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Cisco DNA Center vs Versa Director comparison

Cisco and Versa Networks are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Cisco is ranked #13 with an average rating of 8.0, while Versa Networks is ranked #50 with an average rating of 9.0. Cisco holds a 1.4% mindshare in NMS, compared to Versa Networks’s 0.2% mindshare. Additionally, 89% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 75% of Versa Networks 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
Versa Director
Read 4 Versa Director reviews
  • 359 Views
  • 266 Comparison Views
75% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

Cisco DNA Center and Versa Director compete in the network management domain. Cisco DNA Center has the upper hand in integration and automation, while Versa Director shines in scalability and centralized control.

Features: Cisco DNA Center offers advanced network insights, detailed performance monitoring, and seamless automation. Versa Director provides strong security, unified network management, and efficient scalability.

Room for Improvement: Cisco DNA Center could reduce initial configuration complexity, improve customization options, and enhance real-time data optimization. Versa Director needs better management for customized environments, improved integration capabilities, and enriched data analytics features.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco DNA Center's deployment involves a structured setup with robust support, though requiring more configuration. Versa Director offers a simpler process with effective service, focusing on adaptability and scalability in deployment.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco DNA Center involves higher upfront costs with long-term savings due to efficient automation. Versa Director has lower initial costs, offering quick ROI through scalability and centralized control, appealing for swift deployment needs.

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To learn more, read our detailed Cisco DNA Center vs. Versa Director Report (Updated: April 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Cisco DNA Center vs. Versa Director
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)
Versa Director
Ranking in Network Monitoring Software
50th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
5.9
Number of Reviews
4
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 Versa Director is 0.2%, down from 0.3% 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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PriyankDubey - PeerSpot reviewer
User-friendly and simpler than its competitors
Versa Director's best feature is the ease of configuration and customer and vendor management. Its UI is also excellent compared to Fortinet and Cisco Versa Director's on-prem SD-WAN hardware and SSL VPN software are not integrated, so you have to buy a separate subscription for the SSL VPN. In…
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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

"Cisco DNA Center is a user-friendly solution."
"The monitoring features are very useful for network engineers."
"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."
"The most valuable features of Cisco DNA Center are wireless assurance and visibility."
"The solution has the capability to scale."
"What's most valuable in Cisco DNA Center is the ability to manage any Cisco infrastructure and device through it. Setup was straightforward."
"I think that their LAN automation is a very good feature."
"The product offers an intuitive and automated way to manage user networks. It gives me an insight into the network health."
More Cisco DNA Center pros
"The most valuable feature of Versa Director is analytics."
"Versa Director's best feature is the ease of configuration and customer and vendor management."
"The most valuable functionality is some of the policy pieces that are quite useful."
"Versa Director is the fastest engineering tool and is ideal for use without product management."
 

Cons

"The solution's setup process needs enhancement."
"One area that needs improvement is the upgrade process."
"DNA Center has been on the market for a few years and they need to update it."
"From the recent DNA point of view, there are some stability challenges with Cisco, but very minor."
"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."
"Technical support could be better. The price could be better, and it could be more stable."
"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."
"The task failure reporting or provisioning failure reporting could be a little bit better in the UI, with more information given to the user."
More Cisco DNA Center cons
"Versa Director's deployment process is not the best."
"What needs improvement in Versa Director is maturity because, from an operating point of view, it's not mature enough. You'll still need to do a lot of research on Versa Director, so if it could mature faster, that would be very good."
"Versa could be more AI-oriented."
"It requires some simplification."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Cisco DNA Center is expensive."
"The tool is medium-priced."
"I do know that Cisco does offer some really good promotions for DNA Center to bring the costs down."
"Licensing for Cisco DNA Center is a little bit expensive, just like any Cisco solution. Its cost could still be improved."
"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."
"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."
More Cisco DNA Center pricing and cost advice
"Having to buy separate licenses for the on-prem SD-WAN hardware and SSL VPN software makes Versa Director very costly compared to other solutions like Fortinet and Cisco."
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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
20%
Computer Software Company
19%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Retailer
8%
 

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.
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 do you like most about Versa Director?
Versa Director is the fastest engineering tool and is ideal for use without product management.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Versa Director?
Versa could be more AI-oriented.
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Versa Director?
We use the solution to monitor customer networks.
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
SolarWinds NPM vs Versa Director Logo
SolarWinds NPM vs Versa Director
Compared 56% of the time
Zabbix vs Versa Director Logo
Zabbix vs Versa Director
Compared 44% of the time
More Versa Director Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Cisco DNA Center
May 2025
Cisco DNA Center reportDownload Cisco DNA Center product report
Buyer's Guide
Network Monitoring Software
April 2025
Versa Director reportDownload Versa Director product report
 

Also Known As

DNA Center
Versa Networks Director
 

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

Versa Director is Versa Networks’ virtualization and service creation platform that simplifies the creation, automation and delivery of services using Versa WAN edge software, FlexVNF. Versa Director provides the essential management, monitoring and orchestration capabilities needed to deliver Versa’s Secure Cloud IP architecture network and security software services. Services supported by Versa include routing and advanced connectivity to direct traffic across multilink WAN access and simplify control for SD-WAN with embedded advanced security

Versa Networks
Buyer's Guide
Cisco DNA Center vs. Versa Director
April 2025
Free Report: Cisco DNA Center vs. Versa Director
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco DNA Center vs. Versa Director and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
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