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Cisco FabricPath vs Cisco Nexus comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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 FabricPath
Ranking in LAN Switching
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
26
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Cisco Nexus
Ranking in LAN Switching
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
104
Ranking in other categories
Data Center Networking (3rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2025, in the LAN Switching category, the mindshare of Cisco FabricPath is 1.6%, up from 1.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Nexus is 8.7%, down from 11.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
LAN Switching
 

Featured Reviews

OusaidAbaz - PeerSpot reviewer
Extendable and has beneficial spin and leaf architecture
Cisco FabricPath is very fast, stable, extendable, and scalable. It doesn't have issues with patches or problems because it's built on the stable NXOS operating system. In a scenario using FabricPath, the spin and leaf architecture is beneficial. For example, we can use two separate spine switches like 9980s and multiple leaf switches as access switches. These leaf switches are connected using VPC between them, with each switch separated and not directly connected to the spine. This setup improves data center architecture by allowing two ways to arrange destinations, connecting the first connection to the first spine and the second to the second spine. The spines are configured as a virtual chassis. In FabricPath, we can enhance VXLANs, VPNs, and integrate with Cisco ISE for user authentication. It can also be configured with WLC to manage wireless technology, depending on the client's architecture.
Joe Benítez - PeerSpot reviewer
Offer high performance capabilities and enables efficient data transmission and processing
Before Nexus, I used to have Catalyst 6500 switches. Those 6500 series chassis gave us a lot of problems. Too many problems, actually. And we had a Cisco ASA firewall blade within those chassis. And they were running outdated software. So, in fact, it was the firewall blade that caused us too many problems instead of the chassis. The chassis itself was working well and performing fine, but the firewall card was not suitable for our needs. That was one aspect. Additionally, those chassis had been in operation for more than five years. As we are a local government, we have a policy to renew hardware every five years. That's because we need to maintain all the hardware and software in the latest versions and keep up with the technology lifecycle of the technology we use.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We have found the solution to be stable."
"As I mentioned earlier, the durability, flexibility, and security of Cisco devices are notable. Particularly with switches, the capability to implement multiple VLANs and easily aggregate the network has been advantageous. The ability to have different VLANs and aggregate the network without complications is a key feature of Cisco FabricPath."
"It is a stable solution...It is a scalable soltuion."
"FabricPath's best features are routing, OSPS, ethernet, and performance."
"The solution has excellent stability."
"The most valuable features are the security, web control, and traffic control."
"It's very stable."
"We can also enhance our service line with disaster recovery."
"The solution has introduced VPC, Virtual Port Channel, which allows for more redundancy and flexibility."
"It is a scalable, reliable, stable and efficient solution."
"We used older versions of Cisco Cloud. The reason why we switched was just adapting with the times."
"You can scale the product."
"Cisco Nexus is very safe and stable. I've been here 8 months. We have some devices that have been out for 11 years."
"We have a much more stable network now using the Cisco Nexus."
"The initial setup is easy."
"Cisco Nexus has good overall reliability and configuration options. It is fairly straightforward to access the switching platforms."
 

Cons

"It's important to note that the graphical interface often relies on Java, and compatibility with different versions of Java can be a factor."
"Layer 3 does not have higher availability."
"The prices for FabricPath are very high, and Cisco also takes a long time to deliver products (in Mexico, the delivery time is eight months)."
"Lacks sufficient integration with SIEM."
"While Cisco products are excellent, the problem is the cost. Cisco products are product, Cisco products are very expensive. I rate Cisco FabricPath three out of 10 for affordability."
"The price is a little bit too high."
"In terms of the series, I find that the integration with other teleconferencing applications needs to be more seamless. I have suggested to Cisco that the endpoint device should allow joining calls from Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and other teleconferencing applications. Additionally, I appreciate the recent inclusion of breakout sessions in the Cisco Webex application, which enhances its relevance in the networking field."
"Cisco FabricPath's pricing is expensive."
"The product could be updated more frequently for other phone model support."
"My only complaint is that not all of the ports on it are enabled from the start."
"Multi contexts would be nice to have to separate different tenants logically and securely."
"I am looking for a GUI that goes alongside them and more SD-WAN built to their core switches."
"Areas in which the solution have room for improvement are the interface, management, and reporting."
"The licensing is the area that we are working that's a challenge."
"I feel that this solution should be more flexible and scalable."
"Cisco's security features are in line with other OEMs, however, for data center security in terms of layer seven security, we prefer to have different OEMs rather than relying solely on Cisco."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of Cisco FabricPath could be reduced, it is expensive in the market here in Sri Lanka. The solution is subscriptions based, if the customer wants any future integrations, or if there are any future enhancements they will have to pay. There are different license options available, such as one or three years purchases."
"The pricing of Cisco FabricPath can be quite high depending on the architecture, but it's justified by the stability it offers."
"The solution falls under the pricier category, but it provides value for the price charged."
"Cisco is expensive but offers good-quality features, so I would rate it high on the pricing scale."
"FabricPath is very reasonably priced."
"The pricing for this product is good."
"I rate it seven out of ten on pricing as it's a bit expensive. It would be better if the price were lower, but we prioritize quality over cost."
"It is very expensive."
"The Nexus 9000 is very competitively priced."
"It is very expensive. Its licensing is on a yearly basis."
"The solution is expensive."
"The license on a yearly basis is $200,000."
"This solution should be made more affordable."
"In most cases, there is a need to secure perpetual licenses to be able to use the product. When I set up the product, there isn't just a one-time cost that is involved."
"Our licensing fees are paid annually."
"Our licensing costs for this solution are approximately $200 USD per month."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
32%
Government
18%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Computer Software Company
26%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Government
5%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco FabricPath?
The tool makes it easy to manage multi-layer networking and increases network efficiency. I haven't faced any challenges in integrating it into our existing infrastructure.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco FabricPath?
The pricing of Cisco FabricPath can be quite high depending on the architecture, but it's justified by the stability it offers.
What needs improvement with Cisco FabricPath?
Cisco FabricPath can be integrated into data centers and remote sites. For example, in a bank, we can extend the architecture to remote branches by implementing switches connected to the first and ...
What do you like most about Cisco Nexus?
The product's initial setup phase is very easy.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Nexus?
Cisco pricing is at the same level as many competitors, however, due to competition, they sometimes lower prices and offer large discounts.
What needs improvement with Cisco Nexus?
Cisco's security features are in line with other OEMs, however, for data center security in terms of layer seven security, we prefer to have different OEMs rather than relying solely on Cisco.
 

Also Known As

FabricPath
No data available
 

Learn More

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Bellevue, Calligaris, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Management Science Associates, Multi-Customer, Oediv, Roper St. Francis, SNAM
Advanced Medical Transport, Banco de Guayaquil, Baylor Scott & White Health, BH Telecom, Bowling Green State University, Calligaris, Children's Hospital Colorado, City of Biel, Del Papa Distributing, Department of Justice, Dimension Data, Dualtec Cloud Builders, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Grupo Industrial Saltillo (GIS), Hertz, K&L Gates , LightEdge, Lone Star College System, Management Science Associates, Mindtree, NBC Olympics, Quest, Sony Corporation, The Department of Education in Western Australia, Valley Proteins
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco FabricPath vs. Cisco Nexus and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
831,265 professionals have used our research since 2012.