Cisco DNA Center vs Junos Space Network Director comparison

Cisco DNA Center vs. Junos Space Network Director

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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 DNA Center

Ranking in Network Management Applications

1st

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Monitoring Software (12th), Network Automation (2nd)

Junos Space Network Director

Ranking in Network Management Applications

12th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Network Management Applications category, the mindshare of Cisco DNA Center is 25.1%, down from 29.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Junos Space Network Director is 3.6%, up from 3.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Management Applications

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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Ibrahim Reda

Network and Security Engineer at CITG - Continental Information and Telecom Group

High scalability network management with centralized control and an intuitive interface that provides efficient monitoring and configuration capabilities

A centralized platform is crucial for efficiently managing all of our switches, which were previously handled individually, leading to significant challenges. This unified dashboard simplifies tasks like simultaneous switch upgrades, streamlining the process. It enables us to create reports that monitor site statuses, including uptime and downtime, which helps us evaluate each site's monthly uptime and assess its revenue potential based on operational time.

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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

"It is simple to manage and it is all done from a single dashboard."

"DNA Center is scalable."

"We can monitor all devices and get the required information using the product."

"The most valuable features of Cisco DNA Center are wireless assurance and visibility."

"Cisco is a leading network company."

"It is a stable solution."

"Cisco DNA Center provides operational support, compliance support, security vulnerability detection, and automatic scheduling."

"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

"It allows me to do more of the basic firewall features, like traffic management and others, in a single pane of glass."

"The most valuable feature is the management from a single pane of glass."

"The most valuable feature is the technical support, as it is better than others."

"A centralized platform is crucial for efficiently managing all of our switches, which were previously handled individually, leading to significant challenges."

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 are some software problems from version to version. It takes a long time for DNA Center to recognize the video and control access devices."

"The product doesn’t have good monitoring capabilities."

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

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

"The cost is very high."

"The tool's deployment is complex. It also needs to improve its GUI."

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

More Cisco DNA Center cons

"Its interface should be improved and enhanced to offer various functions, with flexible pricing"

"I would like to see Space created to fully functional, where it's got multiple modules, particularly SD-WAN working on Corporate, or maybe become part of the Orchestrator portion."

"I would like to them include network real-time performance and come up with a dashboard report."

"The upgrades are very time-consuming and difficult, and they often have to rebuild the product."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is an expensive solution."

"Affordability is a problem because it's created for large enterprises only. So, some customers, even if their engineers want the solution, might have problems with budget limitations."

"The tool is medium-priced."

"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."

"We get a yearly license at the time we buy the product."

"Our licensing agreement is for three years."

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

"Cisco DNA Center is too expensive."

More Cisco DNA Center pricing and cost advice

"This product is set at a good price point."

"Typically, Juniper is more expensive than Cisco in initial costs, but overall, the long-term licensing fees that you're going to pay for Juniper versus Cisco is going to be less."

"We would like the price to be reduced."

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849,686 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Government

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

21%

Government

Energy/Utilities Company

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

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.

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

The cost is very high.

What needs improvement with Cisco DNA Center?

The system is working fine for me currently.

What do you like most about Junos Space Network Director?

A centralized platform is crucial for efficiently managing all of our switches, which were previously handled individually, leading to significant challenges.

What needs improvement with Junos Space Network Director?

Its interface should be improved and enhanced to offer various functions, with flexible pricing. It should provide the ability to modify interfaces, enabling actions like shutting them down, adding...

What is your primary use case for Junos Space Network Director?

It served as my main point of contact for banking and the central tool for managing a large network of switches across multiple locations. The network consisted of about 3,300 switches, with roughl...

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Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 6% of the time

Meraki Dashboard vs Cisco DNA Center

Compared 5% of the time

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Juniper Mist Wired Assurance vs Junos Space Network Director

Compared 68% of the time

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Product Reports

Cisco DNA Center

Download Cisco DNA Center product report

Network Management Applications

Download Junos Space Network Director product report

Also Known As

DNA Center

No data available

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

Juniper Junos Space Network Director can support IT staff can manage their physical and virtual enterprise networks through a single pane of glass. Junos Space Network Director is a automated turnkey network management solution. Administrators can use it to visualize, analyze, and control their entire enterprise networks. In the data center, your IT staff can use the tool to manage and synchronize physical and virtual environments. In the campus, Network Director automates routine management tasks such as network provisioning and troubleshooting, dramatically improving operational efficiency and reliability. Network Director also integrates with VMware vCenter and vRealize Operations (vROps). The management tool offers sophisticated analytics for high-performance data centers, while open RESTful APIs support service orchestration integration with third-party platforms.

Juniper

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

St. Catherine's University, OneNet, University of New Haven, Frederick County Public Schools (Maryland), America's Test Kitchen

Cisco DNA Center vs. Junos Space Network Director