We're primarily using the solution for Jim basically the whole IT infrastructure, including the broadcast facility on the management side. It uses Cisco switches, which we spread out with the 9500 Series as sort of the main switches. We also use 93180s to create the backbone or spine of our setup.
CGO at TMS Consulting Inc
Easy to manage and configure with the capability to scale
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable aspect of the solution is the ability to manage the switches and the ability to have a certain level of familiarity with setting up and configuring the switches."
- "One thing we did have to work around is, on the broadcast side, we're reliant on the PTP protocol, precision time protocol, and the Cisco switches in general, don't support that."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The most valuable aspect of the solution is the ability to manage the switches and the ability to have a certain level of familiarity with setting up and configuring the switches. You can link them together and manage them as one single switch.
What needs improvement?
The biggest pain point we had was getting the switches delivered. However, that likely was due to COVID and everything else. I don't think it's a Cisco issue. It's just a supplier issue, as they seem to have a hard time getting deliveries in order.
One thing we did have to work around is, on the broadcast side, we're reliant on the PTP protocol, precision time protocol, and the Cisco switches in general, don't support that. Some do, however, the majority of ones we're using did not. We worked around it, however, that would be one area for us that would have been simply solved with more capabilities for PTP on Cisco's end.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've dealt with the solution for a long time, however, my most recent project has just been over the last six or so months.
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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution has been absolutely fine so far and I have yet to run into any scalability issues just yet. A company should be able to expand if they need to.
We have about 100 people using the product at any given time.
How are customer service and support?
I don't really have direct knowledge of technical support, however, I haven't heard anybody mention anything about reaching out to Cisco. They tend to work through their vendor CDW. I'm sure they have some support agreement with Cisco, although I'm really not the person that would be able to answer that. In general, I can't speak to Cisco's support as I've never had reason to reach out to them.
How was the initial setup?
I wasn't directly involved with the configuration, however, it seemed that the main problem we had was just nailing down the requirements. The way I've worked here is there's a central IT department for the company. They're remotely configuring it. There just was a lot of confusion about specific requirements getting imported. Once those were clarified, then there was no problem setting it up.
I don't think it's a Cisco issue. It's really an internal management issue in this company. The tools were there and once we nailed down the requirements and we understood them, then it seemed to work just fine. We haven't had any problems since then.
In terms of maintenance, there's a core IT team here of about four people with a manager. Then, there are the corporate people that are shared amongst the whole corporation. At any one time, we probably have one of those persons working on some issue here, on average. Overall, we have six people who can handle maintenance, however, it's not full-time. There are other duties too.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The costs and licensing aren't part of my job and therefore I don't know anything of exact pricing.
What other advice do I have?
We provide engineering and technical support services with a hardware-software. It's my understanding that w don't have a business relationship with Cisco.
I'm not sure which version of the solution we're using.
My advice to other organizations is to make sure to ensure that whoever the supplier is, they can commit to delivering and making deliveries. In our case, we're waiting on one switch for instance. It's in the mail. It got lost. Now they're promising delivery by tomorrow. I don't see that as a Cisco issue, however, it is a problem when it comes to getting everything implemented. I would have locked in the vendor that could ensure delivery if I knew these issues would arise.
Overall, I would rate the solution as a solid eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Telecommunication Team Leader at a financial services firm with 201-500 employees
A familiar, stable, and scalable solution with all required functions
Pros and Cons
- "I know this solution for many years. I know the GUI and commands, and they are useful for me. I have all the functions that I want."
- "Cisco can improve its stability for the BGP protocol. It is not stable while recalculating the BGP table. Its price should also be improved. It is very expensive."
What is our primary use case?
We use it for data centers and for connecting computers in a local network.
What is most valuable?
I know this solution for many years. I know the GUI and commands, and they are useful for me. I have all the functions that I want.
What needs improvement?
Cisco can improve its stability for the BGP protocol. It is not stable while recalculating the BGP table.
Its price should also be improved. It is very expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Ethernet Switches for 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is stable in most cases. It is not stable while recalculating the BGP table.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. I don't have any problem with its scalability.
We have 500 people in my company. They don't directly work on these devices. I configure these devices, and they connect through these devices.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have a good opinion about Cisco support. I get local support from a company in Poland. If they are not able to resolve my problem, they send it to Cisco, and then Cisco resolves my problem. I don't have direct contact with Cisco support.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy for me.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Its price is very high, but it is a good device. Cisco must work on its price. Other solutions provide a better price for similar functionalities.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution. It is a very good solution.
I would rate Cisco Ethernet 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.
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Ethernet Switches
January 2025
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Project Manager at a real estate/law firm with 10,001+ employees
A robust and stable network switch
Pros and Cons
- "Cisco Ethernet Switches is stable and robust."
- "It'll also help if it can support more network utilization."
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco Ethernet Switches for LAN networking and connecting our systems.
What is most valuable?
Cisco Ethernet Switches is stable and robust.
What needs improvement?
It could be cheaper. It'll also help if it can support more network utilization.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Ethernet Switches for about two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I think Cisco Ethernet Switches are quite stable, and it's pretty robust,
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Ethernet Switches is scalable.
How are customer service and technical support?
We are satisfied with technical support.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup and installation are straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
A consultant implemented it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It could be cheaper.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Cisco Ethernet Switches to potential users.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give Cisco Ethernet Switches an 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.
IT Support Executive at a healthcare company with 51-200 employees
Stable, easy to use, and has the ability to scale
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is easy to use."
- "The user interface, the UI, could be better."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution like a normal wired network. We use it in the area before you connect it to outer networks using the firewall. Our inner network is managed by switches. All the wired connections come to those switches. We can do internal networking on the switches such as VLANs and all of those things. We use it for basic switching purpose.
How has it helped my organization?
Yes, it has improved.
What is most valuable?
The solution is easy to use.
The product is quite stable, which is one of its main selling points. The solution can scale.
What needs improvement?
I don't really have a complaint about the features that the solution has.
It can be a bit expensive, however, it's not as expensive as Meraki switches.
The user interface, the UI, could be better.
Going command mode to make hardcore changes to the config. It's not so futuristic environment for configuration purposes.
While you can scale the solution, it can get expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using the solution for quite a while now. We've used them for at least four or five years at this point.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is extremely stable. We never have issues with it. It doesn't have any underlying issues and is quite reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
While the solution can scale, it's a costly endeavor. Scaling definitely will cost an organization more money.
We have about 60 or 70 users of the product within our organization.
How are customer service and technical support?
While we've occasionally had issues with the solution, we've never actually reached out to technical support. Therefore I can't speak to their responsiveness or knowledgability.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We've always used Ciscos switches of one kind or another. We've never used another brand. We're currently planning to change to Cisco Meraki switches. We haven't yet configured them, however. We're going to use it with a Palo Alto Firewall.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was not complex at all. It was extremely straightforward. That said, our setup required a very minimal configuration, and therefore it didn't take up much time. The deployment took maybe half an hour or so.
What about the implementation team?
I handled the implementation myself. I didn't need help from consultants or integrators.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
While normal switches are not too expensive, Meraki switches are pricier.
What other advice do I have?
We're just customers and end-users. We don't have any business relationship with Cisco.
It's my understanding that we are not using the latest version of the switches.
I'd recommend the solution to other organizations.
I would rate the solution at an eight out of ten. We've been largely pretty satisfied with the solution.
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.
Solutions Architect at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Well documented, straightforward to install, and the command-line interface is easy to use
Pros and Cons
- "The command-line interface is easy to use."
- "The licensing needs to be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution to connect our computers.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of this solution are guidance, cover sheets, and access control.
The command-line interface is easy to use.
What needs improvement?
The licensing needs to be improved. You have to know upfront what kind of license you require. If you want to check quality assurance then you need to use an IP-based license. You can get that done, but sometimes it's a nuisance. For example, if you want to run certain commands then they are not all available because it depends on your license.
On the new switches, it is a bit hard to do the SPANning. The SPAN ports on the 9K series should be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco switches for between ten and fifteen years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of this solution is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of this solution is fine.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have just changed partners for technical support so we are not able to rate them yet.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not use another solution prior to this one. We have always used Cisco.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of this solution is straightforward.
We do part of it manually and part of it automatically. The biggest part is the installation and the connecting and cabling. The actual deployment of the CD itself can be a couple of hours.
What about the implementation team?
We use a partner for technical support.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of this solution is good.
What other advice do I have?
In general, Cisco is ok. It's convenient and well-documented. If you have a big landscape then Cisco is a good way forward. It is well supported and a lot of engineering people know the Cisco switches. It's like the default environment, and I recommend it.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
RF Planning Manager at Sabafon
High quality, stability solid, scalable, feature functions need updating
Pros and Cons
- "We have found it to be scalable. We have approximately three million subscribers."
- "In the future, some of the features could be updated to support the latest functions."
What is our primary use case?
We are a GSM mobile network operator and we use the solution for internet data.
What is most valuable?
Cisco is a large company and their product is very good with high quality. The features and customer support are good.
What needs improvement?
In the future, some of the features could be updated to support the latest functions.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for approximately ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is really stable we have not had a problem in the ten years we have been using it.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have found it to be scalable. We have approximately three million subscribers.
What about the implementation team?
We have 20 internal engineers that do all the installation, configuration and aftercare of the product.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is an expensive product.
What other advice do I have?
If there is another product cheaper than Ciscos and runs just as well we would switch but currently, we are satisfied.
I would recommend the solution to others.
I rate Cisco Ethernet Switches a seven 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.
Owner with self employed
Easy and straightforward setup but the dashboard needs improvement
Pros and Cons
- "For me, the initial setup was easy and straightforward, but for some of our customers who are not as familiar with networking, it can be complicated."
- "The dashboard needs some minor improvements."
What is our primary use case?
Our clients use this solution for monitoring and configuration purposes.
The deployment model varies from client to client.
What needs improvement?
The dashboard needs some minor improvements. Sometimes it is difficult to find items, other times it is quick, it just depends. Most of the feedback we receive are not complaints but suggestions or ideas about the dashboard.
The stability could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for more than twenty years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have some glitches once in a while. There are times where it's a little bit slow or a bit delayed.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have not had to scale yet, we are normally working with a fixed size. We haven't had to worry about upsizing or downsizing.
For our purposes, we are not using this, but on the client-side, we have anywhere from two to eight users, they are made up of technicians, support staff, and engineers.
How was the initial setup?
For me, the initial setup was easy and straightforward, but for some of our customers who are not as familiar with networking, it can be complicated.
For a technical person, it is straightforward. Of course, now and then you have to look in the manual and read it, as nothing is completely self intuitive.
Deployment can take anywhere from one to five days, depending on the requirements.
We require two employees for deployments.
What about the implementation team?
We implement this solution ourselves.
What other advice do I have?
There is no favorite function or feature, it depends on what you have to do and how you do it.
My advice regarding this solution is to understand your network, definitely have a look in the manual, understand the structure and don't just rely on trial and error. It's not target-aiming, so trial and error will not work.
I would rate this solution a seven out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Senior Solution Architect at a comms service provider with 501-1,000 employees
DNA is a very good way to do the configuration of all the equipment
Pros and Cons
- "Good and stable operational experience with nearly no loss of hardware and very few software bugs."
- "DNA Center is very interesting in automating the setup and monitoring as with each occurrence it gets easier to troubleshoot and provides an impression about what could be the problem."
- "Location of customers to connect clients to the servers and transport the data and VoIP in parallel with QoS and NBAR with 802.1X."
What is our primary use case?
- Collecting Clients in the floors.
- Concentrate distribution and to forward over routers to other parts.
- Fiber and copper ports with enhanced power over Ethernet and stacks.
- NM-modules with 10G
How has it helped my organization?
- Good and stable operational experience with nearly no loss of hardware and very few software bugs.
- Plug and play works now.
- DNA is a very good way to do the configuration of all the equipment.
What is most valuable?
DNA Center is very interesting in automating the setup and monitoring as with each occurrence it gets easier to troubleshoot and provides an impression about what could be the problem.
What needs improvement?
Location of customers to connect clients to the servers and transport the data and VoIP in parallel with QoS and NBAR with 802.1X.
For how long have I used the solution?
More than five years.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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DNA is relatively new product even it gets use of some matured features in the background. But it is quite a change on how we do access layer management. What I like about the solution, I could preserve my investment in the legacy hardware when deploy DNA. Older switches (not all - please, consult feature support for Cisco equipment) could be integrated into DNA matrix.