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Cisco Ethernet Switches vs MikroTik Routers and Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
134
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
MikroTik Routers and Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
6th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
65
Ranking in other categories
Routers (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2024, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Ethernet Switches is 19.1%, down from 20.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MikroTik Routers and Switches is 4.1%, down from 5.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Ronald Van Rees - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers a power stacking feature and enhances port speed with impressive stability
The vendor is presently working with large digital network architectures and additional software, as it is now willing to become a software-focused company instead of a hardware one. Cisco Ethernet Switches presently provide two options, either the user can utilize the basic features or the advanced software. Previously, advanced features were included in the basic package, but now they are provided as add-ons that need to be purchased separately for an extensive period of three or five years. As part of the advanced features in the solution, there is Digital Network Architecture (DNA) that provides insights, multiple dashboards and monitoring capabilities over Nexus and Catalyst switches from Cisco. Sometimes, customers need to buy features for Cisco Ethernet Switches that they do not require or use. The basic switches like the C1000 from the vendor don't have the DNA feature, but advanced version switches like Cisco Ethernet Switches have made the add-on purchases mandatory to avail certain features, which makes it difficult for several users.
AnikIslam - PeerSpot reviewer
Cost-effective protocol support and a straightforward setup with room for login enhancements
In the network operations center, I manage our client's bandwidth. We connect with our clients through BGP and OSPF based on client demands. We also manage routing protocols, policies, internal firewalls, and other details like QE bandwidth, client manage bandwidth management, PoE, PPPoE, and DNS…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It is a scalable solution, and we have more than 35 customers who use it."
"The most valuable feature is the simplicity of the central management system(CMS)."
"The most valuable feature of Cisco Ethernet Switches is its hardware."
"We use Cisco Ethernet Switches to configure VLANs in the VPN network."
"We only deal with Cisco products, they are very good."
"I'd rate the solution ten out of ten."
"Multicast is a great feature of this product."
"I have found the solution to have good scalability. Cisco is the pioneers on switching technology, they are very good."
"We have use cases like providing power over ethernet, as an access controller for Wi-Fi, and normal networking."
"The most valuable feature is its bandwidth management ability."
"We're very happy with what we are getting out of the solution in general. The features are good. They're comparable to other brands such as Cisco and HP."
"They use wireless and wired connections that include all of the features."
"The deployment process of MikroTik routers and switches is very convenient since it is not command-driven and comes with a graphical user interface, making it much easier to operate."
"MikroTik Routers and Switches support every protocol, making them suitable for a wide range of routing policies."
"MikroTik offers full enterprise capabilities at a very reasonable price."
"We've enjoyed the fact that it has very good performance."
 

Cons

"The initial setup can be simplified."
"We have experienced some issues with Cisco SG350 switches. We have not been able to use this switch at normal temperatures as it automatically reboots."
"Firewall features should be pre-enabled in Cisco Ethernet switches."
"The initial setup for on-prem versions is complex and requires a trained, certified engineer."
"If Cisco Ethernet Switches can work both on-prem and in the cloud, it would be an advantage."
"In the case of an already existing network, we encounter technical issues related to following protocols."
"In terms of features, they tick all the boxes as of now. That could be because we tailor the solution around the product. I have not seen anything that pulls me back or is not working well for me. However, there could be better integration with the network monitoring systems. It doesn't mean it is currently not there, but there could be better discoverability with some of the network monitoring systems to be able to have more visibility. When you're setting up a control room, you can have more visibility into what is going on in the network. It has been doing that, but it can do that more."
"The technical support could improve, they are about average quality."
"I would like to have the option of having multiple logins."
"We'd like for them to improve the UI and improve on speed."
"MikroTik Routers and Switches needs to improve stability."
"The initial setup is a bit complex."
"If the reporting functionality of the solution is considered, I think it is not good."
"Technical support could be better. They don't have good support like Cisco. It can also be more stable and scalable."
"The updates as well as the patches could be improved. I believe it would be beneficial to automate the process of router patching to avoid the need for manual checks. With automated patching, as long as the router is connected to the internet, it can automatically perform necessary updates. Failing to patch the router can leave me vulnerable to potential security threats."
"MikroTik Routers and Switches need a firewall policy to secure the network. I also want Mikrotic to add load balancing to the firewall policy, as it's currently hard to do in Mikrotik devices."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Quality comes at a price. I've been around the block a bit, and I know that good quality comes at a price. However, some of the organizations don't have big budgets, so you have to develop different solutions for them. They don't have the budget to get some of the high-end features. Cisco can consider providing entry-level hardware to suit SMBs."
"The price of Cisco Ethernet Switches here in India is too high. There are other cheaper solutions available."
"The solution does not require a license. However, it is expensive and the price could improve."
"Its price is a bit higher than other brands. Indian customers are price-conscious. They should improve its price."
"When we want an extra feature then we need to purchase another license bundle."
"The solution can be comparatively cheaper."
"Cisco Ethernet Switches are more expensive than Huawei Ethernet Switches."
"The solution is not too expensive."
"There is no licensing fee in addition to the hardware, but we do pay an annual fee for support."
"In our last project, we used two hundred units and the price was approximately 500 Shekels ($140 USD)."
"Pricing is not an issue."
"The tool is cheap."
"It's reasonably priced. It's not the most cheap solution, but also, it's not the most expensive one."
"The tool offers a one-time buying option."
"MikroTik Routers and Switches' pricing is reasonable."
"MikroTik's equipment is very cheap compared to Cisco and Huawei."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
824,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Comparison Review

it_user82779 - PeerSpot reviewer
Jan 29, 2014
Benefits of Juniper vs Cisco
Both are decent products. I prefer Juniper for the following reasons: 1) Cleaner separation of data plane from control plane. Higher end Cisco devices are better at this but most of the lower end products still seem to be more integrated than I like. 2) The Hierarchical config design means I can…
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
17%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Government
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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 ...
Which would you choose - Fortinet Fortiswitch secure access or Cisco Ethernet Switches?
We researched Cisco but ultimately chose Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access, mostly because of the price. Fortinet FortiSwitch is an ethernet switch solution that provides security and performance...
In terms of ethernet switches, would you go with Cisco or Juniper?
Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether Cisco or Juniper Ethernet switches were the better fit for us. We decided to go with Juniper. Juniper ethernet switches are a lesser-known...
How do Cisco Enterprise routers compare with Mikrotik routers and switches?
Cisco Enterprise Routers are very stable and easy to use. They offer a very solid performance and are very secure. They also have a very good, long lifespan. We feel the command configuration is ve...
Which are better - Ubiquiti UniFi switches or MikroTik routers and switches?
Ubiquiti Unifi is a great solution. For starters, it is easy to configure and implement, and doesn’t require a learning curve because it is easy to use. It is also simple to reconfigure an AP or ga...
What do you like most about MikroTik Routers and Switches?
The price is a big factor. They are very affordable, and the quality is high.
 

Also Known As

Cisco Industrial Ethernet Switches
No data available
 

Learn More

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Linz AG
ABB, Boingo Wireless, JPL, HP, Allied Telesis, iPass, Mips Technologies, MicroAge, Matsushita, Telia, undp, WFP, NASA
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. MikroTik Routers and Switches and other solutions. Updated: December 2024.
824,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.