Cisco Catalyst Center vs Netmiko
Cisco Catalyst Center
cisco.comNetmiko
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Cisco Catalyst Center | Netmiko |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Network Automation Software | 7.8 (#10) | 7.9 (#9) |
| Automation | It supports network discovery, zero-touch provisioning, software image management, configuration compliance checks, and remediation. | It is designed to gather output from show commands and make configuration changes while abstracting away low-level device state handling. |
| Integrations | Cisco documents integrations with ISE, ThousandEyes, Webex, Microsoft Teams, ServiceNow, Infoblox, and BlueCat, plus generic APIs for other ITSM and IPAM systems. | The examples include TextFSM and Genie parsers, plus device type autodetection using SSH and SNMP. |
| Purpose | Cisco Catalyst Center is a centralized network controller and management dashboard for enterprise network operations. | Netmiko is a multi-vendor library that simplifies CLI connections to network devices. |
| Support | Cisco says Catalyst and Cisco DNA software subscriptions include embedded software support and downloads; opening a support case requires a Cisco Service Contract. | The README directs users to GitHub issues for bugs and feature requests and to a Slack #netmiko channel for questions and discussion. |
Plans
Cisco Catalyst Center
- Cisco DNA AdvantagePriced on request
- Cisco DNA EssentialsPriced on request
In their own words
Cisco Catalyst Center
Cisco Catalyst Center has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Netmiko
Netmiko is a free Python library for connecting to network devices and automating command-line tasks. It simplifies SSH connections and also documents supported Telnet device types. The library can collect output from show commands and make configuration changes while handling low-level device state. Its device list spans vendors and separates platforms by regular, limited, and experimental testing status. Regularly tested examples include Arista vEOS, Cisco IOS variants and NX-OS, Juniper Junos, and Linux. Documentation shows how to install with pip, connect to devices, run commands such as “show ip int brief,” and send configuration command sets that enter configuration mode. The project also links to API documentation, a secure copy tutorial, and guidance on using TextFSM. Optional extras support the bulk-encryption CLI and compatibility with Paramiko 4. Netmiko Tools can encrypt sensitive YAML values using Fernet or AES128; the guidance recommends protecting the key and keeping it out of version control. The project uses the MIT license, with bug reports and feature requests directed to GitHub issues.