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H3C Ethernet Switches vs Meraki MS Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

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

H3C Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
17th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
9
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Meraki MS Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
8th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
95
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of H3C Ethernet Switches is 2.4%, up from 1.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 4.0%, up from 3.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

KanwarArsalan - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers all routing protocols, functionality, and capabilities
H3C switches have strong port aggregation features including dynamic, static, and device aggregation. They also offer broadcast, multicast, or unique system suppression for PPS and BPS. These features are versatile and adaptable to various organizational scenarios, complemented by VLAN support. H3C switches offer VPN support along with various VLAN options like port-based, MAC-based, and protocol-based VLANs, including VLAN mapping and voice VLAN features. They support VLAN interfaces for both IPv4 and IPv6, ensuring compatibility and configuration flexibility. H3C switches are up to date with current market trends, offering features, routing protocols, capabilities, and functionalities that correspond to new trends in networking solutions. I strongly recommend that future users consider H3C switches for their designs, given their performance, specific features, and strong capabilities compared to competitors like Cisco. Overall, I would rate H3C Ethernet Switches as a nine out of ten.
MajidKhan - PeerSpot reviewer
Remote access enhances troubleshooting with potential for more intuitive interface
We are working with Citrix and router, but in Cisco for Cisco vendor only. We are taking from them since 2015.  The main use case involves some small business customers needing one router, one switch, and two to three access points. It is easy to handle the devices with just a small knowledge of…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Offering a five-year warranty, compared to competitors' one-year warranties, is a unique advantage of H3C switches."
"Network performance is very good, suggesting that stability has not been an issue."
"H3C Ethernet Switches have a fast delivery time."
"A good high-performance solution."
"H3C Ethernet Switches is a cheap solution."
"We can configure the switch stack on the internet. Other vendors do not offer this facility. It is fast and easy to manage."
"To date, it has proven to be highly reliable. We have encountered no issues or challenges with it thus far."
"The IMC feature is valuable."
"The solution has been very stable so far."
"Being able to look at every port and see what it is connected to is very useful. Everything seems to be running really well. They've got everything covered. They have a really cool mounting system at the bottom and an access point that you can use to level up your device. It is kind of cool."
"The management is cloud-based so you do not have to be on-premises to work with it."
"You can access a single pane of glass and configure all the devices via the same access."
"The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are the GUI mode which is helpful for access and good dashboards."
"The performance is pretty good."
"The most valuable feature of Meraki MS Switches is user-friendliness."
"The product offered a lower CapEx cost for the appliance."
 

Cons

"GUI needs to merge with CLI."
"H3C Ethernet Switches could improve by widening their product range."
"The solution’s stability could be improved."
"There should be more public tools for configuration and comparing products."
"There is room for improvement in Wi-Fi solutions, which are not optimized."
"The only improvement needed is the significantly better lead time for delivery compared to other American products. In terms of technology, there isn't much difference, especially since X3 is a subsidiary of XP, and they use the same technology. However, the delivery time is notably better."
"To enhance H3C switches for the next release, improving the user interface is crucial."
"Lacks decent cloud management."
"Clients are very confused by technical support. They seem to have trouble reaching Meraki to get the assistance they need."
"Meraki MS switches are great for pretty much all SMB networks and most enterprise networks. However, there are some higher-end functions that larger enterprise networks with full access, distribution, and core switch stack may find limiting."
"If there are many users and a heavy data load, heavy data traffic, I am not suggesting Meraki. I am focusing on Meraki Catalyst for live usage. It is not scalable enough, and I do not recommend it due to its switching capability."
"Meraki MS Switches could improve the process of installing firmware."
"The GUI can be improved for a better comfort level."
"The documentation could be more extensive. For example, it could describe more scenarios. It would be great if they could incorporate AI engines into the switching infrastructure and firewall so you can configure it to prevent intrusion. They have intrusion prevention and detection, but they could enhance it by incorporating AI into their firewall."
"I don't think that the cost is a problem, but sometimes the price requires convincing the customer of the value."
"There are some limitations in Meraki MS Switches. Other switches have more options, such as the Cisco Catalyst Switch."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"H3C Ethernet Switches is targeted for SMBs because it's cheaper compared to Huawei switches."
"H3C Ethernet Switches are priced at around $500 per unit, which is very cheap and one of the most competitive prices out there."
"The pricing is very affordable, making it a not-so-expensive choice. On a scale from one to ten, where one is expensive and ten is cheap, I would rate it a seven."
"H3C Ethernet Switches are reasonably priced."
"We don't use standard licensing. Most of the time, we use the advanced security model. If there is a drawback to Meraki, it is the cost, but you also have to evaluate it based upon the other factors that you do get. Their support is really good; their hardware is really good. The ease of configuration and deployment is really good, but it is more expensive than most."
"It is very expensive so I want it to be cheaper."
"Meraki is not an expensive switch, like Cisco."
"If you buy a license for one switch, it will include the licensing for the device RMA, device failure warranty, technical support, and everything else. Also covered is support for software updates for future releases. It's a single license for everything and there's nothing that customers need to pay in addition to the license."
"We paid for our switches outright, at a cost of between $15,000 USD and $18,000 USD."
"This is not a cheap solution."
"The DNA subscription is a three-year minimum term."
"This product is quite expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Educational Organization
7%
Computer Software Company
18%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
6%
Educational Organization
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with H3C Ethernet Switches?
There is room for improvement in Wi-Fi solutions, which are not optimized.
What is your primary use case for H3C Ethernet Switches?
The primary use case is about managing network infrastructure. The H3C Ethernet Switches are used internally as switches in the system.
What do you like most about Meraki MS Switches?
The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are their reliability and simplicity.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Meraki MS Switches?
Meraki MS Switches, including their licensing, are somewhat expensive, particularly when compared with competitor solutions like HP.
What needs improvement with Meraki MS Switches?
The prices are a little higher than other vendors. However, within the Cisco customer segment, customers mostly recommend it because they are existing users, and they are satisfied with their curre...
 

Also Known As

No data available
MS220, MS320, MS420
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Ying Wa College, Centro Digital Pictures
Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
Find out what your peers are saying about H3C Ethernet Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
842,651 professionals have used our research since 2012.