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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs HPE ProCurve comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 12, 2025

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
Ranking in LAN Switching
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
175
Ranking in other categories
Ethernet Switches (7th), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
HPE ProCurve
Ranking in LAN Switching
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Number of Reviews
38
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the LAN Switching category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 29.4%, down from 32.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HPE ProCurve is 12.1%, down from 13.7% 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.
Sandeep Rajguru - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers reliability and helps with vulnerability assessment
I use HPE ProCurve network in our organization. I can say that the product has improved the network flexibility in our company since I haven't seen any challenges from the last seven to eight years. The most valuable product for network management revolves around the area of VSB, also known as virtual switch bonding, which can quickly attach two or three switches or make them come together to quickly form a single switch. From a security perspective, my company does vulnerability assessment. From a security perspective, my company does vulnerability assessment. Following the hardening guidelines, the switches are configured according to the hardening parameters. The tool's reliability and uptime match our company's needs. My company enjoyed configuring the switches a lot, especially since we saw similarities between Cisco's and HPS's configuration processes. HPE ProCurve is user-friendly. We have a different product for network management, so my company doesn't use HPE ProCurve since we have already collaborated with some third-party products. I recommend the product to those who plan to use it. I recommend the product to those who plan to use it, especially since I have been using it without any issues for many years. I rate the tool a nine out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Their technical support is very good. They know what to do and if they don't know what to do, they give me the person who does know."
"A good feature of Cisco Catalyst is that it records crash log files which can be used to literally identify the cause of a crash because there is a lot of information. And Cisco Catalyst supports the use of external flash disks for storing of images and file systems."
"The best feature is the technical support."
"I highly appreciate the durability and the availability"
"Mostly the LAN switching is the most valuable aspect of the solution."
"With Cisco Catalyst Switches, everything is working perfectly. We have not had issues with this solution."
"These switches are stable."
"It works well."
"The product's stability is good. Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"It's easy to manage and configure. The configurations can be exported and imported to another solution."
"HPE ProCurve's most valuable feature is that it is user-friendly."
"We don't mind the cost in general."
"It is stable, and it fulfills our needs. We have all the functions we need, so we're totally satisfied."
"The most valuable features of HPE ProCurve are the reports, lifetime warranty, and CLI."
"The solution is fast and inexpensive."
"The user interface is the most valuable aspect of the solution for us."
 

Cons

"It would be helpful to have the ability to load new IOS software without performing a reboot or to be able to perform the reboot without disrupting end-users."
"Their price should be cheaper. We lose a lot of work because of the price that they have."
"The security of the solution could be improved, it is really important to us."
"Its initial setup can be simpler, and it would be great if we can work with a reference architecture. Cisco has the capability to provide a very integrated solution. They have DNA Center, Cisco ISE, Cisco Prime, FMC, and AMP. We are looking at all the products, but it is rather complex to pick out the right licenses that you need. The license structure is a bit complex. Sometimes, there is an overlap in products, which does not really make sense. For example, you have DNA Center and Cisco Prime, and it is not really clear what you would use for what exactly. There is a lot of information on the Cisco website, but it takes a while to go through all this and look at the presentations that are available from Cisco Live. These presentations are appreciated, but sometimes, they are a bit too much like bullet points. You don't exactly know what's behind it, so you have to do a second guess. Overall, there is a lot of information but not always to the point."
"Its price can be improved. It is currently expensive."
"I would like to see support for one-touch provisioning."
"They should be cheaper."
"The product could be more user-friendly."
"The interface we have could be better."
"The product could improve scalability and support for advanced networking features."
"We do occasionally have issues with the solution and need to change out the switches sometimes. This can be due to the fan, but, in most cases, it's because the power supply was broken."
"They should learn from other vendors, such as Cisco. They all have a few specific routing features. HPE doesn't have any cheap BGP solution."
"HPE ProCurve is very complex for junior engineers and beginners. You need a lot of experience in managing switches in order to use this switch."
"I would like to see integration with HPE OneView."
"If you make a change and you disconnect yourself from the switch, you will create an issue."
"The dashboards could be improved to be more interesting."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"They are expensive."
"We had to pay for the product’s licenses."
"There are no licensing fees required."
"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."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches are a bit expensive."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches are very expensive."
"The price is in an affordable range and everything is included."
"Not one of the cheapest switches in the market. There are a lot of other cheaper switches, but in terms of availability and reliability, Cisco Catalyst Switches meet all requirements."
"We are a public company, so we are obliged to take the best offer from the vendors. They gave us the best price for the needs we had. It was considerably less than Cisco. It had maybe 40% lower cost."
"The product is reasonably priced."
"This is an expensive switch."
"The price could be more competitive."
"I would rate the pricing a six out of ten, with one being very cheap and ten being very expensive."
"HPE ProCurve products are reasonably priced."
"The product has a good price compared to other solutions."
"There is no need to pay for the solution's license."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
67%
Computer Software Company
6%
Government
3%
Manufacturing Company
3%
Educational Organization
14%
Computer Software Company
13%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Government
8%
 

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 is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE ProCurve?
HPE ProCurve is competitively priced, with a difference of approximately 30 to 35% compared to other vendors like Cisco. This makes it a viable option for businesses with limited budgets, particula...
What needs improvement with HPE ProCurve?
The product could improve scalability and support for advanced networking features. Including advanced interfaces like QSFP and enhanced support for AI-driven network solutions would make it more c...
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
ProCurve, HP ProCurve
 

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
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Cardinal Newman Catholic Secondary School, DY 4 Systems, EdgeWing, Edmonton Public Schools District, Halton Catholic District School Board, Hartwick College, Hatch Associates, Huntingdon College, Roseville Joint Union High School District, Saddleback Valley Unified School District, One Superior Place
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. HPE ProCurve and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,040 professionals have used our research since 2012.