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Big Switch Networks vs Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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

Big Switch Networks
Average Rating
9.0
Number of Reviews
1
Ranking in other categories
Software Defined Networking (SDN) (11th), Network Packet Broker (NPB) (5th)
Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
92
Ranking in other categories
Network Management Applications (5th), Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (2nd), WAN Edge (2nd)
 

Featured Reviews

Jason Best - PeerSpot reviewer
A flexible solution that can be integrated with third-party solutions whilst maintaining its automated nature
I think if I was to say something that could be improved, it would be a multi-data center nature of the implementation. Meaning, having an active-active data center with multiple entrance-exit points. I think that feature could be improved to provide a kind of anycast gateway solution into the functionality that would make it a lot more flexible and versatile. Maybe also making the solution a bit more like the NSX-T from VMware, more on the logical part of the solution, like micro-segmentation and the ability to have a distributed firewall across the whole solution, to implement it in an easier way than they currently do with the security aspect of the solution.
Igor Van Den Ouden - PeerSpot reviewer
Enables secure and flexible branch connectivity with application-aware routing
The valuable features of Cisco SD-WAN include its security policies and zone-based firewall that are applied to every site, as well as application-aware routing. Security is standard compliant, eliminating config drift that was prevalent before manual configurations. Application-aware routing offers flexibility in using different lines for traffic, depending on the policy implemented.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"What I liked about the solution is the quick and easy way you can build a network data center fabric."
"There is minimum blind space in this solution."
"It is very simple and easy to manage, compared to other methods."
"Installation is easy."
"It is a very scalable solution."
"I like the feature that lets you transfer from old devices to new devices without changing the hardware and subscription."
"The user experience is pretty good."
"Troubleshooting is swift, allowing for fast turnaround times whenever we encounter an issue."
"The product helps to aggregate network links. The tool increases security and makes it possible for you to have remote workers."
 

Cons

"I think if I was to say something that could be improved, it would be a multi-data center nature of the implementation."
"Some configurations or procedures could be more user-friendly. Adding a bandwidth management feature would make Cisco SD-WAN more scalable and less resource-intensive."
"Customers require features that are secure for endpoints, on-premises, and for the cloud."
"In the next release, Cisco should focus on simplifying the configuration of SD-WAN. SD-WAN has a lot of room to grow."
"The main area for improvement in Cisco SD-WAN is the lack of documentation, which often lags behind the software releases."
"Cisco's router and voice gateway has not been available since the launch of SD-WAN."
"We recently found some bugs."
"Better pricing and greater security would be nice to see."
"The installation is not easy. If you have experience and it is not your first time doing the installation, it can be easier."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The licensing cost depends on the number of switches that are going to be licensed to run the software."
"On a scale of one to five, I would rate Cisco's pricing as a three."
"This is not a cheap option but if you move from Capex to Opex, I expect you should have lower costs."
"The product's license is expensive."
"The license consists of an annual fee."
"There is a monthly subscription to use this solution."
"The initial cost is quite significant, but the investment is worthwhile."
"The price of Cisco SD-WAN is expensive. We pay approximately $50 monthly for the use of the solution."
"Licensing is on a subscription basis."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Manufacturing Company
11%
University
8%
Educational Organization
45%
Computer Software Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Manufacturing Company
4%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

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What do you like most about Cisco SD-WAN?
When considering the most valuable features of Cisco SD-WAN, the decoupling of self-monitoring stands out significantly.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco SD-WAN?
The pricing for Cisco SD-WAN is rated eight out of ten, with some variability depending on the reseller discounts and the size of the enterprise. It is also relatively cost-effective for smaller bu...
What needs improvement with Cisco SD-WAN?
The main area for improvement in Cisco SD-WAN is the lack of documentation, which often lags behind the software releases. This is especially notable since Cisco acquired the solution and is still ...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Cisco SD-WAN
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

A10 Networks, Edge-Core Networks, Blue Coat Systems, BlueData, Broadcom Corporation, Canonical, Check Point Software Technologies, Citrix, Dell, FireEye, Garland, Hortonworks, Mirantis, Nexenta, Riverbed
Doyle Research, Ashton Metzler & Associates
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Aviatrix, TP-Link and others in Software Defined Networking (SDN). Updated: January 2025.
831,265 professionals have used our research since 2012.