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Cisco Ethernet Switches vs NVIDIA Mellanox 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
7.2
Number of Reviews
132
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 November 2024, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Ethernet Switches is 19.3%, down from 20.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NVIDIA Mellanox is 2.0%, up from 1.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Ronald Van Rees - PeerSpot reviewer
Mar 28, 2024
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.
Anil Ergunsah - PeerSpot reviewer
Jul 20, 2022
Powerful hardware, reliable performance, and advantageous open-source OS
Mellanox Switches are used for spine-and-leaf topology in data center networks for top-of-rack devices, core devices for infinite bands at speed, and EVPN wasteland solutions. They're very good The most valuable features of Mellanox Switches are the powerful hardware and the software is open.…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"These switches are both stable and scalable."
"One of the most valuable aspects of Cisco Ethernet Switches is many engineers can work on the equipment. You can find qualified engineers that can configure Cisco equipment more than any other networking equipment."
"When it comes to switching routing, we have no doubts about Cisco."
"We only use the basic features and we find that it works well."
"The IP routing is the most important feature."
"Technical support is excellent. They are very helpful."
"I have found the solution to have good scalability. Cisco is the pioneers on switching technology, they are very good."
"They are easy to use and have low maintenance requirements."
"The most valuable features of this solution are its functionality."
"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."
"It is a very easy-to-use product."
"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."
 

Cons

"The management of the solution could improve."
"The dashboard needs some minor improvements."
"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."
"Cisco can improve its stability for the BGP protocol. It is not stable while recalculating the BGP table. Its price should also be improved. It is very expensive."
"The current state of Cisco Ethernet Switches leaves room for improvement, particularly in regard to central management and security. While they possess the capability to function as owners of Layer Two, they fall short in regard to security awareness. While there are some supplementary products available that can provide additional security measures, such as the deployment of virtual machines, these solutions are external and not integrated within the switch itself. For this reason, Cisco Ethernet switches could benefit from incorporating the same centralized management and security features as other companies, such as Fortinet, offer in their FortiSwitches. By being aware of potential threats such as MAC spoofing and ARP poisoning, the switch can provide a more comprehensive level of security."
"We'd like the pricing to be lowered."
"The product could improve in the area of simulated switches."
"The solution really should offer better pricing. It would help them stay competitive."
"If you compare this solution with Cisco, utilization in Cisco is more popular and it is more friendly."
"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 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."
"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."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"With all of the features and when you compare with other solutions, the cost is much less."
"These switches are expensive, but they are an excellent buy and definitely have value for the investment."
"Its price is very high, but it is a good device. Cisco must work on its price. Other solutions provide a better price for similar functionalities."
"When you compare with other products, they are more or less the same price."
"When we want an extra feature then we need to purchase another license bundle."
"Its price is a bit higher than other brands. Indian customers are price-conscious. They should improve its price."
"Price is a pain point for us. We've lost a lot of bids, and the reason has been that we majorly quoted Cisco devices. Some of our competitors quoted other devices like Ubiquity or Microchip. Some even quoted this Chinese product TP-Link, and they won the bid over us because we quoted Cisco. Meanwhile, the major reason why we quoted Cisco is reliability and stability from day one. They also last longer. The prices could be worked on so that they become more affordable. We had to deploy a city-wide WiFi network, and we were working in conjunction with Google. Because of the price, even Google recommended a product called Ruckus, so we used Ruckus over Cisco. Its price and license were the main reasons. You have to pay to renew the license every year. Even though you also renew the licenses for Ruckus, but they are much cheaper than Cisco. So, while I would recommend Cisco any time, the trouble remains with the pricing."
"The last time I bought a 24-port switch, which was a while ago, I paid about five or six thousand Euros. In this part of the world, that's quite expensive for us."
"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."
"The pricing is very competitive. The licensing costs are fine."
"There is a license to use the switch ports of Mellanox Switches."
"It's an open-source solution."
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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
23%
Manufacturing Company
13%
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: October 2024.
815,854 professionals have used our research since 2012.