Aruba Instant On Switches vs Cisco Catalyst Switches comparison

Aruba Instant On Switches vs. Cisco Catalyst Switches

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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

Aruba Instant On Switches

Ranking in LAN Switching

2nd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Cisco Catalyst Switches

Ranking in LAN Switching

1st

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

175

Ranking in other categories

Ethernet Switches (7th), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the LAN Switching category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant On Switches is 10.3%, up from 8.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 29.9%, down from 32.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

LAN Switching

Featured Reviews

MashukThakur

Senior Wireless Engineer at FASTtelco

A centrally managed switches ideal for small and medium businesses but does not have any console access

The solution does not have any console access. For example, if you do not have internet access on your side and you need to configure anything, you should at least have CLI access to do something or manage the solution to put to some IP. It will only work if we have a TSCT on the network. We can port and configure the initial settings before we get the Instant On Switches. I am not working deeply on Instant On devices. I have only installed it in a couple of accommodation sites. Even today, one customer has ordered to install 80 pieces of Instant On. I’ve to order additional 94 access points. I was confused about whether to go with Aruba Instant On or AP-505. Instant On has limited accessibility but AP-505 have cloud or local access on normal infrastructure. This would be better and easier to configure. So, there are further improvements in regard to console access and some limitations with access.

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Joshua Odunsi

I.T INFRASTRUCTURE/SECURITY ADMINISTRATOR at Haggai Mortgage Bank Ltd

Ensures efficient performance and supports network growth with optimal speed

Catalyst Switches are efficient and swift, which is valuable for my organization. I experience optimal speed and effective configuration, making them stand out compared to other switches. The PoE switches offer more ports on SFP, and it is efficient in use. Overall, the switches provide me with the value I expect in terms of speed and efficiency.

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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

"It is straightforward to set up."

"The dashboard for clients is very nice."

"The product's initial setup phase is very simple."

"The solution is suitable for small businesses and small offices."

"Regarding the feature, my clients are currently favoring it because it enables them to switch back to phone functionality."

"It is a very stable solution."

"The online monitoring tool and the configuration of the application with the tool are valuable features."

"The stability is fine. I would rate the stability a nine out of ten. Almost a ten on a ten."

More Aruba Instant On Switches pros

"Cisco provides very good support services."

"These switches are stable. They work well and are easy to use."

"I never had downtime with Cisco Catalyst Switches in the last eight years, and I'm pretty impressed with its reliability."

"It is a stable and good product. It is also easy to install."

"Cisco Switches are more stable in terms of hardware and firmware, rather than Juniper Switches."

"It has become easier for us to troubleshoot and find issues faster in the management software for the switches. It saves us troubleshooting time because if the network is down it has a big impact on production."

"Catalyst Switches are easy to install."

"We use the VLANs to separate library, office, and individual apartments. With some of the reporting that receive, we're able to take and track down where people like to put in their own wireless routers. Sometimes they will take a DSL modem from AT&T that they brought from home, hook it in backward, and it will give rogue addresses causing issues."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches pros

Cons

"Some customers have made complaints about Aruba Instant On Switches' stability."

"The solution does not have any console access. For example, if you do not have internet access on your side and you need to configure anything, you should at least have CLI access to do something or manage the solution to put to some IP. It will only work if we have a TSCT on the network."

"Tracking with instant switches needs improvement."

"The support needs improvement."

"In general, mostly in Instant On series, if we could have much more control on the switches, at least. We'd like a CLI access so that, when we want to do some advanced configurations we could."

"We would like to see more documentation."

"The price has room for improvement."

"The product's startup speed is very bad, as it is very slow."

More Aruba Instant On Switches cons

"While it is scalable, it could be better."

"The general price of the solution could be cheaper."

"These switches should have better compatibility with software-defined technology."

"Its price can be improved. Some devices can be very expensive."

"The solution is expensive. They should work on their pricing model to try to make it more affordable for customers."

"I use the Cisco Catalyst Switches command-line interface(CLI) a lot out in the field, but there are some web interfaces features that are available that I haven't used very much. I'm more comfortable with the CLI, but the web interfaces are very lacking."

"Pricing for this product is on the higher end, and is something that could be improved. Security could also be increased."

"In terms of performance, Juniper switches have a more user-friendly interface and more features than Cisco switches."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is an expensive solution."

"I give the price seven out of ten."

"If one is very bad, and ten is a very good price, I rate the tool's price as a six."

"Aruba Instant On Switches is cheaper than Cisco and expensive compared to some Chinese brand products."

"The pricing is quite low compared to other products, which is good for the customer."

"Aruba Instant On Switches is slightly cheaper than Cisco."

"The solution is the cheapest A-class switch."

"The license for Instant On Switches is free."

More Aruba Instant On Switches pricing and cost advice

"Cisco Catalyst Switches is an expensive solution."

"They are expensive."

"We are a large company and the price is reasonable because we have received a discount. However, the full price is expensive."

"Highly priced"

"The product is quite expensive."

"Cisco's prices are not cheap, but the stability is worth it."

"Cisco Catalyst Switches are very expensive."

"The pricing of these devices can be better."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

19%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

67%

Computer Software Company

Government

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba Instant On Switches?

The solution has a simple deployment and zero border.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Instant On Switches?

I think the pricing for the switches is reasonable.

What needs improvement with Aruba Instant On Switches?

I have run into a couple of problems with the switches. Recently, one of the newer stacks stopped working and had to be rebooted individually. They don't have a lot of diagnostics tools, which coul...

Would you recommend replacing a Cisco Catalyst Switch by a D-link one?

Hello Mesfin It depends on the real scenario, the cisco 2960 is a very good device and they usually have routing functions but there are many different models within the same 2960 line, and on the ...

What do you like most about Cisco Catalyst Switches?

We are a vendor for the healthcare sector, especially hospitals, and normally, we use a full Cisco solution for stability, especially for the stability of the Access Points and the security of swit...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Catalyst Switches?

Although Juniper is cheaper, Cisco provides unique features that justify their pricing.

HPE ProCurve vs Aruba Instant On Switches

Comparisons

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HPE ProCurve vs Cisco Catalyst Switches

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ExtremeSwitching vs Cisco Catalyst Switches

Compared 9% of the time

Cisco Nexus vs Cisco Catalyst Switches

Compared 7% of the time

Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch LAN Switches vs Cisco Catalyst Switches

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Product Reports

Aruba Instant On Switches

Download Aruba Instant On Switches product report

Cisco Catalyst Switches

Download Cisco Catalyst Switches product report

Also Known As

Aruba Instant On 1930 Switches

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst

Overview

The Aruba Instant On 1930 switches features advanced, smart-managed, fixed configuration Gigabit switches designed for small businesses that are easy-to-deploy and affordable. They’re made to handle today’s bandwidth-heavy applications like voice and video conferencing, enabling consistent connectivity to enhance performance. Using either the Instant On mobile app or the cloud-based web portal, you can quickly set up, monitor and manage the 1930 switch series from anywhere at any time. What’s more, up to 30 W PoE power delivery is available out-of-the-box for your class 4 PoE devices, like access points, surveillance cameras and VoIP phones, all easily managed from the same platform.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Cisco Catalyst Switches are a reliable and scalable network switching and routing solution, focusing on VLANs and VLAN switching. They are used as access switches, distribution switches, and core switches in various environments, deployed on-premises, and used for long connections. The switches are easy to configure, install, and upgrade and offer good pricing.

The most valuable features include warranty and firmware support, stability, security, good performance, flexibility, etc. The Cisco Catalyst Switches have provided a stable solution for the organizations and are widely used, trusted, and well-known in the networking industry.

Cisco

Sample Customers

KEMET, Vestavia Hills City Schools, Dropbox

Afni, Anilana Hotels and Resorts, Baylor Scott & White Health, Beachbody, Bellevue, Del Papa Distributing, Explorer Pipeline, Mindtree, Omaha World Herald, Radio 538, Sony Corporation, Telecom Italia, Telenor Arena

Aruba Instant On Switches vs. Cisco Catalyst Switches