Cisco Catalyst Center vs Peplink SD-WAN
Cisco Catalyst Center
cisco.com
Peplink SD-WAN
peplink.comSide by side
| Figure | Cisco Catalyst Center | Peplink SD-WAN |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · SD-WAN Software | 7.7 (#6) | 8.0 (#5) |
| API | The platform exposes northbound REST APIs for discovery, inventory, topology, provisioning, assurance, and other network operations. | InControl 2 provides an API for integrating the platform with custom applications, websites, or third-party software. |
| Automation | It supports network discovery, zero-touch provisioning, software image management, configuration compliance checks, and remediation. | InControl can push configuration and firmware updates to hundreds of devices and schedule changes to SSIDs, firewall rules, outbound policies, and SD-Switch ports. |
| Founded | 1984 | 2004 |
| Integrations | Cisco documents integrations with ISE, ThousandEyes, Webex, Microsoft Teams, ServiceNow, Infoblox, and BlueCat, plus generic APIs for other ITSM and IPAM systems. | The InControl 2 API is intended to integrate the platform with custom apps, websites, and other third-party software. |
| Security | Catalyst Center supports FIPS 140-2-compliant cryptography modules, and Cisco recommends deploying it behind a firewall on a private internal network. | Peplink describes layered defenses across client, router, SD-WAN, cloud, and administrative layers, including router DoS protection and encrypted SpeedFusion connections. |
| Support | Cisco says Catalyst and Cisco DNA software subscriptions include embedded software support and downloads; opening a support case requires a Cisco Service Contract. | Peplink says a support engineer will respond to a bug report ticket within 24 hours and that its user forum is monitored by engineers and partners. |
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.
Peplink SD-WAN
Peplink SD-WAN brings multiple fixed or cellular WAN connections together as one logical connection and lets teams manage them centrally. It can use xDSL, MPLS, cellular, and fiber links, monitor their health and quality, and steer application traffic; real-time services can use the lowest-latency link. Intelligent failover and active/active configurations are intended to keep connections reliable when a link fails. InControl 2 provides cloud-based device management, monitoring, reporting, and provisioning, including scheduled settings changes and configuration or firmware updates across hundreds of devices. SpeedFusion VPN creates encrypted device-to-device tunnels, while SpeedFusion Bonding can combine provider links into one tunnel. The VPN itself uses one WAN connection at a time and has no software client. Security features include firewall rules, deep packet inspection, web blocking, and denial-of-service protection. FusionHub supports several virtualization platforms, and InControl 2 offers an API for custom integrations. Pricing is on request; qualifying in-warranty devices can use the free InControl 2 plan.