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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
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
178
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (2nd), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Nokia Ethernet Service Switch
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
24th
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 January 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 3.5%, up from 1.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Nokia Ethernet Service Switch is 1.0%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco Catalyst Switches3.5%
Nokia Ethernet Service Switch1.0%
Other95.5%
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.
MA
Team Lead at Thoshiba
Working with network switches simplifies configuration, but documentation needs improvement
My recommendation is to understand the basic concepts clearly before starting your career. While basic concepts might seem simple, they can be very complicated when explored in detail. This foundational knowledge is essential for building a successful career. I would rate the overall solution as a seven 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

"I find their system throughput and Cisco support very useful."
"I have found that the protocols that Cisco Catalyst Switches support are beneficial for my customers."
"It is very reliable."
"The scalability is excellent."
"The most valuable features include the redundancy one and the spanning tree."
"The solution is highly reliable."
"Overall top of the line solution."
"We use the VLANs to separate library, office, and individual apartments. With some of the reporting that receive, we're able to take and track down where people like to put in their own wireless routers. Sometimes they will take a DSL modem from AT&T that they brought from home, hook it in backward, and it will give rogue addresses causing issues."
"On several occasions we encountered major issues with the solution and have found the Nokia technical support to be quite supportive."
"The most valuable feature is the product's availability."
"The highest value lies in aggregating the data to improve both traffic management and device utilization, emphasizing the importance of engagement and liability."
"The performance and reliability are the solution's most valuable features."
"The most valuable features are user functionality and interoperability."
"The solution saves time and money for my customer in terms of reliability and product durability."
"Despite initial hindrances, once understood, these differences help in forming a good career foundation."
 

Cons

"The solution is expensive. They should work on their pricing model to try to make it more affordable for customers."
"The price could be improved."
"Currently, Catalyst is completely proprietary with Cisco. They should have programmability options, through open-source controllers."
"It would be good if Cisco Catalyst Switches could align maintenance with one version."
"The delivery dates need to be more expedient."
"The newer models are not so stable. Other products like 6800, 3750, were stable but starting from 3850 it got worse. We have a lot of issues and a lot of bugs. It's a new product so it's understandable but it should be improved."
"The solution could improve security."
"When users put Cisco Catalyst Switches in the same environment or infrastructure where other devices or products exist, like HPE, Aruba, and Ubiquiti, it doesn't work properly."
"I would like to see more collaboration with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) vendors, such as Itron."
"The solution needs more monitoring tools."
"The documentation needs improvement for better accessibility, as there isn't proper documentation currently available."
"I would suggest improvements regarding enhancing support response times and implementing user interface modifications for quicker and more user-friendly interactions."
"The segment routing could be improved, and they could also transfer a lot of legacy to the cloud domain."
"I would prefer that all the licenses be open for our use."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It's expensive."
"I don't know a lot about the price, but they are affordable compared with other solutions."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is a very expensive solution."
"It is very pricey. You have to pay for support."
"The price of Cisco equipment is very expensive and you have to pay extra for support."
"Pricing of Cisco equipment is high, but I think these switches are worth the price."
"We had to pay for the product’s licenses."
"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."
"It is quite expensive compared to alternative technologies."
"The price of the solution is very competitive in comparison with that of the competition."
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879,927 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Educational Organization
6%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Performing Arts
10%
Educational Organization
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business79
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
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Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Nokia Ethernet Service Switch and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,927 professionals have used our research since 2012.