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Responsable Infrastructures, Réseaux & Télécoms at a university with 201-500 employees
Real User
Customizable interface with good good throughput and the ability to expand
Pros and Cons
  • "Technical support has always been helpful."
  • "We'd like the pricing to be lowered."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution in the access layer for connecting EP-phone, PC, and access points. We use Cisco, like 3850, for the aggregation layer, and we use 6500 catalyst switches for the core layer.

What is most valuable?

They have very good throughput and backup for their energy. We find, stock-wise and energy-wise, it's easy to use with the CLA command.  

I can create a lot of interfaces, or SDI interfaces for VLAN and SNMP. I can show it with my SNMP platform. I can gain much access to them. They are really, really, good switches.

The solution is stable.

The scalability has been great.

We find the setup process to be simple. 

Technical support has always been helpful.

What needs improvement?

Stock-wise, the solution can improve.

The patching and updating could be better.

We'd like the pricing to be lowered. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is quite good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.

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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of the product is great, If a company needs to expand, it can. There is a lot of stacking and cascading that can happen.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support from Cisco has been great. They are helpful and responsive. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We primarily use Cisco in our company.

How was the initial setup?

It's a very easy to deploy product. It's just a question of buying the cable for stacking and getting it done.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing of the solution is pretty high.

Compared with other switches, such as Huawei or HPE, it's very, very expensive. ON top of that, the campus network, it's not an area that has a high budget. We have to have work towards minimizing this price.

What other advice do I have?

I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten.

I would recommend the solution to other users and companies. It's great for small to large enterprises. Just the number of ports that we can create makes a difference. We can use a lot of switches with 48 ports. In the smaller cases, we can still use 12 ports. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
PeerSpot user
reviewer1531497 - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Admin at a transportation company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Deliver performance and security
Pros and Cons
  • "These switches are both stable and scalable."
  • "It would be nice if they had higher wattage for PoE+."

What is our primary use case?

We use these switches to improve client connections.

We're a manufacturing facility — we have POCs and terminals. We have maybe 90 to 100 users with desk phones, and roughly 20 printers.

We don't perform maintenance ourselves. A third-party company handles the maintenance. We also outsource other vendors to help us with some complex configurations that we've had implemented.  

What is most valuable?

I would like to have a way to access a graphical web interface, but they either have an outdated iOS or they don't work well with Flash. They don't work well or show us enough details. They don't show errors or bandwidth on particular reports. 

What needs improvement?

I don't know if there were optional models, but the models that we bought don't have a redundant power supply. It would be nice if they had higher wattage for PoE+.

It would also be nice if they didn't have plastic faceplates that break easily.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Cisco Ethernet Switches for over 13 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

These switches are both stable and scalable. 

How are customer service and technical support?

Cisco's technical support is usually quite helpful.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not complex, but it's not easy either. I know what to do with Cisco switches, but we had one FortiGate switch that we used to connect our firewalls which I liked because it was easy to set up and had a nice interface. 

What about the implementation team?

Deployment was easy. I just took it out of the box and configured it. Deployment only took a few hours. I deployed them myself. 

What was our ROI?

We haven't seen any gains as of yet.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I am interested in switching over to Fortinet FortiSwitches. I've been checking them out, comparing the price, features, and compatibility compared to Cisco Ethernet Switches. It may be a mixed environment for a while.

We're looking for a better graphical interface and price. 

What other advice do I have?

My advice would be to look at Fortinet. Overall, on a scale from one to ten, I would give Cisco Ethernet Switches a rating of eight. 

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.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Ethernet Switches
April 2025
Learn what your peers think about Cisco Ethernet Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2025.
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Senior Network Operations Specialist at a government with 1,001-5,000 employees
Vendor
Cisco 6509 Ether Switches can be a one stop and do-it-all product for a huge enterprise.

What is most valuable?

The blade module feature which provide the scalability for site expansion.

How has it helped my organization?

A Cisco Network Structure consisted of 3 Layers (Core, Distribution & Access). We used the FWSM (Firewall Services Module) to route the traffic and as a gateway to get to the WAN. As a result, we were able to collapse the Core Layer into the Distribution Layer with a few blade modules (FWSM, SUP & Ethernet).

What needs improvement?

A FoE module would be imminent in the future. This module can communicate with storage devices' and ESXi Servers' HBA (fiber) connection via fibre channel switches (Brocade or Cisco MDS). This can provide a cost effective method in a data center environment without upgrading to a more advanced Cisco Nexus core switch.

For how long have I used the solution?

5 years

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

The power supply requires certain sockets and UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply). Each device should require a designated UPS for it. The UPS should not be shared with other devices. An improper termination of the switch's power supply cased a power surge and took out a SUP module during an annual power test.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

No extraordinary issues. Just minor day-to-day issues.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The Chassis can run out of slots as the environment expand further along.

How are customer service and technical support?

Customer Service: Great but Cisco outsources its customer support services to India since most of our issues and outages occurred after hours. Some support technicians have a heavy Indian accent which led to difficult comprehension and time consumption.Technical Support: 4.5 out of a 5 since Tech Support personnels are very knowledgeable of the product.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

No, I have not due to our contract agreement with Cisco.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup consist of the right personnel to set up and administer the product.

What about the implementation team?

All implementation were completed by in-house team members.

What was our ROI?

Centralized administration and reduced time consumption.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The SUP (Supervisor) module can provide up to 720 GBPS of data transmission compared to a stackable Cisco 3750 switches.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Yes, the Cisco Nexus 7000 Series core switches.

What other advice do I have?

No further comments.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1638543 - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Engineer at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Very scalable and easy to deploy, but has bugs that caused the switch to reboot
Pros and Cons
  • "It is very scalable."
  • "If we can have fewer bugs on our switches, that would be great. We had bugs that caused the switch to reboot. There is probably a problem with the software."

What is our primary use case?

We are using it for user connectivity. We are using its latest version. 

It is deployed on a public cloud and on-premises.

What is most valuable?

It is very scalable.

What needs improvement?

If we can have fewer bugs on our switches, that would be great. We had bugs that caused the switch to reboot. There is probably a problem with the software. 

Their technical support can be improved in terms of response time and overall efficiency.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for about 20 years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is very scalable. We have about 8,000 users.

How are customer service and technical support?

We use their technical support a lot. They are okay. There is definitely room for improvement in terms of response time and overall efficiency.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We didn't use any other solution.

How was the initial setup?

For our setup here, it was pretty straightforward.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I pay a fixed price on it. I'm not the person on the pursing, so I don't really compare.

What other advice do I have?

I would advise others to shop around and maybe compare it with some of the other vendors such as Juniper or Arista.

I would rate Cisco Ethernet Switches a seven out of 10.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1578237 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Director of IT and Data Analytics at a performing arts with 201-500 employees
Real User
Scalable, good POE functionality, and responsive technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "One main feature of this solution is the POE switches."
  • "The interface and dashboard could look better."

What is our primary use case?

We are using the solution as switches for our organization's network.

What is most valuable?

One main feature of this solution is the POE switches.

What needs improvement?

The interface and dashboard could look better.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for approximately two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I have been using a lot of hardware that is probably close to 10 years old. We did have an issue once with one of our switches that would just auto-reset and wipe out and randomly restart. I do not know the full details, but we ended up just replacing it.

In the future, there should be readily available instructional videos.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is pretty good, all you need to do is add more racks. We have approximately 70 people that rely on this solution from my organization.

How are customer service and technical support?

We paid for the technical support and they were good.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I have been evaluating Fortinet solutions.

What other advice do I have?

I rate Cisco Ethernet 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.
PeerSpot user
Pre-sales Engineer at a wholesaler/distributor with 51-200 employees
Reseller
Excellent technical support, good features, and easy to set up
Pros and Cons
  • "Technical support is excellent. They are very helpful."
  • "I don't like that you have to have a license of 10 years to use the switch. I don't understand that policy."

What is most valuable?

Cisco is number one in switches. Normally, if a manufacturer does not have the same categories as Cisco, it's not a good switch. Cisco has a lot of features that you never use that are implemented in the software. It's nice to know they are there if you need them. 

For a simple customer, the initial setup is quick and easy.

Technical support is excellent. They are very helpful.

What needs improvement?

Typically, mid-range customers don't have a need for all of the features embedded in Cisco's software.

The solution is a bit difficult.

I don't like the new way the licensing is set up. I don't like that you have to have a license of 10 years to use the switch. I don't understand that policy. It's not useful for the customer.

There are some features in previous versions or previous models that were automatically included in the software. However, now, in the new switches, they don't have it included. You have to go to an advanced version.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been dealing with the solution for the last two decades. It's been 20 years. I have a lot of experience with them.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The performance of the solution is very good. We've found the solution to be reliable.

How are customer service and technical support?

While I haven't been in touch with Cisco's technical support in the past year, I have worked with them in the past and I have always had a positive experience. I would rate their services nine out of ten. They are knowledgeable and responsive. We are satisfied with eh support they provide. They are likely the best on the market in terms of support.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is pretty straightforward. It's not difficult or anything. 

There are lots of ways to do the initial configuration. It's very flexible. I typically use the traditional setup, however, you don't necessarily need to.

Deployment times vary. It depends on the client and the environment and what you want to do.

For someone who knows what they are doing, it might take an hour or so to have a suite deployed. Others might need more time or might have to do more integrations with a network that's in production. That could take a week or more. It all depends.

That said, even with configuration and integration in the mix, it's not too difficult. A company shouldn't run into any problems.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

There are other manufacturers that may offer better pricing. The price is important. It may be a deciding factor for some.

What other advice do I have?

We are a Cisco partner. We are also a Cisco customer.

I've dealt with a lot of Cisco switches and a lot of different versions over the years.

I would recommend the solution to others. They are likely the first option if you compare it to other manufacturers. The features and performance are superior. It would be difficult to find something better than Cisco. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Owner at It logic
Real User
Top 20
Easy to install and stability is perfect
Pros and Cons
  • "The stability is 100%."
  • "Technical support in India needs to be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We are a solution provider and Cisco Ethernet Switches are one of the products that we offer for our customers. With Cisco, there are two areas. There are gigabit switches, both managed and unmanaged, and there are 100 Mbps switches.

Generally, the Cisco switches available in India are L2 or L3. The L2 switch is mainly used for internet connectivity, for internet ISP users.

What needs improvement?

Technical support in India needs to be improved.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is 100%. It's the number-one product in this regard. We plan to continue selling it in the future.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Our customers have between 2,000 and 2,500 users.

How are customer service and technical support?

I'm not sure about other parts of the world, but in India, there is a problem with technical support for Cisco. There needs to be local support and it should be faster. At this time, in India, they give only remote support.

How was the initial setup?

Cisco switch installation is very easy and it takes approximately half an hour to deploy.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

This is a very expensive product. Without a license, part of the switch will not function.

In some of the latest switches, the warranty is not included in the pricing and we have to purchase it separately.

What other advice do I have?

In summary, this is a good product that is very stable and I recommend it, but it's a costly switch.

I would rate this solution 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: Reseller
PeerSpot user
Data Center Admin at Sysnet Global Technologies
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Stable, they have good replacement service, and the technical support is helpful
Pros and Cons
  • "The procedures and handling of these switches are easy."
  • "The initial setup can be simplified."

What is our primary use case?

We use these switches as part of our data center infrastructure.

What is most valuable?

These switches are stable and they have a good replacement service.

The support is good.

The procedures and handling of these switches are easy. Anything that you need to know is available in a Google search, or from the technical support.

What needs improvement?

The initial setup can be simplified.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Cisco Ethernet Switches for approximately 10 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability is one of the key features of this product.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We are using the Cisco 4503-E and these switches are very scalable. There are some models that have plenty of ports.

Users do not connect directly to this switch. Rather, only servers are connected and we have perhaps 20 of them.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We also have experience with HPE switches. The HPE switches are okay, but Cisco is the best when it comes to things like the CLI. I prefer them.

Juniper is also a good company and they have good switches.

What other advice do I have?

Cisco Switches are the best and I recommend them.

I would rate this 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.
PeerSpot user
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