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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs ExtremeSwitching comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 9, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
6.6
Cisco Catalyst Switches offer long-term ROI through operational efficiency and robustness, despite differing opinions on their cost-effectiveness.
Sentiment score
6.4
ExtremeSwitching offers cost-effective solutions with varied returns, often realized within one to three years, despite high licensing costs.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.9
Cisco Catalyst Switches support receives mixed reviews with varying experiences, but documentation and resources are generally appreciated.
Sentiment score
6.6
ExtremeSwitching support is generally helpful and knowledgeable but experiences delays, needing improvement compared to competitors like Cisco.
Cisco's support is good, one of the best supports that you will get.
I am paying for Cisco support and would rate it nine out of ten.
Requiring improvement in the technical support provided to customers.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Cisco Catalyst Switches offer scalability and flexibility but require careful planning and may incur higher costs for additional features.
Sentiment score
7.8
ExtremeSwitching excels in scalability, flexibility, and expansion, favored for handling large connections and users across environments.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are scalable, and I would rate them eight to nine out of ten for scalability.
ExtremeSwitching is highly scalable, and I would rate it as nine out of ten.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.3
Cisco Catalyst Switches are praised for their reliability and durability, with minimal issues and high user satisfaction.
Sentiment score
7.9
ExtremeSwitching is reliable for small-medium firms, rated 7-9, with good support, but may struggle in large deployments.
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco Catalyst Switches need improvements in affordability, compatibility, configuration simplicity, security, cloud integration, stability, support, and advanced technology integration.
ExtremeSwitching needs user-friendly enhancements, competitive pricing, improved hardware, expanded products, and better cybersecurity and latency solutions.
Cisco Catalyst Switches could be a little bit cheaper as they are very costly.
The configuration options on the Cisco Commerce website could be more efficient.
There could be improvements in the repeat configuration with some file integration that is currently missing.
ExtremeSwitching's software stability could be improved, as it sometimes crashes.
 

Setup Cost

Enterprise buyers find Cisco Catalyst Switches costly but reliable, with complex licensing; improvements for competitive pricing are suggested.
ExtremeSwitching offers competitive pricing with flexible models, appealing to budget-conscious enterprises appreciating no strict licensing.
Cisco provides unique features that justify their pricing.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are quite pricey.
ExtremeSwitching is priced in the mid-range, not too expensive nor too cheap.
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Catalyst Switches provide reliable performance, robust features, and customization, highly valued for stability, scalability, and security.
ExtremeSwitching provides robust performance, scalability, security, cloud management, and competitive pricing, enhancing network visibility, reliability, and integration.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are valuable for their reliability and performance.
Catalyst Switches are efficient and swift, which is valuable for my organization.
The most beneficial features for our network management are their stability and good customer support.
The most valuable feature of ExtremeSwitching is the Extreme Fabric, specifically the switching fabric.
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Catalyst Switches
Ranking in LAN Switching
1st
Ranking in Data Center Networking
1st
Ranking in AV Over IP Switching
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
175
Ranking in other categories
Ethernet Switches (7th)
ExtremeSwitching
Ranking in LAN Switching
7th
Ranking in Data Center Networking
6th
Ranking in AV Over IP Switching
3rd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
23
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the LAN Switching category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 29.9%, down from 32.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ExtremeSwitching is 6.1%, up from 5.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
LAN Switching
 

Featured Reviews

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.
MURALI NIDAMANURI - PeerSpot reviewer
Outstanding performance with minimal maintenance and intuitive configuration
Our primary use case for ExtremeSwitching is for costing, access networking, routing, and meeting network requirements. We have sold it in defense, government, and IT industries ExtremeSwitching significantly adds value to customers because maintenance is minimal. Once the network is set up,…
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which LAN Switching solutions are best for your needs.
842,388 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
67%
Computer Software Company
6%
Government
3%
Manufacturing Company
3%
Manufacturing Company
17%
Computer Software Company
11%
Government
8%
Construction 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 ...
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.
What do you like most about ExtremeSwitching?
The product offers a single management platform for multiple models of switches. The tool also allows users to manage multiple sites from a single dashboard.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ExtremeSwitching?
ExtremeSwitching is priced in the mid-range, not too expensive nor too cheap.
What needs improvement with ExtremeSwitching?
ExtremeSwitching's software stability could be improved, as it sometimes crashes.
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
No data available
 

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
Blue Waters
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. ExtremeSwitching and other solutions. Updated: February 2025.
842,388 professionals have used our research since 2012.