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Brocade Ethernet Switches vs Cisco Catalyst Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

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

Brocade Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
25th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
11
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Cisco Catalyst Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
7th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
175
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Brocade Ethernet Switches is 1.1%, down from 1.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 1.8%, down from 3.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Youssef Ezzerouali - PeerSpot reviewer
Effective range, scalable, and simple implmentation
The most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions. I have been using Brocade Ethernet Switches for approximately three years. The solution is…
Joshua Odunsi - PeerSpot reviewer
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.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"There's a zone for each server and services in the storage."
"The technical support is good."
"The reliability of Brocade is the most valuable feature. The solution has been up and running for over ten years without any fail, fixes required, or breakdowns. It is a very strong piece of equipment."
"It is easy to configure and provides good technical support."
"I have not had any issues with our Brocade switches."
"The most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides."
"The initial setup was really straightforward and easy."
"It has good integration with HPE Primera. They have smart zoning in which the administration is very easy. You don't have to do anything. Zoning and other things are done automatically if you just enable the smart zoning. That's one very good thing in HP."
"Scalable, stable, and reliable product that's easy to install. Technical support is dependable and can be contacted in a variety of ways, e.g. through their ticketing system, hotline number, and community forum."
"I never had downtime with Cisco Catalyst Switches in the last eight years, and I'm pretty impressed with its reliability."
"It is an infrastructure tool, so it is just providing a backend service. Its most useful feature is that it operates on a regular basis. It is reliable."
"If we lose some network connections, the system automatically creates new connections between equipment."
"Their technical support is good, one of the best in the industry."
"Catalyst switches are highly reliable. They have a good product life, they are balanced overall compared to others."
"We haven't needed to contact technical support because we haven't had any issues so far."
"The best feature is the technical support."
 

Cons

"No graphical interface."
"Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions."
"There are some performance issues."
"It could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface."
"Brocade Ethernet Switches need a better interface and centralized management."
"It should be simpler. There are still some things that can be simpler in the Brocade switches."
"The solution could be more secure."
"These switches are no longer supported."
"Services should be improved."
"Cisco forces end-users to accept billing for some capabilities or services that they may not want."
"The price is something we would definitely like improved. It would be nice if it was more economical."
"The pricing could be better. Cisco is quite expensive."
"There could be improvements in the repeat configuration with some file integration that is currently missing."
"One feature that I would like to add is for the following: At times, when I add an access-list for a hostname, it doesn't actually add the hostname, it adds the IP address. So in the back-end, if my server changes the IP address I have to go in manually and change the IP address. If the capability was there in Cisco to add a hostname instead of the IP address that would be really good."
"The cost of this product is very high and not all companies can afford it."
"To make it a ten they should simplify the licensing, add the cloud-managed feature, and it should be more cost-effective."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of Brocade Ethernet Switches is expensive."
"The price can definitely be lower."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is an affordable solution."
"Cisco products are not that cheap."
"There is no licensing fee. All of the features are available on the switch from day one."
"It is worth the money. The product is expensive, but the service they provide is very good, which makes it worth it."
"It is reasonably priced because we have already conducted a tender, allowing Cisco and other vendors to compete for the best price."
"If you consider Cisco's price with the Dell, you will definitely lose with Cisco. But Cisco has a major area of equipment in general. Cisco has routers, firewalls, NAC, certain video conferencing, Apple phones, and different security solutions. But Dell doesn't have such areas, Dell only has switching architecture."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is an expensive solution."
report
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Government
7%
Educational Organization
65%
Computer Software Company
6%
Manufacturing Company
3%
Government
3%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Brocade Ethernet Switches?
To improve, it could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface.
What is your primary use case for Brocade Ethernet Switches?
I use Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are scalable. I recommend them since they are easy to configure. They are connected and used every day in our operations.
What advice do you have for others considering Brocade Ethernet Switches?
I would recommend Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are easy to configure and have good technical support. I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
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.
 

Also Known As

No data available
Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Ajubeo, Akquinet AG, Big Data Analytics Provider Boligkontoret Danmark Bristol is Open, CDE Lightband, Cicero School District 99, City and County of San Francisco, Department of Emergency, City of Chattanooga, Cloudscale.sh
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
Find out what your peers are saying about Brocade Ethernet Switches vs. Cisco Catalyst Switches and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
848,716 professionals have used our research since 2012.