We primarily use it to provide a hierarchy in the data center, enterprise solutions, and high availability solutions.
Project Manager at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Great equipment with good performance and an excellent warranty
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is easy to implement and quick to deploy."
- "The technical support, in some cases, should be faster and could improve."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The performance of this equipment is much better than other options. The warranty on offer is perfect for me as they attend to issues in a maximum of four hours or within the next business day.
The solution is easy to implement and quick to deploy.
The solution is very stable.
I found the scalability to always be good.
What needs improvement?
The technical support, in some cases, should be faster and could improve.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for ten years. It's been a decade. I've dealt with Cisco for a while.
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Cisco Catalyst Switches
April 2025

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability potential is very high. I can put many types of equipment on it and the solution will keep in the same level performance. It doesn't dip.
Currently, we have 1,000 people on the solution.
I do plan to implement the solution in future projects, as, so far, it has been issue-free and works very well.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support could be a bit more responsive.
How was the initial setup?
in terms of the initial setup, and how easy or hard it is, it depends on the technical knowledge base and on the person that will be implementing the solution.
I was working with data center providers, and, for us, with our level of knowledge, every time it was very easy to implement this equipment.
The deployment is pretty fast. After a couple of hours, you should have it up and running. We had a big team as well, which helped ensure it didn't take us long.
We have about 15 people at three technical levels that can handle maintenance tasks.
What about the implementation team?
I implemented the solution myself. I did not need an integrator or consultant to assist.
What was our ROI?
Likely, after three or so years, you may see an ROI.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing costs vary. If you buy a lot, the costs are lower, however, if you only need a few, the costs are very, very high.
You can also pay for additional support that guarantees four-hour or next-day resolutions.
What other advice do I have?
I am a solutions provider. We're consultants and we help other companies implement this solution.
I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten.
I would recommend the solution to other users and organizations.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

Branch Manager / Team Leader at Bank Al Habib Limited
High performance, durable, and good technical support
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features are performance, speed, and durability."
- "In an upcoming release, adding SD-WAN capabilities would be a big advantage for our company."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution as a network switch in banking and financial environments.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are performance, speed, and durability.
What needs improvement?
In an upcoming release, adding SD-WAN capabilities would be a big advantage for our company.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for approximately 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have found the stability very good in this solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is good.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have licenses to have 24/7 technical support from Cisco directly. We have been satisfied with the support we have been receiving.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of this solution is reasonable.
What other advice do I have?
In the future, we are going to implement the 2960-X next-generation version instead of this legacy solution we are using now which will have some added benefits.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Catalyst Switches
April 2025

Learn what your peers think about Cisco Catalyst Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2025.
849,190 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Owner & General Manager at a media company with 1-10 employees
Advanced customization and manageability
Pros and Cons
- "The operating system is great."
- "They need to implement sFlow."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for a full range of layer two and only limited set of layer three services.
We are a backbone company and we provide a public service. The traffic of millions of users traverse Cisco switches, but they are not within our company. It's a public service.
We plan to increase our usage of this solution.
What is most valuable?
The operating system is great.
What needs improvement?
They need to implement sFlow, other than that, I can't think of anything else that needs to be improved — I am happy.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for roughly 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are very stable. We've been using them for 10 years without any issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We use an old model, they're not designed to be scalable. But in general, the Catalyst networking suite is scalable.
How are customer service and technical support?
For our application which is rather simple, we are using only 5% of the features that Cisco Catalyst switches offer. We haven't encountered any problems and therefore, we have not had to call technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used to use other products, but our CTO loves Cisco.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward and very fast. In total, the whole installation process took two days.
What about the implementation team?
We deployed this solution by ourselves.
What was our ROI?
3-years
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price could always be lower.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Arista, Fiber Store, Dell, Extreme Networks
What other advice do I have?
I would absolutely recommend this solution to others. Overall, on a scale from one to ten, I would give Cisco Catalyst Switches a rating of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Manager, Information Technology at a financial services firm with 201-500 employees
Strong features, easy to manage, and excellent support
Pros and Cons
- "All features are very strong. It is very easy to manage. It is also certified and popular. Cisco has come up with a new management console to manage the switches. I still haven't tried it, but in my opinion, this is the best way forward. You can use software to manage the switches instead of the common line configuration. You can manage it through software, which is very easy."
- "It can have more security features to secure the access layer."
What is our primary use case?
We use it to connect our end users. It is used for DMZ connections behind the firewalls and campus network.
What is most valuable?
All features are very strong. It is very easy to manage. It is also certified and popular.
Cisco has come up with a new management console to manage the switches. I still haven't tried it, but in my opinion, this is the best way forward. You can use software to manage the switches instead of the common line configuration. You can manage it through software, which is very easy.
What needs improvement?
It can have more security features to secure the access layer.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Catalyst 9300 Series for the last two years. It is a new model. I have been using previous models, such as Catalyst 3750, 3560, and 2960, for maybe more than 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable. You just install it and forget about it for years. I had a switch that was running for more than 11 years without a singular restart. That switch had a running time of more than 11 years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. We have 400 users.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is great. I was talking to one of my colleagues just two hours back about Cisco technical support. They are brilliant and excellent. If we have any hardware failure, we get it fixed the second day. We get multiple engineers working on the case if it is a critical issue. They are really supportive.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have been using only Cisco solutions from the beginning. It has been more than 20 years now.
We plan to keep using this solution. We are going to refresh it with the latest model. We are in the process of acquiring the new model and replacing all obsolete switches with the new Catalyst 9K series. The order will be placed maybe next week.
How was the initial setup?
Its setup was easy. It took an hour to configure each switch.
What about the implementation team?
I deployed it myself. We have three network engineers to manage the entire network.
What other advice do I have?
I would definitely recommend this product to other users. I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Senior Network Engineer & Technical Instructor at Improtech
Excellent for covering business needs, relatively easy to deploy, and offers good technical support
Pros and Cons
- "We have dealt with Cisco's technical support in the past. They were especially helpful and very polite. They are always there if we need them and their insights are always excellent. I would say that we have been satisfied with the level of support we've gotten so far."
- "The user interface needs improvement. Meraki has a much nicer UI. Cisco could learn a lot by looking at them. It might make them a bit more user friendly."
What is our primary use case?
We don't personally use the switches; we provide services to our clients, including implementing the switches for them.
How has it helped my organization?
Catalyst switches solutions are great. For various customers we have deployed for, business operations run smoothly and without any complain. Troubleshooting and insights are clearer.
Our customers love working with us.
What is most valuable?
Catalyst switches support a variety of features from both layer 2 and layer 3. The fetaures supported depend on the model your dealing with. Though there are various common features such VLAN, MLAG, SDM, STP, Resiliency, PoE, Wireless settings, etc....which Stacking feature happens to be the most common deployment.
Recently I laid hands on Meraki Switches and what I can say to love is its seamless network services to build high-performance networks.
What needs improvement?
The user interface needs improvement. It might make them a bit more user friendly.
The one thing that I came across with the Catalyst 2950-X switch was that I wanted to alter the dashboard, so I connected it to the management interface. I gave it an IP address and I used the browser. However, as soon as I accessed it, I realized that the system of the computer from which I was accessing it didn't support that version. I was using Linux and the OS didn't support the switch. I had to get a Windows computer to access the switch. The dashboard was difficult to manage. It would have been nice if they made it obvious that it didn't work on Linux.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been dealing with the solution for more than two years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I wouldn't say that the switches are stable. It depends on the situation more than any fault in the technology, however.
If a customer approaches my company, we provide the best option for the client. Sometimes that's Catalyst. We do work to evaluate the client and their needs quite extensively before making recommendations. Most of the time, clients look only at the cost and not at the bigger picture. Many don't want to spend too much money. Sometimes, however, a better solution may cost more.
While a well-implemented product is typically stable, if a client says that they don't want to spend anything higher than X, you have to work within those parameters and explain what X will get them, which may ultimately be instability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Very scalable.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have dealt with Cisco's technical support in the past. They were especially helpful and very polite. They are always there if we need them and their insights are always excellent. I would say that we have been satisfied with the level of support we've gotten so far.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Of course, we use and still use Meraki solutions. We didn't switch. Like I said, it is based on what customers need.
How was the initial setup?
The Catalyst switches take more time to implement than Meraki. How long it takes varies for each organization. It depends on the size and requirements. We have spent up to a few weeks on previous contracts setting up switches for companies.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Catalyst licensing varies from a thousand of dollars to 20+ thousands dollars , however, that might depend on the model or version you choose. There are some switches where the licenses are features-based and you need to get a specific license for specific items if you want to use them.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We've looked at Meraki, among other solutions.
While we have used Meraki, it's hard to compare them to Catalyst switches. Meraki is quite good and agile. They've simplified a lot of their processes and have some features that make actions easy to do on Meraki. However, Catalyst offers much of the same features, and are possibly more feature-rich.
Meraki is very much more focused on business needs. While it may be good for their own business model, it doesn't encapsulate everything. Catalyst does a better job in that regard. It has many more features on offer. You aren't limited, although you will want to focus on a particular kind of feature list for your deployment or your integration into your environment.
Cisco happened to own Meraki solutions now.
What other advice do I have?
Last year, we were Cisco partners, but something happened and Cisco made some changes to its partnership requirements. Right now, we are working on re-establishing the partnership with Cisco. We'd like to be partners again.
We are planning to be a distributor. For the moment, however, now that we are waiting on the partnership, we're more of an integrator.
We have deployed on-premises mostly and also a hybrid version sometimes. It depends on what the customer wants and what fits best for their needs. It also depends on the model that you are talking about. On the Catalyst switches, as far as I know, the models vary from types of deployments and features. Some features are only available on applicable switches.
In terms of advice I would give to other companies, I'd say that I like both Meraki and Cisco. I don't really prefer one over the other. It depends on the situation which one makes the most sense. Both are very large solutions but I could recommend either.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. I really do love Catalyst switches.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Integrator
Network Engineer at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Has become easier for us to troubleshoot but the newer models aren't so stable
Pros and Cons
- "It has become easier for us to troubleshoot and find issues faster in the management software for the switches. It saves us troubleshooting time because if the network is down it has a big impact on production."
- "The newer models are not so stable. Other products like 6800, 3750, were stable but starting from 3850 it got worse. We have a lot of issues and a lot of bugs. It's a new product so it's understandable but it should be improved."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case of this solution is for routing, switching, and for interconnecting sites.
How has it helped my organization?
It has become easier for us to troubleshoot and find issues faster in the management software for the switches. It saves us troubleshooting time because if the network is down it has a big impact on production.
What is most valuable?
The stability is the most valuable feature. We have some outages but it's 95% stable.
What needs improvement?
The newer models are not so stable. Other products like 6800, 3750, were stable but starting from 3850 it got worse. We have a lot of issues and a lot of bugs. It's a new product so it's understandable but it should be improved.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is easy. It's easy to increase the size of our network, we use templates.
How are customer service and technical support?
We haven't had to use their technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We wanted a reliable solution so we chose Cisco. We began working with them ten years ago. We have everything on Cisco and it's not worth it to switch everything to another brand.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is a bit complex but we have templates so we just have to deploy our template configuration. The VLAN configuration was complex. We have STP and different protocols which are not on the V-port so we had to enable it.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented it ourselves.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Ten years ago we used Avaya and HPE.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate it a seven out of ten. Not a ten because we are highly satisfied with all of their products but with the newer products, some parts have problems that take a while to fix.
I would say to go for Cisco. It is a stable and quality solution.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Project Manager at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Provides us with a robust and scalable access switch solution
Pros and Cons
- "In terms of additional features or improvements, I would like to see more fiber ports, more security features, and perhaps the integration of wireless features into the switch."
What is our primary use case?
We use it mainly for access, as an access switch to other PCs.
How has it helped my organization?
The greatest benefit for our organization is that our Cisco Catalysts are quite reliable. We can depend on them.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of this solution are that they are quite robust, they hardly ever fail.
What needs improvement?
In terms of additional features or improvements, I would like to see more fiber ports, more security features, and perhaps the integration of wireless features into the switch.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is very scalable, because of the stacking features.
How are customer service and technical support?
Cisco supports this solution quite well. I like the support from Cisco.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have always used Cisco. I think it is the most reliable solution on the market.
When selecting a vendor, for me the most important criteria are
- the competency of their engineering staff
- their product knowledge.
How was the initial setup?
As I said, I mostly deployed it as an access switch, and at that level, it is not complex. If you are talking about using it as a core switch, that would be much more complex. But we are only using it as an access switch.
What other advice do I have?
Do a comparison with other brands and look at their features. The main Cisco Catalyst features are that it is scalable and reliable. These are two things you should look into when doing your comparison.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst at eight out of 10. It's reliable, the features are quite full-fledged, and it's scalable.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: System Integrator.
Sales project manager at Saraha
Works well, easy to use, and stable
Pros and Cons
- "These switches are stable. They work well and are easy to use."
- "Cisco switches are expensive."
What is our primary use case?
We work on level 2 and level 3 switches to connect many branches.
What is most valuable?
These switches are stable. They work well and are easy to use.
What needs improvement?
Cisco switches are expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been selling this solution for about 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
They are stable.
How are customer service and support?
I have not contacted their support. Another engineer has contacted them. We have our own two people for support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We also deal with the HP ProCurve switch, but it is not as good in Libya.
How was the initial setup?
It is not complex now because we have CCNA and CCNP engineers. We have two engineers who are certified with Cisco. Overall, we have three people who work with this solution.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented and finished a big project for a company. The company is still working with the same components that we installed. For deployment, I have two people with me, but in our company, we have a big team of 20 people.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
They are expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend these switches to others. Cisco is a good company.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

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Updated: April 2025
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