Antrea
7.2#1 in microsegmentation softwareFree planFree planAPILinuxSelf-hostedWindows
VisitAntrea vs Cisco Catalyst Center
Cisco Catalyst Center
6.2#5 in microsegmentation softwareWebAPILinuxmacOS
VisitWhat both publish
| Fact | Antrea | Cisco Catalyst Center |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | A standard installation is performed by applying one YAML manifest, with Helm and cloud-specific guides also documented. | Cisco describes hardware and virtual appliance deployments, including current guides for VMware ESXi and Ubuntu KVM. |
| Integrations | The documentation lists integrations and guides for Prometheus, Octant, Multus, and Fluentd. | Cisco documents integrations with ISE, ThousandEyes, Webex, Microsoft Teams, ServiceNow, Infoblox, and BlueCat, plus generic APIs for other ITSM and IPAM systems. |
| Purpose | Antrea implements the Container Network Interface and Kubernetes NetworkPolicy to provide pod networking and security for Kubernetes workloads. | Cisco Catalyst Center is a centralized network controller and management dashboard for enterprise network operations. |
| Support | The project directs users to its Kubernetes Slack channel, mailing lists, community meetings, and office hours. | Cisco says Catalyst and Cisco DNA software subscriptions include embedded software support and downloads; opening a support case requires a Cisco Service Contract. |
Antrea plans
- AntreaFree
Cisco Catalyst Center plans
- Cisco DNA AdvantagePriced on request
- Cisco DNA EssentialsPriced on request
Pick Antrea if…
Antrea suits Kubernetes operators who need pod networking, network policy controls or multi-cluster capabilities. It requires Open vSwitch on every node, and its traffic encryption feature applies to Linux nodes rather than Windows nodes.
Pick Cisco Catalyst Center if…
It suits enterprise network teams that need centralized operations, automation, and assurance across managed devices. Teams should be prepared for substantial virtual-appliance requirements and subscription-based licensing.