Cisco MDS Series vs IBM SAN40B-4 comparison

Cisco and IBM are both solutions in the Enterprise SAN category. Cisco is ranked #3 with an average rating of 9.0, while IBM is ranked #15. Cisco holds a 9.3% mindshare in ES, compared to IBM’s 0.1% mindshare. Additionally, 80% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution.

Cisco MDS Series

Read 9 Cisco MDS Series reviews

878 Views
573 Comparison Views

80% willing to recommend

IBM SAN40B-4

25 Views
7 Comparison Views

Cisco MDS Series

IBM SAN40B-4

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cisco MDS Series and IBM SAN40B-4 based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Dell Technologies, Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and others in Enterprise SAN.

To learn more, read our detailed Enterprise SAN Report (Updated: February 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Enterprise SAN

February 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 842,296 peers since 2012

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 MDS Series

Ranking in Enterprise SAN

3rd

Average Rating

9.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

IBM SAN40B-4

Ranking in Enterprise SAN

15th

Average Rating

0.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Enterprise SAN category, the mindshare of Cisco MDS Series is 9.3%, down from 29.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM SAN40B-4 is 0.1%, down from 0.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Enterprise SAN

Featured Reviews

OğuzKalaycı

system engineer at Yaşar Holding

Ensures consistent availability during updates and integrates seamlessly

I am using Cisco MDS in SAN environments for storage connections and server connections The product is very stable and performs well. During the update periods, the devices do not need to reload, ensuring constant availability. It is easy to set up and use. I do not have a central management…

Read full review

Use IBM SAN40B-4?

Share your opinion

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Enterprise SAN solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

25%

Government

12%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Educational Organization

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco MDS Series?

The product is easy to use.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco MDS Series?

The pricing could be improved as the solution is very expensive. I am on a yearly payment basis.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco MDS Series?

I do not have a central management software to manage these products due to the licensing cost. It would be beneficial to have central management software for easier handling.

See all answers

Ask a question

Earn 20 points

Comparisons

Dell Connectrix vs Cisco MDS Series

Compared 65% of the time

HPE B-series SN6000B Fibre Channel Switch vs Cisco MDS Series

Compared 35% of the time

More Cisco MDS Series Competitors

No data available

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Enterprise SAN

February 2025

Download Cisco MDS Series product report

Buyer's Guide

Enterprise SAN

February 2025

Download IBM SAN40B-4 product report

Also Known As

Cisco MDS 9100, Cisco MDS 9222i, Cisco MDS 9700

SAN40B-4

Overview

Cisco MDS 9000 Series Switches have met and often exceeded the demanding requirements for storage area networks for more than a decade. They offer a combination of performance, non-stop operations, and multiprotocol flexibility.

Cisco

The IBM System Storage SAN40B-4 SAN fabric switch provides 24, 32 or 40 active ports and is designed for high performance with 8 Gbps link speeds and backward compatibility to support links running at 4, 2 and 1 Gbps link speeds. High availability features make it suitable for use as a core switch in midrange environments or as an edge-switch in enterprise environments where a wide range of storage area network (SAN) infrastructure simplification and business continuity configurations are possible.

IBM

Sample Customers

National Rugby League

Cosan, EF Education First, Intesa Sanpaolo Assicura S.p.A., Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, American National Bank

Find out what your peers are saying about Dell Technologies, Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and others in Enterprise SAN. Updated: February 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our list of best Enterprise SAN vendors.

We monitor all Enterprise SAN reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.