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Cisco DNA Center vs PRTG Network Monitor comparison

Cisco and Paessler GmbH are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Cisco is ranked #13 with an average rating of 8.0, while Paessler GmbH is ranked #5 with an average rating of 7.7. Cisco holds a 1.4% mindshare in NMS, compared to Paessler GmbH’s 4.3% mindshare. Additionally, 89% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 91% of Paessler GmbH 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
PRTG Network Monitor
Read 102 PRTG Network Monitor reviews
  • 6,904 Views
  • 4,836 Comparison Views
91% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 9, 2025

PRTG Network Monitor and Cisco DNA Center are competitors in the field of network monitoring solutions. PRTG appears to have the upper hand in cost-effectiveness and ease of deployment, while Cisco DNA Center is more suitable for integration within larger Cisco-centric environments.

Features: PRTG Network Monitor is noted for its scalability, intuitive interface, and a wide range of out-of-the-box monitoring features, making it ideal for straightforward network monitoring. Cisco DNA Center excels in seamless integration with Cisco's ecosystem, offering advanced network automation, analytics, and security enhancements, making it ideal for detailed management in enterprise environments.

Room for Improvement: PRTG Network Monitor could benefit from refined dashboard designs and expanded graphical interfaces, along with more robust templates. Enhancements in remote probe stability and support for cloud-native sensors are necessary. Cisco DNA Center would improve with better integration with third-party hardware, enhanced automation capabilities, and more accessible pricing for mid-market customers. Detailed reporting and disaster recovery options also need improvement.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: PRTG Network Monitor offers an easier deployment process across cloud and on-premises environments, although customer service can be inconsistent due to time zone differences. Cisco DNA Center has a more complex deployment process due to its integration depth and advanced capabilities. Its customer support is reliable, but the initial setup demands sophisticated skills for effective use.

Pricing and ROI: PRTG Network Monitor is cost-effective for small and medium-sized businesses, offering a good return on investment through all-inclusive licensing that reduces downtime and operational costs. Cisco DNA Center, however, has a higher price point reflecting its enterprise-level features. Its advanced capabilities justify the cost in larger organizations, though it remains a less accessible option for smaller businesses due to its hefty licensing fees.

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To learn more, read our detailed Cisco DNA Center vs. PRTG Network Monitor Report (Updated: April 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Cisco DNA Center vs. PRTG Network Monitor
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)
PRTG Network Monitor
Ranking in Network Monitoring Software
5th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
102
Ranking in other categories
IT Infrastructure Monitoring (8th), Cloud Monitoring Software (9th)
 

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 PRTG Network Monitor is 4.3%, down from 4.8% 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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Noman-Saleem - PeerSpot reviewer
Detects suden changes but significant pricing concerns affect the effectiveness of network traffic troubleshooting
We use PRTG Network Monitor for monitoring traffic on interfaces and the behavior of network traffic. If there are sudden changes in traffic or any configuration issues, we can sort them out using PRTG. It's very helpful for troubleshooting and monitoring traffic utilization on our interfaces…
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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

"People like to use the dashboards to get an overview of their network."
"It is simple to manage and it is all done from a single dashboard."
"The most valuable features were the monitoring, maintenance, and configuration."
"DNA Center is scalable."
"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's most valuable in Cisco DNA Center is the ability to manage any Cisco infrastructure and device through it. Setup was straightforward."
"The most valuable features of Cisco DNA Center are wireless assurance and visibility."
"The solution helps in user microsegmentation."
More Cisco DNA Center pros
"PRTG Network Monitor is easy to set up. Within a few minutes, it is operational."
"Stable and scalable network monitoring tool. Installation is simple and straightforward."
"It is able to satisfy all our requirements in terms of email notifications and specific errors on the devices."
"Ease of set-up – it is quick and easy to add a probe and start collecting data from a device."
"This solution provides us with the needed feedback on our IT infrastructure. It allows us to grab all the information from a single point of view."
"The initial setup is pretty easy."
"The remote probe feature in PRTG Network Monitor helps you monitor remote systems or your network at a lower cost than other solutions."
"The initial setup is very simple."
More PRTG Network Monitor pros
 

Cons

"Cisco could improve the security side of their solutions."
"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."
"Technical support could be better. The price could be better, and it could be more stable."
"The solution's technical support is an area with which my company's clients have a problem. Cisco doesn't provide good technical support unless a user has a big account that Cisco wants to retain."
"It seems to be a little bit more centered toward wireless than wired. You've got more options you can do wirelessly than you can with the wired switches, but it works for what we need it to do. We would like to see a little bit more about the traffic, and we're looking at what's out there to see about that. We are looking at something that might give us a bit more insight into the actual traffic. If they had the full functionality on the wired side, as they do on the wireless side in terms of being able to view traffic and everything, it would be good."
"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."
"They should include UTM features in the product."
"What I want to see in Cisco DNA Center in the future is more support for other platforms so that you can manage third-party products, such as Fortinet."
More Cisco DNA Center cons
"The scalability of this solution could improve as well as the automated provisioning of the infrastructure."
"I've encountered a challenge in my functions, particularly in adding and printing."
"Other monitoring tools that I have used are easier to use."
"Maybe in the future there will be room for improvement, but currently, there is nothing pressing that I can think of"
"In a very few cases, customers want more detailed reports, which we cannot meet."
"PRTG's application monitoring sensor is not strong."
"The solution could be better and faster when it comes to performance."
"PRTG Network Monitor can improve by adding prevention and detection features."
More PRTG Network Monitor cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool is medium-priced."
"The licensing cost for Cisco DNA Center is not more than that of other solutions."
"We get a yearly license at the time we buy the product."
"Cisco DNA Center is a licensed product with multiple levels of licensing available such as basic, advanced, and essential. I don't have the exact figure, but Cisco DNA Center is costly. For example, the box has information about the essential license and costs a considerable amount of money. You need to pay extra to use advanced features in Cisco DNA Center. My company sees Cisco DNA Center as a solution that's worth the money, which is why it invested in the solution. If you want centralized management for your network, especially when upgrading it, Cisco DNA Center is perfect, but it's more suitable for a large-scale rather than a small-scale network."
"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 product is very costly."
"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."
"Cisco DNA Center is expensive."
More Cisco DNA Center pricing and cost advice
"The price of PRTG is reasonable. PRTG's competitors like SolarWinds and ManageEngine charge more for the same functionality."
"I rate the licensing for PRTG Network Monitor an eight out of ten."
"There is a license to use PRTG Network Monitor and it is annually."
"The pricing for PRTG in our case is reasonable because we have a lot of applications to monitor within PRTG. It is not that expensive."
"The price of PRTG Network Monitor is reasonable."
"The ability to use the base version with 100 free sensors is great. The cost on other packages can be very reasonable."
"We have unlimited devices and sensors, and it is a bit pricey, but we do have unlimited sensors. With all things considered the price is fine, related to the solution itself. PRTG Network Monitor is good value for money."
"I would like better pricing models for smaller businesses. The free version is fantastic, but it's too restrictive. If they could just get up to 200 sensors for a reasonable fee for on-premise, I would give PRTG my credit card right now."
More PRTG Network Monitor pricing and cost advice
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Comparison Review

it_user174738 - PeerSpot reviewer
May 31, 2015
Nagios vs. Zabbix vs. PRTG vs. Spiceworks vs. Solarwinds Network Performance Monitor
I have researched a quite a few network monitoring tools which can be used for various monitoring purposes of not only the servers, but the intermediate routers as well. There are majorly three types of these softwares. Ones which are completely open-source, you can do almost anything you want…
Read full review
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Healthcare Company
6%
Educational Organization
45%
Computer Software Company
9%
Government
6%
Financial Services Firm
5%
 

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
What is the best network monitoring software for large enterprises?
PRTG network monitor is one of the best tool i have ever used for the monitoring. It have auto discovery option. it avoid the configuring the device in PRTG. It automatically discover the device an...
See all answers
What do you like most about PRTG Network Monitor?
The tool is integrated with our email for the alerts.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for PRTG Network Monitor?
The pricing is in the middle. It's not too high, nor too low, but it's reasonable.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

Cisco Catalyst Center vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
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
More Cisco DNA Center Competitors
Zabbix vs PRTG Network Monitor Logo
Zabbix vs PRTG Network Monitor
Compared 7% of the time
LibreNMS vs PRTG Network Monitor Logo
LibreNMS vs PRTG Network Monitor
Compared 6% of the time
PRTG Enterprise Monitor vs PRTG Network Monitor Logo
PRTG Enterprise Monitor vs PRTG Network Monitor
Compared 6% of the time
Centreon vs PRTG Network Monitor Logo
Centreon vs PRTG Network Monitor
Compared 6% of the time
SolarWinds NPM vs PRTG Network Monitor Logo
SolarWinds NPM vs PRTG Network Monitor
Compared 6% of the time
More PRTG Network Monitor Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Cisco DNA Center
May 2025
Cisco DNA Center reportDownload Cisco DNA Center product report
Buyer's Guide
PRTG Network Monitor
May 2025
PRTG Network Monitor reportDownload PRTG Network Monitor 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

PRTG Network Monitor runs on a Windows machine within your network, collecting various statistics from the machines, software, and devices which you designate. PRTG comes with an easy-to-use web interface with point-and-click configuration. You can easily share data from it with non-technical colleagues and customers, including via live graphs and custom reports. This will let you plan for network expansion, see what applications are using most of your connection, and make sure that no one is hogging the entire network just to torrent videos.

To monitor a large IT environment, it's important to be able to scale PRTG up. Paessler PRTG Enterprise Monitor includes all the proven capabilities of PRTG Network Monitor, which are enhanced by exclusive ITOps Board for a service-oriented, central overview of multiple PRTG servers.

Paessler GmbH
 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Jameson Bank, Sidnix, RungeICT, MedicalAnimal, Truck-lite, GamingGrids, The Covell Group, Forsythn County Schools, NetMass, Musgrove Park Hospital, Lanes Health, Columbia Southern University, Vodafone, Intrust Bank
Buyer's Guide
Cisco DNA Center vs. PRTG Network Monitor
April 2025
Free Report: Cisco DNA Center vs. PRTG Network Monitor
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco DNA Center vs. PRTG Network Monitor and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
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