidad EAFIT, Halton Healthcare

Buyer's Guide

Network Management Applications

September 2026

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