We use Cisco Catalyst Switches for networking.
Video conferencing Admin at Akshara Enterprises India Pvt Ltd
Stable, reliable, and overall good functionality
Pros and Cons
- "Cisco Catalyst Switches are the best overall."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are the best overall.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for approximately six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is stable.
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Cisco Catalyst Switches
November 2024
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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
We have approximately 25 customers using the solution.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support from Cisco is very good.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is easy if you understand the Ciscos CLA interface and your infrastructure is correct.
What about the implementation team?
We have CCNA and CCNP certified engineers that do the implementation and maintenance of the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of a Cisco Catalyst Switches license is expensive.
There is a big problem with their pricing structure. For example, there is a system called first come first serve metric for integrators. The person who logs the case gets a better price than what I receive. They give discounts to other people, such as those with certifications, and what happens is people go away from this solution because of it. I do not receive a better price which puts me in a position to promote other solutions.
I lost a large contact because of their pricing structure. Cisco should give the same pricing to everybody.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend this solution to others.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Integrator
Presales Consultant at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Stable, flexible, easy to install, and the support is fair
Pros and Cons
- "I like the flexibility of this product."
- "Cisco is a bit complex."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for our network.
I am a system engineer, and we sell the products to our customers.
What is most valuable?
I like the flexibility of this product.
What needs improvement?
There is a complexity with Cisco.
They should have unified software that includes all of the licenses. We should not have to pay for different software on the same platform. Each one has a specific use or a specific feature.
If you need dynamic routing then you have to purchase the software, if you need basic IP routing, you need different software. Why do you need this type of complexity?
They have their own propriety protocols while other competitors go with other standards and are easy. Cisco is a bit complex.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for 15 years.
We use several different versions, not just one. If they have different software for universal enterprise services, they will have specific features to use for the specific use case.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of this solution needs to be improved. It is not very scalable. For example, if you want to enable the features such as VSS, you have to add other modules and hardware.
Other competitors have this feature available from the beginning.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is fair.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. It is easy to install.
I was not involved in the installation but it is approximately five or ten minutes to deploy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is no licensing fee. All of the features are available on the switch from day one.
It's not a complicated license; you have to buy a license for different services or features. This is different.
Most of the features are available without additional hardware.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Cisco to other users, along with several other products.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Catalyst Switches
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about Cisco Catalyst Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Team Lead Network Infrastructure at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Reliable technology that improves businesses, is easy to install and scale
Pros and Cons
- "As far as technology is concerned, Cisco improves the client-to-client business."
- "Cisco should support all of the features that are included with the suite."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution to provide stability between sites. Also for our customers who have multiple branches, Cisco routers and switches are perfect for them.
What is most valuable?
As far as technology is concerned, Cisco improves the client-to-client business.
What needs improvement?
Cisco should support all of the features that are included with the suite.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco products for more than six years.
I am using the latest version of Cisco Catalyst Switches.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
They are very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst switches are definitely scalable.
There are a number of models and scalability depends on the requirements. You have to consider how far you want to scale your organization with the different branches.
I work with many different organizations and many different users. Some have 6,000 users whereas others have 3,000.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is good. Cisco offers the best possible support.
As for the new products that Cisco has acquired it's okay, but not as good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, I have used Linksys and Meraki Switches.
How was the initial setup?
It's easy to install.
If you have clear knowledge and design, it's pretty easy to implement.
The time it takes to deploy depends on how large the site is and a number of things. If everything is available it can be configured in minutes.
The size of the technical team depends on the installation and what the customer requires. For the deployment, if you have different sites you will need more people, a larger team. It also depends on the timelines and how soon you have to hand over the project to the customer.
Essentially, it depends on the circumstances.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Price is an area that can be improved. Cisco is pioneering technology and they are definitely charging for their technology.
It would be great for the user if Cisco lowered the prices for their routers and switches.
The price is not really in the market. When the new product line arrives, it's still very expensive. The product has new features, new capabilities, and definitely costs more than the previous one.
The price could be cheaper. Many other vendors provide the main features with lower pricing and better performance than Cisco.
Overall, Cisco prices are high.
What other advice do I have?
We have plans to continue using this product and would recommend them to others.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Firewall Engineer at a marketing services firm with 1-10 employees
Extremely stable, scalable, and excellent technical support
Pros and Cons
- "I have found this solution to be extremely stable."
What is our primary use case?
I am using this solution as a network switch for my clients.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for many years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have found this solution to be extremely stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable and there are approximately 700 people using the solution in one client's organization. I have plans to keep using the solution in some cases.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support of Cisco is very good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have previously used HP, Jupiter, and Fortinet solutions.
How was the initial setup?
The installation should be done by someone that knows Cisco solutions very well. I am certified in the solution so it was not difficult for me.
What about the implementation team?
I have done the implementation myself but in some circumstances, I need assistance from Cisco.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of this solution could be reduced, it is expensive and I am using an annual license.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others, it is very good.
I 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.
Junior Network Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Good scalability with very nice stability and good flexibility
Pros and Cons
- "The scalability is excellent."
- "The configuration process is hard."
What is our primary use case?
We have clients that have application servers and we offer our services to them. The switches are provided alongside Cisco Firewall and they also integrate into Cisco storage.
What is most valuable?
The product is easy to use. It's very user friendly and simple to navigate.
The solution offers very good stability.
We've found the product to be quite flexible.
It integrates well with other solutions, including other Cisco solutions especially.
We've found the technical support to be quite helpful.
The scalability is excellent.
What needs improvement?
The implementation of the solution is a little bit difficult. It would be nicer if the process was a bit easier.
The configuration process is hard.
The pricing of the solution is quite high.
For how long have I used the solution?
I started working with the solution a few months ago. It hasn't been too long just yet. I'm still relatively new to the product. I'd say that it has been almost six months or so.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product offers very good stability. It's reliable. We haven't had issues with bugs. It's not glitchy. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's been very good overall.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is quite scalable. If a company needs to expand it, it can do so. It's not a problem at all.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is excellent. It's much better than other solutions. They're very helpful and responsive. They're very good at helping if we run into issues with implementations. We've more than satisfied with the level of support we receive from them.
That said, I have had a bad experience once or twice where we had an issue with an appliance and some licensing. It took Cisco a month to get the license figured out successfully. The issue was that there wasn't enough knowledge about the product and it affected the support.
However, one of the last issues we had, we were assigned a senior level person and she was very good. She sorted everything out and got it deployed in one or two hours.
Therefore, as long as you get a knowledgeable person, you're going to have a very good experience.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
While I am aware of our company using different switches in the past, I was not a part of the project. I'm not sure what product they were using.
How was the initial setup?
The Cisco implementation is tough. It's not straightforward per se. However, it's very important for the network level solutions. It's more difficult than Fortinet or other vendors. At the same time, their support for their solution is very effective and in that sense, they are actually much better than other vendors. That's why everyone prefers Cisco. They offer good help if you run into trouble.
In terms of deployment, the product takes about two or three weeks to deploy. If you are adding Fortinet or other solutions, you're looking at a month and a half for a full deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing for Cisco is expensive. However, they offer very good support services.
What other advice do I have?
I'm not sure of the switch model. I work remotely. It would be hard for me to check.
We're a vendor company. We're Cisco partners. We have almost 10 engineers and about two or three people are dedicated to Cisco.
I'd recommend this solution to other users. I would warn companies, however, that the implementation process is tough. It's good to have some sort of support in order to deploy the solution effectively and correctly. Without help, if you don't know what you are doing, you may run into issues.
In general, I would rate the solution at a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
CISO at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
It is pretty much stable, and there is a lot of improvement in the network segment
Pros and Cons
- "There is a lot of improvement in the network segment after replacing the older switches. I have not seen any kind of issue with these switches since deployment. They are pretty much stable."
- "Cisco can definitely improve the training part. They can provide more training related to configuration."
What is our primary use case?
I use it for connectivity for my enterprise users. My entire platform is on Cisco, and we have different plans.
What is most valuable?
There is a lot of improvement in the network segment after replacing the older switches.
I have not seen any kind of issue with these switches since deployment. They are pretty much stable.
What needs improvement?
Cisco can definitely improve the training part. They can provide more training related to configuration.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have recently done an upgrade. We installed these switches around one year ago.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a pretty much stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. We have 1,500 users.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is managed by the vendor so far. The vendor is taking care of any issues.
What about the implementation team?
The entire implementation was done by the vendor, but we are managing it in-house. We have a Cisco-certified vendor to do all kinds of implementation and train our people. The overall project was for six months, but because of Covid, it got delayed. We have finished it may be a month back. We have four different locations. The vendor deployed technical manpower of six to eight members for each location.
We had just one issue with a switch, and the replacement was done within a week. The connectivity was not going through, and it was giving packet drops. The issue was identified, but because of Covid, there was a delay from Cisco. Our vendor was able to ensure that there was no installation delay. Because we had 3% to 4% stock over and above the inventory for installation, they used the switch from that particular inventory, and later on, they provided the switch within a week.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I don't see any price issue with Cisco. Whenever you buy a quality product, you always have a mindset of paying the premium amount. For any good product, you pay a premium amount, but that also means you are going to recover that premium over a period of time in terms of performance.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution. It is a pretty good product. We don't see any issue with Cisco Catalyst Switches. We have a license of five years as per our current agreement with Cisco. We plan to keep using these.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine 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.
Chief Deputy Quality Audit
We use it for networking, it's very stable and has good scalability
Pros and Cons
- "The stability and Cisco's support are the most valuable features."
- "The prices are high. It's more expensive than other similar options."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case is for networking, both for the local network and our internet network.
What is most valuable?
The stability and Cisco's support are the most valuable features.
What needs improvement?
The prices are high. It's more expensive than other similar options.
I would like for them to include more cloud options in the next release and a smaller router.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's a very stable product. It has become increasingly more stable since we started working with them in 1988.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We knew we needed to switch solutions because we have a client who told us what they need for their future projects. We strategized and went with this solution. We try to find them the best product.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
We used a Cisco representative for the initial deployment. We didn't have any problems with them, it was a good experience.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We also looked at Huawei but we went with Cisco because we're more comfortable with them even though their prices are a little higher.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate it an eight out of ten. Not a ten because of the prices.
I would advise someone considering this solution to check out all of your options and go back to Cisco.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Electronic Engineer at eBTel Cia. Ltda.
Is stable, configurable, durable, and easy to manage
Pros and Cons
- "Cisco Catalyst Switches is very stable, configurable, and durable. It is also easy to manage."
- "It would be good if Cisco Catalyst Switches could align maintenance with one version."
What is our primary use case?
My customers are using Cisco Catalyst Switches for communication in different areas in the enterprise. My customers who use this solution are medium sized companies.
What is most valuable?
I think this solution is very good. I manage other solutions, and compared with those, Cisco Catalyst Switches is very stable, configurable, and durable. It is also easy to manage.
This solution is cheaper than other solutions.
What needs improvement?
It would be good if Cisco Catalyst Switches could align maintenance with one version.
Also, the protocols for management should be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have about five years of experience with this solution.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is good.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Compared to the price of other solutions such as Huawei and HP, Cisco Catalyst Switches is a cheaper solution.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
My customers have evaluated Huawei and HP.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend Cisco Catalyst Switches and rate it at nine on a scale from one to ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
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Updated: November 2024
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