Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Cisco Catalyst Switches vs ExtremeSwitching comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 8, 2024
 

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
7.3
Number of Reviews
173
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
Number of Reviews
22
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2024, in the LAN Switching category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 30.8%, down from 31.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ExtremeSwitching is 5.9%, up from 4.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
LAN Switching
 

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.
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,…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"As there are many who are knowledgeable of this technology, this translates into extensive support for it."
"The installation process is very straightforward."
"It is a very scalable solution. Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"I've had no problems with the stability of this solution."
"I have found this solution to be extremely stable."
"Customer support answers on time and resolve any issues I have."
"They don't ever fail and they have a long service life."
"Catalyst switches are our dedicated solution for connecting everything into one big domain."
"The solution excels in configuration and other aspects. It offers reliability and performance."
"The solution has inspection firewalls that can do a deep packet inspection on a port basis."
"Setup was easy. It only took a couple of hours to set up."
"ExtremeSwitching switches are highly reliable."
"The most valuable features of ExtremeSwitching are that they are robust and have plenty of features. There is a lot of functionality. They have a lot of other features ExtremeSwitching that you can get involved with but I haven't been using many of them."
"It is very reliable because one of the reasons is the non-blocking architecture of Extreme Networks."
"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."
"They are good. We have been using them for about two years, and we are satisfied with their performance. For our network environment, these switches are working fine."
 

Cons

"Currently, Catalyst is completely proprietary with Cisco. They should have programmability options, through open-source controllers."
"They should make so that they let users know five to ten minutes before productivity is restored in the case of power loss."
"The product could be more user-friendly."
"They should also have a graphic interface for the switches too without the command line."
"We'd like Cisco to integrate with other solutions, including their own."
"Reporting could be improved as well as integration possibilities with other platforms."
"I would like for Cisco to come up with an affordable dynamic VLAN solution."
"There is no GUI."
"ExtremeSwitching has many features but having come from Cisco environments, there is a steep learning curve to learning all the functionality."
"The solution as a whole has hardware quality issues."
"ExtremeSwitching hardware lacks flexibility compared to some other options."
"We noticed over the years that the price of the Extreme Switches has been rising and this will become a concern in the future."
"The licensing is expensive."
"Their pricing could be a bit cheaper, as Huawei switches offer better pricing."
"The interface could be improved."
"I believe they should be more aggressive in terms of pricing."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We are on an annual license to use this solution and the price of the solution could be reduced. We have spent hundreds of thousands on our Wi-Fi network."
"Catalyst Switches are costly. When I started working with them 25 years ago, prices were a problem too."
"There is no licensing fee. All of the features are available on the switch from day one."
"The solution is probably the most expensive, but users who want the best need to pay the premium."
"It's overpriced and should be cheaper."
"Highly priced"
"It's expensive."
"Pricing could be cheaper as well."
"On pricing, ExtremeSwitches are going to beat most of the major competition."
"ExtremeSwitching offers very good pricing plans for their licenses. Compared to their rivals, ExtremeSwitching's prices are very affordable and reasonable. This is why our customers are happy to pay for their service critical support. ExtremeSwitching also offers a great portal to track clients, further satisfying our customers. They are always happy to pay for the service every month. The pricing is very reasonable."
"The product is expensive."
"The pricing and licensing are good with the cloud."
"There is no license required to use the solution. The hardware controller is expensive, and this is why I prefer controlling ExtremeSwitching on the cloud."
"The price is expensive. We pay for a license, but you have to pay more if you want to increase the number."
"There is a cost for ExtremeSwitching and if you want the support and maintenance, there are additional costs. My clients typically pay for the support and maintenance annually."
"It is not a subscription-based model, and there is no licensing concept. We have to pay for hardware AMC. We have hardware on our premises and for the hardware support, we have to go for the annual maintenance contract with the partner."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which LAN Switching solutions are best for your needs.
824,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
62%
Computer Software Company
7%
Government
3%
Financial Services Firm
3%
Manufacturing Company
14%
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 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?
I am not heavily involved with pricing, but my general understanding is they are competitive on the licensing and cost standpoint. When you compare equal features in the market, they are probably t...
What needs improvement with ExtremeSwitching?
While it is true of all vendors, there may be a slightly lower reliability standard. It's hard for me to compare as we are at one switch shop. However, I have heard through supporting networks that...
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
No data available
 

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
Blue Waters
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. ExtremeSwitching and other solutions. Updated: November 2024.
824,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.