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HPE 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:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
1.0
HPE Ethernet Switches offer reliable ROI through low power, stable performance, reduced maintenance, and lifetime warranty despite high prices.
Sentiment score
5.0
Meraki MS Switches offer mixed ROI; some benefit from reduced costs, while others struggle with high expenses and slow transitions.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.8
HPE Ethernet Switches customer service is praised for quick response, though support satisfaction varies, with improved regional response times.
Sentiment score
6.8
Meraki MS Switches excel in support with 24/7 availability, though users desire more experienced staff and streamlined communication.
We attach SKUs that offer an advanced replacement of the hardware in the worst-case scenario.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
Their customer service and support are quite good.
IT Specialist at Dense Media Separation Powders (Pty) LTD
The support is excellent and rated ten out of ten.
Sales Engineer at Phoenyx Commtech Pvt. Ltd.
If the devices are licensed, the support team will assist you depending on the severity level of the case.
Network Engineer at Gaihab
Cisco's tech support is pretty good, and I would rate it an eight out of ten.
Chief Technologies Officer at ASTORG PARTNERS
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
HPE Ethernet Switches are valued for scalability and modularity, though opinions vary on manageability and future-proofing.
Sentiment score
7.3
Meraki MS Switches are scalable for small to medium businesses but face limitations and supply challenges for larger enterprises.
HPE Ethernet Switches are highly scalable.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
They're quite scalable for my environment.
Ag Systems & Networks Head at UNBS
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.5
HPE Ethernet Switches are praised for reliability, durability, and stability, often rated highly for challenging projects and long-term use.
Sentiment score
8.2
Meraki MS Switches are praised for reliability and stability, with minor issues and easy maintenance, ensuring minimal downtime.
We had one incident where an electric overload occurred, and it still managed to stay operational.
IT Specialist at Dense Media Separation Powders (Pty) LTD
HPE Ethernet Switches are very reliable and have high stability.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
If something happens to the device or hardware, Cisco will automatically change the device by the next business day.
Network Engineer at Gaihab
We faced issues following firmware updates, which we now handle by performing updates outside of working hours.
Chief Technologies Officer at ASTORG PARTNERS
 

Room For Improvement

Users want improved UI, stability, security, better support, lower pricing, enhanced scalability, and more automation in HPE Ethernet Switches.
Meraki MS Switches face high pricing, cloud dependency, limited configuration, and demand improved local management and scalability features.
Incorporating them into an existing infrastructure with competitor products is a challenging task which could be better streamlined.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
The price should be reduced in comparison to Cisco, as sometimes we cannot use the HPE one at the core level, where generally public users are using Cisco.
Sr.Manager-IT at imi kolkata
The only improvement I seek is configuration without an internet connection.
Lead IT Specialist at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
When a switch disconnects from the internet, you can't make any changes to that switch.
Ag Systems & Networks Head at UNBS
Most people are familiar with the Cisco commands, and it would be beneficial if the switch could be accessed by GUI configuration and by normally accessing the console.
Network Engineer at Gaihab
 

Setup Cost

HPE Ethernet Switches are seen as affordable and offer a good price-performance balance compared to competitors like Cisco.
Meraki MS Switches are priced high but valued for features; multi-year contracts offer discounts, maintaining buyer interest.
When compared to Cisco, Aruba is about 40% cheaper.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
The price of HPE Ethernet Switches is reasonable and less than other OEM brands.
Sr.Manager-IT at imi kolkata
Meraki MS Switches, including their licensing, are somewhat expensive, particularly when compared with competitor solutions like HP.
IT System Administrator at Bouri
Pricing is affordable, and licenses for the cloud need to be purchased every three to five years.
Network Engineer at Gaihab
Meraki pricing is a little premium compared to other vendor products.
Senior Manager at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees
 

Valuable Features

HPE Ethernet Switches offer scalability, reliability, strong management, and PoE support with intuitive interfaces and robust security features.
Meraki MS Switches provide centralized cloud management, intuitive dashboard, global multi-switch control, robust security, scalability, and zero-touch provisioning.
They are highly scalable and stable, which is vital for large enterprises that require reliable performance.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
The security features of the HPE Ethernet Switches are good.
Sr.Manager-IT at imi kolkata
The most valuable feature is the ability to access devices from anywhere in the world through the cloud.
Network Engineer at Gaihab
The control plane is in the cloud, and the data plane is local, allowing manageability from anywhere.
Senior Manager at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees
One of the most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches is its precise traffic analytics capabilities, allowing us to query the system for any place at any time.
Chief Technologies Officer at ASTORG PARTNERS
 

Categories and Ranking

HPE Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
10th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
104
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Meraki MS Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
8th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
98
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of HPE Ethernet Switches is 3.3%, up from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 2.9%, down from 4.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Meraki MS Switches2.9%
HPE Ethernet Switches3.3%
Other93.8%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

KK
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
Security, reliability, and cost-effectiveness drive success across different business scales
HPE Ethernet Switches are very much covered on the security front due to their ClearPass technology, which is exceptional. They are highly scalable and stable, which is vital for large enterprises that require reliable performance. Additionally, HPE Ethernet Switches offer a cost-saving advantage as they are approximately 40% cheaper than comparable Cisco solutions. The integration of the switches is very straightforward, making them an attractive choice for many organizations.
JN
Ag Systems & Networks Head at UNBS
Central management and cloud dashboard streamline network monitoring while connectivity hiccups need addressing
I use Cisco products and Meraki MS Switches. I am a user on the user side. Network security is handled by our firewalls and other solutions. I have not explored the area of network management AI in Meraki MS Switches. For other switches, when you buy one, you can just start configuring, connect it to the network, and it works. With Meraki MS Switches, you have to first whitelist the MAC address, let it have internet, then you can manage it. They're deployed on-premises. They're quite acceptable, so I recommend them to those who want to use Meraki MS Switches. The biggest benefit that I see in Meraki MS Switches is central management and the cloud dashboard. I rate Meraki MS Switches 8 out of 10.
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
879,371 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
9%
Educational Organization
7%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Healthcare Company
6%
Financial Services Firm
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business62
Midsize Enterprise19
Large Enterprise31
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business54
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise22
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about HPE Ethernet Switches?
The solution is very stable and easy to use.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE Ethernet Switches?
When compared to Cisco, Aruba is about 40% cheaper. However, Huawei would be even cheaper than Aruba. We can't compare HPE Ethernet Switches with Huawei directly because of different price ranges.
What needs improvement with HPE Ethernet Switches?
HPE Ethernet Switches have room for improvement in the initial setup and integration process, especially when incorporating them into an existing infrastructure with competitor products. It's a cha...
What do you like most about Meraki MS Switches?
The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are their reliability and simplicity.
What needs improvement with Meraki MS Switches?
From my perspective, I don't have any indication for improvement regarding Meraki MS Switches, as our usage is quite basic and we don't need very sophisticated features. For core sites, we are stil...
 

Also Known As

HP Ethernet Switches
MS220, MS320, MS420
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Emirates Palace Hotel
Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
Find out what your peers are saying about HPE Ethernet Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,371 professionals have used our research since 2012.