Cisco Catalyst Center vs NetXMS
Cisco Catalyst Center
cisco.com
NetXMS
netxms.comSide by side
| Figure | Cisco Catalyst Center | NetXMS |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 5 |
| Spec score · Network Topology Mapping Software | 7.9 (#12) | 7.8 (#16) |
| Deployment | Cisco describes hardware and virtual appliance deployments, including current guides for VMware ESXi and Ubuntu KVM. | NetXMS can be deployed on premises or as a cloud platform. |
| Founded | 1984 | 2009 |
| Headquarters | San Jose, California, United States | Riga, Latvia |
| Integrations | Cisco documents integrations with ISE, ThousandEyes, Webex, Microsoft Teams, ServiceNow, Infoblox, and BlueCat, plus generic APIs for other ITSM and IPAM systems. | The feature page says NetXMS integrates with Grafana out of the box and supports notifications through email, SMS, Telegram, and MS Teams. |
| Purpose | Cisco Catalyst Center is a centralized network controller and management dashboard for enterprise network operations. | NetXMS is an open-source monitoring solution for 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. | The homepage describes access controls down to a specific metric and authenticated, encrypted communications. |
| Support | Cisco says Catalyst and Cisco DNA software subscriptions include embedded software support and downloads; opening a support case requires a Cisco Service Contract. | Paid support tiers list guaranteed responses from four business hours to two business days, with case limits depending on tier. |
Plans
Cisco Catalyst Center
- Cisco DNA AdvantagePriced on request
- Cisco DNA EssentialsPriced on request
NetXMS
- NetXMS open-source monitoring solutionFree
- Basic supportPrice not published
- NetXMS Enterprise EditionPriced on request
- Premium supportPrice not published
- Standard supportPrice not published
In their own words
Cisco Catalyst Center
Cisco Catalyst Center has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
NetXMS
NetXMS is an open-source monitoring solution for networks and infrastructure. It can run on premises or as a cloud platform. Automated discovery builds layer 2 and IP topology that can be displayed as connectivity maps, while supported protocols include SNMP, MQTT, EtherNet/IP, MODBUS-TCP, OPC UA, and HTTP/REST. Proxy agents and zones support distributed monitoring, including sites with unstable connections or overlapping IP ranges. NetXMS integrates with Grafana and supports notifications through email, SMS, Telegram, and Microsoft Teams; listed alert channels also include Slack. Its Java API supports actions available in the graphical interface and can be used for integrations and custom automation. Access rights can apply to all monitored devices, a group, or individual devices, including read-only access and alarm or command permissions. The homepage describes metric-level access controls and authenticated, encrypted communications. The free open-source plan is listed at free. Windows server binaries are limited to 250 nodes without a valid license, and requesting a free trial period requires contacting sales.