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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

"We haven't needed to contact technical support because we haven't had any issues so far."
"Cisco Switches are more stable in terms of hardware and firmware, rather than Juniper Switches."
"Easy to manage, with a long lifespan."
"Catalyst switches are highly reliable. They have a good product life, they are balanced overall compared to others."
"Stability. We have many Catalyst switches now, and they work without any downtime."
"The product is stable, and it performs well."
"The most valuable features are performance, speed, and durability."
"A good feature of Cisco Catalyst is that it records crash log files which can be used to literally identify the cause of a crash because there is a lot of information. And Cisco Catalyst supports the use of external flash disks for storing of images and file systems."
"The highest value lies in aggregating the data to improve both traffic management and device utilization, emphasizing the importance of engagement and liability."
"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."
"Despite initial hindrances, once understood, these differences help in forming a good career foundation."
"The solution saves time and money for my customer in terms of reliability and product durability."
"The most valuable features are user functionality and interoperability."
"The performance and reliability are the solution's most valuable features."
 

Cons

"Cisco needs to improve compatibility with other solutions and other vendors like SolarWinds. We've had problems using Catalyst with SolarWinds. Some devices can't be put on SolarWinds due to some ID Values and so on."
"Reporting could be improved as well as integration possibilities with other platforms."
"I can't use older Cisco devices with newer versions of the controller or switches. For example, if a switch was manufactured in 2014, I can't use it with a controller made in 2019. I have to change the switch so that I can upgrade my network or my devices. I don't have the option to update the version I have on the image of the AP or the controller."
"It is kind of expensive."
"The technical support, in some cases, should be faster and could improve."
"Cisco has to lower the price of its products to make them more cost-effective."
"The price is something we would definitely like improved. It would be nice if it was more economical."
"The support team’s response and resolution time must be faster."
"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."
"I would prefer that all the licenses be open for our use."
"The solution needs more monitoring tools."
"The segment routing could be improved, and they could also transfer a lot of legacy to the cloud domain."
"I would like to see more collaboration with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) vendors, such as Itron."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I rate the product price a nine on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price and ten is high price."
"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."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is a very expensive solution."
"The solutions are costly, considering that Cisco provides top-notch support and devices."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches are very expensive."
"This is expensive, even when compared to competitors' products."
"The prices of Cisco devices are too high."
"Licensing is on a yearly basis. We usually spend up to $20,000."
"The price of the solution is very competitive in comparison with that of the competition."
"It is quite expensive compared to alternative technologies."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Educational Organization
6%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Performing Arts
10%
Comms Service Provider
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.
879,477 professionals have used our research since 2012.