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

Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Huawei Ethernet Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

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 Ethernet Switches
7th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
175
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Huawei Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
14th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
60
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 1.8%, down from 3.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Huawei Ethernet Switches is 3.1%, up from 2.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

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.
Mr. Qalat Khan - PeerSpot reviewer
The solution is power efficient, stable, and provides free-of-cost batch upgrades
The solution can improve by adding virtualized switch functionality. Huawei mentioned virtual switches in one of the product sheets, but when we got to the deployment phase, it turned out that they didn't actually include virtual switching functionality. Other than that, the switch and network are performing well and meeting our requirements.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Cisco comes with built-in software access for network devices."
"They don't ever fail and they have a long service life."
"Catalyst switches are easy to use and simple to work with."
"This technology is a completely mature technology and I don't think anything needs to be changed."
"We find the product very easy to configure."
"The pricing is quite good."
"The product is convenient to deploy."
"This solution has a pretty good rate of not causing unexpected behavior or failing. We're using maybe 900 switches right now. And, rarely, if ever, something fails, it's dependable."
"The solution is scalable."
"The most valuable feature of Huawei is that it already provides integration with any automation tool."
"It is a very stable solution."
"The performance of Huawei is good, and it provides security capabilities."
"It is also easy to implement in the first place."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches also have effective network switching features."
"In terms of the most valuable features, LAN switching is more comfortable and valuable in the network. It is easy to configure and easy to deploy. It is helpful for the installation and it is easy to troubleshoot issues. It's an easy product to understand. It's a good solution."
"What we like the most is that the price is reasonable and it's easy to manage."
 

Cons

"Its price can be improved. It is currently expensive."
"Dell switching is coming up with a solution where you can put your own OS inside their switching infra. That is where they are talking about open networking. We can show that our Cisco is also an open-source. We are open to different switching operating systems if the customer is willing to put it in. We can support multiple operating systems inside the switching infrastructure. It removes the hardware and software dependency on each other. That is where I think there can be room for improvement. Then we can talk about open networking and that is where Cisco can also come up with open networking access."
"The pricing needs improvement."
"The solution was stable 10 years ago, there is room for improvement in this area."
"The product could always be more secure."
"The GUI should be addressed."
"Pricing for this product is on the higher end, and is something that could be improved. Security could also be increased."
"When you compare it with HPE and Aruba, it should be fancier."
"Integration could be improved. The price could also be lower."
"The pricing could always be improved."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches have not automated its firmware."
"It’s hard to get technical support."
"The availability and the speed of the firmware updates are the only things wrong with Huawei. There are some vulnerabilities on the hardware."
"The technical support is technically savvy, but the communication via English is not so easy."
"The product should improve cloud capability."
"In the next release, I would like to see an increase in the performance of DDoS protection systems against all kinds of attack packets."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I don't see any price issue with Cisco. Whenever you buy a quality product, you always have a mindset of paying the premium amount. For any good product, you pay a premium amount, but that also means you are going to recover that premium over a period of time in terms of performance."
"This is an expensive product."
"The licenses are definitely expensive. There is a need to make annual payments towards the subscription or licensing costs attached to the solution."
"It is reasonably priced because we have already conducted a tender, allowing Cisco and other vendors to compete for the best price."
"The price of this solution is reasonable."
"It's expensive."
"They are a little bit expensive. We are a public institution, so we go through other traders, and sometimes, they put in their own surplus price because it is a government contract. Cisco products are expensive, especially when you compare them to Huawei."
"It's overpriced and should be cheaper."
"This is an affordable solution."
"It is cheaper than Cisco."
"The initial setup is straightforward."
"We have a one-year license. There are no additional costs besides the licensing fee."
"The tool's price is affordable and I would rate it a five out of ten. The prices are fixed with no additional cost involved."
"The pricing is good. Still, I can choose a cheaper solution that offers a good value."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches are very competitively priced, almost 4 out of 10.However, the low price point may sometimes raise concerns about quality for some companies."
"Huawei has the same licensing model as Cisco, so both are working on the subscription model."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
846,617 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
66%
Computer Software Company
6%
Government
3%
Manufacturing Company
3%
Computer Software Company
17%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Government
6%
 

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 Huawei Ethernet Switches?
Huawei Ethernet Switches offer very competitive and aggressive product pricing compared to other brands.
What needs improvement with Huawei Ethernet Switches?
Huawei should focus more on security. They need more products on the security side to improve the security portion.
 

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
Newcastle University, Jingyang District of Deyang City in Sichuan Province, Southwest China, Glasgow Rangers Soccer Team, RMIT, Insurance Industry Association of Zhejiang Province, China, APT Satellite Holdings Limited (APT)
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Huawei Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
846,617 professionals have used our research since 2012.