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Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs Cisco Prime [EOL] comparison

The compared Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) and Cisco Prime [EOL] solutions aren't in the same category. Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) is ranked #29 in NMS , with an average rating of 8.1, and holds a 0.7% mindshare in the category. Additionally, 92% of Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 91% of Cisco Prime [EOL] users who would recommend it.
Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabri...
Read 26 Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) reviews
  • 1,145 Views
  • 1,099 Comparison Views
92% willing to recommend
Cisco Prime [EOL]
Read 35 Cisco Prime [EOL] reviews
    91% willing to recommend
     

    Comparison Buyer's Guide

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    Executive Summary
    We performed a comparison between Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) and Cisco Prime [EOL] based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

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    Buyer's Guide
    Network Monitoring Software
    November 2025
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    Helped 879,310 peers since 2012

    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 Nexus Dashboard Fabri...
    Average Rating
    8.0
    Reviews Sentiment
    6.2
    Number of Reviews
    26
    Ranking in other categories
    Network Monitoring Software (29th)
    Cisco Prime [EOL]
    Average Rating
    7.8
    Reviews Sentiment
    6.5
    Number of Reviews
    35
    Ranking in other categories
    No ranking in other categories
     

    Featured Reviews

    Jagdev Dhaliwal - PeerSpot reviewer
    Jagdev Dhaliwal
    Network Engineer at a healthcare company with 1,001-5,000 employees
    Flow monitoring has improved planning for east-west traffic and real-time capacity decisions
    Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) helps to understand the flows and data plane capacities, which are the primary use cases. Usually, people struggle with east-west traffic flow when they need to decide on firewalls or products. People typically understand north-south traffic flows but usually miss the east-west traffic flows in data centers. I was focusing more on this so that people can accordingly plan, such as after F5, the number of servers, the number of sessions needed, and whether we need to plan the interface for groups from the line capacity perspective. This kind of information was valuable to us. The real-time telemetry feature was beneficial. When experiencing performance issues, I could determine if there were any issues related to flows or areas where bottlenecks were occurring.
    Read full review
    AR
    AndrewRichardson
    Network Engineer at Edmonton Catholic School Board
    Has an easy implementation process, but the performance monitoring feature could be more intuitive
    The project implementation was easy overall. Adapting Cisco's solutions to our specific environment required effort, as their documentation only covers some network scenarios. The deployment didn't happen all at once; it was staged and controlled to ensure a smooth transition. We started with a small test environment before gradually rolling it out to all campuses. This gradual approach helped mitigate the risk of any issues arising across multiple locations simultaneously, especially on a critical day like Monday morning. We have a team of three executives working on the process. Their job roles included network specialists and a manager. It requires maintenance, which is included in the annual cost. We receive updates and support as part of the renewal process.
    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

    "It has a very nice dashboard so you can see what's currently happening in the network and the performance of the back story."
    "The feature I find most valuable, is the stability of the solution."
    "It uses push technology, which pushes the changes to all relevant devices to ensure they are updated accordingly."
    "I don't have to rely on the on-site engineer who can do the configuration. I can have our team just plug the devices and perform remotely. I can also do the templates."
    "The most valuable feature is the connectivity monitoring."
    "Monitoring system provides a clear indication of what's going on in the network."
    "I like that is easy to work on and straightforward."
    "The interface of this solution is easy to use overall."
    More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) pros
    "Cisco Prime allows us to manage all the wireless controllers and access points."
    "The most valuable is the assistance for network support."
    "The hardware Cisco provides is excellent. It's a well-made product."
    "We use this solution to troubleshoot our wireless systems, specifically regarding signal strength."
    "The solution helps with the management and support of the enterprise network."
    "The dashboard is a valuable feature. It's very clear, and the metrics make it easy to see the current network situation."
    "The product's most valuable features are monitoring and configuration."
    "The most valuable features of Cisco Prime include its comprehensive functionality as a one-stop solution for basic SNMP port management."
    More Cisco Prime [EOL] pros
     

    Cons

    "We need better performance and reliability."
    "The tool's pricing strategy could be improved to compete more effectively in the market, especially against competitors like Huawei, Aruba, and Juniper."
    "I do not believe it integrated well with different infrastructures for hybrid environments."
    "The solution needs to improve reports."
    "Could integrate better with VMware products."
    "The automation feature could be improved."
    "It's a relatively expensive product for some clients."
    "Automation for the RMA process can be added."
    More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) cons
    "The product's performance monitoring feature could be more intuitive."
    "I rate Cisco Prime seven out of 10 for affordability. All Cisco solutions are expensive."
    "The product needs to improve its interface and reporting."
    "The solution has issues with real time monitoring of devices and NetFlow such as inadequate visualization for reports, sources, and destinations."
    "The solution can be slow at times."
    "The product's pricing can be cheaper."
    "Maybe it could be a little cheaper."
    "There is room for improvement in the Access layer."
    More Cisco Prime [EOL] cons
     

    Pricing and Cost Advice

    "The price of Cisco Data Center Network Manager is expensive compared to other vendors on the market."
    "I would say that the pricing offers great value for the money."
    "The solution is very expensive."
    "On average, Data Center Network Manager's pricing isn't too costly unless you choose a premier license."
    "We usually opt for a yearly plan, commonly for three or five years upfront. Some customers may not utilize all the features included in the product, and this can lead to them paying for functionalities they don't need."
    "The product is licensed with contracts that work on a yearly basis rather than a monthly model."
    "The tool is always expensive, but their service, product quality, and support are good. We're happy with it, but it's still an expensive solution. There are cheaper alternatives but no similar platform across all domains."
    "When we purchase a Nexus box, the MDS CM license comes with it."
    "The solution is not inexpensive but is worth it for large-scale environments."
    "We update the license every five years."
    "I rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."
    "I would rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."
    "The price of Cisco Prime was reasonable because we purchased it as part of a Cisco One package. The package was a bundle of Cisco solutions together, such as Cisco ISE and CMX. The price is reasonable com compared to other solutions."
    "You need to get special quotes from the company for each order."
    "I would rate the pricing of Cisco Prime a seven out of ten."
    "The product is expensive compared to other vendors in the market."
    More Cisco Prime [EOL] pricing and cost advice
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    Answers from the Community

    ChrisPoe - PeerSpot reviewer
    ChrisPoe
    Vice President of Offerings - Advanced Technology & Security Solutions at Carousel Industries
    Mar 2, 2023
    Mar 2, 2023
    What are the overall differences between Cisco Prime and Cisco DNAC?
    Two major differences: 1. The actual models that they manage, the p-dart Cisco migration report will tell you where you stand on this issue. Not all CPI models are supported on DNA. 2. Installation and maintenance automation of connected devices. A modern must-have for device deployment and maintenance. Having said these two points, DNA is and will be the integration point for a whole suit...
    See 2 answers
    Olajide Olusegun - PeerSpot reviewer
    Olajide Olusegun
    Network Team Lead at Atlas Security
    Mar 1, 2023
    We use both Cisco DNAC and Cisco Prime (PI). Actually, you can easily use the migration tool on Cisco PI 3.10 to migrate your data and integrate it with DNAC. DNAC is more dynamic and robust than PI supporting intent-based networking, analytics and assurance, and many automated operations.  Best suited for enterprise environments with many Cisco platforms and multiple managed devices where automated operations are highly required. If we didn't have PI before, we would have just settled for DNAC because DNAC can do a lot more and better.
    Read full answer
    RM
    Roger Martinez
    President at TCT
    Mar 2, 2023
    Two major differences: 1. The actual models that they manage, the p-dart Cisco migration report will tell you where you stand on this issue. Not all CPI models are supported on DNA.   2. Installation and maintenance automation of connected devices. A modern must-have for device deployment and maintenance.   Having said these two points, DNA is and will be the integration point for a whole suite of products like CPO which will become a DNA module and tighter integration with ICE. Furthermore, the new automation feature is really a prequel to the more interesting self-diagnosis and self-correction of device operations. Hope this answers your question, but install the PDART migration report to really understand the ROI of DNA.
    Read full answer
     

    Top Industries

    By visitors reading reviews
    Government
    13%
    Computer Software Company
    12%
    Manufacturing Company
    9%
    Performing Arts
    6%
    Government
    16%
    Computer Software Company
    12%
    Manufacturing Company
    9%
    Healthcare Company
    8%
     

    Company Size

    By reviewers
    Large Enterprise
    Midsize Enterprise
    Small Business
    By reviewers
    Company SizeCount
    Small Business10
    Midsize Enterprise6
    Large Enterprise16
    By reviewers
    Company SizeCount
    Small Business9
    Midsize Enterprise4
    Large Enterprise23
     

    Questions from the Community

    What do you like most about Cisco Data Center Network Manager?
    It uses push technology, which pushes the changes to all relevant devices to ensure they are updated accordingly.
    See all answers
    What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Data Center Network Manager?
    The tool is always expensive, but their service, product quality, and support are good. We're happy with it, but it's still an expensive solution. There are cheaper alternatives but no similar plat...
    See all answers
    What needs improvement with Cisco Data Center Network Manager?
    In a mixed architecture where Nexus switches are used as border devices and are connected to a Palo Alto firewall (e.g., version 9.1 or 10.1), you might encounter issues with BGP peering. For insta...
    See all answers
    What do you like most about Cisco Prime?
    The most valuable features of Cisco Prime include its comprehensive functionality as a one-stop solution for basic SNMP port management.
    See all answers
    What needs improvement with Cisco Prime?
    The product's performance monitoring feature could be more intuitive.
    See all answers
    What is your primary use case for Cisco Prime?
    We use Cisco Prime for centralized configuration management backups and monitoring.
    See all answers
     

    Comparisons

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    Compared 14% of the time
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    SolarWinds NPM vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)
    Compared 12% of the time
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    Icinga vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)
    Compared 7% of the time
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    Compared 22% of the time
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    Compared 18% of the time
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    Compared 17% of the time
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    Compared 17% of the time
    Junos Space Network Director vs Cisco Prime [EOL] Logo
    Junos Space Network Director vs Cisco Prime [EOL]
    Compared 13% of the time
    More Cisco Prime [EOL] Competitors
     

    Product Reports

    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)
    December 2025
    Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) reportDownload Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) product report
    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco Prime [EOL]
    December 2025
    Cisco Prime [EOL] reportDownload Cisco Prime [EOL] product report
     

    Also Known As

    Cisco Data Center Network Manager
    Cisco Prime Infrastructure
     

    Overview

    The Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) offers a comprehensive solution for managing Cisco NX-OS switches in hybrid-cloud environments, providing automation, visibility, and consistent operations. Designed to simplify and enhance data center management, NDFC integrates with Cisco Nexus Dashboard to streamline network connectivity, reduce deployment times, and ensure seamless transitions with minimal disruptions. Its modular architecture, new user interface, and support for non-Nexus OS platforms make it a robust tool for LAN, SAN, and IP Fabric for Media management. Additionally, NDFC enhances fabric reliability, automates workflows, and supports cloud connectivity with AWS and Microsoft Azure, making it ideal for businesses adapting to increasingly complex digital environments.

    Cisco

    Cisco Prime products deliver next-generation management by supporting an intuitive workflow-oriented user experience and integrated lifecycle operations across Cisco architectures, technologies, and networks.

    Cisco
     

    Sample Customers

    Banco de Guayaquil, Cox Communications, Kuwait Petroleum Italia, Roper St. Francis, University of British Columbia
    Mohawk Industries, Universidad EAFIT, Halton Healthcare
    Buyer's Guide
    Network Monitoring Software
    November 2025
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