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Cisco DNA Center vs NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG comparison

Cisco and NETSCOUT are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Cisco is ranked #13 with an average rating of 8.0, while NETSCOUT is ranked #78. Cisco holds a 1.4% mindshare in NMS, compared to NETSCOUT’s 0.4% mindshare. Additionally, 89% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of NETSCOUT users who would recommend it.
Cisco DNA Center
Read 41 Cisco DNA Center reviews
  • 1,823 Views
  • 1,148 Comparison Views
89% willing to recommend
NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG
Read 13 NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG reviews
  • 547 Views
  • 311 Comparison Views
92% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

Cisco DNA Center and NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG compete in network management and analytics. Cisco has an edge in ease of use, while NETSCOUT leads in advanced analytics capabilities.

Features: Cisco DNA Center leverages automation and AI-driven insights to enhance security and performance. It integrates well with Cisco products and ensures robust security measures. NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG offers deep packet inspection, versatile data monitoring, and superior traffic analysis.

Room for Improvement: Cisco DNA Center could enhance integration across different vendor environments, improve the learning curve for complex features, and offer better analytics depth. NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG might focus on improving user interface simplicity, refining support documentation, and optimizing deployment processes for easier accessibility.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco DNA Center integrates seamlessly within Cisco environments with extensive support documentation. Its customer service is highly responsive. NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG provides a flexible deployment model with scalable options and comprehensive after-sales support, which can involve a steeper learning curve due to its complexity.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco DNA Center is considered affordable, offering good ROI by boosting operational efficiency. NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG, with a higher initial investment, provides significant long-term benefits with its sophisticated analytics, justifying additional expenses for in-depth analysis.

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To learn more, read our detailed Cisco DNA Center vs. NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG Report (Updated: April 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Cisco DNA Center vs. NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG
April 2025
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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 Monitoring Software
13th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
41
Ranking in other categories
Network Management Applications (1st), Network Automation (2nd)
NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG
Ranking in Network Monitoring Software
78th
Average Rating
8.4
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of Cisco DNA Center is 1.4%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG is 0.4%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Network Monitoring Software
 

Featured Reviews

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.
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Michael Gideon Genita - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy to set up with good documentation and helpful support
I'm using it for a customer The packet flow switch is the most valuable aspect of the solution.  It's an easy product to set up. We can scale the solution if we need to. It's stable.  The documentation is well-written and quite useful. It's compatible with other products.  Under the pocket flow…
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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 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."
"Cisco DNA Center is a user-friendly solution."
"The solution helps with the management and orchestration of campaigns. It helps with visibility and analytics. I also like its SDA configuration."
"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."
"What I found valuable in Cisco DNA Center is the Software-Defined Access Network, so the entire LAN network can be centralized and managed from a single dashboard. Cisco DNA Center is suitable for centralized management and lets you deploy switches in a centralized fashion. You can also do multiple switch port configurations simultaneously and segregate your traffic into multiple fabrics. Another valuable feature of Cisco DNA Center is enhanced security through Scalable Group Tags. Cisco DNA Center can be integrated with your Cisco ISE to enhance the port securities, and this paves the way for Software-Defined Networking in the LAN segment, which is the main advantage of Cisco DNA Center. I also like that you can use Cisco DNA Center for data assurance or correlation. The solution shows your network and client health parameters, which I find convenient for troubleshooting."
"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."
"Cisco is a leading network company."
"It gives us automation capabilities for pushing out the configuration to branch networks. It also provides visibility into the health of user network devices."
More Cisco DNA Center pros
"It helps us get to root cause quickly. With utilization and consumption of bandwidth, we can usually see what application is taking as much as they should (or shouldn't), then account for it accordingly."
"It helps us to assist our customers to isolate problems. If it is us who is having the problem, then we can use it to streamline the process."
"It is very rock solid. We hardly have any hardware issues."
"I love the single pane of glass view. It makes it easier to not have to navigate everywhere. It allows more simplistic visibility, without having to go from tool to tool to tool, or from window to window to window."
"The real-time troubleshooting and application segregation that you can do within it."
"It allows us to get quicker resolutions. We can see exactly what is using up the bandwidth, so we can assist end users."
"When we have mobile operators who are signal partners, where one is the roaming host and another is the roamer, we are able to see their traffic. Their packets are able to detect if any faults to develop, and at what point they fail."
"The product is stable. I have never had any issue where we have lost an InfiniStream, or visibility from that particular InfiniStream, throughout the bank."
More NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG pros
 

Cons

"The solution's integration feature can 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."
"From the recent DNA point of view, there are some stability challenges with Cisco, but very minor."
"Technical support could be better. The price could be better, and it could be more stable."
"The network, data center, and SD-WAN are all being treated as different services, but I would like to have only one solution to manage all of them."
"Requires more focus on the digital side of things."
"What could be improved is the licensing cost of Cisco DNA Center. It's a little bit expensive."
"An area that needs improvement is the integration with other vendors."
More Cisco DNA Center cons
"The scalability has some limitations and quirks to it. I would like to be able to upgrade rather than replace the whole thing."
"The NetFlow Collectors could handle more flows per minute."
"The stability depends on who is using the tool, because you only can get as much out of the tool as you put into it. There are a lot of patches for this particular environment, so you have to keep on them. If you lose track of them, then the product is not useful anymore."
"The single pane of glass feed still needs work."
"It's not able to communicate with our probes."
"Being able to manage the packet flow switches in nGeniusONE would be great."
"There is a timeout feature that we have been asking for awhile."
"The technology goes end-of-life on us every year, which is why I am looking forward to vSTREAM. I don't like when devices go end-of-life on us so quickly. If we can get more of an advanced notice of when an end-of-life is brought up, because our certification process within the organization takes a while."
More NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool is medium-priced."
"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."
"I do know that Cisco does offer some really good promotions for DNA Center to bring the costs down."
"Our licensing agreement is for three years."
"Cisco DNA Center is expensive."
"The product is very costly."
"It is an expensive solution."
"Cisco DNA Center is too expensive."
More Cisco DNA Center pricing and cost advice
"To capture more with the solution that we bought, you have to buy another InfiniStreamNG, and there are only four ports in the back."
"I would like it to be more scalable with less spend."
"This product could be cheaper."
"The price is a little high."
"The scalability is good, but it comes at a cost. E.g., if you need 100 InfiniStream because you are sending gigs or terabytes of data to one InfiniStream, then you will have to purchase another InfiniStream, which are not cheap."
"It can be scalable. It just costs too much. With a company as big as ours, it gets too expensive to accommodate every single site."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Financial Services Firm
22%
Computer Software Company
11%
Energy/Utilities Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
 

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.
See all answers
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
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Comparisons

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Cisco Catalyst Center vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 11% of the time
Juniper Mist Wired Assurance vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
Juniper Mist Wired Assurance vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 7% of the time
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 6% of the time
Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 6% of the time
Meraki Dashboard vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
Meraki Dashboard vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 5% of the time
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Cisco Secure Network Analytics vs NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG Logo
Cisco Secure Network Analytics vs NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG
Compared 35% of the time
NETSCOUT nGeniusONE vs NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG Logo
NETSCOUT nGeniusONE vs NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG
Compared 29% of the time
Riverbed NPM+ vs NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG Logo
Riverbed NPM+ vs NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG
Compared 19% of the time
cPacket cClear vs NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG Logo
cPacket cClear vs NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG
Compared 17% of the time
More NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Cisco DNA Center
May 2025
Cisco DNA Center reportDownload Cisco DNA Center product report
Buyer's Guide
NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG
April 2025
NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG reportDownload NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG product report
 

Also Known As

DNA Center
InfiniStreamNG, NETSCOUT ISNG, Infinistream
 

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

NETSCOUT’s new ISNG platform harnesses the power of IP intelligence by mining traffic in real-time to deliver accurate and actionable data for service assurance, cybersecurity and business intelligence applications. The InfiniStreamNG platform fully supports the nGeniusONE and Iris application suites.

NETSCOUT
 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
U.S. Department of Defense
Buyer's Guide
Cisco DNA Center vs. NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG
April 2025
Free Report: Cisco DNA Center vs. NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco DNA Center vs. NETSCOUT InfiniStreamNG and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
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