We are mainly deploying the tool for client requirements.
Senior Network Security Engineer at KNZ SOLUTIONS INC
A highly scalable and easy-to-deploy solution that can be deployed remotely
Pros and Cons
- "The product is convenient to deploy."
- "The stability must be improved."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The product is convenient to deploy.
What needs improvement?
The stability must be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for 20 years.
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.
816,660 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Sometimes, when we do upgrades, the tool goes down. We purchased a new one, but it didn’t go well.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The tool is highly scalable. Our clients are mostly enterprises.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy. We deploy the tool mostly in the cloud. Someone in our team will be physically connected to the console and give us access to the network. Then, we deploy it remotely. The deployment can be done in half an hour. We connect the key ports, get the network management configurations, and deploy the product.
What other advice do I have?
We’re a service provider. If people find the price to be competitive, they choose Catalyst. Otherwise, they go with other vendors. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: MSP
Director of Information Systems / ISSO at Spectra Technologies LLC
Good warranty and continued firmware support, extremely stable, and very scalable
Pros and Cons
- "The warranty and continued firmware support are most valuable."
- "Their centralized management could be better. There should be some kind of software for centralized management so that I don't need somebody else to manage it."
What is our primary use case?
We have Cisco Catalyst 2960 series. We're using them for core switches at two locations. We are also using them as endpoint switches and distribution switches.
What is most valuable?
The warranty and continued firmware support are most valuable.
What needs improvement?
Their centralized management could be better. There should be some kind of software for centralized management so that I don't need somebody else to manage it.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been running them for 12 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
They are extremely stable. We've been running them for 12 years, and we lost the uptime only due to power loss. We had only one of them go bad, and it was through the lightning.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is very scalable. We have at least one in every building, and we have over 70 buildings that we maintain. Some buildings have even up to five of these.
How are customer service and technical support?
Their tech support is great. We never had any issues. It is also easy to find a solution by using their community forums. Because Cisco is so widely used, you can find answers for any issue online.
How was the initial setup?
It was straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of these switches is on the upper end. It is around $3,500 plus for a 24-Port switch. These switches are more expensive than Linksys and TP-Link, but you get what you pay for. If you look at the pros and cons per switch, you can justify the cost compared to a lesser and cheaper brand.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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.
816,660 professionals have used our research since 2012.
System administrator and network manager at MEO
The stability and performance are extremely good
Pros and Cons
- "The stability and performance are extremely good."
- "The solution could be cheaper."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for live support systems.
What is most valuable?
The stability and performance are extremely good.
What needs improvement?
The solution could be cheaper.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable.
I rate the solution’s stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution’s scalability is good. 200 licenses of support systems are used.
I rate the solution’s scalability a ten out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward and takes half an hour to complete.
What was our ROI?
ROI is of 10-15 years. It's very good for long-term investment.
What other advice do I have?
It provides stability to our life monitoring system. The ease of management and configuration is good.
It is attributing the switches and has accessible IT. There's always a web configuration. I manage the solution.
Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Mar 31, 2024
Flag as inappropriateFounder at Torres & Torres Tech
Easy to configure and has good features like BGP, VPN, and spine-leaf architecture
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features of the solution are BGP, VPN, and spine-leaf architecture."
- "The solution’s licensing could be improved."
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of the solution are BGP, VPN, and spine-leaf architecture. The solution has good scalability. The solution’s configuration is easy.
What needs improvement?
The solution’s licensing could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for 13 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the solution ten out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution has good scalability. Around 8,000 users use Cisco Catalyst Switches in our organization.
I rate the solution a nine out of ten for scalability.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used Juniper.
How was the initial setup?
The solution’s initial setup is easy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is a very expensive solution.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend the solution to other users.
Overall, I rate the solution ten out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Security Administrator at NDIC
A durable and user-friendly solution that is very stable and provides very good technical support
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is durable."
- "The product must improve its security."
What is our primary use case?
I use the product to connect computers to the local area network.
What is most valuable?
The solution is durable. We have a lot of power fluctuations, yet the product works well. It is user-friendly.
What needs improvement?
The product must improve its security. It should be more intelligent. The optimization features must be faster. It must follow in tandem with technology.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for around ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The tool is very stable. I rate the stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s scalability a seven out of ten. We plan to replace all our switches. We will choose Cisco.
How are customer service and support?
Cisco has a lot of layers of support. We won’t have a problem with support. The support is very good.
How was the initial setup?
I rate the ease of setup an eight out of ten. It is plug-and-play. The setup is straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The product is quite expensive.
What other advice do I have?
The solution is good. Overall, I rate the solution 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.
Account Manager at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
Highly stable, great software and hardware integration, and helpful technical support
Pros and Cons
- "The Cisco software ties all the hardware together better than the competition."
- "Cisco Catalyst Switches do not have an open architecture and you have to buy into the Cisco architecture to be able to use them."
What is our primary use case?
We have customers that use Cisco Catalyst Switches for SMB, enterprises, schools, colleges, and universities. We have worked with almost everything except the federal government.
What is most valuable?
The Cisco software ties all the hardware together better than the competition. Cisco used to license their IOS software to HPE for their own switches, which were decent switches as well. HPE has been through a bunch of different changes over the years and now has Aruba switches. 3Com was part of HP for a while and the ProCurve was the original HP switch that I remember.
What needs improvement?
Cisco Catalyst Switches do not have an open architecture and you have to buy into the Cisco architecture to be able to use them.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for approximately 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is extremely stable and reliable, this has been proven from many years of use.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches can be used in any sized company. We have customers in small to enterprise companies, with our largest being General Reinsurance. Multi-national companies would benefit the most from the use of Cisco switches. This is why the international community likes this solution because it can be used anywhere in the world.
How are customer service and technical support?
The paid technical support is very good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used many other switches, such as HPE, Juniper, and Aruba.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is a definite effort to get everything set up and working correctly. They do not work out of the box. However, these days they have improved a lot and the new Cisco solutions today would be much easier to put together than the ones in the past.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost of Cisco switches is a little more expensive than the competition. However, as the saying goes, "you get what you pay for." If you want a reliable solution and other benefits, Cisco Catalyst Switches are worth the money.
There are additional costs for support.
What other advice do I have?
My advice for others looking to implement this solution would be to work with a reseller, such as us, that has a good history of working with Cisco and can give the customer a good short and long-term plan.
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: Reseller
System Administrator at Finlays
A reliable solution with good stability and scalability
Pros and Cons
- "It is very reliable."
- "Its price should be improved. It is very pricey."
What is our primary use case?
We are using 29 series. We have three switches that we use for common switches and routing. We also have a number of access switches that we interconnect to the devices in the network, such as telephone, CCTV. We have defined a number of VLANs that are running traffic between the switches, and we have done interconnections within the switches, cable, and fiber.
What is most valuable?
It is very reliable.
What needs improvement?
Its price should be improved. It is very pricey.
Its installation can be simplified. Its installation is a bit complex.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for four or five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is very scalable. You can almost do any new thing that is coming.
Our users will always be around 80 to 90 because the interconnections occur within the switches.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I've just been working on Cisco switches.
How was the initial setup?
Cisco solutions are a bit complex to install. They are not easy, and they require training and knowledge. When we changed our switch, it took 30 minutes to one hour.
What about the implementation team?
I installed it on my own, but most people prefer to hire a consultant.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is very pricey. You have to pay for support.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution. It is good.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of 10.
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.
Network Manager at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees
Robust network management with good stability and customer support
Pros and Cons
- "The most beneficial features for our network management are their stability and good customer support."
- "Cisco Catalyst Switches could be a little bit cheaper as they are very costly."
What is our primary use case?
We are using Cisco Catalyst Switches for our office network. We have deployed the 9200 and 9400 series solutions.
How has it helped my organization?
Cisco Catalyst Switches have been stable, and we haven't had issues with them for the last five years. They also provide good security at the LAN level.
What is most valuable?
The most beneficial features for our network management are their stability and good customer support.
What needs improvement?
Cisco Catalyst Switches could be a little bit cheaper as they are very costly.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have an experience of working with Cisco Catalyst Switches for about eighteen years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are stable. I would rate their stability as eight to nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are scalable, and I would rate them eight to nine out of ten for scalability.
How are customer service and support?
Cisco's support is good, one of the best supports that you will get. I would rate their technical support as nine out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have always been with Cisco.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not difficult for me. The new ones that are coming up are actually easy to implement and deploy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are quite pricey.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Cisco Catalyst Switches because they can scale, and they are stable. I don't have to worry once I install them.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Nov 5, 2024
Flag as inappropriateBuyer's Guide
Download our free Cisco Catalyst Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Updated: November 2024
Popular Comparisons
NETGEAR Switches
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access
Arista Networks Platform
Meraki MS Switches
Juniper QFX Series Switches
Luxul Switches
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Cisco Catalyst Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Quick Links
Learn More: Questions:
- Would you recommend replacing a Cisco Catalyst Switch by a D-link one?
- Is it necessary to stack power cables while stacking switches in Cisco Catalyst 9300 into HA mode?
- Cisco Catalyst Switch 3560 is not working - looking for advice
- Juniper vs Cisco ethernet switches: Which one is better?
- When evaluating Ethernet Switches, what aspect do you think is the most important to look for?
- Which Ethernet switch do you use? Why?
- What are your recommended Layer 2 and Layer 3 network switches if the main consideration is performance?
- Does anyone have statistics on how often a fire occurs in a computer room?
- Why does Cisco dominate the ethernet switching market?
- Juniper EX4600 vs. Cisco 3850