Arista Networks Platform vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Arista and Dell Technologies are both solutions in the Data Center Networking category. Additionally, 100% of Arista users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Dell Technologies users who would recommend it.

Arista Networks Platform

Read 36 Arista Networks Platform reviews

6,339 Views
2,599 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

Read 34 Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] reviews

90% willing to recommend

Arista Networks Platform

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Arista Networks Platform and Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Dell Technologies, Arista and others in Data Center Networking.

To learn more, read our detailed Data Center Networking Report (Updated: September 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Data Center Networking

September 2026

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Helped 912,069 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Arista Networks Platform

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Ethernet Switches (4th), Data Center Networking (4th)

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

8.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Featured Reviews

Dibyendu Das

Director at a tech company with 11-50 employees

Ultra-low latency networking has delivered reliable video workflows and critical operations

The support of Arista Networks Platform is quite complex; it is not very easy to configure. It needs a lot of network expertise for token sheddings and different kinds of configurations. It is very difficult to configure because Arista Networks Platform does not have a flexible GUI like Huawei or Netgear; everything is a very CLI kind of mainframe architecture. Scalability at every single step has a huge upgrade cost which is required for port mapping, connectivity, and transceivers certified by Arista Networks Platform, then the fabric upgrades from a software firmware level. Arista Networks Platform should improve commercial aspects to be affordable. There is no path for growth with a perfect score because the focus is more on reducing costs globally.

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LarsEvans

Chief Technology Officer / Chief Information Security Officer at Lorton Data, Inc.

Reliable and useful for network segmentation

The solution's most valuable feature stands up well. The tool is reliable, and it stands up well. The solution works fine and lasts a long time. I think if you speak about the features that have a flow and you can measure, it is hard to say. I don't spend a lot of my time with the tool, but I know that Dell APEX is the solution's cloud. I would say the VLAN features are important. The VLAN features are really useful because network segmentation is important. I would say the tool is easy to program. I don't know if the tool has any security features that I am aware of other than the fact that the solution is for networking. The VLAN and the ability to segment your networks are easy, which is its security feature.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Arista Networks Platform's features have significantly improved network visibility and operational efficiency."

"I find the operational system used by Arista to be very valuable, and the hardware is exceptionally nice. Arista has a unified operational system called EOS that is easy to set up and replicate on other devices. The ease of configuration and transition between devices is a significant advantage for me."

"Arista Networks Platform is very cost-effective and a very good network solution if you are looking for scalability, reliability, and straightforward management."

"The solution offers a lot of features and we were able to organize our network around them, and the configuration capabilities were good."

"Arista Networks offers similar features to Cisco."

"The configuration capabilities were good."

"As a reseller and partner of Arista, the biggest advantages of Arista Networks Platform are ease of use, ease of configuration, and excellent support from Arista in terms of configuration."

"Arista Networks Platform is comfortable, easy to deploy, and easy to manage, with non-blocking technology. Additionally, it has a useful CloudVision platform and automation capabilities."

More Arista Networks Platform pros

"If you buy Dell PowerConnect Switches as a bundle with computers and the rest of the infrastructure, it's a good setup and you'll get value from your investment or ROI from the product."

"Their support has been excellent, and it has been quite stable and easy to set up."

"There is high reliability since we have used them for close to twenty years and only had possibly one failure."

"The most valuable feature is its ability to multitask."

"This is a very good product, and it can be used lightly, but you have to understand how it works before implementing it."

"The most valuable feature of Dell PowerConnect Switches for me is the throughput. I also like that the product has more compatibility with Dell infrastructure, especially with EMC and new generation Dell servers. Dell PowerConnect Switches can also easily integrate with Dell servers, and this is another pro."

"The product is cheap."

"The tool is very user-friendly, with features catering to beginners and advanced users. For beginners, there are models with interactive and easy-to-navigate GUIs that aid in initial deployment and updates. For advanced users, there is the option to use the CLI."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pros

Cons

"Arista Networks Platform should focus on improving the compatibility or integration with Cisco solutions."

"The stability of this solution needs to be improved as part of the next upgrade."

"The intent-based networking management, together with the provider of these solutions that are already free, would be beneficial."

"The solution is quite expensive. One of the negative aspects of it is the pricing."

"The documentation did not explain that we could not vary the speed between ports that are in the same block. For example, we cannot have 1G and 10G on the neighboring ports; all four ports have to be 1G or 10G, which was very annoying for us when we realized that we needed to change the configuration and the cabling that we had already prepared."

"I know that Arista is more expensive than the Catalyst or Nexus."

"The overall price of the Arista Networks Platform is expensive. It should be reduced."

"I see some areas for improvement, particularly with pricing."

More Arista Networks Platform cons

"The solution's ROI for generic networking is not extraordinary."

"The product's infrastructure and connectivity features need improvement."

"An area for improvement would be that it's very hard to configure if you're not familiar with the UI or CLI of the product. The UI itself could also be improved."

"The product needs to improve in terms of reports and backups."

"It would be great to have modules that integrate with SDN solutions such as Cisco ACI, Arista SDN, Huawei Agile, and IBM."

"I can't think of what we would want in the next release."

"I do not like this solution. It runs ok but we have had problems."

"However, we are now having a problem where it does not integrate well with SDN."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Specific tools definitely require a license for the subscription. But we are not using these tools in our environment. In terms of licensing, you need to spend approximately $10,000 per month."

"Arista is very expensive. Not everybody is in a position to spend $70,000 to $80,000 for one switch."

"The customer price for an Arista router is approximately $7,000 USD, while Cisco's is around $18,000."

"It is pretty pricey for a networking platform. It is on par with Cisco."

"There is an annual license required to use the Arista Networks Platform."

"Arista Networks Platform was cheaper than Cisco. I have heard that the product is affordable for enterprise-sized companies."

"I rate the product price a seven on a scale of one to ten where ten is high price and one is low price."

"The price of the Arista Networks Platform could be less expensive for the hardware and license."

More Arista Networks Platform pricing and cost advice

"I would rate the pricing as a seven or eight."

"Its price is okay. Sometimes, it is lower than a Cisco solution."

"The price of these switches is okay."

"The solution is less expensive and more cost-efficient."

"Cheaper than its competitors"

"If you want to purchase a new Dell PowerConnect Switch, you will pay up to $1,600, but I bought them used. I bought the four Dell PowerConnect Switches that I used for $1,000."

"If one is the cheapest price and ten is the most expensive, I rate the product price as an eight or nine. The tool is not cheap."

"Inexpensive"

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Outsourcing Company

Construction Company

25%

Outsourcing Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	18
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	12

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	21
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	6

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Arista Networks Platform?

The initial setup cost is high compared to others, and I find the initial setup cost to be very high.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Arista Networks Platform?

Arista Networks Platform could improve its command line management. Coming from a Cisco background, the adjustment period was challenging. While similar in some areas, the AOS concept, especially a...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Arista Networks Platform?

I have worked with deploying Arista Networks Platform in data center environments, particularly for spine and leaf architectures. The configurations involved Zero Touch Provisioning, which went ver...

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Comparisons

Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Arista Networks Platform

Compared 22% of the time

Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches vs Arista Networks Platform

Compared 7% of the time

Cisco Ethernet Switches vs Arista Networks Platform

Compared 6% of the time

Cisco Nexus vs Arista Networks Platform

Compared 4% of the time

Aruba Switches vs Arista Networks Platform

Compared 4% of the time

More Arista Networks Platform Competitors

Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 22% of the time

HPE ProCurve vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 17% of the time

NETGEAR Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 16% of the time

Dell PowerSwitch N-Series vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 12% of the time

Enterasys Campus LAN Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 8% of the time

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Arista Networks Platform

September 2026

Download Arista Networks Platform product report

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

September 2026

Download Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] product report

Also Known As

7000 Series

PowerConnect Switches

Overview

Arista Networks Platform offers ultra-low latency and scalability with high bandwidth while simplifying network management through its intuitive dashboard. It enables robust support for EVPN and VXLAN, making it a top choice for modern data centers requiring efficient and effective networking solutions.

Designed to minimize complexity, Arista Networks Platform integrates seamlessly with a single operating system, providing streamlined operations. With automation capabilities via EOS and CloudVision, it enhances visibility and provisioning. Platinum and titanium power supplies contribute to reduced carbon footprints, aligning with sustainability goals. While configuration complexity and high pricing pose challenges, it remains a preferred choice for data center networking, offering premium performance and cost-effectiveness. It excels in environments like smart cities and finance, providing stability and scalability essential for demanding applications.

What are the key features of Arista Networks Platform?

Ultra-Low Latency: Ensures prompt data transmission and network responsiveness.
Scalability: Easily adapts to growing network demands and data loads.
High Bandwidth: Supports increased data transfer rates for efficient network operations.
Intuitive Dashboard: Enhances manageability and monitoring with streamlined interfaces.
EVPN and VXLAN Support: Provides flexible and robust networking options.
Platinum and Titanium Power Supplies: Reduce carbon footprint while ensuring reliable performance.
EOS and CloudVision Automation: Improves visibility, provisioning, and network operation efficiency.

What benefits should users look for in Arista Networks Platform?

Cost-Effectiveness: Balances premium performance with investment value.
Reduced Complexity: Streamlined integration simplifies network management.
Improved Visibility: Enhanced automation capabilities offer better monitoring and control.
High Throughput: Supports demanding applications with reliable data handling.
Sustainability: Eco-friendly power options align with environmental goals.

Arista Networks Platform is widely implemented across industries such as finance and smart cities, supporting critical applications in network security and scalable infrastructure. It is instrumental in data center networking, video production workflows, and robotic automation. Users benefit from its spine-leaf architectures and wireless connectivity, particularly in sectors requiring high throughput and reliability.

Arista

PowerConnect Switches family offers a set of flexible, manageable and comprehensive switch solutions supporting up to 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) and optimized Internet iSCSI (iSCSI) performance with Dell Storage solutions, ideal for enterprise and campus LAN environments alike.

Dell Technologies

Sample Customers

American Internet Services

Amerijet Holdings Inc., CGD Securities, MavenWire, Tulane University

Buyer's Guide

Data Center Networking

September 2026

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