Cisco DNA Center vs Fortinet FortiGate Cloud comparison

The compared Cisco and Fortinet solutions aren't in the same category. Cisco is ranked #1 in NMA , with an average rating of 8.0, and holds a 25.1% mindshare in the category. Fortinet is ranked #5 in Firewall Security Management , with an average rating of 8.4, and holds a 4.9% mindshare. Additionally, 89% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Fortinet users who would recommend it.

Cisco DNA Center

Read 41 Cisco DNA Center reviews

6,085 Views
3,733 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

Fortinet FortiGate Cloud

Read 77 Fortinet FortiGate Cloud reviews

1,186 Views
1,020 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Cisco DNA Center

Fortinet FortiGate Cloud

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cisco DNA Center and Fortinet FortiGate Cloud based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Network Management Applications solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco DNA Center vs. Fortinet FortiGate Cloud Report (Updated: May 2020).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco DNA Center vs. Fortinet FortiGate Cloud

May 2020

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Helped 849,686 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

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Management Applications (1st), Network Monitoring Software (12th), Network Automation (2nd)

Fortinet FortiGate Cloud

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Firewall Security Management (5th)

Mindshare comparison

Cisco DNA Center and Fortinet FortiGate Cloud aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. Cisco DNA Center is designed for Network Management Applications and holds a mindshare of 25.1%, down 29.1% compared to last year.
Fortinet FortiGate Cloud, on the other hand, focuses on Firewall Security Management, holds 4.9% mindshare, down 5.4% since last year.

Network Management Applications

Firewall Security Management

Featured Reviews

AvrahamSonenthal

Senior Network Engineer at Inside Global

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.

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IgnitiusMolepo

Senior IP Network Defense at MTN

The hub-and-spoke setup is useful because I can manage security from where I am, while the IT engineers in branch offices can handle it on their end.

When we're upgrading, it's sometimes quite challenging, especially firmware. We usually don't upgrade unless we have a bug, and we still feel it's not safe to react instead of being proactive. We often have some delays when updating FortiGuard, too. Nevertheless, I believe that it's okay most of the time with proper management. We also run into some problems using FortiGate as a UTM solution. I feel like maybe they're not giving me a full view of the other components that they have in that box. Their box has some DDoS defense, but I need complete DDoS protection. I must not have light DDoS protection on other UTM boxes because if I'm uncertain about the security posture, it will compromise me. We like having everything in one box because running multiple boxes eats up more resources on the computing level. We need a total solution, not half-half.

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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

"Automation is another key highlight. With automation, you can automate everything through a single port."

"What's most valuable in Cisco DNA Center is the ability to manage any Cisco infrastructure and device through it. Setup was straightforward."

"Cisco is a leading network company."

"Cisco DNA Center is a user-friendly solution."

"The best feature of Cisco DNA Center is the visibility page, where you can see everything on the dashboard, and you don't have to be a technical person to view the issues."

"Application Assurance works very well."

"DNA Center is scalable."

"We have many people from the team who manage a lot of devices. By using Cisco DNA Center, it has taken some of that burden away, we are impressed with it. We did the investment in CAPEX, but in the OPEX was very low."

More Cisco DNA Center pros

"The main advantage of FortiGate Cloud is its reliability, scalability, and pricing."

"The intel we get from Fortinet is its most valuable aspect."

"Fortinet's documentation and support are commendable, providing valuable assistance whenever challenges arise, and ensuring seamless operations."

"The functionality of the solution is excellent."

"The solution is quite stable. I haven't had issues with it crashing on me. I don't recall running into any bugs or glitches. It's very reliable so far."

"The main advantage of FortiGate Cloud is its reliability, scalability, and pricing."

"The Fortianalyzer is the most valuable aspect of this solution"

"The most valuable features are management and integration."

More Fortinet FortiGate Cloud pros

Cons

"As a user, it would be good if I could plug in controllers, suites, and devices from other vendors to Cisco DNA Center."

"There should be an option for automation of template deployment by using the stored data. It is not easy to save configuration information for lots of devices without using other tools. There should be a tighter, better repository of information that can be merged with the templates."

"What could be improved is the licensing cost of Cisco DNA Center. It's a little bit expensive."

"Requires more focus on the digital side of things."

"The solution can be quite pricey."

"They can improve the network visibility. Licensing and its maintenance are also needed."

"The tool's IoT integration should be better."

"Cisco DNA Center was a new technology for us, at the beginning, it was not easy to do, but Cisco did a lot of training with us to a level we could handle everything. The team is managing itself now without the assistance of Cisco."

More Cisco DNA Center cons

"FortiGate Cloud could be improved with increased granularity for our control."

"The product is not recommended on the basis of technical parameters. It is very tough to authenticate."

"Fortinet could enhance their customer service by offering more direct remote sessions to resolve issues, as relying solely on documentation can be time-consuming."

"There is room for improvement in the VPN connection."

"The robustness of the software could be improved."

"The initial setup is considered to be difficult."

"Having a built-in SOC solution like an XDR platform within the solution would be convenient for customers."

"Currently with the solution, if you want to manage more than one FortiGate you have to use a VM, and a VM can control up to 10."

More Fortinet FortiGate Cloud cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

"The product is very costly."

"The tool's licensing may not come across as something that may be friendly for users."

"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."

"The price could be better. It's a very expensive tool."

"The partnership price is notably high, but it ultimately depends on the chosen business model."

"I would rate the pricing a six out of ten, with ten being expensive."

"I do know that Cisco does offer some really good promotions for DNA Center to bring the costs down."

More Cisco DNA Center pricing and cost advice

"The price fits the needs of our clients and it is adjustable by Defender."

"I would not say that the product is cheaply priced. If I consider the long-term value for the service I receive, the price of the product is excellent."

"Fortinet FortiGate Cloud is cheaper than VMware and Cisco in the Bangladeshi market. Its pricing is reasonable."

"On a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the pricing a one or two. The pricing is suitable for our company."

"The price of Fortinet FortiGate Cloud is affordable. However, lowering the price would be good for the end-users. The cost of the solution was approximately $800 per year. There are some additional features you can add in addition to the regular features."

"The product cost varies based on company budgets, but for us, it's reasonably priced considering the value it provides."

"The price is over $1,000 USD annually."

"If you purchase any Fortinet firewall, they will give you FortiCloud for 100 GB for free. You can access Fortinet FortiGate Cloud freely up to certain limits."

More Fortinet FortiGate Cloud pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Government

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

18%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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.

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

The cost is very high.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco DNA Center?

The system is working fine for me currently.

See all answers

What do you like most about Fortinet FortiGate Cloud?

Fortinet FortiGate Cloud has valuable firewall, SSL VPN, and web filtering features.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiGate Cloud?

I am very satisfied with the price and licensing cost of Fortinet FortiGate Cloud, rating it an eight out of ten.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiGate Cloud?

Some reports generated from Fortinet FortiGate Cloud are very organizational. It would be beneficial to allow the customers customization of reports. This customization would enable organizations t...

See all answers

Comparisons

Cisco Catalyst Center vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 11% of the time

Juniper Mist Wired Assurance vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 7% of the time

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 6% of the time

Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 6% of the time

Meraki Dashboard vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 5% of the time

More Cisco DNA Center Competitors

Fortinet FortiManager vs Fortinet FortiGate Cloud

Compared 77% of the time

AWS Firewall Manager vs Fortinet FortiGate Cloud

Compared 9% of the time

FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) vs Fortinet FortiGate Cloud

Compared 4% of the time

Palo Alto Networks Panorama vs Fortinet FortiGate Cloud

Compared 4% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Cloud Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco DNA Center

April 2025

Download Cisco DNA Center product report

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate Cloud

April 2025

Download Fortinet FortiGate Cloud product report

Also Known As

DNA Center

FortiCloud, FortiGate Cloud

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

FortiCloud can help with your wireless and security challenges in a number of ways. Our solution addresses common IT difficulties including time-consuming provisioning, high investment costs, complex management, vulnerability to advanced threats, and the need to easily scale with growth.

Fortinet

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data

Buyer's Guide

Cisco DNA Center vs. Fortinet FortiGate Cloud

May 2020

Free Report: Cisco DNA Center vs. Fortinet FortiGate Cloud

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