

Nagios Core and Cisco DNA Center compete in the network management category. Based on features, Cisco DNA Center holds an upper hand due to its advanced analytics and automation capabilities, although Nagios Core offers flexibility and cost-efficiency.
Features: Nagios Core provides maximum flexibility through its open-source nature, allowing text file configurations and integration with various plugins. It supports comprehensive monitoring of servers and networks with a robust architecture for distributed monitoring and reliable alerts. Cisco DNA Center integrates analytics, centralized network management, and automation, making it ideal for Cisco device deployments. Its seamless integration and advanced automation features enhance user experience.
Room for Improvement: Nagios Core can be difficult to configure and requires significant technical expertise, with limitations in application-level monitoring and scalability. Cisco DNA Center is hindered by high pricing, complex configuration, and challenges integrating with non-Cisco products. Both could improve user interfaces and ease of setup, though Cisco's advances in automation offer benefits.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both Nagios Core and Cisco DNA Center mainly operate on-premises with hybrid and public cloud options. Nagios Core setup demands technical expertise and relies on community support. Cisco DNA Center provides a structured support framework but still requires internal expertise for setup, often underutilized by smaller infrastructures due to costs and complexity.
Pricing and ROI: Nagios Core is open-source, offering significant cost savings and high ROI as there are no licensing fees, only investments in expertise. Cisco DNA Center often faces criticism for high costs, including licensing and deployment fees, posing financial challenges for smaller enterprises, but offers valuable features for large-scale environments.
Although Cisco DNA Center is expensive, we have seen a return on investment in terms of time savings.
I would rate Cisco support easily at nine out of ten.
Overall, Cisco DNA Center rates eight out of ten as a complete solution.
The support for Cisco DNA Center is good.
From my experience, we can easily manage numerous devices.
The solution is designed for large enterprise companies.
The solution is scalable.
When we communicate problems, they solve them effectively.
I tried many other solutions at work, however, in terms of Nagios, I haven't seen any disruption or downtime.
The AI-driven insights have contributed significantly to faster troubleshooting and predictive analytics.
The deployment part is definitely an area for improvement.
The client history in Cisco DNA Center can be longer than 10 days, perhaps extending to 15 or 20 days.
If there is a problem, I can inspect the situation and see what is happening, which is beneficial.
The most valuable features include AI-driven insights which make troubleshooting much easier.
It has a very handy dashboard, providing live alerts and visibility for everything.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Nagios Core | 1.6% |
| Cisco DNA Center | 0.8% |
| Other | 97.6% |

| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 12 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 9 |
| Large Enterprise | 24 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 20 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 11 |
| Large Enterprise | 23 |
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?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.
Nagios Core offers a versatile monitoring solution that efficiently manages notifications, reporting, and resource usage. Its open-source architecture provides flexibility and customization options for comprehensive infrastructure health management.
Nagios Core, known for its extensible plugin architecture, proactively enhances infrastructure management with customizable notifications and reliable reporting. Seamlessly integrating various plugins, it offers real-time dashboards and efficient alerting systems for thorough monitoring. Its adaptability and ease of configuration make it popular among users seeking flexible monitoring solutions. However, improvements in the web interface, scalability, performance, and visualization are needed to enhance accessibility. Users seek better alert mechanisms, more robust PDF export features, and simpler setup processes for increased efficiency.
What are the key features of Nagios Core?In many industries, Nagios Core is integral to monitoring infrastructure and services, including cloud servers, applications, and network devices. Users rely on it for issue detection, capacity planning, and maintaining system stability in environments like AWS and on-premise servers. Its capabilities in CPU, memory, and bandwidth monitoring along with alert systems support sectors needing real-time oversight of critical equipment.
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