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

Cisco DNA Center vs Cisco Prime [EOL] comparison

Cisco DNA Center and Cisco Prime [EOL] are both solutions in the Network Management Applications category. Additionally, 90% of Cisco DNA Center users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 91% of Cisco Prime [EOL] users who would recommend it.
Cisco DNA Center
Read 43 Cisco DNA Center reviews
  • 7,542 Views
  • 3,922 Comparison Views
90% willing to recommend
Cisco Prime [EOL]
Read 35 Cisco Prime [EOL] reviews
    91% willing to recommend
     

    Comparison Buyer's Guide

    Download the report
    Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 2, 2025

    Cisco DNA Center and Cisco Prime are network management solutions from Cisco. Cisco DNA Center appears to have the upper hand due to its integration with Cisco ISE and enhanced features.

    Features: Cisco DNA Center provides robust analytics and security features, offering integrated identity services and a centralized dashboard for simplified deployment and monitoring. Its template-driven configuration and visual and wireless assurance features give comprehensive network insights. Cisco Prime, valued for its stability, includes heat map functionalities and inventory monitoring but lacks in-depth analytics and centralized management characteristics.

    Room for Improvement: Cisco DNA Center could improve its third-party compatibility, expand VRF capacity, and strengthen integration with older hardware and other Cisco products like Meraki. Enhancements in error reporting and user interface usability are also suggested. For Cisco Prime, outdated interface, lack of support for newer Cisco devices, and limited third-party solution integration hinder its performance. Improved graphical interface and real-time monitoring could further enhance its effectiveness.

    Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both solutions offer on-premises or cloud deployments, with Cisco DNA Center having a more intuitive deployment process. Customer service is more positively reviewed for DNA Center, though it experiences some delays in support response. Cisco Prime also receives favorable support reviews but has challenges with new product integration.

    Pricing and ROI: Cisco DNA Center has a high cost, which can affect smaller businesses, but its features justify the price by delivering significant ROI through time savings. Cisco Prime is more affordable, with bundled deals that can reduce costs, making it a worthwhile investment for large-scale deployments. However, the pricing strategy might be challenging for small enterprises.

    DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE REPORT
    To learn more, read our detailed Network Management Applications Report (Updated: October 2025).
    Buyer's Guide
    Network Management Applications
    October 2025
    Download the complete report
    Helped 873,085 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 DNA Center
    Average Rating
    8.0
    Reviews Sentiment
    6.2
    Number of Reviews
    43
    Ranking in other categories
    Network Management Applications (1st), Network Monitoring Software (10th), Network Automation (2nd)
    Cisco Prime [EOL]
    Average Rating
    7.8
    Reviews Sentiment
    6.5
    Number of Reviews
    35
    Ranking in other categories
    No ranking in other categories
     

    Featured Reviews

    Mahir Öztürk - PeerSpot reviewer
    Client history has helped resolve past network issues more efficiently
    I mostly use the client history feature of Cisco DNA Center. I didn't use the real-time monitoring capability of Cisco DNA Center because I primarily used it for client history regarding issues and problems. I don't use it for real-time monitoring. If there is a problem, I can inspect the situation and see what is happening, which is beneficial.
    Read full review
    ZeeshanAli1 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Robust, cost-effective, and provides good visibility, but the scalability could improve
    We are extremely satisfied with the reliability and robustness of Cisco Prime Infrastructure, which we have been using for many years. Compared to newer products such as DNS centers or others, it has proven to be much more stable, which is important for large-scale operations. Stability is a primary concern for us, and we are glad that Cisco Prime Infrastructure meets our expectations in that regard. Furthermore, in regards to Legacy Plus new hardware, Cisco Prime has proven to be a reliable and adaptable solution thus far. Not only can it support older hardware, but it also has the capability to handle new features with the latest updates. If we consider new solutions such as DNS Center, we may have to sacrifice some legacy features that we still rely on. We may need to continue using these legacy features for a few more years due to various reasons such as budget constraints or the site not being a high priority. However, if we switch to a new product at this stage, we may lose a lot of the monitoring and other capabilities that we have with Cisco Prime. We have a close relationship with Cisco and understand that they are not prioritizing investments in Cisco Prime as they are encouraging customers to adopt the Cisco DNA Center. This means that we don't anticipate many new features to be added to the product in the future. While we know that we will eventually have to transition to a new solution, in the meantime, we plan to do a quick refresh of our legacy products.
    Read full review

    Quotes from Members

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

    Pros

    "Cisco DNA Center is a user-friendly solution."
    "The product offers an intuitive and automated way to manage user networks. It gives me an insight into the network health."
    "The product's most valuable feature is the visual representation of the switch's front panel."
    "Application Assurance works very well."
    "It is simple to manage and it is all done from a single dashboard."
    "The monitoring is very valuable to me."
    "It does a lot of things automatically, and that's the big thing with it. They're making the software so that you don't need to be as knowledgeable as me on the switching and routing side to get your work done. If you want, you can have DNA troubleshoot your problem for you and give you solutions or fix it itself, if it was something that's just a configuration issue."
    "Automation is another key highlight. With automation, you can automate everything through a single port."
    More Cisco DNA Center pros
    "The interfaces are a valuable feature."
    "The solution's configuration management tool is amazing because it centralizes and pushes configurations which saves a lot of volume and effort."
    "The hardware Cisco provides is excellent. It's a well-made product."
    "The endpoint information Cisco Prime generates helps us troubleshoot, and it's also useful for compliance reporting and endpoint identification."
    "The most valuable feature of Cisco Prime is the heat map."
    "The most valuable is the assistance for network support."
    "We use Cisco Prime for network mapping and surveys."
    "The most valuable features of Cisco Prime include its comprehensive functionality as a one-stop solution for basic SNMP port management."
    More Cisco Prime [EOL] pros
     

    Cons

    "The solution needs to improve the dashboard."
    "They can improve the network visibility. Licensing and its maintenance are also needed."
    "The tool's deployment is complex. It also needs to improve its GUI."
    "An area for improvement in Cisco DNA Center is the latency in data correlation. For example, sometimes, when an issue happens, and I check the logs, I can't find the corresponding log. There's a delay in log replication, so this is what needs improvement in Cisco DNA Center. Reporting in Cisco DNA Center could also be improved because it only has a few templates, and you can't customize it based on your requirements. There aren't many options available in Cisco DNA Center regarding reporting, versus Cisco Prime, which has excellent features for different levels of detailed reports. I'd like to see real-time data replication in the next release of Cisco DNA Center, similar to what's done in Meraki. Data in Meraki is real-time with no delay, so data is immediately replicated in the cloud. Currently, there's a lag in Cisco DNA Center, and addressing that lag is the enhancement I'd like to see in Cisco DNA Center. The solution also needs to be more user-friendly."
    "The task failure reporting or provisioning failure reporting could be a little bit better in the UI, with more information given to the user."
    "The features of Cisco DNA Center and Cisco Prime could have more parity."
    "The solution’s security side could be improved."
    "One area that needs improvement is the upgrade process."
    More Cisco DNA Center cons
    "The product's performance monitoring feature could be more intuitive."
    "The reporting could be simplified and the information made clearer to the user."
    "Some improvements are needed, specifically in the form of more updates and enhancements."
    "If you look at some of the wireless site-survey tools that are available in the commercial space, Cisco should include similar solutions, which would help our on-plant engineers when they're doing a site survey."
    "The solution is not easy to configure."
    "The solution needs to include centralized management that aligns with the Greenfield network and its focus on real-time, scenario-based applications."
    "The product needs to improve its stability."
    "The user interface of Cisco Prime could be more user-friendly and increase its performance."
    More Cisco Prime [EOL] cons
     

    Pricing and Cost Advice

    "Cisco DNA Center is expensive."
    "The solution is a little bit expensive but depends a lot on the customer's usage. If you use it in the right place, you can easily pay for it."
    "We get a yearly license at the time we buy the product."
    "The price of the solution is expensive. The hardware is licensed on the device, but the hardware on the server is expensive."
    "We have a three-year license with them."
    "The partnership price is notably high, but it ultimately depends on the chosen business model."
    "The tool's licensing may not come across as something that may be friendly for users."
    "Licensing for Cisco DNA Center is a little bit expensive, just like any Cisco solution. Its cost could still be improved."
    More Cisco DNA Center pricing and cost advice
    "The solution is not inexpensive but is worth it for large-scale environments."
    "I would rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."
    "The price of Cisco Prime was reasonable because we purchased it as part of a Cisco One package. The package was a bundle of Cisco solutions together, such as Cisco ISE and CMX. The price is reasonable com compared to other solutions."
    "You need to get special quotes from the company for each order."
    "If we have a license for Cisco DNA, we can use the same license for Cisco Prime."
    "The product is expensive compared to other vendors in the market."
    "I rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."
    "The cost is quite high."
    More Cisco Prime [EOL] pricing and cost advice
    report
    See which vendors are best for you
    Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Network Management Applications solutions are best for your needs.
    See recommendations
    873,085 professionals have used our research since 2012.
     

    Top Industries

    By visitors reading reviews
    Computer Software Company
    13%
    Manufacturing Company
    12%
    Government
    9%
    Financial Services Firm
    6%
    Government
    14%
    Computer Software Company
    14%
    Manufacturing Company
    8%
    Healthcare Company
    7%
     

    Company Size

    By reviewers
    Large Enterprise
    Midsize Enterprise
    Small Business
    By reviewers
    Company SizeCount
    Small Business10
    Midsize Enterprise9
    Large Enterprise25
    By reviewers
    Company SizeCount
    Small Business9
    Midsize Enterprise4
    Large Enterprise23
     

    Questions from the Community

    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.
    See all answers
    What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco DNA Center?
    After evaluating other solutions, we will provide feedback.
    See all answers
    What needs improvement with Cisco DNA Center?
    In my opinion, the client history in Cisco DNA Center can be longer than 10 days, perhaps extending to 15 or 20 days. I am using it in a huge factory in Turkey, and sometimes I need to see what occ...
    See all answers
    What do you like most about Cisco Prime?
    The most valuable features of Cisco Prime include its comprehensive functionality as a one-stop solution for basic SNMP port management.
    See all answers
    What needs improvement with Cisco Prime?
    The product's performance monitoring feature could be more intuitive.
    See all answers
    What is your primary use case for Cisco Prime?
    We use Cisco Prime for centralized configuration management backups and monitoring.
    See all answers
     

    Comparisons

    Cisco Catalyst Center vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
    Cisco Catalyst Center vs Cisco DNA Center
    Compared 15% of the time
    Juniper Mist Wired Assurance vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
    Juniper Mist Wired Assurance vs Cisco DNA Center
    Compared 6% of the time
    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
    SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs Cisco DNA Center
    Compared 5% of the time
    Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
    Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Cisco DNA Center
    Compared 5% of the time
    Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
    Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center
    Compared 4% of the time
    More Cisco DNA Center Competitors
    ExtremeCloud IQ vs Cisco Prime [EOL] Logo
    ExtremeCloud IQ vs Cisco Prime [EOL]
    Compared 54% of the time
    NetMaster Network Intelligence vs Cisco Prime [EOL] Logo
    NetMaster Network Intelligence vs Cisco Prime [EOL]
    Compared 46% of the time
    More Cisco Prime [EOL] Competitors
     

    Product Reports

    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco DNA Center
    November 2025
    Cisco DNA Center reportDownload Cisco DNA Center product report
    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco Prime [EOL]
    November 2025
    Cisco Prime [EOL] reportDownload Cisco Prime [EOL] product report
     

    Also Known As

    DNA Center
    Cisco Prime Infrastructure
     

    Overview

    Cisco DNA Center offers a comprehensive platform for network automation and management, providing detailed analytics, enhanced security, and streamlined operations for both wired and wireless networks.

    Cisco DNA Center integrates with Cisco infrastructure to deliver efficient network automation and management, helping organizations improve network visibility, security, and control. It supports AI-driven analytics and automated workflows to enhance operational efficiency and reduce errors. Challenges include compatibility with third-party systems, steep learning curve, and complex deployment. Its interface facilitates centralized control, vital for troubleshooting, policy management, and configuration management, with support for zero-touch provisioning and SD-Access.

    What are the key features of Cisco DNA Center?
    • Robust Analytics: Provides detailed insights into network health with AI-driven analytics.
    • Centralized Security: Integrates with ISE for comprehensive security management.
    • Automated Device Management: Simplifies device provisioning and configuration transfers.
    • Wi-Fi Analytics: Offers deep insights into wireless network performance.
    • Zero-Touch Provisioning: Streamlines new device deployments with minimal human intervention.
    • Scalable Segmentation: Efficiently segments network traffic ensuring security and performance.
    What benefits should users consider?
    • Operational Efficiency: Automation reduces potential errors and streamlines workflow.
    • Enhanced Security: Integration with Cisco ISE bolsters security capabilities.
    • Network Visibility: Comprehensive dashboards and analysis tools enhance monitoring.
    • Troubleshooting: Real-time monitoring aids in identifying and resolving issues swiftly.

    In sectors such as healthcare, finance, and retail, Cisco DNA Center is utilized for its ability to enhance security and compliance, manage large-scale networks, and provide detailed analytics for better operational decision-making. Its support for location tracking and policy automation ensures efficient network management across diverse environments.

    Cisco

    Cisco Prime products deliver next-generation management by supporting an intuitive workflow-oriented user experience and integrated lifecycle operations across Cisco architectures, technologies, and networks.

    Cisco
     

    Sample Customers

    Information Not Available
    Mohawk Industries, Universidad EAFIT, Halton Healthcare
    Buyer's Guide
    Network Management Applications
    October 2025
    Download Free Report
    Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Fortinet and others in Network Management Applications. Updated: October 2025.
    DOWNLOAD NOW
    873,085 professionals have used our research since 2012.
    See our list of best Network Management Applications vendors.

    We monitor all Network Management Applications reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.