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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Nokia Ethernet Service Switch 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
6.6
Number of Reviews
179
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (2nd), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Nokia Ethernet Service Switch
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
22nd
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
3.1
Number of Reviews
7
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 4.3%, up from 1.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Nokia Ethernet Service Switch is 1.1%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Catalyst Switches4.3%
Nokia Ethernet Service Switch1.1%
Other94.6%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

AG
Unit Nos at Orange
Reliable support boosts confidence while initial setup complexities highlight improvement areas
Challenges I've encountered mostly involve the RMA part for hardware replacement, which doesn't happen regularly, but sometimes I face challenges due to limited parts in India; they offer different model devices as a stopgap arrangement. It's quite difficult to specify features I would want to see in future updates because that varies from model to model. I would definitely recommend Cisco Catalyst Switches to other users. We do maintenance for Cisco Catalyst Switches. For maintenance, we usually need three people from different regions working as a single team; our engineers handle both projects and maintenance, so there isn't a specific engineer just for maintenance. I work with firewalls and next-generation firewalls. Overall, I would rate the solution as an eight out of ten.
L.
Project Manager and Assistant General Manager at tele
Ensures network reliability and meets compliance requirements
We can understand the customer network better and propose products accordingly as areas for improvement. Engaging with customers directly would improve how that could be done easily. Many times there is a requirement for very low-end products, which Nokia Ethernet Service Switch is not currently marketing many of the lower-end products.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution has been issue-free."
"We have dealt with Cisco's technical support in the past. They were especially helpful and very polite. They are always there if we need them and their insights are always excellent. I would say that we have been satisfied with the level of support we've gotten so far."
"Configuring the solution is very easy. It's quite a straightforward process, and it's not difficult at all."
"These are a proven technology and I haven't had any problem with them."
"If we are providing a switching solution, it's not just switching, it's a whole solution with DNA, and that is where the whole concept of Network Management and Network Assurance comes in, so Catalyst plays a big role in putting everything together and providing a whole solution to the customer."
"The solution was not complex to set up; it was very straightforward and simple, and the experience was very good."
"When you have a homogenous network, as I do with only Cisco networking products, with no other components, then all of the features from the old platforms are available."
"Technical support is good."
"7210 SAS help transformed our legacy network to an MPLS based services and improved the network performance and availability."
"The most valuable features are user functionality and interoperability."
"Despite initial hindrances, once understood, these differences help in forming a good career foundation."
"The performance and reliability are the solution's most valuable features."
"The most valuable features are user functionality and interoperability."
"The performance and reliability are the solution's most valuable features."
"The most valuable feature is the product's availability."
"On several occasions we encountered major issues with the solution and have found the Nokia technical support to be quite supportive."
 

Cons

"The device age becomes an issue. For example, with the 2960 version, they're not supporting that one anymore."
"They should also have a graphic interface for the switches too without the command line."
"I use the Cisco Catalyst Switches command-line interface(CLI) a lot out in the field, but there are some web interfaces features that are available that I haven't used very much. I'm more comfortable with the CLI, but the web interfaces are very lacking."
"The product’s pricing needs improvement."
"I would like for Cisco to come up with an affordable dynamic VLAN solution."
"If someone was trying to manage their own office, I would rate the usability of Cisco Catalyst Switches a five out of ten. Unless you know the CLI well then you will use the interface that is a little bit tricky to work with."
"Prices could always be lower."
"It is kind of expensive."
"The segment routing could be improved, and they could also transfer a lot of legacy to the cloud domain."
"The documentation needs improvement for better accessibility, as there isn't proper documentation currently available."
"The solution needs more monitoring tools."
"The release is not very stable. You should have stability in the card."
"I would prefer that all the licenses be open for our use."
"I would like to see more collaboration with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) vendors, such as Itron."
"We would like to have an unified monitoring system, while Nokia have different monitoring system for different product, we find it to be quite troublesome."
"This solution is not particularly flexible."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is quite expensive."
"Generally, Cisco Catalyst would be relatively expensive compared to the competition, it would be on the expensive side."
"The pricing of these devices can be better."
"The pricing should be improved."
"We are a large company and the price is reasonable because we have received a discount. However, the full price is expensive."
"We have a contract for service with this partner, meaning we don't purchase the license or equipment directly."
"It is very pricey. You have to pay for support."
"I rate the overall product a six out of ten from a price perspective since it is an expensive tool."
"It is quite expensive compared to alternative technologies."
"The price of the solution is very competitive in comparison with that of the competition."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
886,906 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Computer Software Company
7%
Construction Company
6%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Performing Arts
10%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Educational Organization
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business80
Midsize Enterprise29
Large Enterprise79
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise2
 

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?
For pricing satisfaction, I'd say it will be six to seven because Cisco usually is costly compared to other vendors. Regarding pricing, there is indeed room for improvement.
What needs improvement with Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?
We can understand the customer network better and propose products accordingly as areas for improvement. Engaging with customers directly would improve how that could be done easily. Many times the...
What is your primary use case for Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?
I am a system integrator working for different customers. My clients use this product for their network, either for network upgrade or new rollout.
What advice do you have for others considering Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?
This possibility could be provided by the vendor. I advise people looking to use Nokia Ethernet Service Switch to always look for reliability rather than going for cheaper Chinese products. On a sc...
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
Nokia ESS, Nokia 7450 Ethernet Service Switch, Nokia 7450 ESS
 

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
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Nokia Ethernet Service Switch and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.
886,906 professionals have used our research since 2012.