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Cisco FabricPath vs HPE ProCurve 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
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
28
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
HPE ProCurve
Ranking in LAN Switching
4th
Average Rating
8.6
Number of Reviews
38
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the LAN Switching category, the mindshare of Cisco FabricPath is 1.8%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HPE ProCurve is 12.6%, down from 13.9% 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.
Sandeep Rajguru - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers reliability and helps with vulnerability assessment
I use HPE ProCurve network in our organization. I can say that the product has improved the network flexibility in our company since I haven't seen any challenges from the last seven to eight years. The most valuable product for network management revolves around the area of VSB, also known as virtual switch bonding, which can quickly attach two or three switches or make them come together to quickly form a single switch. From a security perspective, my company does vulnerability assessment. From a security perspective, my company does vulnerability assessment. Following the hardening guidelines, the switches are configured according to the hardening parameters. The tool's reliability and uptime match our company's needs. My company enjoyed configuring the switches a lot, especially since we saw similarities between Cisco's and HPS's configuration processes. HPE ProCurve is user-friendly. We have a different product for network management, so my company doesn't use HPE ProCurve since we have already collaborated with some third-party products. I recommend the product to those who plan to use it. I recommend the product to those who plan to use it, especially since I have been using it without any issues for many years. I rate the tool a nine out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable features are the security, web control, and traffic control."
"The technical assistance is good."
"I like the 10G ports and the modular uplink port."
"The product's most valuable feature is its ports."
"The best features of Cisco FabricPath is performance and reliability."
"It's a reliable product and you know that it will work in the enterprise environment."
"We can also enhance our service line with disaster recovery."
"The most valuable feature is the ability to migrate VMs between data centers."
"HPE ProCurve is used to connect servers and storage in the data center."
"The LAN features give us exactly what we need."
"HPE ProCurve offers a very good value proposition compared to that of other switches and is very energy-efficient."
"The user interface is the most valuable aspect of the solution for us."
"Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"The pricing is quite competitive."
"The user interface is simple to use."
"Inter-VLAN is a great feature."
 

Cons

"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 second spine for redundancy. This setup allows for VXLAN, VLAN, and SGT for user authentication. We can also use wireless technology through the data plane and route it on L3. This setup provides scalability and visibility. This technology is deployed in the USA, France, and Europe. For instance, BNP Paribas in France uses this technology."
"Layer 3 does not have higher availability."
"The cloud version of Cisco Fabric Path could be improved."
"The documents could improve for Cisco FabricPath. There are times when the relevant information is not present in the different sections of the documents, such as deployment. The documents should be more detailed and enhanced."
"The pricing could be adjusted to make it easier to sell to clients."
"The product lacks AI...The initial setup of Cisco FabricPath was a bit complex."
"I would like to see better interoperability with other IT solutions."
"The solution should offer better reporting."
"Our customers are focused on features and generally, they would like to have a more feature-rich solution."
"If we're aiming for an improvement, focus on enhancing security features in HPE ProCurve, particularly in terms of filtering."
"The product could improve scalability and support for advanced networking features."
"The only things that might need improvement would be the administrative tools and the graphical interface. The GUI could be improved on the administrative interface, for example."
"There is one proprietary function they lack, and I can't remember what it was called, but it monitors the ports, and then every 10 seconds if the port is down, it can divert the traffic somewhere else."
"They should learn from other vendors, such as Cisco. They all have a few specific routing features. HPE doesn't have any cheap BGP solution."
"The product must provide something similar to Cisco’s command-line interface."
"I would like to see some kind of packet tracer where people can study how the switch is operating."
 

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 solution falls under the pricier category, but it provides value for the price charged."
"The pricing of Cisco FabricPath can be quite high depending on the architecture, but it's justified by the stability it offers."
"The pricing for this product is good."
"FabricPath is very reasonably priced."
"I rate the product's pricing a ten out of ten. Cisco switches cost around 15,000 dollars, and DNS licenses cost around 25,000 dollars. The total amount is 45,000 dollars, which is too expensive."
"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."
"Cisco is expensive but offers good-quality features, so I would rate it high on the pricing scale."
"The licensing for HPE ProCurve is a one-time cost, though it's varied somewhat. What my company purchased was usually between $3,500 and $5,000 one-time cost."
"The product is reasonably priced."
"We have an annual support subscription."
"The solution is more expensive than other vendors. There is hardware and software that needs to be purchased in some circumstance. The software can sometimes be expensive."
"HPE ProCurve is competitively priced, with a difference of approximately 30 to 35% compared to other vendors"
"You buy the switch and that's it."
"The price of this product is cheap."
"It provides quite good value for money."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
31%
Government
18%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Educational Organization
14%
Computer Software Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Government
8%
 

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?
Pricing and related discussions are handled by the sales team, not my team.
What needs improvement with Cisco FabricPath?
Currently, there are no issues or suggestions for improvement as everything is working smoothly.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE ProCurve?
HPE ProCurve is competitively priced, with a difference of approximately 30 to 35% compared to other vendors like Cisco. This makes it a viable option for businesses with limited budgets, particula...
What needs improvement with HPE ProCurve?
The product could improve scalability and support for advanced networking features. Including advanced interfaces like QSFP and enhanced support for AI-driven network solutions would make it more c...
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

FabricPath
ProCurve, HP ProCurve
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Bellevue, Calligaris, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Management Science Associates, Multi-Customer, Oediv, Roper St. Francis, SNAM
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Cardinal Newman Catholic Secondary School, DY 4 Systems, EdgeWing, Edmonton Public Schools District, Halton Catholic District School Board, Hartwick College, Hatch Associates, Huntingdon College, Roseville Joint Union High School District, Saddleback Valley Unified School District, One Superior Place
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco FabricPath vs. HPE ProCurve and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
839,164 professionals have used our research since 2012.