Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] comparison

Cisco and Dell Technologies are both solutions in the LAN Switching category. Additionally, 95% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Dell Technologies users who would recommend it.

Cisco Catalyst Switches

Read 175 Cisco Catalyst Switches reviews

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3,248 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

Read 34 Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] reviews

90% willing to recommend

Cisco Catalyst Switches

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 12, 2025

Cisco Catalyst Switches and Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] compete in the network switch market, catering to different needs. While Cisco Catalyst Switches have an edge in advanced features and stability, Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] are notable for their cost-effectiveness and simplicity.

Features: Cisco Catalyst Switches are known for reliability with features like load balancing, VLAN capabilities, and PoE. They offer strong management options, scalability, and stability. Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] are valued for their ease of integration with other solutions and basic switching capabilities. They have a straightforward setup process and are suitable for basic network needs.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Catalyst Switches face challenges with high pricing and complex licensing. Users desire a more user-friendly configuration interface and better third-party integration. Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] could improve in scaling and stability, with enhancements in security features and integration capabilities.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Catalyst Switch deployments are complex, especially for on-premises and cloud integrations, yet they provide responsive global customer support. Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] are easier to deploy for straightforward networks and offer reliable technical support, making them accessible for simpler requirements.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Catalyst Switches are costly, with high initial pricing and additional costs for licensing, leading to a slower ROI. Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] are more cost-effective, offering quicker ROI due to lower pricing and being an attractive option for budget-conscious setups seeking basic functionality.

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March 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

Cisco Catalyst Switches

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

175

Ranking in other categories

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

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

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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MOHAMEDELSHERIF

Senior Technical Consultant at International Turnkey Systems - ITS

You can cluster two switches together to increase redundancy in the environment

You can carry on a project without any consultation. Since the VxRail solution is experiencing significant growth and demand, integrating Dell PowerConnect switches becomes crucial. This integration enhances the VxRail server by offering three distinct solutions. Thus, this gives Dell PowerConnect an edge over Cisco. If you want to connect your virtualized environment and networks to your physical environment and users. In that case, Dell PowerConnect Switches, with VxRail, is the best choice for integrating such features into the hypervisor environment. This product is mainly targeted to virtualization environments. Therefore, Dell has considered this product's scalability, reliability, and robustness. If someone wants the server with VxRail as a free solution, I recommend going with the Dell PowerConnect. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

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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

"With Cisco Catalyst Switches, everything is working perfectly. We have not had issues with this solution."

"The most valuable features are the Stacking and the capacity of the switches because they have more throughput. Layer 2 is also part of its rich feature set."

"The availability of resources for learning about the product and doing evaluation of any issues is excellent."

"Perpetual POE is a valuable feature, because when the switch reboots, access points do not."

"The most valuable features include the redundancy one and the spanning tree."

"The benefit of the tool is that it is a stable product."

"Cisco provides very good support services."

"The hardware and the security are the product's valuable features"

More Cisco Catalyst Switches pros

"The product is reliable."

"The solution's most valuable feature is its good integration with solutions from other vendors."

"The technology is good and the interface is simple. We haven't had any bugs, disconnections or delays."

"This is a very reliable solution."

"The functionality is very good."

"It's easy to set up. We can put it in production in a couple of minutes."

"The features I've found most valuable are that the product is very easy to configure and inexpensive."

"The solution’s technical support is good."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pros

Cons

"The initial setup can be easier in cases where the policy and ruleset are complex."

"The current catalyst is probably outdated so we will most likely move to the newer version of the solution soon."

"In terms of what could be improved, more integration is the main thing they should be focused on."

"The biggest issue we are having is with bugs and memory loss, which occurs when developing the IOS."

"Any improvements that they make should be in the wireless area of the product."

"There could be improvements in the repeat configuration with some file integration that is currently missing."

"Cisco forces end-users to accept billing for some capabilities or services that they may not want."

"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."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches cons

"Scalability, especially with the power connect series is something that you have to take into account before starting the project because any changes to an ongoing project can be difficult."

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

"We've only been using the solution for half a year. We haven't run into any issues, but maybe over time, that may change. It's too soon to tell. Offhand, there aren't any features that are lacking."

"There should be more port options in this switch. Currently, it has 24 or 48 ports. However, some of our customers require only 8 ports, but I have to put a switch with 24 ports. They should provide smaller solutions and complimentary access point for companies like ours with a low quantity of work. The main issue with this product is branding. They should improve their branding and promote their brand more in Mexico. Customers are more aware of brands like Cisco as compared to Dell."

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

"I would like to see better scalability and more features on these switches in the future."

"What's lacking in Dell PowerConnect Switches is SD-WAN integration, and this is what needs to be improved in it. All enterprises now move towards SD-WAN infrastructure, and because Dell PowerConnect Switches don't currently support SD-WAN, the product would be replaced, considered a secondary switch, or linked up to a different switch. Integration or support for SD-WAN is what I'd like to see in the next version of Dell PowerConnect Switches."

"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."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing of Cisco Catalyst Switches could be better in general. There is an annual license required."

"The price is on the higher side."

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

"If you compare Cisco to other products, Cisco is more expensive. If you choose a 7000 series switch it will be a very pricy system. The support from Cisco is an additional service."

"The solutions are costly, considering that Cisco provides top-notch support and devices."

"They are a little bit expensive. We are a public institution, so we go through other traders, and sometimes, they put in their own surplus price because it is a government contract. Cisco products are expensive, especially when you compare them to Huawei."

"Cisco Catalyst Switches are very expensive."

"It would be great for the user if Cisco lowered the prices for their routers and switches."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches pricing and cost advice

"Cheaper than its competitors"

"Inexpensive"

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

"The initial cost was high but since they have lasted for over ten or twenty years they are worth it."

"The price of these switches is okay."

"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."

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

"In my opinion, it is a product that is priced somewhere in the middle, making it a well-priced solution in the middle. It is not a very cheap product."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

67%

Computer Software Company

Government

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

16%

Government

10%

Educational Organization

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

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 ...

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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...

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

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

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What do you like most about Dell PowerConnect Switches?

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.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerConnect Switches?

The solution is cheaper than Cisco.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Dell PowerConnect Switches?

Some proprietary commands available in Cisco are preferred by users accustomed to Cisco systems. These users might hesitate to switch because they want to continue using familiar commands and see t...

See all answers

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Compared 6% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Catalyst Switches

March 2025

Download Cisco Catalyst Switches product report

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

March 2025

Download Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] product report

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst

PowerConnect Switches

Overview

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

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

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

Amerijet Holdings Inc., CGD Securities, MavenWire, Tulane University

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