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Broadcom Network Flow Analysis vs Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 2, 2025

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

Broadcom Network Flow Analysis
Ranking in Network Management Applications
19th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
Network Monitoring Software (61st), Network Troubleshooting (9th)
Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN
Ranking in Network Management Applications
6th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
94
Ranking in other categories
Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (2nd), WAN Edge (2nd)
 

Featured Reviews

Purneswara Rao - PeerSpot reviewer
A stable tool that helps identify the complete flow analysis in a network
The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the fact that the complete flow analysis can be identified through the tool. The classification of each protocol and how the bandwidth utilization is happening with the protocols while managing to get SLAs, IP protocols, and QoS metrics is possible because of the product.
Igor Van Den Ouden - PeerSpot reviewer
Enables secure and flexible branch connectivity with application-aware routing
The valuable features of Cisco SD-WAN include its security policies and zone-based firewall that are applied to every site, as well as application-aware routing. Security is standard compliant, eliminating config drift that was prevalent before manual configurations. Application-aware routing offers flexibility in using different lines for traffic, depending on the policy implemented.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It is an overall stable solution."
"This solution has helped our organization by allowing us to have visibility. We deal with cybersecurity, so visibility is very important."
"Cisco is an industry leader, so customers have a high level of trust with the brand more-so than with some newcomers that might have some more revolutionary solutions, but no name recognition."
"The solution has great scalability."
"It's a complete solution with many security features."
"The product helps to aggregate network links. The tool increases security and makes it possible for you to have remote workers."
"The most valuable features are zero-disk provisioning and link load balancing on an application basis."
"The product is stable."
"The most valuable feature is the application-level routing."
"Overall, I rate Cisco SD-WAN as nine out of ten."
 

Cons

"I would like to see more security features, like a lost protection package."
"Currently, Broadcom Network Flow Analysis does not support high-availability solutions, making it an area that needs improvement."
"Cisco's router and voice gateway has not been available since the launch of SD-WAN."
"It should also be much more affordable for a larger number of customers."
"I would like to see revision cycles to be more stable."
"The user interface needs improvement. Users should be able to find various features faster without much tweaking."
"Technical support could be more helpful and responsive."
"Its license model needs to be improved. They always make the license model too complex. There are too many license models and too many options. They should have a flexible license model. They can improve a lot of things in terms of scalability, templates, and automation, mainly automation for onboarding a number of sites. If you want some new features, it can take quite a long time. If you want a feature and it is not yet developed, you need to have the support of the business units to have the feature developed. If the feature is not on their roadmap, it can take quite some time before you get the feature."
"The product should improve its prices."
"The solution could be more secure. Security is always a priority for us."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"If you make a DX NetOps-based purchase and the complete suite of products that fall under DX NetOps from Broadcom, then you get Network Flow Analysis along with DX NetOps Performance Management and DX Spectrum."
"The initial cost is quite significant, but the investment is worthwhile."
"We pay for the Cisco Customer Care support, which is a couple of hundred dollars."
"The price is high."
"Cisco SD-WAN is more expensive than its competitors."
"In the Russian market where we operate, this solution is expensive."
"The license consists of an annual fee."
"It is much cheaper than other solutions. Most of our clients are the top 500 companies, and they all have a corporate contract."
"We can only buy three-year licenses, not monthly. The cost seems high for us, especially since we're in Vietnam, which isn't a rich country. But we still like the product because it is good."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Non Profit
13%
Insurance Company
10%
Educational Organization
43%
Computer Software Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Manufacturing Company
4%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Broadcom Network Flow Analysis?
Currently, Broadcom Network Flow Analysis does not support high-availability solutions, making it an area that needs improvement.
What is your primary use case for Broadcom Network Flow Analysis?
I use Broadcom Network Flow Analysis in my company as it helps us deal with the classification of protocol, which will monitor the flow, and once we enable the flow in the network devices, we can s...
What do you like most about Cisco SD-WAN?
When considering the most valuable features of Cisco SD-WAN, the decoupling of self-monitoring stands out significantly.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco SD-WAN?
The pricing of Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN is rated between eight and nine out of ten, where ten is the most expensive.
What needs improvement with Cisco SD-WAN?
The durability of the switches could be improved. In the past, Cisco devices had a longer lifespan. Now, they change frequently, making it difficult to obtain long-term support.
 

Also Known As

CA NetQoS Reporter Analyzer, CA NFA, CA Network Flow Analysis
Cisco SD-WAN
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Empowered, BCBST
Doyle Research, Ashton Metzler & Associates
Find out what your peers are saying about Broadcom Network Flow Analysis vs. Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
850,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.