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Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs Zenoss Cloud comparison

Cisco and Zenoss are both solutions in the Network Monitoring Software category. Cisco is ranked #17 with an average rating of 8.0, while Zenoss is ranked #76. Cisco holds a 0.6% mindshare in NMS, compared to Zenoss’s 0.6% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Zenoss users who would recommend it.
Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabri...
Read 25 Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) reviews
  • 891 Views
  • 864 Comparison Views
92% 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 Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller are competing in network management. Zenoss Cloud has an advantage in monitoring capabilities and pricing, while Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller offers advanced infrastructure features justifying higher costs.

Features: Zenoss Cloud provides comprehensive monitoring, predictive analytics, and alerting capabilities, optimizing IT operations. Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller offers robust networking and fabric management, seamless Cisco integration, scalability, and detailed topology management.

Room for Improvement: Zenoss Cloud could enhance its networking features, scalability for larger enterprises, and integration within diverse environments. Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller might improve its usability for non-Cisco environments, simplify deployment for smaller teams, and reduce the need for hardware dependency.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Zenoss Cloud has a cloud-based deployment with fast implementation and minimal hardware needs, backed by reliable customer service with timely responses. Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller has more complex deployments due to hardware integration, and customer service involves extended support for deployment specifics.

Pricing and ROI: Zenoss Cloud offers cost-effective solutions with predictable pricing, providing positive ROI through efficient performance monitoring. Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller has higher initial costs but offers substantial ROI with strategic network management benefits and long-term savings for complex infrastructure.

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To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs. Zenoss Cloud Report (Updated: September 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) 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 Nexus Dashboard Fabri...
Ranking in Network Monitoring Software
17th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
25
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
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 Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) is 0.6%, up from 0.5% 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 Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)0.6%
Zenoss Cloud0.6%
Other98.8%
Network Monitoring Software
 

Featured Reviews

Upul Abhayasena - PeerSpot reviewer
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
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 like running the scripts. With the help of a Python script, we deployed within the configuration and built up the code."
"The interface of this solution is easy to use overall."
"It uses push technology, which pushes the changes to all relevant devices to ensure they are updated accordingly."
"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 most valuable features of Cisco Data Center Network Manager are consistency and the core server. The teams have had a good experience."
"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."
"VCNM provides a unique capability of managing the admin VDCs of Nexus boxes."
More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) 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."
"The custom built integration is one of the most valuable features because you can see all the especially critical items."
"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."
"They have also accommodated many state-of-the-art technologies like Docker and ZooKeeper."
"The product offers good documentation that helps with initial training."
"It's easy to use."
 

Cons

"In the next release, I would like to see it merged with Prime and I think that it should be more unified."
"The tool should be more user-friendly and improve AI integration."
"Sometimes the product gives us problems that require support."
"The initial setup is challenging."
"Data Center Network Manager is a little complex because it includes a lot of hardware to be installed."
"If the customer thinks about using additional solutions, Cisco should make sure they are not left out."
"Automation for the RMA process can be added."
"It's a relatively expensive product for some clients."
More Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) cons
"The AI aspect needs to improve."
"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."
"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."
"Now it is stable, but they should design threshold parameters in percentage instead of raw values."
"It would be ideal if the product offered sound alerts."
"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

"The product is licensed with contracts that work on a yearly basis rather than a monthly model."
"On average, Data Center Network Manager's pricing isn't too costly unless you choose a premier license."
"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 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."
"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 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."
"It depends on the customer, what he wants."
"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."
"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."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
8%
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 Enterprise6
Large Enterprise15
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Large Enterprise5
 

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 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

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Cisco DNA Center vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)
Compared 54% of the time
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Zabbix vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)
Compared 16% of the time
SolarWinds Network Automation Manager vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) Logo
SolarWinds Network Automation Manager vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)
Compared 12% of the time
SolarWinds NPM vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) Logo
SolarWinds NPM vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)
Compared 10% of the time
Icinga vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) Logo
Icinga vs Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)
Compared 8% of the time
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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 Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM)
October 2025
Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) reportDownload Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) product report
Buyer's Guide
Zenoss Cloud
September 2025
Zenoss Cloud reportDownload Zenoss Cloud product report
 

Also Known As

Cisco Data Center Network Manager
Cloud Monitoring, Zenoss Service Dynamics
 

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
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

Banco de Guayaquil, Cox Communications, Kuwait Petroleum Italia, Roper St. Francis, University of British Columbia
2degrees, Rackspace, State of North Dakota, El Paso Independent School District, NWN Corporation
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs. Zenoss Cloud
September 2025
Free Report: Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM) vs. Zenoss Cloud
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