Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs SolarWinds Network Device Monitor comparison

Cisco and SolarWinds are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Cisco is ranked #16 with an average rating of 8.2, while SolarWinds is ranked #30 with an average rating of 8.0. Cisco holds a 0.5% mindshare in NMS, compared to SolarWinds’s 0.6% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of SolarWinds users who would recommend it.

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabri...

Read 25 Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) reviews

839 Views
822 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

SolarWinds Network Device M...

Read 23 SolarWinds Network Device Monitor reviews

781 Views
750 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabri...

SolarWinds Network Device M...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 10, 2024

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller and SolarWinds Network Device Monitor compete in the network management category. Cisco seems to have the upper hand in support and pricing, while SolarWinds is preferred for features and functionality.

Features: Cisco Nexus Dashboard is known for its robust stability, comprehensive network visibility, and exceptional monitoring and automation features. It efficiently integrates with various network elements, providing enhanced automation capabilities. SolarWinds offers integral monitoring features with performance accuracy and strong alerting systems. Its ease of use, detailed reports, and alerts enable proactive measures.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Nexus Dashboard could enhance its user interface complexity, report intuitiveness, and integration with other tools. Setup challenges and the need for improved feature integration and scalability are noted. SolarWinds should focus on user-friendliness, reducing security issues, and refining its discovery feature.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Nexus Dashboard and SolarWinds support on-premises and private cloud deployments, with SolarWinds also supporting hybrid cloud environments. Cisco's technical support is praised for being responsive and high-quality, whereas SolarWinds provides competent support requiring fewer user interventions.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Nexus Dashboard is considered expensive but offers value through its comprehensive features and favorable ROI for long-term users. SolarWinds is slightly more cost-effective, though still viewed as costly by some users. Despite costs, it offers reasonable ROI due to ongoing enhancements and reliable performance.

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

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs. SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

July 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

16th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

SolarWinds Network Device M...

Ranking in Network Monitoring Software

30th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Network Monitoring Software category, the mindshare of Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) is 0.5%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SolarWinds Network Device Monitor is 0.6%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Monitoring Software

Featured Reviews

Upul Abhayasena

Manager - Technology at a engineering company with 10,001+ employees

Robust management tool with an easy setup and room for more features

DCNM is used by one of the airline customers in Qatar to manage many data centers and rack switches running on normal Nexus or NX-OS mode. They required a controller platform to manage these Nexus switches, and thus, they utilized DCNM as a Fabric controller. Given that ACI deployment is very low…

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Vijay Samant

Assistant Manager at a computer software company with 5,001-10,000 employees

Monitor network utilization and manage bandwidth efficiently with live monitoring and reliable fault management capabilities

I use SolarWinds Network Device Monitor for monitoring network utilization, bandwidth utilization, uptime, and downtime. It also assists in incident management SolarWinds Network Device Monitor provides live monitoring capabilities, which are very useful. Its fault management capabilities are…

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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

"Data Center Network Manager is absolutely stable."

"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."

"It uses push technology, which pushes the changes to all relevant devices to ensure they are updated accordingly."

"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 interface of this solution is easy to use overall."

"I like running the scripts. With the help of a Python script, we deployed within the configuration and built up the code."

"The product has excellent stability."

"We use the product to manage access points."

More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) pros

"Since our devices are spread out across the world, we can see the status of these devices without having to send someone physically to a remote location, which saves money."

"The most valuable feature of SolarWinds Network Device Monitor is it can alert you when a device is not working."

"The most valuable features of SolarWinds Network Device Monitor are the reports. We are configuring the reports, and the first reports are only about the devices. We are configuring the thresholds in order to monitor all the devices."

"The alerting functionality in SolarWinds Network Device Monitor helps us stay informed during off-hours by sending alerts if our main links or devices are impacted, allowing us to quickly address any issues."

"SolarWinds Network Device Monitor is a straightforward product with valuable functionality."

"In terms of general network monitoring features, I find SolarWinds Network Device Monitor very flexible and comfortable to use. The software itself is extremely useful when it comes to monitoring how our data moves between different networks and environments."

"Link monitoring is the most valuable feature of this solution."

"The product is useful for switches and IP phones."

More SolarWinds Network Device Monitor pros

Cons

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

"The tool's pricing strategy could be improved to compete more effectively in the market, especially against competitors like Huawei, Aruba, and Juniper."

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

"The solution needs to improve reports."

"It is not very easy to monitor or to browse."

"It's a relatively expensive product for some clients."

"The visibility of applications is not great."

"More integration features would be beneficial."

More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) cons

"The main disadvantage of SolarWinds Network Device Monitor is the licensing cost, which is expensive."

"The solution lacks in performance monitoring."

"SolarWinds Network Device Monitor could improve the features. We don't have the complete model for the database, and the monitoring for the database is up and down. We expect that we could monitor the blocking items on the database but we don't have that feature."

"The way they are presenting the map of our devices needs to be improved."

"The reporting feature needs improvement because we are unable to configure reports that were included during initial implementation."

"Although I haven't explored all of the features available, I wouldn't mind if the software were made to be a bit more customizable."

"SolarWinds Network Device Monitor lacks the granularity of other monitoring tools like LiveNX."

"SolarWinds Network Device Monitor could improve by being more user-friendly. The network has so many features which make it difficult to find how to configure how to use it. It is not simple to customize."

More SolarWinds Network Device Monitor cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

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

"The solution is very expensive."

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

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

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

"Well, we had a perpetual license and the renewal was $20 to $25,000."

"The enterprise license is good for the SolarWinds Network Device Monitor. However, it is expensive, they should reduce their price."

"The price of the SolarWinds Network Device Monitor is good."

"Thankfully, it doesn't take a lot of manpower to install and deploy."

"I find the cost of SolarWinds Network Device Monitor reasonable for our company. Though, I'm not aware of the exact licensing cost."

"The product is expensive."

"When compared with other solutions SolarWinds is more expensive."

"SolarWinds Network Device Monitor is not an expensive solution."

More SolarWinds Network Device Monitor pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Government

12%

Financial Services Firm

Real Estate/Law Firm

Manufacturing Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

14%

Computer Software Company

14%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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 SolarWinds Network Device Monitor?

I rate the product's initial setup process a nine on a scale of one to ten, where one means it is a difficult phase and ten is an easy process.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SolarWinds Network Device Monitor?

SolarWinds pricing is on the higher side, and in India, every customer is cautious about commercial aspects.

See all answers

What needs improvement with SolarWinds Network Device Monitor?

SolarWinds Network Device Monitor should include automatic diagrams in its network solutions. Additionally, there is a challenge with having to add an additional polling engine after 10,000 element...

See all answers

Comparisons

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

Compared 61% of the time

Zabbix vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)

Compared 15% of the time

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

Compared 14% of the time

Icinga vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)

Compared 10% of the time

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ScienceLogic vs SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

Compared 25% of the time

IBM SevOne Network Performance Management (NPM) vs SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

Compared 22% of the time

FortiMonitor vs SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

Compared 20% of the time

Checkmk vs SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

Compared 10% of the time

Zabbix vs SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

Compared 8% of the time

More SolarWinds Network Device Monitor Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)

July 2025

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) report

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

Buyer's Guide

SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

June 2025

SolarWinds Network Device Monitor report

Download SolarWinds Network Device Monitor product report

Also Known As

Cisco Data Center Network Manager

Network Device Monitor

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

Network Device Monitor is a free tool that makes it easy to monitor the real-time performance and health of a single device on your network with a desktop dashboard that alerts you when your device is in trouble.

SolarWinds

Sample Customers

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

Air Rarotonga

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs. SolarWinds Network Device Monitor

July 2025

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