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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 173 Cisco Catalyst Switches reviews
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  • 4,002 Comparison Views
95% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 8, 2024

Cisco Catalyst Switches and Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] compete in the networking market. Cisco seems to have an advantage in pricing and support, while Dell PowerConnect is preferred for its features.

Features: Cisco Catalyst Switches are known for advanced configuration options, high performance in large networks, and strong security features. Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] are favored for scalability, ease of integration, and enhancing complex networks.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Catalyst Switches require simplification in management and reduced learning curve. Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] need better documentation, improved technical support, and expanded user guidance.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Catalyst Switches demand a detailed initial setup, but ongoing support is strong. Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] allow straightforward deployment, with room to improve troubleshooting support.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Catalyst Switches have higher initial costs, but deliver satisfactory ROI due to long-term stability. Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] offer a budget-friendly initial setup, with mixed ROI reviews based on network size.

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LAN Switching
December 2024
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Categories and Ranking

Cisco Catalyst Switches
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
173
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
34
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Featured Reviews

SameerBali - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable and stable catalyst switch; can be easily installed
I like Cisco Catalyst Switches because most of the time, we can do what we want with the product. Cisco has good guidelines that enable us to implement anything, so we can have a multiple ability product on most of the network equipment worldwide. Cisco has communities or forums that help us implement more complicated areas in terms of network, so in addition, Cisco is not just a network equipment company, because they provide us most of the solutions, development, protocols, and new technologies, more than any other company in the world. I also like the availability of Cisco Catalyst Switches, including scalability and reliability. You can find all these in this product.
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Hasan Haseeb - PeerSpot reviewer
Excellent support, good pricing, and easy setup
I expect it to be a zero-touch or a plug-and-play device. To some extent, it is, but we need to know the architecture, and we need to know what exactly we are doing. It is not so easy to implement. It depends on what exactly we are doing and it is still not a plug-and-play or zero-touch device. In the upcoming version, they can make it zero-touch, where we can just power it on and start using it. They can have some templates for different scenarios, such as when you are using it for the data center or adding it to your existing infrastructure.
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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

"The hardware and the security are the product's valuable features"
"The benefit of the tool is that it is a stable product."
"I never had downtime with Cisco Catalyst Switches in the last eight years, and I'm pretty impressed with its reliability."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches are very stable."
"The product is very robust."
"It is easy to use."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is very stable, configurable, and durable. It is also easy to manage."
"Configuring the solution is very easy. It's quite a straightforward process, and it's not difficult at all."
More Cisco Catalyst Switches pros
"Dell PowerConnect Switches are very easy to configure with the GUI. Dell supports the solution even though it has been discontinued."
"Dell PowerConnect Switches are easy to configure."
"The most valuable feature is its ability to multitask."
"The product is reliable."
"The security is the most valuable aspect of this solution. It also has good storage and resource handling."
"There is high reliability since we have used them for close to twenty years and only had possibly one failure."
"This solution comes with a lifetime warranty."
"The solution’s technical support is good."
More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pros
 

Cons

"Cisco Catalyst Switches should have better performance and be easier to use. Additionally, they should add artificial intelligence features."
"The solution’s pricing and stability could be improved."
"The delivery dates need to be more expedient."
"The solution offers a bit of complexity and you need a specialized workforce."
"Cisco can definitely improve the training part. They can provide more training related to configuration."
"The solution could be easy to use, you need a certificate to use it."
"The technical support, in some cases, should be faster and could improve."
"The solution is quite expensive for our clients. It's a pain point for some companies. They should work to reduce the price."
More Cisco Catalyst Switches cons
"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."
"The pricing could always be a bit lower."
"An area for improvement would be that it's very hard to configure if you're not familiar with the UI or CLI of the product. The UI itself could also be improved."
"The network features are not good."
"The solution could provide more integration to focus on targeting the network as a whole rather than a unified environment. It is meant for a built environment, so integration with other third-party vendors will likely be necessary."
"The product needs to improve in terms of reports and backups."
"The configuration should be improved."
More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Pricing is an issue I have been facing, in comparison with HPE or Juniper. The Nexus series is out of the question right now. Scalability is more an issue on the pricing side and less on the technology side."
"The licenses are definitely expensive. There is a need to make annual payments towards the subscription or licensing costs attached to the solution."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is an expensive solution."
"The cost of this solution could be less expensive, and we are on an annual license."
"The price could be improved."
"The price of these switches is on the upper end. It is around $3,500 plus for a 24-Port switch. These switches are more expensive than Linksys and TP-Links, but you get what you pay for. If you look at the pros and cons per switch, you can justify the cost compared to a lesser and cheaper brand."
"It's very pricey. Compared to competitors, it's a lot more expensive."
"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."
More Cisco Catalyst Switches pricing and cost advice
"If you want to purchase a new Dell PowerConnect Switch, you will pay up to $1,600, but I bought them used. I bought the four Dell PowerConnect Switches that I used for $1,000."
"Dell PowerConnect switches are cheaper than Cisco switches. Cisco's higher capacity switches (100 or 200 gigs) are super-expensive. With the higher capacity, the price of the switches and the price of the architecture go high. Dell is cheaper and modular. So, I don't need to invest 100% upfront. I can invest as I progress. That is an option because the chassis will not be populated with all the pluggables. I have a choice because it is modular. I can go for 25 gigs today, and after four months, I can go for 100 gigs, and after that, I can go for 200 gigs. I have a choice when it is not a fixed switch."
"If one is the cheapest price and ten is the most expensive, I rate the product price as an eight or nine. The tool is not cheap."
"The product has a low price for the features it provides."
"Its price is okay. Sometimes, it is lower than a Cisco solution."
"The initial cost was high but since they have lasted for over ten or twenty years they are worth it."
"Inexpensive"
"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."
More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pricing and cost advice
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
63%
Computer Software Company
7%
Government
3%
Financial Services Firm
3%
Computer Software Company
17%
Government
9%
Educational Organization
9%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

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...
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Catalyst Switches?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are quite pricey.
See all answers
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
 

Comparisons

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HPE ProCurve vs Cisco Catalyst Switches Logo
HPE ProCurve vs Cisco Catalyst Switches
Compared 16% of the time
Aruba Instant On Switches vs Cisco Catalyst Switches Logo
Aruba Instant On Switches vs Cisco Catalyst Switches
Compared 13% of the time
ExtremeSwitching vs Cisco Catalyst Switches Logo
ExtremeSwitching vs Cisco Catalyst Switches
Compared 11% of the time
Cisco Nexus vs Cisco Catalyst Switches Logo
Cisco Nexus vs Cisco Catalyst Switches
Compared 9% of the time
More Cisco Catalyst Switches Competitors
Cisco Nexus vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Logo
Cisco Nexus vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]
Compared 13% of the time
Arista Networks Platform vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Logo
Arista Networks Platform vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]
Compared 9% of the time
Dell PowerSwitch N-Series vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Logo
Dell PowerSwitch N-Series vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]
Compared 8% of the time
HPE ProCurve vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Logo
HPE ProCurve vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]
Compared 7% of the time
NETGEAR Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Logo
NETGEAR Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]
Compared 7% of the time
More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Cisco Catalyst Switches
December 2024
Cisco Catalyst Switches reportDownload Cisco Catalyst Switches product report
Buyer's Guide
Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]
December 2024
Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] reportDownload Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] product report
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
PowerConnect Switches
 

Learn More

Cisco
Video not available
Dell Technologies
 

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.

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.

 

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
Buyer's Guide
LAN Switching
December 2024
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