Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs SymphonyAI IT Service Management comparison

The compared Cisco and SymphonyAI solutions aren't in the same category. Cisco is ranked #16 in NMS , with an average rating of 8.2, and holds a 0.5% mindshare in the category. SymphonyAI is ranked #22 in ISM , with an average rating of 7.0, and holds a 1.5% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of SymphonyAI users who would recommend it.

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabri...

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

822 Views
281 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

SymphonyAI IT Service Manag...

Read 5 SymphonyAI IT Service Management reviews

444 Views
229 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabri...

SymphonyAI IT Service Manag...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) and SymphonyAI IT Service Management based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Zabbix, Auvik, SolarWinds and others in Network Monitoring Software.

To learn more, read our detailed Network Monitoring Software Report (Updated: May 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Network Monitoring Software

May 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 860,168 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

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Monitoring Software (16th)

SymphonyAI IT Service Manag...

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Help Desk Software (22nd), IT Asset Management (16th), IT Service Management (ITSM) (22nd)

Mindshare comparison

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) and SymphonyAI IT Service Management aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) is designed for Network Monitoring Software and holds a mindshare of 0.5%, up 0.4% compared to last year.
SymphonyAI IT Service Management, on the other hand, focuses on IT Service Management (ITSM), holds 1.5% mindshare, up 1.0% since last year.

Network Monitoring Software

IT Service Management (ITSM)

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…

Read full review

Abhishek Bhosle

IT Specialist at Tata AIA

Good ticketing tool but limitations with integration

We use ManageEngine, but it's still pretty new and under development. We used SummitAI for about four years before switching to ManageEngine. There are specific features that were missing in SummitAI that we're hoping to find in ManageEngine. We were informed that ManageEngine was a new ticketing tool with modern and advanced analytics, which would be a better fit than SummitAI with its older engine. Firstly, ManageEngine allows detailed asset inventory per user. I, as a user, can store authentication details like which laptop and mobile I use, for all employees. Secondly, ManageEngine can handle patching, Windows updates, and pushing applications from the server to desktops. Finally, ManageEngine lets us do remote access directly through the tool.

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 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."

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

"The most valuable features of Cisco Data Center Network Manager are consistency and the core server. The teams have had a good experience."

"I like that is easy to work on and straightforward."

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

"The monitoring capability is the best in Cisco Data Center Network Manager. It helps me improve network management tasks and optimize processes."

"We use the product to manage access points."

"Fabric suite automation is a great feature."

More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) pros

"It was easy to access and fast. Our experience using it solely as a ticketing tool. We used fetch reports from the tool, particularly with regard to SLA tracking for our partners."

"The product has the best features for ITSM."

"The most valuable feature is remote access. People are working from home, and we can take remote access through it."

"SummitAI IT Management Suite's chat box feature has reduced our service discount, and because it's intelligent, the responses that go out to the users have improved, and the resolutions are much faster."

Cons

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

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

"The initial setup is challenging."

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

"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."

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

"It's very costly."

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

More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) cons

"SummitAI IT Management Suite's project management and operational management features could be improved."

"I would like them to add software inventory in the next release. We don't have that right now."

"There could be flexibility in terms of customization."

"Integration was a major limitation with SummitAI."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

"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."

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

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

"The solution is very expensive."

"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."

"SummitAI IT Management Suite's pricing is a bit expensive."

"The product's cost is average."

"We have a regular license."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Network Monitoring Software solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

860,168 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Government

12%

Financial Services Firm

Healthcare Company

Manufacturing Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Computer Software Company

12%

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 SummitAI IT Management Suite?

It was easy to access and fast. Our experience using it solely as a ticketing tool. We used fetch reports from the tool, particularly with regard to SLA tracking for our partners.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SummitAI IT Management Suite?

The product's cost is average. It used to be inexpensive, but now they have added many functionalities. Still, it is cheaper than other more significant tools in the market. The suite is not just l...

See all answers

What needs improvement with SummitAI IT Management Suite?

Integration was a major limitation with SummitAI. Features we need are available in ManageEngine, making it a better fit. Secondly, the cost of SummitAI was a challenge. Finally, company policies o...

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

More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) Competitors

ServiceNow vs SymphonyAI IT Service Management

Compared 82% of the time

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus vs SymphonyAI IT Service Management

Compared 18% of the time

More SymphonyAI IT Service Management Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)

June 2025

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) report

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

Buyer's Guide

IT Service Management (ITSM)

June 2025

Download SymphonyAI IT Service Management product report

Also Known As

Cisco Data Center Network Manager

Summus IT Management Suite

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

SymphonyAI provides an AI-powered IT Service Management (ITSM) platform aimed at enhancing IT service delivery efficiency and effectiveness. The platform, SymphonyAI ITSM, offers a unified service portal for streamlined user assistance and incorporates reporting and analytics functionalities to furnish insights into IT service performance. By leveraging artificial intelligence, SymphonyAI aims to optimize ITSM processes, aligning IT services with business needs while ensuring cost efficiency.

SymphonyAI

Sample Customers

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

Magma, Toyota, Evidera, Netik, KPMG, Innodata, ABB, DAIKIN, Toshiba, Emerson, Dell, Pansonic, DBS, PWC, EY, Hexaware Technologies, Deloitte, NEC, Birla Soft, Panasonic, Harman, SBI, Kotak Life Insurance, SREI, Marico, Perfetti, Manipal Hospitals, Maruti Suzuki, Royal Enfield, Toyota, CEAT, ABB, L&T, VIP, Knight Frank, Adithya Birla

Buyer's Guide

Network Monitoring Software

May 2025

Download Free Report

Find out what your peers are saying about Zabbix, Auvik, SolarWinds and others in Network Monitoring Software. Updated: May 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

860,168 professionals have used our research since 2012.

We monitor all Network Monitoring Software reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.