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Cisco Ethernet Switches vs NVIDIA Mellanox comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Number of Reviews
129
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
NVIDIA Mellanox
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
20th
Average Rating
7.8
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2024, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Ethernet Switches is 19.6%, down from 20.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NVIDIA Mellanox is 1.9%, up from 1.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

JW
Apr 4, 2023
Reliable with good performance and a robust online community
I've also used Palo Alto and Fortinet. I used Brocade switches six to ten years ago. It is now Extreme Networks, and I am interested in trying Extreme. I have two Extreme switches right now. Fortinet is really user-friendly and easy for even non-technical people to understand. However, the information from Fortinet is really specific. With Cisco, you just have to press the questions mark, and you have a description of every menu. Extreme is like Juniper. You have to create the VLAN, which can be difficult to read if you have a lot of VLAN, although the scalability is great.
RK
Oct 22, 2021
Stable, easy to use, and offers a unique RDMA feature
We primarily use the solution for a network switch.  Mellanox provides a feature called RDMA. This feature is very special and only Mellanox can provide it. For example, Cisco cannot offer this. The solution is very stable.  It is a very easy-to-use product. The configuration is a bit different…

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 compatible with many brands, such as VMware."
"In terms of most valuable feature, I would say the user interface."
"We only deal with Cisco products, they are very good."
"The solution offers great bandwidth and speed."
"Cisco Ethernet Switches are stable."
"I like their after-sales support more than anything because it's very good."
"Cisco Ethernet Switches is a very stable product."
"The most valuable feature is the simplicity of the central management system(CMS)."
"It is a very easy-to-use product."
"From what I've been told, a valuable feature of Mellanox switches is they're quite user-friendly."
"The most valuable features of Mellanox Switches are the size, power consumption, and the vast amount of features."
"The tool is very configurable because it runs on a Linux operating system."
"The most valuable features of Mellanox Switches are the powerful hardware and the software is open. They're using Linux operating system. You can do and install many things, and it performs well."
"The most valuable features of this solution are its functionality."
 

Cons

"It could be cheaper, especially the DNA license. One DNA license is around $3,000 for a three-year contract."
"I don't like the fact that the product is very expensive."
"There are instances where the commands you are familiar with might change or be replaced with newer syntax."
"Switches should be made stackable, even if they are not of the same model."
"Cisco could definitely work on delivering improved pricing to its customers."
"The quality of Cisco Ethernet Switches could be better."
"This may be something that they are already working on, but it would be an improvement if they could add a layer of security to layer two and layer three to protect the server and to protect the data."
"The price is an area with a shortcoming in the solution."
"The configuration is a bit different from Cisco, and therefore, for me at least, there's a bit of a learning curve."
"Mellanox Switches could improve by adding some features that can make it easier for integrating the switches in some managing and monitoring platforms, such as Elastic or similar software for monitoring data with the data center in a more holistic way."
"Mellanox Switches were easier before Nvidia bought Mellanox and then their new version of the operating system changed. They started with Ennui, and now they only use Linux. If they returned to their previous CLI it would be a good option for starters. The new CLI is more difficult to use but more powerful than the older one. It has its advantages."
"The scalability is working fine at the moment, but there's always room for improvement. As of right now, I don't know of any improvements to suggest."
"If you compare this solution with Cisco, utilization in Cisco is more popular and it is more friendly."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution is not too expensive."
"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."
"Its price is a bit higher than other brands. Indian customers are price-conscious. They should improve its price."
"Cisco now has more products that are priced for small businesses, so they do have some cheaper models."
"While Cisco's pricing can be a concern, particularly with support fees, its overall features and support community make it a solid choice."
"The price of this solution is good."
"I pay a fixed price on it. I'm not the person on the pursing, so I don't really compare."
"The cost of the solution is by unit."
"It's an open-source solution."
"The price of Mellanox Switches is reasonable compared to other solutions. The price and quality ratio was very good. There is a one-time license purchase that is needed."
"There is a license to use the switch ports of Mellanox Switches."
"The pricing is very competitive. The licensing costs are fine."
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
802,829 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
16%
Government
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
25%
Manufacturing Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

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...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Mellanox Switches?
The solution is affordable. I rate the product’s pricing as two out of ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive.
What needs improvement with Mellanox Switches?
The response time of the support could be faster.
What is your primary use case for Mellanox Switches?
We use the solution to lock switches, storage switches, and border gate switches.
 

Also Known As

Cisco Industrial Ethernet Switches
Mellanox Switches, Mellanox SN2700
 

Learn More

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Linz AG
CNPC, Korea Consumer Agency, Nutanix, Roxo Systems, StorPool, Atlantic.Net, INFN, StarWind, NYSE Technologies, Creative Consultants, ENKI
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. NVIDIA Mellanox and other solutions. Updated: September 2024.
802,829 professionals have used our research since 2012.