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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

"The solution is already at the cutting edge in terms of innovation."
"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 product is stable, and it performs well."
"The performance of Cisco Catalyst Switches is good."
"It's got one feature, and that's handling extreme temperatures."
"The technical support is at an expert level."
"Catalyst switches are highly reliable. They have a good product life, they are balanced overall compared to others."
"The quality of a Cisco switch is very high. They are extremely stable."
"Despite initial hindrances, once understood, these differences help in forming a good career foundation."
"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."
"The most valuable features are user functionality and interoperability."
"The performance and reliability are the solution's most valuable features."
"The highest value lies in aggregating the data to improve both traffic management and device utilization, emphasizing the importance of engagement and liability."
"The solution saves time and money for my customer in terms of reliability and product durability."
 

Cons

"Personal automatization is a feature that should be addressed."
"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."
"To make it a ten they should simplify the licensing, add the cloud-managed feature, and it should be more cost-effective."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches should have better performance and be easier to use. Additionally, they should add artificial intelligence features."
"The biggest barrier to buying Cisco or using Cisco is the price and also the competition with competitors and with Cisco partners."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches could be a little bit cheaper as they are very costly."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is an expensive solution and its price could be improved."
"The security of the solution could be improved, it is really important to us."
"The solution needs more monitoring tools."
"I would suggest improvements regarding enhancing support response times and implementing user interface modifications for quicker and more user-friendly interactions."
"The documentation needs improvement for better accessibility, as there isn't proper documentation currently available."
"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."
"The segment routing could be improved, and they could also transfer a lot of legacy to the cloud domain."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Pricing of Cisco equipment is high, but I think these switches are worth the price."
"The cost of Cisco switches is a little more expensive than the competition. However, as the saying goes, "you get what you pay for." If you want a reliable solution and other benefits, Cisco Catalyst Switches are worth the money."
"Try to buy everything you need in bulk purchases and ask Cisco for volume discounts."
"​The price should go down instead of up. ​"
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is an affordable solution."
"I cannot say that the pricing is reasonable because it's a little above our expectations. If we consider the recent price increases, it is not acceptable anymore."
"Cisco switches are expensive. Their price range is based not only on what the product does but also the name in the industry. They are good at what they do. If you need a better product, there are other lineups available."
"We have a contract for service with this partner, meaning we don't purchase the license or equipment directly."
"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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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Educational Organization
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.
881,036 professionals have used our research since 2012.