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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Meraki MS 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:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
6.6
Cisco Catalyst Switches offer long-term performance, operational efficiency, and consistent uptime, despite high costs and occasional third-party disruptions.
Sentiment score
6.2
Meraki MS Switches offer variable ROI, excelling in management ease and scalability, though ROI speed varies with cloud integration.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.9
Cisco Catalyst Switches support receives mixed reviews, ranging from efficient and expert service to dissatisfaction with delays and support inefficiencies.
Sentiment score
8.5
Meraki MS Switches users appreciate responsive support, though experiences vary, with some facing delays and complex issue challenges.
Cisco's support is good, one of the best supports that you will get.
If the devices are licensed, the support team will assist you depending on the severity level of the case.
Cisco's tech support is pretty good, and I would rate it an eight out of ten.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Cisco Catalyst Switches offer scalability and performance, making them a popular choice for medium to large enterprises despite challenges.
Sentiment score
8.0
Meraki MS Switches offer scalable solutions for SMEs but may not suit enterprise-level needs due to core functionality limitations.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are scalable, and I would rate them eight to nine out of ten for scalability.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.3
Cisco Catalyst Switches are renowned for long-term reliability, with improvements addressing earlier hardware issues and minimal maintenance needs.
Sentiment score
8.6
Meraki MS Switches are praised for high stability and reliability, with minor issues promptly resolved, ensuring seamless operation.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are stable.
If something happens to the device or hardware, Cisco will automatically change the device by the next business day.
We faced issues following firmware updates, which we now handle by performing updates outside of working hours.
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco Catalyst Switches require better pricing, user-friendly interfaces, third-party compatibility, enhanced security, adaptability, and faster delivery.
Meraki MS Switches face challenges in cost, cloud dependence, technical support, and require improvements in security, scalability, and integration.
Cisco Catalyst Switches could be a little bit cheaper as they are very costly.
Meraki should also consider improvements in stacking features, particularly in the lower-end models like NS130, where stacking isn't supported, unlike with Cisco traditional switching.
There are compatibility issues with certain Power over Ethernet (PoE) devices, which we would like to see resolved.
Most people are familiar with the Cisco commands, and it would be beneficial if the switch could be accessed by GUI configuration and by normally accessing the console.
 

Setup Cost

Cisco Catalyst Switches are costly but valued for quality, reliability, support, with complex licensing and potential cost-saving subscriptions.
Meraki MS Switches are costly yet competitive, offering comprehensive features, cloud management, and potential savings with long-term contracts.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are quite pricey.
Meraki MS Switches, including their licensing, are somewhat expensive, particularly when compared with competitor solutions like HP.
Pricing is affordable, and licenses for the cloud need to be purchased every three to five years.
Meraki pricing is a little premium compared to other vendor products.
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Catalyst Switches are renowned for their security, reliability, performance, and manageability, with excellent support and extensive documentation.
Meraki MS Switches offer cloud management, intuitive dashboards, security features, and global device management for efficient and reliable networking.
The most beneficial features for our network management are their stability and good customer support.
The most valuable feature is the ability to access devices from anywhere in the world through the cloud.
The control plane is in the cloud, and the data plane is local, allowing manageability from anywhere.
One of the most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches is its precise traffic analytics capabilities, allowing us to query the system for any place at any time.
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Catalyst Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
7th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
173
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Meraki MS Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
8th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
95
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

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.
MajidKhan - PeerSpot reviewer
Remote access enhances troubleshooting with potential for more intuitive interface
We are working with Citrix and router, but in Cisco for Cisco vendor only. We are taking from them since 2015.  The main use case involves some small business customers needing one router, one switch, and two to three access points. It is easy to handle the devices with just a small knowledge of…
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
64%
Computer Software Company
7%
Government
3%
Financial Services Firm
3%
Computer Software Company
19%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
7%
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 do you like most about Meraki MS Switches?
The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are their reliability and simplicity.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Meraki MS Switches?
Meraki MS Switches, including their licensing, are somewhat expensive, particularly when compared with competitor solutions like HP.
What needs improvement with Meraki MS Switches?
Meraki MS Switches is a complete solution. I don't have specific feedback for improvement. However, there was an issue with the uplink when the port was removed and had to be reinstalled, which cau...
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
MS220, MS320, MS420
 

Learn More

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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
Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
831,158 professionals have used our research since 2012.