Cisco UCS Director vs Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM) comparison

Cisco UCS Director vs. Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM)

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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 UCS Director

Ranking in Cloud Management

26th

Average Rating

7.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM)

Ranking in Cloud Management

2nd

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

125

Ranking in other categories

Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Suites (4th), Virtualization Management Tools (2nd), Cloud Cost Management (1st), Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) (5th)

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2026, in the Cloud Management category, the mindshare of Cisco UCS Director is 1.7%, up from 1.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM) is 2.4%, down from 5.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Cloud Management Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM)	2.4%
Cisco UCS Director	1.7%
Other	95.9%

Cloud Management

Featured Reviews

ErnieRumfield

Senior Telecommunications Engineer at a government with 1,001-5,000 employees

Managing extensive VoIP services becomes efficient and seamless

We use Cisco UCS Director primarily for managing our VoIP service to maintain seamless service delivery. We operate in an enterprise government environment Cisco UCS Director is straightforward to use, which we greatly appreciate. It helps save time by making it quicker to roll out new call…

Read full review

Phani Venkata Sai BKD

Technology Lead at Thomson Reuters

Manages hybrid infrastructure seamlessly with flexible cluster scaling and comprehensive oversight

The most important aspect of Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM) is that it helps us manage the infrastructure as a hyperconverged infrastructure in HCI mode. If I have different physical servers, I can map them into a cluster and manage the storage together. It provides flexibility to make use of storage in a clustered format instead of using it in an individual storage endpoint. We have the flexibility to have Nutanix-based licensing based on the core model, instead of having a specific cost on the cluster. The costing on a core model gives customers flexibility to add multiple cores to a single physical host and adjust the infrastructure accordingly, and we can scale up the cluster as needed. While other cloud providers, AWS or Azure, are mostly into cloud-based solutions, and Azure has introduced Azure Stack HCI for managing on-premises infrastructure, Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM) provides flexibility from day one. We can manage both on-premises and Azure solutions using a single pane of glass, eliminating the need to navigate different windows or screens. It provides a comprehensive view of the infrastructure and highlights specific areas through alerts, giving us good visibility of infrastructure conditions.

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 product is flexible and compact. It has a lot of features."

"UCS director enables us to be more productive and more agile, and also more self-sufficient because we don't have to depend on anybody else."

"An easy and strong configuration, along with its low cost, are some of the features of the solution."

"Overall, I think that this is a very good product, although nothing is perfect."

"Better visibility and better control are the main benefits people receive from Cisco UCS Director; the automation and the orchestration part, these three to four points are the key factors to decide on Cisco UCS Director."

"The solution is helpful for centralized management."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is the fabric sharing."

"The technical support for this solution is very good, at least in our region."

More Cisco UCS Director pros

"I find that the support from Nutanix is very good, as I have worked with them many times."

"Since we switched to Nutanix, we have had fewer bottlenecks and issues during the big game nights."

"Nutanix Cloud Manager is easier for technicians than VMware, so fewer people are needed to do the same tasks. It's critical because if we do things faster, we do them at a lower price, especially if we use fewer human resources."

"Compared to other cloud management solutions such as VMware, Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM) offers a single pane of glass where a single service can manage everything, thanks to Prism Central and Prism Element metrics."

"Nutanix has been a great company to work with."

"Simplicity is most valuable because, with a single click, we have visibility of the entire infrastructure."

"I recommend my teammates and others to choose Nutanix because it is very user-friendly, and we have multiple ways to enhance our knowledge related to infrastructure."

"The Nutanix technical support is very, very good."

More Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM) pros

Cons

"There are a lot of bugs in the solution. This is an area in the solution that can be improved."

"Currently, Cisco UCS Director is unable to integrate with another product or with a server from another brand."

"The product could allow more programmatic opportunities through better development of the API."

"The scalability of this solution needs to be improved because as it is now, you cannot scale the storage alone. Rather, you have to scale the storage and the compute together."

"It should be more of a cloud-based architecture for Cisco UCS Director, and it should be affordable to small customers as well because the pricing is a major challenge when we talk about Cisco UCS Director."

"I would like to see more flexibility when it comes to managing other stacks, like VMware virtualization."

"The solution could be improved is including a feature where I could do things programmatically versus having to create workarounds to get what I want to get done."

"We cannot depend on this solution to manage all of the data center's infrastructure."

More Cisco UCS Director cons

"We are probably the customer who has the least number of problems. However, costs are always a concern."

"I would appreciate improvements in handling pre-check failures for beginners, particularly compatibility mismatches and issues with unsupported driver versions during upgrades or patches."

"Cost Governance's one shortcoming is a lack of support for specific environments."

"Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM) is very powerful, but it can be improved in areas such as UI usability, blueprint version, deeper cloud integration, and enhanced reporting by adding more AI-driven automation."

"Compatibility with multiple clouds and a single control would help us. We are also getting onto GCP, and there is limited compatibility with GCP in the areas we need. We are using GCP primarily for data analytics."

"Nutanix, as of today, they do not have many of the features that VMware hypervisor provides, such as the memory layer."

"The pricing could have some changes; compared to other platforms, pricing enhancement is important, and Nutanix does enhancements quarterly."

"The support provided after office hours could use some improvement."

More Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I would rate the product's pricing an eight out of ten."

"The budget doesn’t work for the state and local governments."

"The cost of this solution is significant."

"I rate Cisco UCS Director's price a three out of ten. Cisco UCS Director is not an affordable product. With Cisco UCS Director, there is a need to pay an overall price, which consists of the product, software, and support."

"On a scale of one to ten, where one is a low price and ten is a high price, I rate the pricing around five to six out of ten."

"Cisco UCS Director is expensive...I rate the solution's pricing a three out of ten."

"The price is probably right where it should be. It's not vastly expensive, and it's not too cheap. We get very good value for the price with what we're being offered with it."

"Nutanix costs more than Hyper-V, but the price is reasonable for the features we're getting. We have better support, analytics, reporting, and other capabilities that we didn't have before. That is more than enough to justify the cost. The hardware we purchased from Nutanix was priced fairly. The primary costs are software and support. It's a subscription-based service, which can be bad or good, depending on how you look at that. For me, it makes perfect sense. We get regular updates and can get support when we need it."

"You will see great value from it if you utilize the self-service part of Calm. The price you pay for it will only give you equal value if you use the self-service part to enable other teams. If you only use it as a deployment mechanism, I think it's rather expensive."

"Compared to UCS and the NetApp storage, Nutanix is actually cheaper."

"I think it can be more cost-effective."

"The product is expensive...When I have to sell the tool to a customer, I would say that it is not very expensive and can be termed priceless."

"Nutanix changes its licensing models frequently, and it is difficult to figure out how and what is included in which package."

"Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM) is cheaper than VMware and other products."

More Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM) pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

16%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Construction Company

10%

Marketing Services Firm

14%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	11

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	29
Midsize Enterprise	26
Large Enterprise	75

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco UCS Director?

While the pricing might be seen as expensive, it provides value for money due to reliable service and excellent technical support.

What needs improvement with Cisco UCS Director?

It should be more of a cloud-based architecture for Cisco UCS Director, and it should be affordable to small customers as well because the pricing is a major challenge when we talk about Cisco UCS ...

What is your primary use case for Cisco UCS Director?

Mainly in my region and country, large data center customers are using Cisco UCS Director, not the SMB or mid-market customers. More of the on-premise customers are utilizing Cisco UCS Director. Th...

Which set of Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM) features do you find to be the most useful?

For me, the features related to cost savings are the best part of NCM. Of course, the whole product is worth using and when it comes to cloud management, there is a reason why it is favored by so m...

Are the setup process and further maintenance of Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM) difficult?

When I came into my current organization, NCM was already set up. According to the team that dealt with it, the product was fairly easy to set up. Compared to other products, our IT rates are set u...

Is Nutanix Cloud Manager’s Intelligent Operations feature effective?

Yes, this is a highly effective feature and the rebranding only made things better as they introduced more improvements. You can benefit from Zero coding task automation Automated optimization Tic...

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Product Reports

Cisco UCS Director

Download Cisco UCS Director product report

Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM)

Download Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM) product report

Also Known As

No data available

Nutanix Cloud Manager Intelligent Operations, Nutanix Cloud Manager Self-Service, Nutanix Cloud Management Cost Governance, Nutanix Cloud Manager Security Central, Nutanix Software Subscription

Overview

Cisco UCS Director simplifies centralized management with a user-friendly interface, focusing on multi-cloud management, integration, and strong API support. It aims to provide comprehensive control and visibility across diverse environments.

Renowned for ease of use and deployment, Cisco UCS Director offers automation and orchestration capabilities, enabling workflow generation in private and hybrid clouds. It allows centralized control of UCS blades, VoIP services, and infrastructure while facilitating upgrades and traffic management in large data centers. Users benefit from its capability for self-service provisioning and third-party product integration. Despite strengths, improvements in interface simplicity, scalability, third-party integration, and cloud-based architecture could enhance its appeal.

What are the most important features?

Multi-Cloud Management: Simplifies operations across different cloud environments.
Integration with Cisco Solutions: Ensures seamless connection within Cisco's ecosystem.
Strong API Support: Facilitates custom integrations and extensions.
Single Pane of Glass Manageability: Provides comprehensive visibility and control.
Automation and Orchestration: Streamlines processes and tasks efficiently.
Cost-Effectiveness: Supports budget-conscious operations without compromising functionality.
Security: Prioritizes data safety and network security.
Fabric Sharing: Improves resource utilization and flexibility.

What benefits or ROI can users expect?

Ease of Use: Simplifies management tasks, reducing operational complexity.
Deployment Efficiency: Accelerates implementation across data centers.
Enhanced Visibility: Improves oversight of IT infrastructure.
Cost Management: Achieves savings through efficient resource utilization.
Scalability: Supports growth with adaptable infrastructure management.
Comprehensive Control: Centralizes control to enhance management.

IT organizations use Cisco UCS Director to automate and orchestrate deployments in diverse sectors, including telecommunications for VoIP service enhancement and in large data centers for infrastructure management. It supports web service apps, database integration, and facilitates upgrades, making it ideal for enterprises seeking streamlined processes and better resource management.

Cisco

Nutanix Cloud Manager streamlines hybrid cloud management by offering centralized control, automation, and workload optimization across platforms. It improves operational efficiency while reducing IT management complexity.

Nutanix Cloud Manager is designed for comprehensive hybrid cloud governance, providing tools for virtualization, resource allocation, and compliance. Its features include one-click upgrades, dynamic dashboards, and the seamless automation of tasks through X-Play. Users can efficiently manage virtual machines, ensure secure storage, and enhance productivity with predictive monitoring. Self-service capabilities allow users to reserve resources easily, while central management via Prism Pro and automated reports enhance oversight and decision-making. Challenges include UI simplicity, pricing transparency, and licensing efficiency, with users seeking improvements in VM organization, blueprint customization, and collaborative support for hybrid environments.

What important features define Nutanix Cloud Manager?

One-click Upgrades: Simplifies the process of updating and maintaining systems.
Intuitive Interface: Offers a user-friendly experience with a low learning curve.
Prism Pro: Central management for streamlined control over environments.
Dynamic Dashboards: Provides real-time insights and monitoring capabilities.
X-Play Automation: Facilitates seamless and efficient task automation.
Capacity Planning: Assists in optimal resource allocation and future growth planning.
Compliance Monitoring: Ensures adherence to industry standards and policies.
Efficient VM Management: Enhances control and monitoring of virtual machines.
Self-service Capabilities: Empowers users to manage and allocate resources independently.
Cost Governance: Allows organizations to maintain budgetary control and efficiency.

What benefits should be considered when evaluating Nutanix Cloud Manager?

Enhanced Productivity: Streamlines tasks and improves efficiency through automation.
Predictive Monitoring: Proactively addresses potential issues before they impact operations.
Robust Disaster Recovery: Provides reliable solutions to recover data and maintain continuity.
Automated Reports: Generates timely insights for informed decision-making.
Unified Cloud Management: Offers comprehensive control across multiple environments.

Nutanix Cloud Manager finds utility in industries requiring robust hybrid cloud strategies like finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. It excels in centralizing management for secure and compliant operations, optimizing workloads, and providing scalable solutions for resource allocation and compliance monitoring, thus enhancing cloud operations in diverse markets.

Nutanix

Sample Customers

Entel, Data#3, Cegal, NESIC, LightEdge

JetBlue, International Speedway Corporation, Volkswagen SAIC, Brighton and Hove City Council, Foresters Financial, Janus International Group, Cloud Comrade, Serco

Cisco UCS Director vs. Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM)