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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Extreme VDX [EOL] 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

Cisco Catalyst Switches
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
173
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Ethernet Switches (7th), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Extreme VDX [EOL]
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
3
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.
Osama Ahmed LUBBAD - PeerSpot reviewer
A stable, scalable, and problem-free solution
Software needs to be updated regularly in order to maintain security and performance. However, in some cases, it is necessary to stack switches in order to meet the needs of the network. Although Cisco switches are able to stack, other switches are not as simple to stack. I would like the ability to stack with different switch brands.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I like the management of streaming both audio and video."
"Their technical support is good, one of the best in the industry."
"When it comes to Cisco Catalyst Switches, one can say that the legacy switches are stable."
"Catalyst switches are easy to use and simple to work with."
"The solution is highly reliable."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is managed switching."
"The most valuable features of Cisco Catalyst Switches are that they are very common. If you talk to someone most likely they will have a Cisco Catalyst Switch, they will not mention other names, such as Juniper, ProCurve, Dell, or anything else. The most common product in networking in my country is Cisco. Everywhere you go they talk about Cisco."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches are easy to use, simple to configure, and straightforward to upgrade. Additionally, CDN has been very helpful for separation."
"The most valuable feature of Extreme VDX is that we have had no problems and the solution's performance is excellent."
"Its simplicity and web interface were most valuable. I also liked the two-factor authentication."
"The fabric of the solution and the management aspect are the solution's most valuable features."
 

Cons

"Price could be lower."
"The switches could be improved."
"It can have more security features to secure the access layer."
"The GUI should be addressed."
"Cisco applies restrictions in relation to renewals on a yearly basis. Many other brands don't have restrictions. If Cisco lifted them, they wouldn't lose so many clients to competitors."
"I would like to see support for one-touch provisioning."
"The price of the product is very expensive."
"Cisco should focus more on this type of product instead of on data center switches. They stopped improving the software of these switches and they are focusing on the data center. They should focus on this type of product, more than any other thing."
"Its scalability can be better. If possible, it can have Hyper POE. I am not sure if there is a fiber version."
"I would like the ability to stack with different switch brands."
"The only problem is that at the moment it's an Extreme product and Extreme is not really pushing it. They have to make up for weak innovation and I'm not sure if they want to do that."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price is on the higher side."
"The price is too high for this market."
"There is no licensing fee. All of the features are available on the switch from day one."
"I would rate the features-to-pricing ratio at six out of 10. My advice about licensing is that you should have a perpetual license, not one that is subscription-based."
"The pricing of Cisco Catalyst Switches could be better in general. There is an annual license required."
"The solution is probably the most expensive, but users who want the best need to pay the premium."
"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."
"The pricing of these devices can be better."
"It was around $1500 a year. It is cheaper than Cisco but more expensive than Ruckus."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
64%
Computer Software Company
7%
Government
3%
Financial Services Firm
3%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

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 ...
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 do you like most about Extreme VDX?
The most valuable feature of Extreme VDX is that we have had no problems and the solution's performance is excellent.
What needs improvement with Extreme VDX?
Software needs to be updated regularly in order to maintain security and performance. However, in some cases, it is necessary to stack switches in order to meet the needs of the network. Although C...
What advice do you have for others considering Extreme VDX?
I give the solution a nine out of ten because we don't have any problems. Most customers prefer products that don't have too many problems. I would recommend Extreme VDX as the first option because...
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
VDX, Brocade VDX
 

Learn More

 

Overview

 

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
Niagra Falls Bridge Commission, Medien System Partner, CDE Lightband, MaximumASP
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Ubiquiti Networks and others in Ethernet Switches. Updated: January 2025.
831,265 professionals have used our research since 2012.