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

6,847 Views
2,944 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, Arista, Dell Technologies and others in Data Center Networking.

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

Buyer's Guide

Data Center Networking

October 2026

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Helped 917,743 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 (2nd)

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

"The platform is easy to scale."

"We find the CloudVision switching feature of this solution really useful."

"Great latency (bundled with great L1/L2/L3 features) depending on platforms."

"The solution has good load latency. They're the market leader in this aspect right now."

"Arista Networks Platform has a feature that helps with monitoring and management."

"If someone uses Arista Networks Platform, I believe they are secured."

"The product's initial setup phase was straightforward."

"The user-friendly policy manager lets us apply different controls for various user groups easily."

More Arista Networks Platform pros

"The tool is reliable, and it stands up well. The solution works fine and lasts a long time."

"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."

"It's much less expensive than Cisco, and yet it has the same functionalities."

"Dell PowerConnect Switches have a VTL feature similar to Cisco's VSS. With VTL, using this technology, you can cluster two switches together to increase redundancy in the environment."

"The most valuable features are the jumbo frames and the stacking."

"We have these switches installed in an environment with hardware from many other vendors, and so far, so good."

"The setup is straightforward. It takes minimum time for deployment."

"PowerConnect Switches' stability is satisfactory."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pros

Cons

"An area for improvement we see in Arista Networks Platform is its integration, for example, it needs to have more integration with its new products and should have good integration with multiple wireless, security, and other products they recently acquired."

"A weakness would be that in our company, we don't have many people within our team who support the product because there are different vendors, and most of them are not tier-one vendors, so the skills required sometimes are just not there."

"Arista is very expensive."

"The CVP management platform needs to be improved."

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

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

"The cost of Arista Networks Platform is high; it is more expensive than other networking solutions."

"They should expand further into campus networks."

More Arista Networks Platform cons

"The pricing could always be a bit lower."

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

"The CLI for Dell PowerConnect Switches is sometimes confusing, especially with the LAN, but for the GUI it is simple."

"When it comes to the configuration, there should be documentation and interactive help available to assist people who have experience with products from other vendors."

"You have to build the stackable interface by yourself in Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL], making it an area that can be considered for improvement."

"A user can take care of the product's installation part, but it may not seem to be an easy process."

"I expect Dell PowerConnect switches to be a zero-touch or a plug-and-play device, but it is not so easy to implement and it is still not a plug-and-play or zero-touch device."

"Technical support tends to give conflicting advice on how to configure the product."

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."

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

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

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

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

"Network devices are generally expensive. However, during the evaluation, Arista was the most inexpensive vendor."

"I remember that when our customers were offered the Arista Networks Platform, they used a checklist to compare the prices between Arista and Cisco for their requirements, and found that the prices were almost the same."

"If one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the product price as seven out of ten."

More Arista Networks Platform pricing and cost advice

"The product is cheaper than Cisco and licensing is yearly. We have to pay additional costs for support."

"PowerConnect Switches are priced well."

"Pricing for Dell PowerConnect Switches is quite competitive compared to Cisco and HP pricing. Dell has cheaper pricing and the company is trying to push for sales for its switching infrastructure because right now, the current market is dominated by Cisco. In the US market, there's Cisco, HP, Juniper, and Arista which you can buy for data center switching meant for different kinds of enterprises and ISPs. Dell PowerConnect Switches, on the other hand, is a product for people who need smaller setups or individual switches, especially those looking for a cheaper product and basic switching, though you can also buy a complete suite packaged with the switches."

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

"Cheaper than its competitors"

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

"Inexpensive"

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

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%

Outsourcing Company

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

26%

Outsourcing Company

13%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

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 26% of the time

Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches vs Arista Networks Platform

Compared 6% 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 24% of the time

HPE ProCurve vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 17% of the time

NETGEAR Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 12% 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 10% of the time

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Arista Networks Platform

October 2026

Download Arista Networks Platform product report

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

October 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

October 2026

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