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Cisco Data Center Network Manager VS BackBox

Compare Cisco Data Center Network Manager VS BackBox and see what are their differences

Cisco Data Center Network Manager logo Cisco Data Center Network Manager

Cisco Data Center Network Manager offers network management system (NMS) support for traditional or multiple-tenant LAN and SAN fabrics.

BackBox logo BackBox

BackBox is a Linux distribution based on ...
  • Cisco Data Center Network Manager Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-21
  • BackBox Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-06

Cisco Data Center Network Manager features and specs

  • Comprehensive Management
    Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM) provides a single-pane-of-glass for managing, monitoring, and troubleshooting a diverse range of data center infrastructure components, simplifying the management process.
  • Scalability
    DCNM is designed to scale with large enterprises, providing management capabilities for extensive networks with thousands of devices.
  • Automation Capabilities
    Includes extensive automation features, such as automated provisioning, configuration compliance, and policy enforcement, which reduce manual effort and the potential for human error.
  • Security Management
    Offers robust security features including role-based access control, detailed audit logs, and compliance monitoring to help ensure the network infrastructure meets organizational security standards.
  • Integration With Cisco Ecosystem
    Seamlessly integrates with other Cisco solutions, providing a cohesive and unified approach to data center network management.
  • Support for multiple environments
    Supports traditional, virtualized, and cloud environments, offering flexibility to manage a variety of data center setups.

Possible disadvantages of Cisco Data Center Network Manager

  • Complexity
    The extensive feature set and comprehensive capabilities make DCNM complex to deploy and manage, requiring substantial expertise and potentially extensive training.
  • Cost
    Cisco solutions are generally priced at a premium, and DCNM is no exception. The cost may be prohibitive for small to medium-sized organizations.
  • Resource Intensive
    The platform can be resource-intensive, requiring robust hardware and infrastructure to run effectively, which can add to the overall cost.
  • Support Overhead
    Managing Cisco DCNM can require dedicated support personnel who are highly skilled, thus increasing the overhead in terms of operational support and maintenance.
  • Vendor Lock-in
    Organizations using Cisco DCNM may find themselves locked into Cisco's ecosystem, making it more challenging and costly to integrate with third-party solutions or switch vendors.
  • Learning Curve
    The complexity and breadth of features mean there is a steep learning curve, which can slow down the adoption and efficient use of the platform.

BackBox features and specs

  • Lightweight
    BackBox is designed to be a lightweight operating system, which makes it ideal for use on older hardware or in virtual machines with limited resources.
  • User-Friendly
    The user interface is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, making it accessible for users who may not be as experienced with Linux systems.
  • Security Tools
    BackBox comes pre-installed with a suite of security and penetration testing tools, catering specifically to network security professionals.
  • Community Support
    The BackBox community offers robust support through forums, documentation, and an active user community, which can be incredibly helpful for troubleshooting and learning.
  • Regular Updates
    The distribution receives regular updates that include the latest security patches and feature improvements, ensuring a secure environment.
  • Ubuntu-Based
    Being based on Ubuntu, BackBox inherits all the stability and compatibility benefits associated with Ubuntu and its vast repository of software packages.

Possible disadvantages of BackBox

  • Niche Focus
    BackBox is specifically designed for security and penetration testing, which may not make it suitable as a general-purpose operating system.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly interface, the specialized tools and functionalities might still present a learning curve for users unfamiliar with network security.
  • Limited Software
    The default software selection is geared toward security tasks, so users may need to spend extra time installing additional software for other purposes.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    While generally good, there may still be some hardware compatibility issues, especially with very new or very old hardware.
  • Performance Overhead
    Some of the pre-installed security tools can be resource-intensive, which might affect performance on lower-end systems.

Cisco Data Center Network Manager videos

Cisco Data Center Network Manager Overview

BackBox videos

BackBox Linux Review 2017 - Is It Any Good?

More videos:

  • Review - BackBox Linux Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Cisco Data Center Network Manager and BackBox)
Monitoring Tools
59 59%
41% 41
Log Management
73 73%
27% 27
DCIM Software
100 100%
0% 0
Network Scanning
0 0%
100% 100

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Reviews

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BackBox Reviews

The 22 Best Linux Distros for Hackers (Pentesting)
BackBox is a Linux distribution for pentesting on Ubuntu. It provides targeted intrusion testing and security assessment, providing a toolkit for analyzing network and computer systems, as well as a complete set of other tools needed for ethical hackers and security testing.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Cisco Data Center Network Manager and BackBox, you can also consider the following products

Cisco ACI - Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) simplifies, optimizes, and accelerates the application deployment lifecycle in next-generation data centers and clouds.

Cisco DNA Center - Find and resolve network issues with Cisco DNA Center. Provides software-based network automation and assurance. Control and manage intent-based networks.

ManageEngine OpManager - Monitors routers, switches, firewalls, load-balancers, wireless LAN controllers, servers, VMs, printers, storage devices, and everything that has an IP and is connected to the network.

Nmap - Nmap Free Security Scanner, Port Scanner, & Network Exploration Tool. Download open source software for Linux, Windows, UNIX, FreeBSD, etc.

Device42 - Automatically maintain an up-to-date inventory of your physical, virtual, and cloud servers and containers, network components, software/services/applications, and their inter-relationships and inter-dependencies.

Cisco Network Assistant - Cisco Network Assistant simplifies wired and wireless network management, and provides critical product information using Cisco Active Advisor.