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Cisco DNA Center vs Zenoss Cloud comparison

Cisco and Zenoss are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Cisco is ranked #11 with an average rating of 8.2, while Zenoss is ranked #76. Cisco holds a 1.4% mindshare in NMS, compared to Zenoss’s 0.6% mindshare. Additionally, 90% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Zenoss users who would recommend it.
Cisco DNA Center
Read 43 Cisco DNA Center reviews
  • 7,884 Views
  • 1,892 Comparison Views
90% willing to recommend
Zenoss Cloud
Read 8 Zenoss Cloud reviews
  • 1,401 Views
  • 757 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

Zenoss Cloud and Cisco DNA Center are competing in network monitoring and management. Cisco DNA Center often seems superior due to its advanced features and integration capabilities.

Features: Zenoss Cloud offers robust monitoring capabilities, scalability, and supports diverse IT environments. Cisco DNA Center provides advanced automation, superior data analytics, and seamless integration with Cisco infrastructure.

Room for Improvement: Zenoss Cloud could enhance its integration options, improve data analytics capabilities, and bolster automation features. Cisco DNA Center could simplify its deployment process, potentially reduce costs, and enhance user interface usability.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Zenoss Cloud is easy to deploy with minimal technical expertise needed. Cisco DNA Center may require more advanced configurations but provides strong support for network personalization and strategic network alignment.

Pricing and ROI: Zenoss Cloud generally has a cost-effective pricing model favoring budget-focused organizations, leading to favorable ROI. Cisco DNA Center, while presenting a higher initial cost, can offer significant long-term ROI through enhanced network performance and security features.

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To learn more, read our detailed Cisco DNA Center vs. Zenoss Cloud Report (Updated: September 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Cisco DNA Center vs. Zenoss Cloud
September 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
11th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.2
Number of Reviews
43
Ranking in other categories
Network Management Applications (1st), Network Automation (2nd)
Zenoss Cloud
Ranking in Network Monitoring Software
76th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
8
Ranking in other categories
Application Infrastructure (33rd), Event Monitoring (14th), Server Monitoring (27th), IT Infrastructure Monitoring (51st), Container Monitoring (9th), Cloud Monitoring Software (39th), AIOps (26th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of Cisco DNA Center is 1.4%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zenoss Cloud is 0.6%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Network Monitoring Software Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco DNA Center1.4%
Zenoss Cloud0.6%
Other98.0%
Network Monitoring Software
 

Featured Reviews

Mahir Öztürk - PeerSpot reviewer
Client history has helped resolve past network issues more efficiently
I mostly use the client history feature of Cisco DNA Center. I didn't use the real-time monitoring capability of Cisco DNA Center because I primarily used it for client history regarding issues and problems. I don't use it for real-time monitoring. If there is a problem, I can inspect the situation and see what is happening, which is beneficial.
Read full review
ClaudiaChen - PeerSpot reviewer
Generates close to real-time alerts so users can resolve issues, but needs more integration and public cloud monitoring features
As Zenoss Service Dynamics is more for network-centric devices and you want to monitor, for example, a server, its services, IP addresses, and interfaces, if it's a network and you're going to monitor multiple items, you'll be charged multiple times. This is what Zenoss Service Dynamics needs to improve to make sure that customers pay just one fee to monitor the entire server. What I'd like to see in Zenoss Service Dynamics in the future is a public cloud monitoring feature, particularly for the Azure public cloud. Another additional feature I'd like to see in the next release of the solution is integration with the Azure public cloud because I know that there are some services from Azure that Zenoss Service Dynamics is currently unable to monitor.
Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"I think that their LAN automation is a very good feature."
"The most valuable features of the solution are all of its security features...It is a highly scalable solution."
"Automation is another key highlight. With automation, you can automate everything through a single port."
"DNA Center is scalable."
"The most valuable features include AI-driven insights which make troubleshooting much easier."
"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."
"We can monitor all devices and get the required information using the product."
"People like to use the dashboards to get an overview of their network."
More Cisco DNA Center pros
"Its Docker Container concept is mind blowing. It is the first monitoring tool which comes with Docker features."
"The most valuable feature is the flexible discovery mechanism."
"They have also accommodated many state-of-the-art technologies like Docker and ZooKeeper."
"The product offers good documentation that helps with initial training."
"The custom built integration is one of the most valuable features because you can see all the especially critical items."
"It's easy to use."
"What I like most about Zenoss Service Dynamics is that it monitors the devices and gives close to real-time alerts. For example, in case the device is not available, Zenoss Service Dynamics generates an alert so my team can resolve the issue."
 

Cons

"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 product has many features that do not work properly."
"An area that needs improvement is the integration with other vendors."
"DNA Center has been on the market for a few years and they need to update it."
"The product doesn’t have good monitoring capabilities."
"The tool's deployment is complex. It also needs to improve its GUI."
"The cost is very high."
"The weaknesses primarily involve pricing and the ongoing need for increased bandwidth and data throughput."
More Cisco DNA Center cons
"There was a problem with Zenoss and storage monitoring."
"The inclusion of a feature to show a graphical view of the network would be a helpful improvement."
"It would be ideal if the product offered sound alerts."
"The AI aspect needs to improve."
"Now it is stable, but they should design threshold parameters in percentage instead of raw values."
"As Zenoss Service Dynamics is more for network-centric devices and you want to monitor, for example, a server, its services, IP addresses, and interfaces, if it's a network and you're going to monitor multiple items, you'll be charged multiple times. This is what Zenoss Service Dynamics needs to improve to make sure that customers pay just one fee to monitor the entire server. What I'd like to see in Zenoss Service Dynamics in the future is a public cloud monitoring feature, particularly for the Azure public cloud. Another additional feature I'd like to see in the next release of the solution is integration with the Azure public cloud because I know that there are some services from Azure that Zenoss Service Dynamics is currently unable to monitor."
"There is room for improvement with the administrative part. They introduced Control Center to manage things in Zenoss 5. The services that Zenoss provides remained the same, but the administrative part, since they introduced Docker, etc., has become a little complex"
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I would rate the pricing a six out of ten, with ten being expensive."
"The licensing cost for Cisco DNA Center is not more than that of other solutions."
"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."
"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 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 price of the solution is expensive. The hardware is licensed on the device, but the hardware on the server is expensive."
"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."
"Licensing for Cisco DNA Center is a little bit expensive, just like any Cisco solution. Its cost could still be improved."
More Cisco DNA Center pricing and cost advice
"There are additional costs you'll have to pay apart from the license fee for Zenoss Service Dynamics. I can't remember exactly how much my company is paying because I don't handle the finance part, but the cost is paid annually. On a scale of one to five, with one being the cheapest and five being the most expensive, I'm rating the solution three out of five."
"It is very cost-effective compared to the tools I worked with in the past. The company is gaining a lot with respect to the cost factor. It provides agentless monitoring and in a very cheap way."
"It depends on the customer, what he wants."
"The pricing depends on the environment, the number of services, and the size of the data center. It can go from $100,000 to a million dollars."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Government
9%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Performing Arts
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business10
Midsize Enterprise9
Large Enterprise25
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Large Enterprise5
 

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?
After evaluating other solutions, we will provide feedback.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Cisco DNA Center?
We have utilized the software-defined access (SDA) feature of Cisco DNA Center. The AI-driven needs enhancements and Integration and unification of visibility and monitoring to include other areas ...
See all answers
What is the best network monitoring software for large enterprises?
In my experience, I worked with many monitoring software, but the one that gave me the most functionalities of a large-scale company is Zenoss, due to its ability to monitor completely hybrid and a...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

Cisco Catalyst Center vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
Cisco Catalyst Center vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 16% of the time
Juniper Mist Wired Assurance vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
Juniper Mist Wired Assurance vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 6% of the time
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 5% of the time
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 5% of the time
Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center Logo
Fortinet FortiManager vs Cisco DNA Center
Compared 5% of the time
More Cisco DNA Center Competitors
Zabbix vs Zenoss Cloud Logo
Zabbix vs Zenoss Cloud
Compared 23% of the time
Nagios XI vs Zenoss Cloud Logo
Nagios XI vs Zenoss Cloud
Compared 21% of the time
Nagios Core vs Zenoss Cloud Logo
Nagios Core vs Zenoss Cloud
Compared 10% of the time
SolarWinds AppOptics vs Zenoss Cloud Logo
SolarWinds AppOptics vs Zenoss Cloud
Compared 8% of the time
SCOM vs Zenoss Cloud Logo
SCOM vs Zenoss Cloud
Compared 7% of the time
More Zenoss Cloud Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Cisco DNA Center
October 2025
Cisco DNA Center reportDownload Cisco DNA Center product report
Buyer's Guide
Zenoss Cloud
September 2025
Zenoss Cloud reportDownload Zenoss Cloud product report
 

Also Known As

DNA Center
Cloud Monitoring, Zenoss Service Dynamics
 

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
Zenoss Cloud revolutionizes IT infrastructure monitoring with a service-centric approach, prioritizing the overall health of services and applications. Harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AIOps), Zenoss Cloud offers end-to-end visibility across servers, networks, storage, and applications. Real-time monitoring, event correlation, and automated remediation ensure immediate insights and efficient issue resolution. The customizable dashboards empower users to tailor visualizations to their needs, while scalability accommodates diverse infrastructures. Zenoss Cloud guarantees improved application performance, reduced downtime, and enhanced IT efficiency, making it an ideal choice for businesses of all sizes, from small enterprises seeking simplicity to large corporations requiring advanced scalability. Experience unified monitoring and proactive management with Zenoss Cloud, a comprehensive solution that transforms IT infrastructure optimization in today's complex environments.
Zenoss
 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
2degrees, Rackspace, State of North Dakota, El Paso Independent School District, NWN Corporation
Buyer's Guide
Cisco DNA Center vs. Zenoss Cloud
September 2025
Free Report: Cisco DNA Center vs. Zenoss Cloud
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