Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs SolarWinds Network Automation Manager comparison

Cisco and SolarWinds are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Cisco is ranked #29 with an average rating of 8.1, while SolarWinds is ranked #99. Cisco holds a 0.7% mindshare in NMS, compared to SolarWinds’s 0.3% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 50% of SolarWinds 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

SolarWinds Network Automati...

Read 2 SolarWinds Network Automation Manager reviews

741 Views
371 Comparison Views

50% willing to recommend

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabri...

SolarWinds Network Automati...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller and SolarWinds Network Automation Manager compete in network management automation. Cisco integrates well within its ecosystem, offering comprehensive features for Cisco environments, while SolarWinds addresses diverse system needs with extensive capabilities.

Features: Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller supports automated provisioning, comprehensive network visualization, and efficient orchestration for large-scale deployments. SolarWinds Network Automation Manager provides robust network monitoring, configuration management across different systems, and effective alerting capabilities suitable for various IT environments.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller could enhance cross-platform compatibility, offer more flexible pricing tiers, and streamline its user interface for non-Cisco users. SolarWinds Network Automation Manager may improve its scalability for larger networks, enhance reporting customization, and refine its dashboard for more intuitive user experience.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller suits organizations entrenched in Cisco infrastructure for seamless deployment, supported by integrated customer service. SolarWinds Network Automation Manager offers an easy installation process adaptable to various IT setups, supported by extensive community resources and support channels.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller involves higher initial costs but aligns with other Cisco solutions for effective ROI. SolarWinds Network Automation Manager is cost-effective, offering significant long-term savings with its extensive feature set, balancing initial investment with operational benefits.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs. SolarWinds Network Automation Manager Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs. SolarWinds Network Automation Manager

December 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 Nexus Dashboard Fabri...

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

29th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

SolarWinds Network Automati...

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

99th

Average Rating

5.6

Reviews Sentiment

8.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Automation (12th)

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2025, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) is 0.7%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SolarWinds Network Automation Manager is 0.3%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Monitoring Software Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)	0.7%
SolarWinds Network Automation Manager	0.3%
Other	99.0%

Network Monitoring Software

Featured Reviews

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.

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Giulio Valeri

Owner at SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS SRL

Threat detection failures, poor technical support, and expensive

We use the solution to manage all of our customer's systems. We monitor and decide if everything is okay and if not, we do changes when needed. For example, if there is a need to change the antivirus software we can automate the process and install the new one. There are scripts within the software…

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

"The tool's most valuable feature is the consolidated dashboard, providing insights into parameters and overall usage of network features. It allows us to easily summarize insights through the dashboards. The solution offers automation capabilities, particularly in the context of connecting LAN sites with websites."

"The product makes the management of our environment simpler."

"You can integrate all the networks into the software."

"The feature I find most valuable, is the stability of the solution."

"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."

"VCNM provides a unique capability of managing the admin VDCs of Nexus boxes."

More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) pros

"The solution offers so many great resources, it makes them a powerhouse in the market."

"The installation is easy."

Cons

"Could integrate better with VMware products."

"The visibility of applications is not great."

"If the customer thinks about using additional solutions, Cisco should make sure they are not left out."

"Data Center Network Manager is a little complex because it includes a lot of hardware to be installed."

"The delivery Cisco Data Center Network Manager could improve if it was easier. Additionally, some feature improvement is needed."

"The configuration is too complicated and you have to create templates and use a lot of menus."

"Automation for the RMA process can be added."

"One of the biggest challenges is that we aren't always able to push the configuration onto the target device. Whenever this happens, we have to do a factory reset, put on the script, and then reconfigure it again. In the next release, I would like to have a troubleshooting feature."

More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) cons

"We did not like SolarWinds because it was not able to communicate between UPSA and our accounting system. They should have better integration."

"The price could be a bit lower."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is licensed with contracts that work on a yearly basis rather than a monthly model."

"When we purchase a Nexus box, the MDS CM license comes with it."

"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 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."

"I would say that the pricing offers great value for the money."

"The price of Cisco Data Center Network Manager is expensive compared to other vendors on the market."

"The solution is very expensive."

"On average, Data Center Network Manager's pricing isn't too costly unless you choose a premier license."

"The price of SolarWinds Network Automation Manager is fair. However, it is more expensive than ConnectWise."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Government

13%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Performing Arts

Government

13%

Performing Arts

12%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	10
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	16

No data available

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

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Comparisons

Cisco DNA Center vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)

Compared 51% of the time

Zabbix vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)

Compared 16% of the time

SolarWinds NPM vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)

Compared 12% of the time

Icinga vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)

Compared 7% of the time

More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) Competitors

NetBrain vs SolarWinds Network Automation Manager

Compared 57% of the time

Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform vs SolarWinds Network Automation Manager

Compared 12% of the time

Cisco DNA Center vs SolarWinds Network Automation Manager

Compared 9% of the time

WhatsUp Gold vs SolarWinds Network Automation Manager

Compared 7% of the time

More SolarWinds Network Automation Manager Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)

December 2025

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) report

Download Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) product report

Buyer's Guide

Network Automation

December 2025

SolarWinds Network Automation Manager report

Download SolarWinds Network Automation Manager product report

Also Known As

Cisco Data Center Network Manager

SolarWinds NAM

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

Scale environments from 1,000 to tens of thousands of nodes with comprehensive performance, traffic, WAN, and switch port monitoring, automated change and configuration management, and IP address management in an integrated network automation software solution.

SolarWinds

Sample Customers

Banco de Guayaquil, Cox Communications, Kuwait Petroleum Italia, Roper St. Francis, University of British Columbia

Maalem Financing Company, School City of Hammond

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs. SolarWinds Network Automation Manager

December 2025

Free Report: Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs. SolarWinds Network Automation Manager

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