Aruba Instant On Switches vs Cisco Nexus comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Cisco are both solutions in the LAN Switching category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.2, while Cisco is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.6. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 10.5% mindshare in LS, compared to Cisco’s 8.7% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Cisco users who would recommend it.

Aruba Instant On Switches

Read 29 Aruba Instant On Switches reviews

1,910 Views
965 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Cisco Nexus

Read 105 Cisco Nexus reviews

1,564 Views
1,090 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Aruba Instant On Switches

Cisco Nexus

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 6, 2025

Cisco Nexus and Aruba Instant On Switches cater to different market segments within network infrastructure. Cisco Nexus offers more advanced features tailored for data centers, whereas Aruba Instant On targets small to medium businesses. Cisco stands out for data center optimization, while Aruba offers simplicity in deployment.

Features: Cisco Nexus excels with its advanced features like VDCs, VPCs, and superior hardware engineering for data center environments. Its high scalability and stability make it ideal for complex configurations. Aruba Instant On, although less feature-rich, is favored for its easy deployment, affordability, and capabilities such as centralized management through Aruba Central, making it appealing to SMBs.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Nexus can improve by enhancing cost-effectiveness and simplifying the licensing process. Users have reported stability issues with software updates. Aruba Instant On can benefit from more robust features, improved stability, and quicker boot-up times. Expanding its scalability and management capabilities would also enhance its appeal to larger networks.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Nexus requires sophisticated technical expertise for deployment, praised for robust support despite inconsistent experiences. In contrast, Aruba Instant On is noted for its simple and fast deployment process, well-received customer service, ensuring a smooth onboarding experience for SMBs.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Nexus is higher-priced due to its enterprise capabilities, justified by the ROI from system stability. However, its complex licensing can be a drawback. Aruba Instant On offers a cost-effective alternative with competitive pricing and low ongoing fees, attracting budget-conscious buyers with a balanced feature set.

To learn more, read our detailed Aruba Instant On Switches vs. Cisco Nexus Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant On Switches vs. Cisco Nexus

April 2025

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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 Nexus

Ranking in LAN Switching

3rd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

105

Ranking in other categories

Data Center Networking (3rd)

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the LAN Switching category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant On Switches is 10.5%, up from 8.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Nexus is 8.7%, down from 11.1% 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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Joe Benítez

Systems Engineer at GAD Municipal de Guayaquil

Offer high performance capabilities and enables efficient data transmission and processing

Before Nexus, I used to have Catalyst 6500 switches. Those 6500 series chassis gave us a lot of problems. Too many problems, actually. And we had a Cisco ASA firewall blade within those chassis. And they were running outdated software. So, in fact, it was the firewall blade that caused us too many problems instead of the chassis. The chassis itself was working well and performing fine, but the firewall card was not suitable for our needs. That was one aspect. Additionally, those chassis had been in operation for more than five years. As we are a local government, we have a policy to renew hardware every five years. That's because we need to maintain all the hardware and software in the latest versions and keep up with the technology lifecycle of the technology we use.

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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

"Aruba's management solutions, like Aruba Central are valuable."

"It is easy for deployment and configuration."

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

"It is a very stable solution."

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

"The solution's most beneficial feature is that you obtain A-class equipment for the lowest price."

"Its customer service is good."

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

More Aruba Instant On Switches pros

"The most valuable feature is the automation that we can do with it."

"The seamless integration of Nexus in the data center provides a scalable and stable solution."

"We leverage Cisco DCNM a lot, which allows us to automate."

"It's pretty easy to use and operates at high speed."

"Cisco Nexus is a stable solution."

"Tech support is good."

"Nexus has improved my organization in the way that it provided enhanced security in a point in the network that was critical."

"You can scale the product."

More Cisco Nexus pros

Cons

"The difficulty with the tool is in the area of troubleshooting."

"The price has room for improvement."

"They don't have a lot of diagnostics tools, which could be an area for improvement."

"Improvements are required in the product's price. I want it to be cheaper."

"If Aruba can provide guidance on features through sessions or explanations, it would be helpful. We have to search and work online."

"Some models need enhancement of the web interface to make management and monitoring easier."

"Tracking with instant switches needs improvement."

"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."

More Aruba Instant On Switches cons

"Enhancing the software-defined level of this solution would empower it."

"There are limitations on some of the lower level 9K solutions where you can't do the same things that you would normally be able to do, like for instance the number of static maps that you can configure on it."

"The GUI interface could be improved to make it more user friendly."

"The product lacks options for integration with other market products that would allow us more flexibility."

"I am looking for a GUI that goes alongside them and more SD-WAN built to their core switches."

"The only thing to improve is to continue to get better."

"Initially, the codes I received through ACI were quite unstable, causing me to frequently replace them, which led to significant issues."

"Areas in which the solution have room for improvement are the interface, management, and reporting."

More Cisco Nexus cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is not cheaply priced, especially when compared to the other vendors in the market."

"The product has good pricing."

"We pay an annual licensing fee."

"It is an expensive solution."

"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 not expensive."

"The pricing is cheap."

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

More Aruba Instant On Switches pricing and cost advice

"We only have a yearly support contract, as we do not use any of the subscription-based functions at this time."

"The price of this solution is good when compared to others in the market."

"We have three hundred to four hundred data centers of Nexus. So the coverage associated with Smart Net is 27 by 4, is basically what we spend each year. If the incentives get better, which I know they're working on, it would be great but right now we're buying year to year."

"The solution is expensive."

"This is a very expensive product."

"This solution should be made more affordable."

"Our licensing costs for this solution are approximately $100K a year for the switching part."

"Costs more than most, but the reliability pays for the difference."

More Cisco Nexus pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

University

Computer Software Company

24%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

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.

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

I think the pricing for the switches is reasonable.

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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...

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What do you like most about Cisco Nexus?

The product's initial setup phase is very easy.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Nexus?

The price of Cisco Nexus is on the higher side due to the premium services Cisco offers. Despite the cost, it offers valuable features and services.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco Nexus?

When I talk about data centers, which are critical infrastructure and centralized application hubs, the Nexus platforms should be highly stable. Initially, the codes I received through ACI were qui...

See all answers

Comparisons

HPE ProCurve vs Aruba Instant On Switches

Compared 47% of the time

Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Aruba Instant On Switches

Compared 39% of the time

NETGEAR Switches vs Aruba Instant On Switches

Compared 14% of the time

More Aruba Instant On Switches Competitors

Juniper QFX Series Switches vs Cisco Nexus

Compared 45% of the time

Arista Networks Platform vs Cisco Nexus

Compared 20% of the time

Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Cisco Nexus

Compared 12% of the time

ExtremeSwitching vs Cisco Nexus

Compared 5% of the time

VMware NSX vs Cisco Nexus

Compared 4% of the time

More Cisco Nexus Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant On Switches

April 2025

Download Aruba Instant On Switches product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Nexus

April 2025

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Also Known As

Aruba Instant On 1930 Switches

No data available

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

The Cisco Nexus family of switches is designed to meet the stringent requirements of the next-generation data center. Not simply bigger or faster, these switches offer the following characteristics: infrastructure that can be scaled cost-effectively and that helps you increase energy, budget, and resource efficiency, transport that can navigate the transition to 10 Gigabit Ethernet and unified fabric and can also handle architectural changes such as virtualization, Web 2.0 applications, and cloud computing and operational continuity to meet your need for an environment where system availability is assumed and maintenance windows are rare if not totally extinct.

Cisco

Sample Customers

KEMET, Vestavia Hills City Schools, Dropbox

Advanced Medical Transport, Banco de Guayaquil, Baylor Scott & White Health, BH Telecom, Bowling Green State University, Calligaris, Children's Hospital Colorado, City of Biel, Del Papa Distributing, Department of Justice, Dimension Data, Dualtec Cloud Builders, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Grupo Industrial Saltillo (GIS), Hertz, K&L Gates , LightEdge, Lone Star College System, Management Science Associates, Mindtree, NBC Olympics, Quest, Sony Corporation, The Department of Education in Western Australia, Valley Proteins

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant On Switches vs. Cisco Nexus

April 2025

Free Report: Aruba Instant On Switches vs. Cisco Nexus

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