

Cisco DNA Center and Azure Bastion compete in network management and security. Cisco DNA Center has the upper hand in network control and automation, while Azure Bastion leads in secure VM connectivity.
Features: Cisco DNA Center offers unified management, network insights, and automation capabilities essential for enterprise networks. It supports complex network orchestration and extensive analytics for performance optimization. Azure Bastion provides secure, seamless RDP and SSH connectivity to virtual machines, integrates well with the Azure environment, and eliminates the need for public IP visibility.
Room for Improvement: Cisco DNA Center can improve by reducing its steep learning curve and simplifying its extensive functionalities. It might enhance integration with non-Cisco environments and streamline the initial setup process. Azure Bastion could expand its network management capabilities, enhance user interface for better usability, and increase support for multi-platform environments.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco DNA Center provides a holistic approach to network deployment, offering detailed guidance and extensive support, but requires significant expertise due to its complexity. Azure Bastion is straightforward to deploy within the Azure portal, integrates smoothly, but does not offer extensive network management features.
Pricing and ROI: Cisco DNA Center generally has a higher setup cost, suitable for large-scale network projects, offering potential ROI through automation and operational savings. Azure Bastion is more cost-effective for secure VM connectivity within Azure, with lower setup costs and clear pricing.
We have noticed savings of approximately twenty percent by using Azure Bastion compared to VM pricing.
Although Cisco DNA Center is expensive, we have seen a return on investment in terms of time savings.
Support is satisfactory but with room for improvement, primarily concerning data transfer issues.
We usually get backup within two hours.
Overall, Cisco DNA Center rates eight out of ten as a complete solution.
The support for Cisco DNA Center is good.
It is designed to provide access over a private network without hitting the internet.
From my experience, we can easily manage numerous devices.
The solution is designed for large enterprise companies.
Azure Bastion is stable.
When we communicate problems, they solve them effectively.
A storage solution must be created to transfer data, and this requires additional permissions like ACL or NFS.
I would like to see integrated AI features with Azure Bastion, especially for connectivity issues.
It would be nice to have the capability to cut and paste across desktops, similar to old-fashioned Remote Desktop emulation.
The AI-driven insights have contributed significantly to faster troubleshooting and predictive analytics.
The client history in Cisco DNA Center can be longer than 10 days, perhaps extending to 15 or 20 days.
Microsoft's pricing is on the higher side and could be more competitive.
The price is not necessarily cheaper, but it is acceptable.
Azure Bastion eliminates the need for a jump server by providing secure access to servers without hitting the public network.
The security is the main reason we use Azure Bastion because it is integrated with Azure Active Directory, ensuring that access is secure.
We use Azure AD integration to specify who has access and what they can do.
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.
| Product | Market Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Cisco DNA Center | 1.0% |
| Azure Bastion | 0.4% |
| Other | 98.6% |

| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 5 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 1 |
| Large Enterprise | 6 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 10 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 9 |
| Large Enterprise | 25 |
Azure Bastion is a service you deploy that lets you connect to a virtual machine using your browser and the Azure portal. The Azure Bastion service is a fully platform-managed PaaS service that you provision inside your virtual network. It provides secure and seamless RDP/SSH connectivity to your virtual machines directly from the Azure portal over TLS. When you connect via Azure Bastion, your virtual machines do not need a public IP address, agent, or special client software.
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.
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