Cisco DNA Center vs SolarWinds Network Automation Manager comparison

Cisco and SolarWinds are both solutions in the Network Automation category. Cisco is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.0, while SolarWinds is ranked #13. Cisco holds a 13.9% mindshare in NA, compared to SolarWinds’s 3.6% mindshare. Additionally, 89% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 50% of SolarWinds users who would recommend it.

Cisco DNA Center

Read 41 Cisco DNA Center reviews

2,431 Views
1,503 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

SolarWinds Network Automati...

Read 2 SolarWinds Network Automation Manager reviews

349 Views
223 Comparison Views

50% willing to recommend

Cisco DNA Center

SolarWinds Network Automati...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

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Cisco DNA Center and SolarWinds Network Automation Manager are competing in the network management space, where each provides distinct features. Cisco DNA Center has the upper hand in integrating innovative functionalities, while SolarWinds stands out with its comprehensive feature set and broader compatibility.

Features: Cisco DNA Center provides advanced network analytics, policy-based automation, and seamless integration within Cisco environments. SolarWinds Network Automation Manager offers extensive network performance monitoring, automation capabilities that cover a wide range of devices, and customizable dashboards.

Room for Improvement: Cisco DNA Center could improve in non-Cisco device compatibility, pricing transparency, and user interface customization. SolarWinds Network Automation Manager might enhance ease of use for less technical users, offer more detailed Cisco integration guides, and broaden its security features scope.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco DNA Center is designed for seamless deployment within Cisco networks, supported by robust customer service. SolarWinds Network Automation Manager provides a straightforward installation process applicable to varied network landscapes, backed by substantial customer support and resources.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco DNA Center typically involves higher initial setup costs, offering substantial ROI through enhanced network efficiency and operational savings. SolarWinds Network Automation Manager offers more flexible pricing options, appealing to budget-sensitive organizations, delivering ROI through its extensive automation and monitoring features.

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To learn more, read our detailed Cisco DNA Center vs. SolarWinds Network Automation Manager Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco DNA Center vs. SolarWinds Network Automation Manager

April 2025

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Helped 852,649 peers since 2012

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

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

13th

Ranking in Network Automation

2nd

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Management Applications (1st)

SolarWinds Network Automati...

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

107th

Ranking in Network Automation

13th

Average Rating

5.6

Reviews Sentiment

8.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Network Automation category, the mindshare of Cisco DNA Center is 13.9%, down from 18.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SolarWinds Network Automation Manager is 3.6%, up from 1.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Automation

Featured Reviews

AvrahamSonenthal

Senior Network Engineer at Inside Global

Efficiently manages our wireless network and provides valuable monitoring features

The platform's biggest benefit has been in managing our wireless network. Having a single pane of glass to control all wireless controllers and access points and to monitor activity has been a significant advantage. We're a small federal agency with around 300 network devices, so automation is a minor focus. It's more relevant for larger networks. The main benefits we've seen are in inventory management and the potential for configuration automation. However, I recommend using the DNA Centre only for larger networks with over a thousand devices; otherwise, it may not be cost-effective. Before proceeding, ensure that your devices are compatible with DNA Center, as not all Cisco devices are supported. Also, investing in proper training is different from plug-and-play. I rate it an eight.

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Giulio Valeri

Owner at SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS SRL

Threat detection failures, poor technical support, and expensive

We use the solution to manage all of our customer's systems. We monitor and decide if everything is okay and if not, we do changes when needed. For example, if there is a need to change the antivirus software we can automate the process and install the new one. There are scripts within the software…

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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

"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."

"Application Assurance works very well."

"I like that we can easily configure any new hardware. It's also easy to deploy and easy to troubleshoot."

"The most valuable feature of Cisco DNA Center is the AI (Artificial Intelligence) that provides us with valuable information."

"Cisco DNA Center is a user-friendly solution."

"The product offers an intuitive and automated way to manage user networks. It gives me an insight into the network health."

"Cisco DNA Center provides operational support, compliance support, security vulnerability detection, and automatic scheduling."

"The monitoring is very valuable to me."

More Cisco DNA Center pros

"The installation is easy."

"The solution offers so many great resources, it makes them a powerhouse in the market."

Cons

"The task failure reporting or provisioning failure reporting could be a little bit better in the UI, with more information given to the user."

"Requires more focus on the digital side of things."

"From the recent DNA point of view, there are some stability challenges with Cisco, but very minor."

"The cost is very high."

"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."

"It seems to be a little bit more centered toward wireless than wired. You've got more options you can do wirelessly than you can with the wired switches, but it works for what we need it to do. We would like to see a little bit more about the traffic, and we're looking at what's out there to see about that. We are looking at something that might give us a bit more insight into the actual traffic. If they had the full functionality on the wired side, as they do on the wireless side in terms of being able to view traffic and everything, it would be good."

"What could be improved is the licensing cost of Cisco DNA Center. It's a little bit expensive."

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

More Cisco DNA Center cons

"The price could be a bit lower."

"We did not like SolarWinds because it was not able to communicate between UPSA and our accounting system. They should have better integration."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is an expensive solution."

"The partnership price is notably high, but it ultimately depends on the chosen business model."

"Cisco DNA Center is a licensed product with multiple levels of licensing available such as basic, advanced, and essential. I don't have the exact figure, but Cisco DNA Center is costly. For example, the box has information about the essential license and costs a considerable amount of money. You need to pay extra to use advanced features in Cisco DNA Center. My company sees Cisco DNA Center as a solution that's worth the money, which is why it invested in the solution. If you want centralized management for your network, especially when upgrading it, Cisco DNA Center is perfect, but it's more suitable for a large-scale rather than a small-scale network."

"The tool is medium-priced."

"I rate the product's pricing an eight on a scale of one to ten, where one is very cheap, and ten is very 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."

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

"The product is very costly."

More Cisco DNA Center pricing and cost advice

"The price of SolarWinds Network Automation Manager is fair. However, it is more expensive than ConnectWise."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Government

10%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Educational Organization

41%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco DNA Center?

The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the fact that it gives some kind of ease in operations, especially since our company is moving from CLI to GUI-based configuration.

See all answers

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

The cost is very high.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco DNA Center?

The system is working fine for me currently.

See all answers

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Comparisons

Cisco Catalyst Center vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 11% of the time

Juniper Mist Wired Assurance vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 7% of the time

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 6% of the time

Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 6% of the time

Meraki Dashboard vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 5% of the time

More Cisco DNA Center Competitors

NetBrain vs SolarWinds Network Automation Manager

Compared 85% of the time

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs SolarWinds Network Automation Manager

Compared 15% of the time

More SolarWinds Network Automation Manager Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco DNA Center

May 2025

Download Cisco DNA Center product report

Buyer's Guide

Network Automation

May 2025

SolarWinds Network Automation Manager report

Download SolarWinds Network Automation Manager product report

Also Known As

DNA Center

SolarWinds NAM

Overview

Cisco DNA Center offers a comprehensive platform for network automation and management, providing detailed analytics, enhanced security, and streamlined operations for both wired and wireless networks.

Cisco DNA Center integrates with Cisco infrastructure to deliver efficient network automation and management, helping organizations improve network visibility, security, and control. It supports AI-driven analytics and automated workflows to enhance operational efficiency and reduce errors. Challenges include compatibility with third-party systems, steep learning curve, and complex deployment. Its interface facilitates centralized control, vital for troubleshooting, policy management, and configuration management, with support for zero-touch provisioning and SD-Access.

What are the key features of Cisco DNA Center?

Robust Analytics: Provides detailed insights into network health with AI-driven analytics.
Centralized Security: Integrates with ISE for comprehensive security management.
Automated Device Management: Simplifies device provisioning and configuration transfers.
Wi-Fi Analytics: Offers deep insights into wireless network performance.
Zero-Touch Provisioning: Streamlines new device deployments with minimal human intervention.
Scalable Segmentation: Efficiently segments network traffic ensuring security and performance.

What benefits should users consider?

Operational Efficiency: Automation reduces potential errors and streamlines workflow.
Enhanced Security: Integration with Cisco ISE bolsters security capabilities.
Network Visibility: Comprehensive dashboards and analysis tools enhance monitoring.
Troubleshooting: Real-time monitoring aids in identifying and resolving issues swiftly.

In sectors such as healthcare, finance, and retail, Cisco DNA Center is utilized for its ability to enhance security and compliance, manage large-scale networks, and provide detailed analytics for better operational decision-making. Its support for location tracking and policy automation ensures efficient network management across diverse environments.

Cisco

Scale environments from 1,000 to tens of thousands of nodes with comprehensive performance, traffic, WAN, and switch port monitoring, automated change and configuration management, and IP address management in an integrated network automation software solution.

SolarWinds

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Maalem Financing Company, School City of Hammond

Buyer's Guide

Cisco DNA Center vs. SolarWinds Network Automation Manager

April 2025

Free Report: Cisco DNA Center vs. SolarWinds Network Automation Manager

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