Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Cisco DNA Center 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

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN
Ranking in Network Management Applications
6th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
95
Ranking in other categories
Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (2nd), WAN Edge (2nd)
Cisco DNA Center
Ranking in Network Management Applications
1st
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
41
Ranking in other categories
Network Monitoring Software (13th), Network Automation (2nd)
 

Featured Reviews

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.
AvrahamSonenthal - PeerSpot reviewer
Efficiently manages our wireless network and provides valuable monitoring features
The platform's biggest benefit has been in managing our wireless network. Having a single pane of glass to control all wireless controllers and access points and to monitor activity has been a significant advantage. We're a small federal agency with around 300 network devices, so automation is a minor focus. It's more relevant for larger networks. The main benefits we've seen are in inventory management and the potential for configuration automation. However, I recommend using the DNA Centre only for larger networks with over a thousand devices; otherwise, it may not be cost-effective. Before proceeding, ensure that your devices are compatible with DNA Center, as not all Cisco devices are supported. Also, investing in proper training is different from plug-and-play. I rate it an eight.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The primary advantage we've observed is the simplification of deployment, leading to decreased IT costs and enhanced operational efficiency."
"SD-WAN is very stable - once it's deployed, you can just forget about it, it runs by itself."
"The integration of Layer 3 and application routing is great."
"Cisco SD-WAN's collaborative features are unique and sustainable. I also like the protocols, which use two SD-WAN."
"The most useful feature is centralized telephony."
"The reliability is high and we have only had to restart it once or twice over the years."
"So far, the feature that I like best is the policy configuration manager."
"Initial setup is easy."
"Cisco VXLAN is a protocol that has been around for some time, but the practical implementation and operational capability of Cisco DNA Center bring it to life."
"It offers automation, security enforcement, analytics, and integration with other Cisco technologies, making it a key driver for efficient network operations and compliance with security protocols."
"The monitoring features are very useful for network engineers."
"The solution has the capability to scale."
"It is a stable solution."
"The most valuable features of the solution are all of its security features...It is a highly scalable solution."
"The solution helps with the management and orchestration of campaigns. It helps with visibility and analytics. I also like its SDA configuration."
"The most valuable features were the monitoring, maintenance, and configuration."
 

Cons

"They should enhance the reporting because, as it is today, they need more executive-level reports."
"The UI has room for improvement."
"The initial setup is really complex."
"The inexpensive Viptela hardware may be replaced with overpriced Cisco routers. This would be a tragic mistake for Cisco as the lightweight commodity platform built by Viptela is the reason to own this solution."
"The main area for improvement in Cisco SD-WAN is the lack of documentation, which often lags behind the software releases."
"It should also be much more affordable for a larger number of customers."
"The user interface needs improvement. Users should be able to find various features faster without much tweaking."
"Integration with other OEMs and the API part needs improvement to be more user-friendly, especially in terms of GUI."
"They should include UTM features in the product."
"The solution can be quite pricey."
"The tool's IoT integration should be better."
"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."
"There are some software problems from version to version. It takes a long time for DNA Center to recognize the video and control access devices."
"In terms of the clustering part, there are some concerns."
"As a user, it would be good if I could plug in controllers, suites, and devices from other vendors to Cisco DNA Center."
"When it comes to deploying wireless fields, integrating defaults into the DNS interface can be challenging."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We pay for the Cisco Customer Care support, which is a couple of hundred dollars."
"In the Russian market where we operate, this solution is expensive."
"On a scale of one to five, I would rate Cisco's pricing as a three."
"When purchasing, there are so many features available that it's quite confusing deciding which to choose. And some of the devices force you to buy licenses you don't want."
"The license consists of an annual fee."
"The pricing is fair, and it's on par with the market vendors. But based on the competition, Cisco could work on the pricing, go deep on discounts and provide more commercially viable solutions to customers."
"80 percent reduction in WAN costs. There are no MPLS or P2P circuits left in the organization."
"Licensing is on a subscription basis."
"The partnership price is notably high, but it ultimately depends on the chosen business model."
"The product is very costly."
"Our licensing agreement is for three years."
"I rate the product's pricing an eight on a scale of one to ten, where one is very cheap, and ten is very expensive."
"I do know that Cisco does offer some really good promotions for DNA Center to bring the costs down."
"We get a yearly license at the time we buy the product."
"We have a three-year license with them."
"It is an expensive solution."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Network Management Applications solutions are best for your needs.
852,780 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
42%
Computer Software Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Manufacturing Company
5%
Computer Software Company
16%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

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.
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.
What needs improvement with Cisco DNA Center?
The system is working fine for me currently.
 

Also Known As

Cisco SD-WAN
DNA Center
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Doyle Research, Ashton Metzler & Associates
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs. Cisco DNA Center and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
852,780 professionals have used our research since 2012.