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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

"Mostly the LAN switching is the most valuable aspect of the solution."
"The most valuable features include the redundancy one and the spanning tree."
"The main valuable features for me are the ease of configuration, the CLI, and the GUI."
"I think it is a reliable and scalable solution."
"The most valuable features are performance, speed, and durability."
"The most valuable feature is the ease of configuring a switch."
"Cisco comes with built-in software access for network devices."
"The solution is easy to use."
"Its easy manageability is most valuable. It's easy to manage."
"The most valuable feature of HPE ProCurve is its ease of use and implementation."
"The user interface is the most valuable aspect of the solution for us."
"The product is robust."
"The most valuable features are the price and the warranty."
"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."
"The GUI makes it easy to configure, manage, and work with."
"The LAN features give us exactly what we need."
 

Cons

"The pricing could be better. Cisco is quite expensive."
"Cisco should support all of the features that are included with the suite."
"I would like to see better efficiency. They are powering all the PoE ports 100% of the time instead of powering only when there is a draw on them. It has too many options. Therefore, there is a reasonably high barrier to entry in terms of learning about this stuff. A lot of times, you need to be a CCNA, which is like your ticket into the industry, but it is not the easiest thing to get."
"Their centralized management could be better. There should be some kind of software for centralized management so that I don't need somebody else to manage it."
"In terms of what could be improved, more integration is the main thing they should be focused on."
"An area for improvement would be the high price."
"My company would prefer that the price was more cost-effective."
"The solution’s pricing and stability could be improved."
"The solution should offer different gigabit interfaces. Right now, they have ten gigabits. However, for our needs, we only need one gigabit. We don't need 24 or 48 ports. We only need eight to ten. HPE should introduce into their portfolio some smaller and more compact options."
"Our customers are focused on features and generally, they would like to have a more feature-rich solution."
"The product could be cheaper."
"An area for improvement in HPE ProCurve is the web interface not being as robust because you still have to go to the COI to make modifications or look at the exact configuration."
"Procurve would work better if it had more options like the web environment."
"The pricing model could be improved in HPE ProCurve."
"One of the weakest points of this solution is its on-premise. We are not able to do all we need to with the CLI."
"The product could improve scalability and support for advanced networking features."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of a Cisco Catalyst Switches license is expensive."
"The product is quite expensive."
"When compared with other products, the solution is kind of on the expensive side."
"​The price should go down instead of up. ​"
"It would be great for the user if Cisco lowered the prices for their routers and switches."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches are a bit expensive."
"There are no licensing fees required."
"Cisco's prices are not cheap, but the stability is worth it."
"It provides quite good value for money."
"There is no need to pay for the solution's license."
"ProCurve's pricing is its strongest point. The value proposition is quite good, and we have seen a return on investment."
"The solution is more expensive than other vendors. There is hardware and software that needs to be purchased in some circumstance. The software can sometimes be expensive."
"The product is reasonably priced."
"The cost of HPE ProCurve is good."
"HPE ProCurve price could improve. We have a three-year warranty."
"HPE ProCurve is competitively priced, with a difference of approximately 30 to 35% compared to other vendors"
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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.
844,944 professionals have used our research since 2012.