Apstra Operating System vs Cisco DNA Center comparison

Juniper and Cisco are both solutions in the Network Automation category. Juniper is ranked #14, while Cisco is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.0. Juniper holds a 1.8% mindshare in NA, compared to Cisco’s 13.5% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Juniper users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 89% of Cisco users who would recommend it.

Apstra Operating System

Read 1 Apstra Operating System review

358 Views
358 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Cisco DNA Center

Read 42 Cisco DNA Center reviews

9,196 Views
2,023 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

Apstra Operating System

Cisco DNA Center

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Apstra Operating System and Cisco DNA Center based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

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To learn more, read our detailed Network Automation Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Network Automation

July 2025

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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

Apstra Operating System

Ranking in Network Automation

14th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Cisco DNA Center

Ranking in Network Automation

2nd

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Management Applications (1st), Network Monitoring Software (12th)

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Network Automation category, the mindshare of Apstra Operating System is 1.8%, down from 2.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco DNA Center is 13.5%, down from 17.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Automation

Featured Reviews

Hezio Fernandes

Works at wolterskluwer

Highly secure, useful AB test, and stable

I am using Apstra Operating System for some classes and for my personal use Apstra Operating System's most important features are the security and AB test to define what approach we need to take in my company. Additionally, the solution does not take a lot of maintenance. The report data could…

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Ahmed Helmy

Sr. Director, Business Development & Sales Operations at connect professional services

Experience unified visibility and monitoring for enterprise campus and significant time savings and enhanced troubleshooting with reliable support

We have been working with Cisco DNA Center for ten years. Our clients use Cisco DNA Center for unified visibility/monitoring across Enterprise Campus both LAN & WLAN along with Access and fast technical issues troubleshooting The solution provides fast troubleshooting capabilities and fast…

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

"Apstra Operating System's most important features are the security and AB test to define what approach we need to take in my company. Additionally, the solution does not take a lot of maintenance."

"I think that their LAN automation is a very good feature."

"The product's most valuable feature is the visual representation of the switch's front panel."

"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."

"The monitoring features are very useful for network engineers."

"We have many people from the team who manage a lot of devices. By using Cisco DNA Center, it has taken some of that burden away, we are impressed with it. We did the investment in CAPEX, but in the OPEX was very low."

"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."

"It is very versatile in terms of analytics."

"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."

More Cisco DNA Center pros

Cons

"The report data could improve in Apstra Operating System."

"The solution's technical support is an area with which my company's clients have a problem. Cisco doesn't provide good technical support unless a user has a big account that Cisco wants to retain."

"They can improve the network visibility. Licensing and its maintenance are also needed."

"There is a limitation with the number of VRFs that you can have in your network, and this has caused us problems with some customers."

"The tool's IoT integration should be better."

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

"I would like is to have a small information pointer available. It could be a plus feature that I want to implement. When I hover my mouse over the user interface, it should provide a brief explanation. It would be helpful to have it incorporated into the UI."

"The tool's deployment is complex. It also needs to improve its GUI."

"Integration with analytic tools and API integrations would be ideal."

More Cisco DNA Center cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of the solution is competitive."

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

"The price could be better. It's a very expensive tool."

"It is an expensive solution."

"Cisco DNA Center 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."

"Our licensing agreement is for three years."

More Cisco DNA Center pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

20%

University

13%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Government

10%

Computer Software Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

10%

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

Ask a question

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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?

After evaluating other solutions, we will provide feedback.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco DNA Center?

We have utilized the software-defined access (SDA) feature of Cisco DNA Center. The AI-driven needs enhancements and Integration and unification of visibility and monitoring to include other areas ...

See all answers

Comparisons

VMware NSX vs Apstra Operating System

Compared 35% of the time

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Cisco Catalyst Center vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 13% of the time

Juniper Mist Wired Assurance vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 7% of the time

Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 6% of the time

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 6% of the time

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 5% of the time

More Cisco DNA Center Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Network Automation

July 2025

Download Apstra Operating System product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco DNA Center

July 2025

Download Cisco DNA Center product report

Also Known As

Apstra OS, AOS

DNA Center

Overview

The Apstra Operating System (AOS) is a turn-key automation solution that dramatically simplifies the process of designing, deploying and operating data center networks. Apstra AOS provides a singular view into the relationships and interdependencies of millions of data center elements. With real continuous validation, Apstra AOS enables you to instantly pinpoint and quickly resolve issues across all infrastructure silos, regardless of vendor or hardware.

Juniper

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

Sample Customers

Bloomberg Television, Energy Corporation, A mid-sized financial services company

Information Not Available

Find out what your peers are saying about Red Hat, Cisco, VMware and others in Network Automation. Updated: July 2025.

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