Cisco UCS Manager vs Dell CloudIQ comparison

Cisco and Dell Technologies are both solutions in the IT Infrastructure Monitoring category. Cisco is ranked #18 with an average rating of 8.8, while Dell Technologies is ranked #33 with an average rating of 8.3. Cisco holds a 1.3% mindshare in IM, compared to Dell Technologies’s 0.9% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Dell Technologies users who would recommend it.

Cisco UCS Manager

Read 27 Cisco UCS Manager reviews

2,065 Views
1,859 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Dell CloudIQ

Read 10 Dell CloudIQ reviews

1,456 Views
1,398 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

Cisco UCS Manager

Dell CloudIQ

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 9, 2024

Cisco UCS Manager and Dell CloudIQ are competing products in the enterprise IT management software category. Cisco UCS Manager seems to have the upper hand in terms of network management and customer support, while Dell CloudIQ is advantageous with its robust analytics capabilities, offering enhanced value with predictive insights.

Features: Cisco UCS Manager provides unified management of computing resources, centralized dashboard access, and simplified network management. Dell CloudIQ offers predictive analytics, comprehensive monitoring, and performance optimization. Cisco UCS Manager's network integration capabilities are notable, whereas Dell CloudIQ stands out for its advanced analytical features.

Room for Improvement: Cisco UCS Manager could enhance its predictive capabilities, offer more flexible access models, and provide more seamless updates. Dell CloudIQ can improve through better customer service consistency, reduce dependency on cloud infrastructure, and enhance initial setup processes.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco UCS Manager offers a straightforward hardware-based deployment model with strong customer support. Dell CloudIQ benefits from a cloud-based deployment, providing flexible access but with varying customer service experiences. Cisco UCS Manager's direct configuration contrasts with Dell CloudIQ's seamless updates and predictive capabilities.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco UCS Manager typically involves a higher initial setup cost but delivers consistent ROI through integrated system management. Dell CloudIQ's cloud subscription model offers a scalable cost structure and enhanced ROI facilitated by proactive insights. Cisco UCS Manager appeals to those valuing upfront investment in cohesive systems, while Dell CloudIQ attracts those seeking ongoing value through operational efficiencies.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco UCS Manager vs. Dell CloudIQ Report (Updated: January 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS Manager vs. Dell CloudIQ

January 2026

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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 Manager

Ranking in IT Infrastructure Monitoring

18th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Dell CloudIQ

Ranking in IT Infrastructure Monitoring

33rd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

5.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the IT Infrastructure Monitoring category, the mindshare of Cisco UCS Manager is 1.3%, down from 1.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Dell CloudIQ is 0.9%, down from 1.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

IT Infrastructure Monitoring Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Cisco UCS Manager	1.3%
Dell CloudIQ	0.9%
Other	97.8%

IT Infrastructure Monitoring

Featured Reviews

Rob-Croxford

Consultant at rcnss

A market leader with an enhanced user interface for seamless experience

There is room for improvement in terms of cost and complexity to set up. It doesn't work straight out of the UCS, so someone who knows what they're doing is needed immediately, and it can be quite confusing. Some settings are still fairly well hidden, even the basic ones. Companies don't really understand how long it takes to set up. Also, when changes are pushed, it can take their phone line off the system for twenty minutes to half an hour. Out-of-the-box functionality is an issue, too. I know that my company is different, however, the basics are always the same. You do your tap lines, zip lines, and stuff like that, then you get your internal phone line system. That can all be automated and scripted, and it's probably part of the automation process. However, I haven't really seen it.

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ClaudioSalgado

IT Architect Consultant at RTFM

Has proactive monitoring with predictive insights and a user-friendly interface

Some of the most valuable features of CloudIQ include its health status alerts, which allow you to see quickly if there is something that needs immediate attention, preventing the need to check each system individually. It provides a status with traffic light colors, where red indicates danger, yellow means attention is needed, and green represents normal conditions to easily understand the health of the environment. The quick overview aids in decision-making. Additionally, CloudIQ's predictive capabilities, which are enhanced by artificial intelligence, have improved operational efficiency by providing proactive information to prevent issues before they arise.

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 solution is highly scalable, mainly because of the templates that make it easy for you to actually edit on the system."

"The interface is ergonomic and native. We can use UCS Manager to do all the configurations for the servers, including storage, networking, and all the other components we need inside the fabric. It's simple and flexible."

"I can quickly manage the provisioned servers."

"Creating UCS service profiles for quickly deploying servers and replicating that configuration to another server makes it easier for deployment."

"Technical support has been good so far. We haven't had any issues with them. We're satisfied with the level of service they provide our company."

"What I like most about Cisco UCS Manager is the ease of administration. It also allows the central management of maintenance, installation, and configuration activities."

"From a usability and functionality perspective, Cisco UCS Manager is very good."

"The reporting functionality will give you any report you want."

More Cisco UCS Manager pros

"I rate CloudIQ a ten out of ten."

"It's convenient because you can access it from a mobile device without needing a laptop."

"CloudIQ allows us to monitor our servers centrally, and we can receive notifications in case of issues, like a potential hard drive failure."

"The best thing about this solution is that you can check for the infrastructure and system updates that you might need to be compliant with the Cloud."

"Fewer vulnerabilities have been observed in the four years we have used the solution."

"The dashboard is clear and user-friendly."

"I use Dell CloudIQ for the availability and capacity reporting, which is very helpful in terms of capacity and availability reporting, and if there is any fault or faulty drive or faulty part, I am alerted on time with that, which is the main benefit that avoids any unplanned outage."

"The tool for forecasting capacity is valuable."

More Dell CloudIQ pros

Cons

"Getting a CLI report on routers, switches, or any other CLI configuration device is difficult."

"There is room for improvement in terms of cost and complexity to set up. It doesn't work straight out of the UCS, so someone who knows what they're doing is needed immediately, and it can be quite confusing."

"The automation within the solution needs to be simplified."

"The primary challenge we face is identifying the correct version to deploy during firmware upgrades or compute updates."

"I would like to see Cisco UCS optionally work as a hyper-converged system because right now, it only operates as a converged system."

"Some settings are still fairly well hidden, even the basic ones."

"Its user interface can be improved. It can be more user-friendly."

"Cisco UCS Manager is not a scalable solution because once you have 160 blades, it cannot be expanded more."

More Cisco UCS Manager cons

"The process of upgrading could be streamlined."

"In terms of improvement, they should enhance the product range."

"It can improve the reporting facility to create custom reports or dashboards."

"If you have a heterogeneous environment, there might be some limitations in coverage since CloudIQ is primarily designed for Dell-based infrastructures."

"Supporting legacy systems is an area that can be improved."

"Doesn't do well in terms of integrating with technologies other than Dell."

"There is a need for improvement in predictive maintenance, which I assume is somewhat AI-driven."

"The main limitation of CloudIQ is that it is intended to be used exclusively with Dell hardware."

More Dell CloudIQ cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"You buy the hardware and then you get Cisco UCS Manager for free."

"Cisco UCS is more expensive than Dell and HP, but it is more reliable. I see less issues and it's quite stable."

"With product discounts which can be negotiated, the product is a great value."

"Cisco UCS Manager’s annual licensing fee is expensive."

"The pricing for Cisco UCS Manager is okay for its market, so it's a four out of five for me."

"We need to take a license for each port, which amounts to a big sum."

"The solution is more expensive than NetApp which offers file systems in various price ranges."

"I believe it is a free product because we don't pay for it."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

14%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Computer Software Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	18

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	2
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	8

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco UCS Manager?

When one server fails, we can attach the service profile to a new server, which saves a lot of time.

See all answers

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

My experience with the pricing of Cisco UCS Manager ( /products/cisco-ucs-manager-reviews ) is that it is reasonable. Recently, we acquired an excellent bundle with significant discounts, with offe...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco UCS Manager?

For improvements, while the current graphical user interface is satisfactory, it could be further simplified for different tasks. While it has been improved from using Java to HTML, simplifying the...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Dell CloudIQ?

It can improve the reporting facility to create custom reports or dashboards.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Dell CloudIQ?

I use it for monitoring environment security today. I look at security, capacity, and availability in our environment.

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Dell CloudIQ?

I would rate the overall product an eight out of ten.

See all answers

Comparisons

Cisco Intersight vs Cisco UCS Manager

Compared 64% of the time

Nutanix Prism vs Cisco UCS Manager

Compared 5% of the time

HPE OneView vs Cisco UCS Manager

Compared 4% of the time

Splunk Observability Cloud vs Cisco UCS Manager

Compared 4% of the time

Datadog vs Cisco UCS Manager

Compared 3% of the time

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NetApp Data Infrastructure Insights vs Dell CloudIQ

Compared 25% of the time

HPE OneView vs Dell CloudIQ

Compared 17% of the time

Cisco Intersight vs Dell CloudIQ

Compared 12% of the time

eG Enterprise vs Dell CloudIQ

Compared 6% of the time

OpsRamp vs Dell CloudIQ

Compared 5% of the time

More Dell CloudIQ Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS Manager

January 2026

Download Cisco UCS Manager product report

Buyer's Guide

IT Infrastructure Monitoring

December 2025

Download Dell CloudIQ product report

Overview

Cisco UCS Manager helps significantly reduce management and administration expenses by automating routine tasks to increase operational agility. Customers can extend the benefits of Cisco UCS Manager globally across an enterprise to thousands of servers in multiple domains with Cisco UCS Central Software.

Cisco

CloudIQ is a no cost Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offering that provides a simple monitoring interface for an unlimited number of Unity systems. CloudIQ accesses data in near real time to enable monitoring and troubleshooting for Unity systems.

Dell Technologies

Sample Customers

Management Science Associates, Peak 10, Virtual Consulting Professionals

North Carolina State University

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS Manager vs. Dell CloudIQ

January 2026

Free Report: Cisco UCS Manager vs. Dell CloudIQ

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco UCS Manager vs. Dell CloudIQ and other solutions. Updated: January 2026.

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