Cisco Catalyst Center vs OpenText Network Node Manager comparison

Cisco Catalyst Center vs. OpenText Network Node Manager

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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 Catalyst Center

Ranking in Network Management Applications

1st

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

OpenText Network Node Manager

Ranking in Network Management Applications

6th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

5.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2026, in the Network Management Applications category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Center is 3.9%, down from 9.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of OpenText Network Node Manager is 5.3%, up from 3.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Management Applications Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Cisco Catalyst Center	3.9%
OpenText Network Node Manager	5.3%
Other	90.8%

Network Management Applications

Featured Reviews

AadishBahati

Principal Solution Architect at EchoStor

Unified automation has transformed network operations and simplifies multi‑site management

The learning curve is better with Cisco compared to other products. Everyone has a learning curve because everyone is bringing new technologies, new interfaces, and new ways of doing things. The other products have a steeper learning curve. When comparing Cisco with VMware, I am not comparing Cisco with Arista, Juniper, or HP because those are companies which are doing a very basic level of automation. Cisco is doing way more advanced things. In terms of advanced handling and the advanced orchestration and advanced management plane control that Cisco is delivering, the only competitiveness in advancement is VMware NSX. However, it is really complex. Cisco's platforms are much easier to understand and learn compared to VMware.The only disadvantage with Cisco would be their services and licensing, which is a bit complex and a bit too expensive. Because their services are so expensive, companies end up buying Cisco, but they end up not buying Cisco services to do it. When they turn to external partners, not many people outside know the technology as well as Cisco does. People deploy it, but they do not get the right resources to deploy it.

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Ahmed-Salman

Performanc Monitoring and Application Architect at Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Reliable network monitoring and proactive analytics enhance decision-making with areas for configuration improvement

NNMi is an OpenText product and serves as the OpenText Network Node Manager monitoring tool. OpenText Network Node Manager is used for network monitoring of switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, and all network devices. It can support any SNMP protocol. The advantages of OpenText Network Node Manager stand out because it can build the topology, Layer 2 topology, and Layer 3 automatically once devices are added, connecting them together, such as device one, for interface one, connected with interface one on another device. The integration capability of OpenText Network Node Manager is excellent because it integrates directly, and I can configure the integration to feed the CMDB, from where I can get all information from network monitoring into the CMDB, linking it with the infrastructure and correlating events. I use advanced fault monitoring and management features in OpenText Network Node Manager for topology and fault monitoring, as it can alert or generate an event if the value exceeds or falls below a predefined threshold for SNMP traps. The predictive analytics impact planning and optimization strategies because the product can be linked with another product for analytic analysis, allowing me to see the interface utilization trend and proactively take action if the utilization increases. The automated network discovery features and topology mapping in OpenText Network Node Manager have a positive impact. It supports a bundle with another product for NetFlow to monitor traffic, ports, protocols, and SLAs, and I can build compliance reports to address security vulnerabilities, such as identifying all devices using outdated protocols.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"There is a lot of documentation for the platform, which is an advantage."

"Cisco Catalyst Center has been pretty smooth with scaling the growing needs of my organization, and it is scaling; we are about to replace all of our switches, so we are anticipating that it will help a lot with that."

"The features I appreciate most about Cisco Catalyst Center are user accessibility."

"The architecture and the way Cisco designs it, VXLAN and Cisco Express Forwarding are some of the features I like."

"Cisco performs well in the network space, especially in areas like switching, DNA Center, and wireless, where it is known for its stability."

"What I appreciate most about Cisco Catalyst Center is that it is a product which I am deploying to work."

"I find Cisco Catalyst Center to be a great solution because their hardware is strong, and the platform is reliable."

"With Cisco Catalyst Center, it is now controlled in one location and I can easily manage them, ensuring they are all up to date with compliance checks and other requirements."

More Cisco Catalyst Center pros

"We need fault, availability, performance, and security."

"Scalability is actually one of the reasons why we picked Node Manager."

"So actually it makes our life a lot easier in identifying if you've got problematic areas."

"It is stable for fault and availability."

"You can utilize the main file from various vendors for integration."

"Real time network monitoring application: It is very stable, which provides quick root cause analysis (RCA) for any network faults."

"Because of the topological network mapping, our management can quickly take action when there's a network problem."

"Overall, the tool helps maintain the health of the network."

More OpenText Network Node Manager pros

Cons

"Current pricing is too expensive for features that users may not be sure they will use, pricing the company out of the market."

"The main drawback of Cisco Catalyst Center is that it can only manage and monitor Cisco devices with a DNA license, specifically the Catalyst 9000 series."

"My experience with pricing, setup costs, and licensing is that the hardware is probably a good price, but it feels like the license is always too expensive."

"The price to get in the door is quite high."

"Some features in terms of security should be there, especially in threat detection. Cisco Catalyst Center lacked intelligence in this area and required reliance on third-party appliances like firewalls or threat protection devices."

"Regarding the cons of Catalyst, it is a little more expensive. With other vendors, you have one license for all features. In the case of Catalyst, there are many licensing options."

"I have not seen ROI at all."

"For someone new, the documentation is not very clear."

More Cisco Catalyst Center cons

"Reporting. Even though this is available in separate software (iSPI) there is potential in making the reporting more SLA-aware and more intuitive."

"In terms of improvement, I would say that the resources utilized could be a bit higher, and that is one of the challenges that isn't optimized to my expectations."

"It is hindering us so much because we cannot give it directly to customers because after a number of connections, the system goes down within one minute."

"The technical documentation takes experience and much reading to master."

"The cost is high comparing to its competitors, but the results are awesome."

"Micro Focus Network Node Manager is not the best when it comes to drilling down for more visibility, especially regarding traffic."

"It needs better management for the routing protocol, which right now is really not very good."

"Customer service is not good compared to IBM or Zenoss support."

More OpenText Network Node Manager cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"It is more inexpensive than other products in the market."

"The solution is priced mid-range compared to the competition."

"The solution is quite expensive."

"It's an expensive solution."

"I wasn't involved in the pricing, but I think it's quite expensive."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

15%

Government

11%

Outsourcing Company

Financial Services Firm

Outsourcing Company

18%

Construction Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	19

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	11
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	15

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Catalyst Center?

Cisco is always expensive. Cisco Catalyst Center's price rating is eight.

What needs improvement with Cisco Catalyst Center?

There are areas for improvement with Cisco Catalyst Center, and I can discuss what could be improved. Additional features could be added to Cisco Catalyst Center in the future, and it is unclear wh...

What is your primary use case for Cisco Catalyst Center?

As a customer, the major use case for Cisco Catalyst Center is that it is easy to configure and troubleshoot, which are definitely the advantages of the product. If there are any specific challenge...

What needs improvement with Micro Focus Network Node Manager?

The disadvantage of OpenText Network Node Manager is related to configuration, which is straightforward since it is agentless and solely relies on SNMP protocol, and although it requires some effor...

What is your primary use case for Micro Focus Network Node Manager?

I remember working with OpenText Network Node Manager at my previous company. I am now working at a different company focusing on data center migrations and DR preparation. In my current role, I ha...

What advice do you have for others considering Micro Focus Network Node Manager?

I would rate OpenText Network Node Manager an eight out of ten, as it is very good, and I appreciate its ability to link faults with network configuration management, allowing me to identify root c...

Cisco DNA Center vs Cisco Catalyst Center

Comparisons

Compared 21% of the time

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Cisco Catalyst Center

Compared 19% of the time

Juniper Mist Wired Assurance vs Cisco Catalyst Center

Compared 8% of the time

SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper vs Cisco Catalyst Center

Compared 7% of the time

Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco Catalyst Center

Compared 6% of the time

More Cisco Catalyst Center Competitors

DX Spectrum vs OpenText Network Node Manager

Compared 11% of the time

DataMiner vs OpenText Network Node Manager

Compared 9% of the time

IBM Tivoli NetCool vs OpenText Network Node Manager

Compared 8% of the time

EMCO Remote Shutdown vs OpenText Network Node Manager

Compared 6% of the time

NetMaster Network Intelligence vs OpenText Network Node Manager

Compared 6% of the time

More OpenText Network Node Manager Competitors

Product Reports

Cisco Catalyst Center

Download Cisco Catalyst Center product report

OpenText Network Node Manager

Download OpenText Network Node Manager product report

Also Known As

No data available

Micro Focus Network Node Manager, Network Node Manager, HPE Network Node Manager

Overview

Cisco Catalyst Center offers a comprehensive platform for network management, providing scalable solutions and advanced analytics for enterprise-level operations.

Focusing on efficient network management, Cisco Catalyst Center effectively addresses dynamic enterprise environments, ensuring operational scalability and actionable insights through its robust feature set. It emphasizes seamless management with an intuitive interface tailored for professional use, facilitating enhanced network visibility and control among IT professionals and service providers.

What are the standout features of Cisco Catalyst Center?

Automated Provisioning: Simplifies and speeds up network configuration processes by automating repetitive tasks.
Advanced Analytics: Provides real-time insights and trends for network optimization and security enhancements.
Policy-Based Configuration: Ensures consistent network settings adherence with centralized policy management.
Comprehensive Monitoring: Offers in-depth visibility into network performance, facilitating quick identification of issues.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

Improved Efficiency: Streamlined operations lead to reduced manual input and increased productivity.
Cost Savings: Automation and analytics reduce operational expenses and enhance ROI.
Enhanced Security: Policy enforcement and monitoring provide robust defense against vulnerabilities.
Scalability: Supports growing network infrastructures and evolving enterprise demands.

Cisco Catalyst Center is widely implemented across industries like finance, healthcare, and education due to its ability to handle complex network requirements. It addresses specific needs by offering tailored solutions designed to enhance operational efficiency and security, catering to professionals managing large-scale IT ecosystems.

Cisco

OpenText Network Node Manager centralizes network management, offering comprehensive topology mapping and monitoring across diverse environments. Its focus on enhancing visibility and providing detailed analytics makes it suitable for handling enterprise-level network complexities.

OpenText Network Node Manager is designed for managing networks by offering functionalities such as root cause analysis, fault management, and event handling. It accommodates both physical and virtual devices, and supports integration with enterprise-level hardware. Users benefit from its customizable integration capabilities and its capacity to generate insightful visualizations that facilitate decision making in network operations. Users also appreciate its efficient alerting systems and centralized information management that improve network visibility and generate comprehensive reports and metrics. Despite room for improvement in areas like routing protocol management and interface modernization, it remains vital for IT managers and admins in their network monitoring tasks. However, it should address scalability issues and enhance its technical support and integration with more server types, including NAC.

What Features Make OpenText Network Node Manager Stand Out?

Network Topology Mapping: Provides comprehensive network visualization.
Multi-Vendor Support: Ensures compatibility with multiple devices.
Root Cause Analysis: Identifies and resolves network issues swiftly.
Customizable Integration: Tailors to specific enterprise requirements.
Fault Management: Efficiently detects and manages faults.
Event Handling: Handles network events with precision.

Which Benefits and ROI Should Be Considered?

Centralized Information: Streamlines network data management.
Enhanced Visibility: Offers a clear view of network operations.
Detailed Analytics: Provides actionable insights into network performance.
Scalability: Supports growth with enterprise needs.
Insightful Visualization: Facilitates understanding through graphical representation.

In industries requiring robust network management solutions, OpenText Network Node Manager is implemented to handle expansive device counts and complex configurations. It is particularly effective for network operations teams managing regional infrastructures, supporting comprehensive monitoring and management across diverse network environments.

OpenText

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

IPC, Exelon, VivaCom,

Cisco Catalyst Center vs. OpenText Network Node Manager