The entirety of our network infrastructure is Cisco-based, and our voice infrastructure comes across that as well. I handle the Unified Communications.
Unified Communications Engineer at a retailer with 1,001-5,000 employees
Helped us unify communications and bring voice service to our satellite offices and stores
Pros and Cons
- "This solution has saved us both time and money because we now have the ability to control all of these telephony devices that are deployed nationwide."
- "There is always room for improvement."
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
This solution has drastically improved our organization.
Prior to implementing this solution, our corporate campus was the only place that we had Voice service in our network. Over the past two years, we have brought Cisco Voice to every single one of our offices and stores, nationwide. Essentially, we have unified all of those communication links between stores and our corporate office to support those stores.
For the stores, it has made life simpler for them. They need only press a button to speed dial into a support desk, where before they were totally dependent on an outside POTS line that may not have been available when they needed it. We've also reduced their costs, in that rather than every single satellite office dialing long distance numbers to reach the corporate office for support, the calls now come right across the LANs.
In terms of mitigating incidents, this solution has reduced incidents of lost time by approximately thirty percent.
This solution has saved us both time and money because we now have the ability to control all of these telephony devices that are deployed nationwide. It is simple for us to make changes remotely, rather than having to deploy somebody to go and make the changes. The time that we spent helping people who are in remote sites is minimal now compared to before, so it is definitely an improvement.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the flexibility that we have had, working with our network team to get voice implemented.
What needs improvement?
There is always room for improvement.
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Cisco Nexus
November 2024
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816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This solution is absolutely stable. Our uptime is wonderful. It is so much that I actually enjoy not being called after hours.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support for this solution has been absolutely wonderful.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not have a voice network infrastructure in our stores and we wanted to support it. However, our existing equipment was antiquated and it had to be upgraded. We were still using Cisco equipment, but it was dated and did not have support for voice and the other things that are required today.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was pretty straightforward. The implementors that we would source to assist us knew exactly what they were doing. They were not stalled with questions, so it just worked.
What about the implementation team?
We used an integrator to handle part of our implementation, and their service was really good.
What other advice do I have?
Cisco is not stopping in terms of adding support for new features. They are continuing to innovate their product and make it better for everybody.
This is a solution that has made my life much simpler. I can relax in the evening knowing that the solution is stable.
In fact, the biggest lesson that I have learned from using this solution is that we waited too long to deploy it in our stores. For a long time, the stores struggled every day, and it's a good thing that we've got a management team who realized that. They wanted to make things better for the employees that are working in our offices, the customer-facing people. I only wish that we had done it sooner.
My advice for anybody looking to implement a similar solution is to go with Cisco.
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
IT Engineer at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
Provides a flexible connection to a server that enables us to easily handle a server when it goes down
Pros and Cons
- "It provides a very flexible connection to a server. When you go into history and the VPC, it provides a very flexible connection from it. Once a server goes down I can instruct it easily. So the network actually keeps quality even if onsite it is down."
- "There is some room for improvement when it comes to the frequency on the network."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use for Cisco Nexus is for storage.
How has it helped my organization?
It helps for data servers.
What is most valuable?
It provides a very flexible connection to a server. When you go into history and the VPC, it provides a very flexible connection from it. Once a server goes down I can handle it easily. So the network actually keeps quality even if onsite it is down.
What needs improvement?
There is some room for improvement when it comes to the frequency on the network.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using Cisco Nexus 9000 for two months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I don't work in security so I do not deal with this subject. I just make the network available. I think it's probably good. From the networking point of view, we just provide them the network that is going to be Cisco 9000, but they are using the servers. I have not gotten any complaints. We just deployed less than two months ago.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support is very good. I really like the way Cisco handles support. I am building this 9000 network. I had a lot of issues because of the vast complications you find setting up a network. I knew I could get help from Cisco.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We switched to 400G. We provide 100G on our network. I needed something which can carry 100, so next time this has that option. That is the reason we went with this partner.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
As a customer of Cisco, we always have had meetings with them on their new products. We tell them what kind of solution we are looking for and Cisco says for this solution you need this kind of thing.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this product. It does not give me any headaches. That is the best thing. There are lots of products, but when you use this, it does not give you any headaches.
It is good because when we went to purchase this, we did not have all the information and knowing that there are a lot of options with all those differences, we had some issues, but it is obvious that this solution is going to do everything that we need. That is fine.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Nexus
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about Cisco Nexus. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Product Manager - Networking & Security at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Easy to use, provides stability, easy to configure, and provides communication to the data center
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features are that it is easy to use, provides stability, easy to configure, low latency, and it provides communication to the data center."
- "In terms of improvement, the stacking between the two switches in the higher availability model should be similar to Catalyst. It's better to have one interface for configuration."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case of this solution is to provide Nexus 9000 in different models for the user on top of our switches or as core switches. It depends on the design and the customer's needs.
How has it helped my organization?
The product has improved the way our organization functions in the way that we have been able to implement this product in many customer's sites and it has been running for one of our main customer's enterprise sine 2014.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are that it is easy to use, provides stability, easy to configure, low latency, and it provides communication to the data center.
What needs improvement?
In terms of improvement, the stacking between the two switches in the higher availability model should be similar to Catalyst. It's better to have one interface for configuration.
I hope to see more features for high-availability configuration such as a VSS configuration on the Catalyst series. To have one management console for both chassis. I also hope to see the dependency on the management interface for high-availability lowered.
What needs improvement is the price on the DNA subscription. It's obligatory for all the switches and you should have the option to remove it or keep it as optional. Cisco has the option to remove it now. We have agreed that in the future, they will offer a permanent license for it.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Cisco Nexus for more than five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Nexus has good scalability features. It provides the customer's needs.
How are customer service and technical support?
The solution's technical support is good. We had to deal with some cases and the response times were very good. It met expectations. Response time was amazing. The customer was satisfied.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used to have another solution and used other products. This product provides us with better high-performance support at a good price.
How was the initial setup?
The initial set up was very straightforward. It is easy to follow and we didn't have any obstacles during the implementation.
What about the implementation team?
We used both a reseller and a product consultant.
What was our ROI?
Cisco Nexus has provided a good initial cost for our customers with minimum renewal fees over the next few years.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Customers do not understand the new licenses or subscription very well. Cisco should work on this.
The subscription for licensing is expensive while other vendors provide a switch with everything at a lower price.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We previously used Catalyst 6500.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate Cisco Nexus a nine because it has helped us a lot with our customers. There's always room for improvement.
I would advise someone considering this solution to go for it. It's a stable product.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner.
A flexible and feature-rich solution that is easy to integrate and use
Pros and Cons
- "The interface is as user-friendly as you can make it."
- "There are too many different model numbers and too much complexity."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use for this solution is enterprise networking.
How has it helped my organization?
The ease of integration with existing systems has been helpful.
What is most valuable?
This is a very feature-rich solution, but the most valuable feature is flexibility.
The interface is as user-friendly as you can make it.
What needs improvement?
There are too many different model numbers and too much complexity. The Nexus 9K, for example, came from a family of twenty offerings.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a very stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of this solution is very good.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support for this solution is very good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Based on client demand, which was moving towards software-defined networking, the Nexus 9000 was the next step. We used the prior generation, Catalyst, before this.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of this solution is fairly straightforward. It is very user-friendly.
What was our ROI?
The return on investment for this solution is very good. It is very practical and versatile.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did not have other vendors on our shortlist.
What other advice do I have?
This is a very good product, although it would be nice to restrict the number of offerings. My suggestion is to evaluate ACI, SDN, and the Nexus 9000.
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller.
IT Director at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Great performance, high availability and easy administration
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features are the great performance, high availability and easy administration."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case is for our core network.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are the great performance, high availability and easy administration.
What needs improvement?
The price is a con.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Our network is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's scalable.
How are customer service and technical support?
If you previously used a different solution, which one did you use and why did you switch?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We needed to upgrade our network and we needed to decide to change our core network.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward, it was simple.
What about the implementation team?
We used our reseller for the implementation. We liked them.
What was our ROI?
ROI comes after three years.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We used Cisco before. When we made the decision to choose a new solution, we evaluated other vendors and chose Nexus.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution a ten out of ten because it's the best.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Tech Architect at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees
Helps us with troubleshooting and uptime management in keeping a healthy network but needs better granularity
Pros and Cons
- "Cisco Nexus has improved the way our organization functions through the troubleshooting. We had issues where we've seen our links saturated. We were able to determine what was being processed on the link."
- "I would like to see more granularity."
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco Nexus primarily to check the health of our links. We use it to make sure if our links are good or not. It really helps with troubleshooting.
How has it helped my organization?
Cisco Nexus has improved the way our organization functions through the troubleshooting. We had issues where we've seen our links saturated. We were able to determine what was being processed on the link.
It has reduced the complexity of our network monitoring because I'm able to drill down quickly and figure out what's going on.
It has helped us make sure that we have the best uptime that we can have.
What is most valuable?
Although it could be better, you can get the granularity depending on the amount of time that you drill into it.
What needs improvement?
I would like to see more granularity.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of the solution is very good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It scales very well.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not have a previous solution.
How was the initial setup?
Cisco Nexus is straightforward to set up. We just pointed our logs to it. It's pretty easy.
What about the implementation team?
We used a consultant. I didn't install it, I don't know exactly how it was done.
What was our ROI?
We have seen ROI based on the fact that we have more uptime.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate this product a seven because it's helped out a lot in terms of troubleshooting.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Network Admin at a hospitality company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Good reliability and configuration options with straightforward access to switching platforms
Pros and Cons
- "Cisco Nexus has good overall reliability and configuration options. It is fairly straightforward to access the switching platforms."
- "One of our switches died last week and we were able to RMA it. Within four hours it arrived on time and worked."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case for Cisco Nexus is for an internet data center.
How has it helped my organization?
Cisco Nexus can handle the traffic in our data center. This was a brand new bill for a data center that we are setting up for a gaming environment. We knew we needed heavy duty switching hardware at that location.
What is most valuable?
Cisco Nexus has good overall reliability and configuration options. It is fairly straightforward to access the switching platforms.
What needs improvement?
Cisco Nexus is a switch. It's fairly straightforward in what it does and what it can offer. Other than the differences between the command line or vs. Catalyst, it's just getting used to it.
I don't have any negative issues. Cisco Nexus is expensive.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability has been great. We've been using it for the last five years and haven't had any failures yet.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I don't see any issues with the scalability of Cisco Nexus.
How are customer service and technical support?
For Cisco's overall technical support, i.e. if you have a problem, I'd probably give it eight or a nine out of ten. It's reliable.
One of our switches died last week and we were able to RMA it. Within four hours it arrived on time and worked. We have no issues with Cisco's customer support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We didn't have any previous solution.
How was the initial setup?
The initial set was fairly straightforward. It's a basic set up that we have. It's not an overly complex network that it's being used in. It was primarily used to support channels.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Cisco was our only vendor.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale from one to ten, I'd probably give Cisco Nexus an eight to nine, based on relatability and the ease of configuration.
Given the overall reliability and stability of the Cisco product, it's worth the price over any other switching platform out there.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Network Engineer at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
Provides VRF support for a good price
Pros and Cons
- "This solution provides all of the routing and searching features that we need."
- "Some of the DHCP features need improvement."
What is our primary use case?
This solution provides all of the routing and searching features that we need. We use it for internal use, rather than resell it to our customers.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature for us is the VRF (Virtual Routing and Forwarding) support. We are using it in the aggregation layer.
What needs improvement?
Some of the DHCP features need improvement.
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?
I think that this solution scales well.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of this solution is good when compared to others in the market.
When we purchased the hardware, the software license came with it.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did not evaluate other vendors before choosing this solution.
What other advice do I have?
This is a pretty solid product that complies with our design and gives us what we need.
I would rate this solution 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: November 2024
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