

Find out in this report how the two Ethernet Switches solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
I can say in terms of money saved because up until now, in the previous places where I have worked and also now, we still use the older model, the 2960 model Cisco Catalyst Switches, which has been in existence for almost 20 years and up until now it still functions very well.
From an investment standpoint, deploying Cisco Catalyst Switches offers tangible benefits, including cost reductions.
When requesting an RMA, they replace defective items in just one day.
On a scale from one to 10, I would rate the technical support of Cisco at 10 out of 10.
Cisco's support is good, one of the best supports that you will get.
They were always helpful.
They are quick and understand things easily, so the support is aligned very effectively.
Our technicians have a good support experience from the company.
The scalability of Cisco Catalyst Switches is very much scalable, as it supports the stacking feature and growth; for instance, with 94K modular switches, based on the requirement, we can even increase modules for more bandwidth.
Unlike Meraki, where I can bring a switch online, join it to the portal, and it becomes operational immediately.
The auto-scaling and zero-touch provisioning kind of support for Nexus switches is lacking.
There is a high level of satisfaction with its ability to scale.
The stability of Cisco Catalyst Switches in my environment is somewhat problematic: legacy Cisco Catalyst Switches, even though they have licenses and support, present many hardware-related issues, such as interfaces going down very repeatedly, SFP modules failing in most cases, and hardware ports becoming faulty.
What you tell it to do is exactly what it does.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are stable.
The product performs at 99% efficiency without any showstoppers or significant issues.
For stability, I would rate VMware NSX as a nine out of ten.
Cisco should provide some level of software that I can bring on-premise where I can add all my Catalyst switches for central management.
Currently, I don't see much AI integration with Cisco Catalyst Switches; though they've started, it still needs improvement.
It is the highest cost in the market.
The initial configuration and integration within our existing environment were not easy.
The pricing for the product is another area for improvement as I'm not satisfied nowadays.
The licensing model is expensive and could be more flexible, especially after Broadcom bought VMware.
Cisco provides unique features that justify their pricing.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are quite pricey.
Cisco usually is costly compared to other vendors.
The cost of VMware NSX is considered high.
The complexity is too high in terms of price.
VMware NSX is a little higher in price compared to the competition.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are valuable for their reliability and performance.
With Meraki access points, I do not have to have a wireless controller for them. I can configure the wireless device directly from the switch, making the setup cleaner, and that is a major reason for my preference.
Cisco Catalyst Switches provide high performance and security features that stand out in my daily work, where they handle a high volume of traffic with low latency, making them suitable for bandwidth-intensive applications, web applications, VoIP applications, video streaming, and major data center workloads.
Micro-segmentation enhances security and provides more secure data in your data center.
Consistent networking and security policies across different environments have a major and very positive impact on our business operations, allowing us to achieve the security posture we want with compliance and regulations.
The most powerful feature of VMware NSX is the micro-segmentation that allows us to separate the different protocols our application works with.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Cisco Catalyst Switches | 4.3% |
| Cisco Ethernet Switches | 9.0% |
| Aruba Switches | 8.8% |
| Other | 77.9% |
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| VMware NSX | 29.2% |
| Cisco ACI | 31.2% |
| Cisco Elastic Services Controller | 8.9% |
| Other | 30.700000000000003% |

| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 81 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 29 |
| Large Enterprise | 79 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 34 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 23 |
| Large Enterprise | 69 |
Cisco Catalyst Switches are renowned for their Power over Ethernet capabilities, performance stability, and dependable security. They support features like DHCP, stacking, and dynamic routing, offering ease of management, scalability, and reliability across different sectors.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are valued for their robust architecture and global reputation, supported by numerous trained professionals. They ensure consistent performance and adaptability across industries such as finance, education, and hospitality. With features like CLI and software integration, these switches offer ease of management, scalability, and strong technical support. Users appreciate modularity, speed, and network segmentation versatility. There is room for improvement in cost reduction, licensing simplification, usability, third-party integration, and security enhancements. Calls for improved configuration, product compatibility, faster support, and advanced training are noted.
What are the key features of Cisco Catalyst Switches?Organizations utilize Cisco Catalyst Switches for diverse applications, including data centers, campuses, and WAN connectivity. Supporting enterprise networking, VLAN configurations, and user access, they integrate smoothly with existing infrastructure. These switches enhance connectivity for access layers, core components, and edge networking, catering to industries like finance, education, and hospitality for reliable and scalable performance.
VMware NSX is a comprehensive tool for network virtualization and security, offering advanced features like micro-segmentation and multi-cloud networking to enhance scalability and management efficiency within enterprises.
VMware NSX revolutionizes enterprise networking by integrating security and scalability into one streamlined platform. With capabilities like dynamic policy updates and automation, it simplifies complex configurations and provides robust API integration. Its support for Layer 4 and 7 load balancing, along with its seamless integration in multi-cloud environments, makes it a preferred choice among companies. Although deployment speed and management console features require refinement, NSX is an effective solution for private cloud and hybrid environments, enabling centralized orchestration and management of complex networks.
What are the key features of VMware NSX?
What benefits and ROI should users consider?
In the tech industry, VMware NSX is instrumental in managing private and hybrid cloud environments, allowing companies to replace traditional networking with software-defined networks. In finance, it helps secure transactional data through micro-segmentation. Healthcare organizations leverage its flexibility for managing sensitive patient information securely and integrating cloud services.
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