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 instance, if you have BGP configured between the Palo Alto firewall and multiple Nexus or Catalyst switches, the Palo Alto firewall can lose its BGP neighbors with these switches.
Network Operations Specialist at Trends and Technologies, Inc
Real User
Top 20
2024-08-15T08:39:00Z
Aug 15, 2024
It's very costly. Most of our customers are actually looking for other cost-effective solutions. Even if it has very good performance, other competitors can offer the same at a lower cost.
The automation feature could be improved. Cisco Data Center Network Manager enables automatic discovery of Cisco switches. If there are templates available for rules, it's beneficial to have better templates. I recommend that these improvements be incorporated into the Cisco AI Center. Currently, tasks need to be manually performed, but the process becomes more efficient with AI integration.
The tool's pricing strategy could be improved to compete more effectively in the market, especially against competitors like Huawei, Aruba, and Juniper. The frequent changes in the product line and naming by the vendor create confusion for us and the customers. This can be challenging, especially when customers are accustomed to certain product names, and the changes can lead to confusion in understanding data sheets and configurations.
Learn what your peers think about Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (Formerly DCNM). Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2025.
For network management, your access is locked to Cisco. Open solutions let us integrate with other solutions. Cisco should have better integration to use additional tools. If the customer thinks about using additional solutions, which are alternatives, Cisco should make sure they are not left out.
The reporting is not very intuitive and has room for improvement. I opened a case with Cisco regarding the DCNM report, however, they were unable to help me. The report comes in the form of a programmable report, which requires high-level knowledge of Python and JSON script. As I was in a meeting and had to present the report, I had to settle for generating an Excel sheet to showcase the data. Unfortunately, this was not well-received as they expected a more detailed report. In order to identify any issues in the data center, we must thoroughly examine a variety of components such as links, errors, SSPs, supervisor engines, power supply, and more. Forty of each element need to be examined.
The visibility of applications is not great, which is why we study upscalability. We want to understand the software-defined network and access, the edge, and how to connect. The setup is complex and could be improved. Regarding additional features, the integration with the APM would be good.
It's a relatively expensive product for some clients so perhaps improvement could be made in that area. In terms of product improvement, I don't have any recommendations. I'm happy with the product as is.
Solution Consultant at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
Consultant
2020-01-07T06:27:00Z
Jan 7, 2020
I would like to see improved integration with other tools. It would be nice to have the ability to more easily collect information from other software when doing some types of analysis.
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...
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 instance, if you have BGP configured between the Palo Alto firewall and multiple Nexus or Catalyst switches, the Palo Alto firewall can lose its BGP neighbors with these switches.
It's very costly. Most of our customers are actually looking for other cost-effective solutions. Even if it has very good performance, other competitors can offer the same at a lower cost.
The initial setup is challenging.
The automation feature could be improved. Cisco Data Center Network Manager enables automatic discovery of Cisco switches. If there are templates available for rules, it's beneficial to have better templates. I recommend that these improvements be incorporated into the Cisco AI Center. Currently, tasks need to be manually performed, but the process becomes more efficient with AI integration.
The tool's pricing strategy could be improved to compete more effectively in the market, especially against competitors like Huawei, Aruba, and Juniper. The frequent changes in the product line and naming by the vendor create confusion for us and the customers. This can be challenging, especially when customers are accustomed to certain product names, and the changes can lead to confusion in understanding data sheets and configurations.
We need better performance and reliability.
Automation for the RMA process can be added.
For network management, your access is locked to Cisco. Open solutions let us integrate with other solutions. Cisco should have better integration to use additional tools. If the customer thinks about using additional solutions, which are alternatives, Cisco should make sure they are not left out.
The delivery Cisco Data Center Network Manager could improve if it was easier. Additionally, some feature improvement is needed.
The reporting is not very intuitive and has room for improvement. I opened a case with Cisco regarding the DCNM report, however, they were unable to help me. The report comes in the form of a programmable report, which requires high-level knowledge of Python and JSON script. As I was in a meeting and had to present the report, I had to settle for generating an Excel sheet to showcase the data. Unfortunately, this was not well-received as they expected a more detailed report. In order to identify any issues in the data center, we must thoroughly examine a variety of components such as links, errors, SSPs, supervisor engines, power supply, and more. Forty of each element need to be examined.
I'd like to see better integration with VMware products such as NSX and the reporting could be improved.
The visibility of applications is not great, which is why we study upscalability. We want to understand the software-defined network and access, the edge, and how to connect. The setup is complex and could be improved. Regarding additional features, the integration with the APM would be good.
Data Center Network Manager is a little complex because it includes a lot of hardware to be installed, so making this simpler would be an improvement.
The robustness in the API could be improved. I also think Cisco could look into reducing the pricing of the solution.
Sometimes the product gives us problems that require support. There are still several things that need to be done in order to perfect this solution.
It's a relatively expensive product for some clients so perhaps improvement could be made in that area. In terms of product improvement, I don't have any recommendations. I'm happy with the product as is.
I would like to see improved integration with other tools. It would be nice to have the ability to more easily collect information from other software when doing some types of analysis.
The configuration is too complicated and you have to create templates and use a lot of menus. They need to make it simpler.
It is not very easy to monitor or to browse. I would like to see an improvement in the interface. I would also like to see more feedback options.
In the next release, I would like to see it merged with Prime and I think that it should be more unified.