Cisco Catalyst Center vs SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper comparison

Cisco Catalyst Center vs. SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper

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Helped 879,259 peers since 2012

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

2nd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

5.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

SolarWinds Network Topology...

Ranking in Network Management Applications

11th

Average Rating

9.6

Reviews Sentiment

2.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2025, in the Network Management Applications category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Center is 8.9%, up from 1.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper is 2.1%, up from 1.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Management Applications Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Cisco Catalyst Center	8.9%
SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper	2.1%
Other	89.0%

Network Management Applications

Featured Reviews

AndrewRichardson

Network Engineer at Edmonton Catholic School Board

Has improved infrastructure management with customizable reporting and automated deployment

Cisco Catalyst Center's reporting is one of the best features, providing graphs and quick hit analysis in one place instead of having to search elsewhere. Historical data can be stored in Cisco Catalyst Center, and dashboards and widgets can be configured to personal preference. Device deployment can be automated to the point where all someone needs to do is plug it in. Zero Touch Provisioning, while requiring some initial work to set up properly, provides significant benefits. Once configured, it reduces the need for travel by specific network personnel, allowing on-site or other staff to handle device deployment by simply plugging in the cable.

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reviewer2687874

Design Engineer at a wholesaler/distributor with 501-1,000 employees

Effective tools simplify network mapping and analysis

I can't really articulate any areas that could be improved with the product right offhand. Just as long as they keep it around, since I know things are going into subscription models. One thing we do appreciate about the tool is that it's essentially a perpetual tool. Once you purchase it and the Engineer's ToolBox, it's been beneficial, serving as another utility tool on the network. I can't think of anything specific offhand for how SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper could improve, because I treat it as a simple utility tool that serves those needs. It scans the network for SNMP and ICMP echoes to map the topologies of the existing network. It's a small utility tool that's very helpful and beneficial, another option for us to utilize, and while there's always room for more features, that typically comes with a cost that we have to weigh.

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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

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

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

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

"The analytics feature is quite good, and the hardware is very performant."

"The best feature of Cisco is its industry-standard nature."

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

"Cisco Catalyst Center has greatly enhanced the user-friendliness of configuring Catalyst switches."

"Cisco Catalyst switches are reliable and stable."

More Cisco Catalyst Center pros

"One of the best features of SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper is that it has over 60 utility tools to utilize, so it offers a lot of different features, more than I have time to discuss at this moment, making it a good extra set of utility tools that we can incorporate onto our network."

"It's user-friendly."

Cons

"There is room for improvement in introducing auto-heal AI capabilities. In the current setup, incidents are always reactionary, and it would be beneficial if Cisco Catalyst Center could proactively handle issues such as bandwidth crunches and packet drops."

"It is a little more expensive."

"Advanced hardware replacement services have seen a degradation in quality, with delays in replacement parts."

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

"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."

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

"Cisco Catalyst Center could improve its graphical user interface. Currently, it is CLI-based, which makes it challenging for those without Cisco training."

"There should be tighter cohesion between the web-based GUI and the command line configuration."

More Cisco Catalyst Center cons

"This is a relatively expensive product."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

16%

Government

13%

Financial Services Firm

Energy/Utilities Company

Educational Organization

13%

Government

12%

Energy/Utilities Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	3
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	12

No data available

Questions from the Community

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

During license renewal, the pricing for Catalyst licensing increased significantly. For a hardware refresh, the site switched to Fortinet switching because the cost difference was approximately six...

What needs improvement with Cisco Catalyst Center?

Cisco Catalyst Center would benefit from different licensing tiers instead of an all-or-nothing model. Some tiers could focus on monitoring and tracking licenses with minimal configuration automati...

What is your primary use case for Cisco Catalyst Center?

The product was used with Catholic schools because that was their primary infrastructure. This is an enterprise-level product rather than an SMB-grade solution.

What needs improvement with SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper?

What is your primary use case for SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper?

In general, I use it for scanning IT and OT devices for networks and laying out their topology mapping. The industry I use it for is manufacturing. We specifically don't use it as our network manag...

What advice do you have for others considering SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper?

The Engineer's Toolset is something I use hand-in-hand with the Topology Mapper, and it complements it well. Regarding pricing and licensing with SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper, I haven't faced...

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Product Reports

Cisco Catalyst Center

Download Cisco Catalyst Center product report

Network Management Applications

Download SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper product report

SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper report

Also Known As

No data available

SolarWinds NTM

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

Automate device discovery and mapping
Build multiple maps from a single scan
Export network diagrams to Visio
Auto-detect changes to network topology
Perform multi-level network discovery
Address regulatory PCI compliance

SolarWinds

Cisco Catalyst Center vs. SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper