Cisco Secure Network Analytics vs DX Performance Management comparison

Cisco Secure Network Analytics vs. DX Performance Management

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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 Secure Network Analytics

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

31st

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Traffic Analysis (NTA) (5th), Network Detection and Response (NDR) (6th), Cisco Security Portfolio (9th)

DX Performance Management

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

40th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Infrastructure Capacity Planning (1st), DX NetOps (2nd)

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2026, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of Cisco Secure Network Analytics is 0.9%, down from 1.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of DX Performance Management is 0.7%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Monitoring Software Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Cisco Secure Network Analytics	0.9%
DX Performance Management	0.7%
Other	98.4%

Network Monitoring Software

Featured Reviews

Muhammad Harun-Owr-Roshid

CEO at BRIGHT-i SYSTEMS LIMITED

Have streamlined network visibility and troubleshooting while seeing benefits from AI integration

In terms of improvements for Cisco Secure Network Analytics, from the implementation point of view, now that AI is in use, some other features need to be upgraded considering AI solutions. Proper management of the database is also important; it should be centralized for easier data collection from a single database. When precise manual analysis is needed, it's sometimes difficult, so having a centralized database will allow network admins to find actual scenarios more effectively, especially since some information may not be visible on the GUI. Cisco should upgrade their hardware part to run the database, because sometimes it cannot handle the load while all features are running in the network. The database management should indeed be centralized because while AI runs behind the systems, central management is essential. For example, in a network with 100 Cisco switches, a few routers, firewalls, and access points, all data generated should be preserved in a central database. This approach simplifies management and analysis for troubleshooting, as GUI interfaces may not always provide visible information. Centralizing the database will allow for better understanding of which information is preserved for each specific device.

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reviewer1810893

Senior IT Operations Specialist at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees

Flexibility and detailed performance stats enable effective network monitoring

Spectrum is very good at monitoring all network faults and configurations. It enables me to take action based on network issues. The Performance Management provides detailed network performance stats, including CPU, memory, and interface bandwidth. Additionally, Spectrum is flexible and allows me to organize and treat devices uniquely without impacting other devices.

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

"When we saw what Lancope can do, not just from a visibility perspective, but from a network and security perspective, we jumped on board."

"This product alleviates the day-to-day headaches for us, in regards to metrics."

"From what I understand, you can encrypt and unencrypt traffic moving in transit. This is one of the features that we liked about it."

"Stealthwatch has greatly improved our network visibility, in terms of bandwidth, malware, and PCI violations."

"Stealthwatch has definitely reduced the incident response time, making troubleshooting now only minutes instead of a couple of hours and increasing our threat detection rate by around 25-30%."

"It has improved my organization's network visibility from zero because before we had installed this solution, we weren't doing anything to protect us from threats."

"It has improved our internal knowledge of what's going on with the network, and that's helpful."

"The most valuable features provided by this solution are visibility and information."

More Cisco Secure Network Analytics pros

"There is a good amount of vendor certification which comes with the product. That's all factory-loaded, no need to load any custom-made files. Most of the metrics are calibrated and captured from the devices based on the defaults available from vendor certification."

"It saves time having it all on one place, so you do not have to jump around from different tools and try to merge the data. It is already done for you."

"The biggest selling point is putting the power of creating dashboards and reports into end users' hands."

"The feature that is inherent to its core, of being able to graphically represent a trend and status, is nice."

"The ability to quickly do drag and drop customized reports for dashboards."

"The integration to the other products that we use: NFA, we use ADA, we use Spectrum; and CAPM integrates all those into a single pane of glass, for performance."

"The technical support from CA Performance Management was very good."

"Technical support is very responsive and knowledgeable."

More DX Performance Management pros

Cons

"There could be better integration on the programming side, which uses Python. StealthWatch could provide a template for Python to manage the switches. For example, it would be nice if StealthWatch bounced a port automatically it detected something anomalous."

"At my company, we might not be using it enough with other applications that we have that can integrate with it."

"We've run into some issues with the configuration."

"The reporting of day-to-day metrics still has room for improvement."

"One update I would like to see is an agent-based client. Currently StealthWatch is network based."

"One update that I would like to see is an agent-based client. Currently, Stealthwatch is network-based. A local agent could help manage endpoints."

"One area that could be improved in SNA is the integration with Cisco ISE for user and session details, which currently requires additional setup."

"The initial setup of this solution is complex."

More Cisco Secure Network Analytics cons

"It needs role-based administration."

"Spectrum's topology view sometimes does not rebuild automatically when a device is shut down and reconnected. It requires manual discovery and rebuilding of the topology, which I hope can be improved."

"The dashboard features are very function rich, but the reporting feature is probably not as rich as we'd like it to be."

"This may be available by now but for server space, when it comes to the disk file system, I'd like to see that graphically represented, or the trend, rather than what I'm seeing now."

"I would like to have more tasks, graphs, and possibilities for linking to the graphs and reports added to the solution."

"I have mixed feeling about the scalability. I feel like there are things which are being put into UIM right now that are not being included in Performance Center that we need to see in Performance Center. We are kind of being driven to buy UIM, and I can't justify it."

"There are some areas in the technology right now, like with VMs, where we are lacking with our abilities to get inside the VM to monitor traffic within the machine."

"Policies could be improved."

More DX Performance Management cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"On a yearly basis, licensing is somewhere around $30,000."

"The pricing for this solution is good."

"Pricing is much higher compared to other solutions."

"Licensing is on a yearly basis."

"The licensing costs are outrageous."

"It has a subscription model. There is yearly support, and there is also three-year support. It depends on what the customers want."

"This is an expensive product. We have quit paying for support because we don't want to have to upgrade it and keep paying for it."

"Today, we are part of the big Cisco ELA, and it is a la carte. We can get orders for whatever we want. At the end of the day, we have to pay for it in one big expense, but that is fine. We are okay with that."

More Cisco Secure Network Analytics pricing and cost advice

"I like the licensing model because it's device-based."

"Do your homework and know how many devices you will be managing out of the gate. Be sure to project what your growth will be each year."

"The tool's pricing is based on the number of network devices."

"We purchase a license to use the solution every three years and we have multiple contracts. They have been increasing the price annually. We have a baseline for three years and then we need to pay the difference from the baseline, and we are in the process of negotiating a new price for all the licenses we need. The price overall is affordable."

"They should provide more scalable licensing for the product."

"We were looking at other vendors in the marketplace for NetFlow, and CA just beat everybody else in price, cost, and the size to implement. "

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Construction Company

Outsourcing Company

26%

Construction Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

Healthcare Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	12
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	52

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Large Enterprise	25

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Stealthwatch?

Regarding cost, for the Bangladesh context, Cisco Secure Network Analytics is a little bit high-priced because we are a developing country, making it tough to manage affordable solutions. However, ...

What needs improvement with Cisco Stealthwatch?

Several features often look very promising during evaluation or implementation but end up being used only lightly in day-to-day operations. Advanced reporting and scheduled compliance reports look ...

What is your primary use case for Cisco Stealthwatch?

My main use case for Cisco Secure Network Analytics has been network visibility and anomaly-based threat detection within the enterprise environment. In security operations and VAPT-related activit...

What needs improvement with DX Performance Management?

Spectrum's topology view sometimes does not rebuild automatically when a device is shut down and reconnected. It requires manual discovery and rebuilding of the topology, which I hope can be improved.

What is your primary use case for DX Performance Management?

I have used Spectrum for monitoring all network faults, configurations, and troubleshooting network issues. It provides network performance stats, such as CPU, memory, and interface bandwidth detai...

What advice do you have for others considering DX Performance Management?

I would recommend this solution based on its functionality, flexibility, customizability, and ease of use. Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. I am just a customer and not a par...

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Product Reports

Cisco Secure Network Analytics

Download Cisco Secure Network Analytics product report

DX Performance Management

Download DX Performance Management product report

Also Known As

Cisco Stealthwatch, Cisco Stealthwatch Enterprise, Lancope StealthWatch

CA Performance Management

Overview

Cisco Secure Network Analytics enhances network security through integrated threat detection and detailed traffic visibility, optimizing performance with AI analytics and strong platform integrations.

Cisco Secure Network Analytics offers deep visibility into network traffic, with tools like network maps and server response times. Its AI-driven analytics help detect threats, focusing on east-west traffic. Integration with platforms such as pxGrid and ISE complements its capabilities. Reporting and telemetry help in identifying bandwidth issues, yet improvements are desired in AI for better data organization. Installation complexity and false positives present challenges, and managing network loads effectively is a recognized need.

What are the key features of Cisco Secure Network Analytics?

Deep Visibility: Provides comprehensive insights into network traffic and server behavior.
Network Maps: Enhances understanding of traffic flow and infrastructure layout.
AI Analytics: Uses AI for superior threat detection and anomaly recognition.
Integration: Compatible with platforms like pxGrid and ISE for enhanced security management.
Telemetry: Delivers detailed bandwidth usage and traffic analysis reports.

How does Cisco Secure Network Analytics provide value?

Enhanced Security: Elevates threat detection and response capabilities.
Traffic Insights: Identifies encrypted and anomalous network behaviors.
Compliance Support: Assists in meeting industry standards for data protection.
Endpoint Protection: Guards network endpoints against potential threats.

Industries such as banking, defense, and police rely on Cisco Secure Network Analytics for securing networks against threats. Its capability to provide insights into encrypted traffic and facilitate device auditing makes it a sought-after choice for those requiring extensive network visibility. Users appreciate its application for threat prevention and response in demanding sectors.

Cisco

DX Performance Management provides crucial network visibility and performance monitoring, offering device certification, integration with key tools, and efficient network analytics through advanced features.

DX Performance Management is a comprehensive solution for network performance, health, and capacity monitoring. It facilitates baselining, trending, and real-time visibility, aiding in capacity planning and incident alerting. It integrates with services like NetFlow, NFA, and ADA, supporting multiple device types. Its database performance allows for efficient analysis with scalability across different device counts, while customizable dashboards provide a single-pane-of-glass view for network insights.

What are the key features of DX Performance Management?

Device Certification: Ensures network devices meet specific standards and requirements through thorough certification processes.
Integration: Seamlessly connects with NetFlow, NFA, ADA, Spectrum, and CAPC for robust network insights.
Report Generation: Offers automated report generation for enhanced network analysis.
Customizable Dashboards: Provides a tailored view of network performance metrics on a single screen.
Advanced Alerting: Monitors network conditions with sophisticated alerting mechanisms for proactive responses.
Scalability: Adapts to growing network demands with efficient performance across multiple device counts.
Multi-Tenancy: Supports various tenants within the same infrastructure, ensuring resource optimization.
Historical Data Analysis: Delivers past performance data for in-depth trend analysis and decision support.

Which benefits and ROI should users expect from using DX Performance Management?

Efficiency: Enhances network analysis through fast database performance and customizable interfaces.
Decision-Making: Improves decision support via comprehensive visibility and detailed performance metrics.
Scalability: Offers a flexible solution capable of growing with network demands.
Customization: Allows tailoring of reports and dashboards to meet specific analytical needs.
Integration: Provides seamless connectivity with other network management tools and service desks.

Network service providers implement DX Performance Management to deliver in-depth insights, monitoring routers and switches for SNMP data collection, aiding CPU, memory, and interface utilization analysis. It's integrated with network fault management and service desks, providing comprehensive performance analytics.

Broadcom

Sample Customers

Edge Web Hosting, Telenor Norway, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, Webster Financial Corporation, Westinghouse Electric, VMware, TIAA-CREF

Jack Henry & Assoc, Target, CenturyLink, Bell Canada, BrightHouse Networks, Telus, Unisys, Verizon, Southern California Edison, GEICO, Fidelity Investments, Wells Fargo, American Family Insurance Group, Deutsche Telekom AG

Cisco Secure Network Analytics vs. DX Performance Management