Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs SolarWinds Network Device Monitor comparison

Cisco and SolarWinds are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Cisco is ranked #26 with an average rating of 8.4, while SolarWinds is ranked #28 with an average rating of 8.0. Cisco holds a 0.6% mindshare in NMS, compared to SolarWinds’s 0.9% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of SolarWinds users who would recommend it.

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabri...

Read 26 Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) reviews

2,437 Views
2,340 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

SolarWinds Network Device M...

Read 23 SolarWinds Network Device Monitor reviews

2,818 Views
2,762 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabri...

SolarWinds Network Device M...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller and SolarWinds Network Device Monitor compete in the network management category. Cisco seems to have the upper hand in support and pricing, while SolarWinds is preferred for features and functionality.

Features: Cisco Nexus Dashboard is known for its robust stability, comprehensive network visibility, and exceptional monitoring and automation features. It efficiently integrates with various network elements, providing enhanced automation capabilities. SolarWinds offers integral monitoring features with performance accuracy and strong alerting systems. Its ease of use, detailed reports, and alerts enable proactive measures.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Nexus Dashboard could enhance its user interface complexity, report intuitiveness, and integration with other tools. Setup challenges and the need for improved feature integration and scalability are noted. SolarWinds should focus on user-friendliness, reducing security issues, and refining its discovery feature.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Nexus Dashboard and SolarWinds support on-premises and private cloud deployments, with SolarWinds also supporting hybrid cloud environments. Cisco's technical support is praised for being responsive and high-quality, whereas SolarWinds provides competent support requiring fewer user interventions.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Nexus Dashboard is considered expensive but offers value through its comprehensive features and favorable ROI for long-term users. SolarWinds is slightly more cost-effective, though still viewed as costly by some users. Despite costs, it offers reasonable ROI due to ongoing enhancements and reliable performance.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs. SolarWinds Network Device Monitor Report (Updated: April 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs. SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

April 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 Nexus Dashboard Fabri...

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

26th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

SolarWinds Network Device M...

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

28th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) is 0.6%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SolarWinds Network Device Monitor is 0.9%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Monitoring Software Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)	0.6%
SolarWinds Network Device Monitor	0.9%
Other	98.5%

Network Monitoring Software

Featured Reviews

Jagdev Dhaliwal

Network Engineer at a healthcare company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Flow monitoring has improved planning for east-west traffic and real-time capacity decisions

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) helps to understand the flows and data plane capacities, which are the primary use cases. Usually, people struggle with east-west traffic flow when they need to decide on firewalls or products. People typically understand north-south traffic flows but usually miss the east-west traffic flows in data centers. I was focusing more on this so that people can accordingly plan, such as after F5, the number of servers, the number of sessions needed, and whether we need to plan the interface for groups from the line capacity perspective. This kind of information was valuable to us. The real-time telemetry feature was beneficial. When experiencing performance issues, I could determine if there were any issues related to flows or areas where bottlenecks were occurring.

Read full review

Sorin Gogean

IT Infrastructure Senior Network Technician at Autoliv

Offers some features but needs better customization and analysis tools

There are solutions that can perform better, but due to pricing for our corporate implementation, we had to stay with this solution. It accomplishes the necessary tasks, but there is room for improvement. The features are not as customizable as we would prefer, but they are workable. If configured properly, you can perform a drill-down analysis. However, I have not used this feature much for our infrastructure on the network side.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We have had a good ROI from Data Center Network Manager, and there is also a facility on Cisco's website to calculate the ROI from adopting this solution."

"I don't have to rely on the on-site engineer who can do the configuration. I can have our team just plug the devices and perform remotely. I can also do the templates."

"I like that is easy to work on and straightforward."

"It uses push technology, which pushes the changes to all relevant devices to ensure they are updated accordingly."

"Automation of the ILS."

"The interface of this solution is easy to use overall."

"The automation capability is more than enough. It depends on how we consider and integrate the automation engine. We need to ensure the automation engine and then how to perform it. It depends on the policy making, API integration, and other integrations."

"The solution is very stable and it has never crashed on us."

More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) pros

"The most valuable feature of SolarWinds Network Device Monitor is it can alert you when a device is not working."

"Overall, I rate SolarWinds Network Device Monitor ten out of ten."

"In terms of general network monitoring features, I find SolarWinds Network Device Monitor very flexible and comfortable to use. The software itself is extremely useful when it comes to monitoring how our data moves between different networks and environments."

"The most valuable features of SolarWinds Network Device Monitor are the reports. We are configuring the reports, and the first reports are only about the devices. We are configuring the thresholds in order to monitor all the devices."

"This product proactively tells us about issues before the users notice."

"The most valuable feature of SolarWinds Network Device Monitor is it shows you the utilization of devices to allow you to take proactive action before something goes down or reaches the saturation point. You can take proactive action to fix the problem before it occurs."

"The solution and its interface are elaborate and fully integrate all monitored items for easy analysis and troubleshooting."

"The Network Device Monitor itself is very useful."

More SolarWinds Network Device Monitor pros

Cons

"We need better performance and reliability."

"It's very costly."

"The product is good but quite expensive."

"I would like to see improved integration with other tools."

"The visibility of applications is not great."

"If the customer thinks about using additional solutions, Cisco should make sure they are not left out."

"It would be nice to have the ability to more easily collect information from other software when doing some types of analysis."

"The reporting is not very intuitive and has room for improvement."

More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) cons

"Although I haven't explored all of the features available, I wouldn't mind if the software were made to be a bit more customizable."

"The initial setup of the SolarWinds Network Device Monitor could be easier. It took us approximately one month to complete the implementation."

"The reporting feature needs improvement because we are unable to configure reports that were included during initial implementation."

"The solution lacks in performance monitoring."

"The security needs improvement, which is why we are moving away from Solar Winds. We have security concerns."

"SolarWinds Network Device Monitor could improve by being more user-friendly. The network has so many features which make it difficult to find how to configure how to use it. It is not simple to customize."

"There is no mobile version of this product, and our team should be able to access it using a mobile device."

More SolarWinds Network Device Monitor cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I would say that the pricing offers great value for the money."

"On average, Data Center Network Manager's pricing isn't too costly unless you choose a premier license."

"The product is licensed with contracts that work on a yearly basis rather than a monthly model."

"We usually opt for a yearly plan, commonly for three or five years upfront. Some customers may not utilize all the features included in the product, and this can lead to them paying for functionalities they don't need."

"The solution is very expensive."

"The tool is always expensive, but their service, product quality, and support are good. We're happy with it, but it's still an expensive solution. There are cheaper alternatives but no similar platform across all domains."

"When we purchase a Nexus box, the MDS CM license comes with it."

"The price of Cisco Data Center Network Manager is expensive compared to other vendors on the market."

"I rate the product's price as three to three and a half or on a scale of one to ten, where one means low price, and ten means high price."

"The enterprise license is good for the SolarWinds Network Device Monitor. However, it is expensive, they should reduce their price."

"I find the cost of SolarWinds Network Device Monitor reasonable for our company. Though, I'm not aware of the exact licensing cost."

"Well, we had a perpetual license and the renewal was $20 to $25,000."

"The price of the SolarWinds Network Device Monitor is good."

"The product is expensive."

"When compared with other solutions SolarWinds is more expensive."

"SolarWinds Network Device Monitor is not an expensive solution."

More SolarWinds Network Device Monitor pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Construction Company

10%

Government

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	10
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	16

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	14

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Data Center Network Manager?

The tool is always expensive, but their service, product quality, and support are good. We're happy with it, but it's still an expensive solution. There are cheaper alternatives but no similar plat...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco Data Center Network Manager?

I do not believe it integrated well with different infrastructures for hybrid environments. I am uncertain because we have never attempted that in our environment, so they could perform better in t...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Cisco Data Center Network Manager?

The main use case for URL filtering with PAN-DB is that it performs quite well. Earlier, when I started in 2012, there was a Blue Coat product available during that period. I am not certain whether...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SolarWinds Network Device Monitor?

I am not a positive person regarding SolarWinds Network Device Monitor.

See all answers

What needs improvement with SolarWinds Network Device Monitor?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for SolarWinds Network Device Monitor?

I have experience regarding the AD part, but my focus for the last 15 years has been oriented to the network side. My experience with identity tools comes more from a network perspective. We used N...

See all answers

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Compared 11% of the time

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Compared 10% of the time

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Compared 9% of the time

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Compared 7% of the time

OpenNMS vs SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

Compared 6% of the time

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Compared 6% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)

May 2026

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) report

Download Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) product report

Buyer's Guide

SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

April 2026

SolarWinds Network Device Monitor report

Download SolarWinds Network Device Monitor product report

Also Known As

Cisco Data Center Network Manager

Network Device Monitor

Overview

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller, formerly DCNM, provides a consolidated dashboard offering insights into network operations, real-time telemetry, and automation capabilities. Users noted enhanced data center management and seamless SD-WAN integration.

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller integrates Python, Ansible, and Terraform for efficient traffic management. Comprehensive data center insight and stability highlight its utility across policy updates and network troubleshooting. With support for hybrid environments and enhanced network health data visibility, the platform suits complex, evolving infrastructures.

What are the Key Features?

Automation Capabilities: Simplifies network operations with automated workflows and scheduling.
Programming Support: Facilitates integration through Python, Ansible, and Terraform compatibility.
Comprehensive Dashboard: Provides a centralized view of network performance and health.
Real-Time Telemetry: Enhances decision-making with up-to-the-moment data.
SD-WAN Integration: Ensures seamless traffic flow across network borders.

What Benefits Should Users Look for?

Enhanced Network Monitoring: Allows precise tracking and troubleshooting of network issues.
Efficient Resource Management: Streamlines policy updates and component management.
Improved Security: Facilitates tighter control over Nexus switch configurations.
Centralized Management: Reduces complexity in maintaining data centers through a unified interface.

In data center operations, businesses leverage Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller for improved security, tackling tasks like VPN operations and private cloud development. It enhances storage management, providing robust support to manage Nexus switches for optimized component oversight and security protocols.

Cisco

SolarWinds Network Device Monitor offers comprehensive real-time network monitoring capabilities with seamless integration across multiple vendor devices, ensuring efficient network operations.

Offering features like cloud workload monitoring, quick deployment, and a user-friendly interface, SolarWinds Network Device Monitor supports real-time alert thresholds, accurate link readings, historical utilization metrics, and customizable dashboards. Its ability to integrate with multiple vendor devices and perform network discovery enhances operational efficiency. Comprehensive bandwidth and fault management features provide stable network monitoring, benefiting devices such as switches and IP phones. However, there is room for improvement in integration with tools like ServiceNow and Excel, support response times, and enhanced security. Users highlight the need for a mobile version, improved reporting, and better customization options, alongside concerns about setup complexity and licensing costs.

What are the key features?

Cloud Workload Monitoring: Monitors workloads hosted in the cloud.
User-Friendly Interface: Offers an intuitive experience for users.
Quick Deployment: Simplifies installation and setup processes.
Real-Time Monitoring: Provides immediate alerts for network statuses.
Customizable Dashboards: Enhances network visibility with tailored displays.

What benefits can users expect?

Proactive Problem Solving: Real-time alerts facilitate quick issue resolution.
Efficiency: Automated network monitoring streamlines operational workflows.
Insightful Analytics: Provides valuable data on memory and CPU usage.
Cost-Effective: Monitors bandwidth and fault management to reduce outages.

SolarWinds Network Device Monitor is implemented prominently in industries needing robust network infrastructure monitoring, like tech and manufacturing. Companies rely on its capabilities for IP address management, cloud workload monitoring, and remote equipment monitoring, gaining insights into system performance and ensuring compliance checks are met effectively.

SolarWinds

Sample Customers

Banco de Guayaquil, Cox Communications, Kuwait Petroleum Italia, Roper St. Francis, University of British Columbia

Air Rarotonga

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs. SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

April 2026

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