Cisco Catalyst Center vs NetBox
Cisco Catalyst Center
cisco.com
NetBox
netboxlabs.comSide by side
| Figure | Cisco Catalyst Center | NetBox |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 5 |
| Spec score · Data Center Networking Solutions | 7.8 (#4) | 8.5 (#1) |
| Spec score · Cloud Network Management Software | 7.7 (#6) | 8.3 (#3) |
| Spec score · Network Management Software | 7.8 (#12) | 8.3 (#7) |
| Spec score · IP Address Management Software | 7.8 (#20) | 8.5 (#6) |
| Deployment | Cisco describes hardware and virtual appliance deployments, including current guides for VMware ESXi and Ubuntu KVM. | NetBox can be used as a fully hosted SaaS edition or deployed in the customer's own infrastructure; open source community use is also offered. |
| Founded | 1984 | 2015 |
| Integrations | Cisco documents integrations with ISE, ThousandEyes, Webex, Microsoft Teams, ServiceNow, Infoblox, and BlueCat, plus generic APIs for other ITSM and IPAM systems. | The integrations catalog lists connectors and plugins including Jira Assets, ServiceNow, Arista CloudVision, Proxmox, and SIEM event streams. |
| Purpose | Cisco Catalyst Center is a centralized network controller and management dashboard for enterprise network operations. | NetBox is a platform for understanding, operating, automating, and securing networks and infrastructure. |
| Security | Catalyst Center supports FIPS 140-2-compliant cryptography modules, and Cisco recommends deploying it behind a firewall on a private internal network. | NetBox Labs says it is SOC 2 Type II compliant and lists IP allow lists, mTLS, encrypted production data, and annual penetration tests among its security measures. |
| Support | Cisco says Catalyst and Cisco DNA software subscriptions include embedded software support and downloads; opening a support case requires a Cisco Service Contract. | NetBox Enterprise subscriptions include 24/7 expert assistance and access to NetBox training. |
Plans
Cisco Catalyst Center
- Cisco DNA AdvantagePriced on request
- Cisco DNA EssentialsPriced on request
NetBox
- NetBox Cloud Free PlanFree
- NetBox EnterprisePriced on request
- PremiumPriced on request
- ProfessionalPriced on request
- StarterPriced on request
In their own words
Cisco Catalyst Center
Cisco Catalyst Center has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
NetBox
NetBox is a network and infrastructure platform that keeps physical components, virtual assets, IPs, and VLANs in a shared source of truth. Its stated uses include data center infrastructure management, IP address management, network automation, and network source-of-truth work. Every action is recorded in an audit log. Teams can use the hosted SaaS edition, deploy NetBox in their own infrastructure, or use the open-source community offering. NetBox Labs describes itself as the commercial steward of the open-source project. Hosted plans are positioned for different scales and needs: Starter for infrastructure with hundreds of devices, Professional for infrastructure at scale and automation, and Premium for scaled environments requiring advanced security, compliance, and deployment options. NetBox Enterprise is self-managed, with an air-gap edition available. Enterprise subscriptions include 24/7 expert assistance and training. Named integrations include ServiceNow, Splunk, Ansible, Itential, Gluware, and VMware. NetBox Cloud offers SSO integrations with Azure, Okta, and Google. Prices for the named plans are not displayed; the pricing page directs prospective customers to sales.