HPE Ethernet Switches and NETGEAR Switches are both significant players in the network hardware category. HPE has the upper hand for businesses requiring extensive features and long-term reliability, while NETGEAR offers affordability and ease of use for SMBs.
Features: HPE Ethernet Switches offer scalability with multiple modules, PoE, and Layer 2 and basic Layer 3 functionalities along with a lifetime warranty. They seamlessly integrate with existing systems and provide a robust management interface. NETGEAR Switches stand out for their cost-effectiveness, easy setup, and Insight platform for remote management. They are particularly useful for small to medium-sized enterprises with features such as PoE and versatile port options.
Room for Improvement: HPE Ethernet Switches could benefit from a more intuitive user interface and quicker support. Advanced routing protocols and broader SDN integration are needed improvements. NETGEAR could enhance their management interface and expand cloud integration. Support for AVB and additional PoE options are potential areas of enhancement for enterprise users.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: HPE Ethernet Switches offer robust, reliable hardware with on-premises deployment but receive mixed reviews for support efficiency. NETGEAR provides straightforward setup and strong customer service, particularly with the Insight platform, offering smooth deployment and effective remote management.
Pricing and ROI: HPE Ethernet Switches demand a higher initial investment but their lifetime warranty and no licensing fees can contribute to long-term savings and significant ROI. NETGEAR delivers a cost-efficient solution with lower hardware costs and affordable cloud management, appealing to cost-conscious businesses seeking effective performance.
Their customer service and support are quite good.
There are issues distinguishing which switches support cloud features.
They should introduce features like dual firmware or dual boot that allow systems to be updated without downtime.
They can improve on the commercial part, specifically the cost, as it is higher than other brands.
The scalability of NETGEAR Switches is easy and very beneficial for us.
NETGEAR's scalability through its Insight Cloud system is on par with Ubiquiti's, although it must offer features beyond its competitors.
Some high-end switches required for specific advanced features, like precision time protocols, can be more expensive.
We had one incident where an electric overload occurred, and it still managed to stay operational.
We've experienced failures such as a 16-port dying after three to four years.
The precision time protocol feature caught our interest for future use in specific settings like churches, where low latency is required.
The most valuable features are routing and access control.
HP has created the most open, integrated and software-defined networking portfolio and ecosystem of its kind – driving simplification with networks that understand, adapt to and protect your business applications in real-time. Only HP extends the momentum of software-defined networking everywhere–from the mobile edge to the heart of data centers.
NETGEAR Ethernet Switches is an Ethernet solution that offers businesses of all sizes the ability to easily set up secure and highly scalable networks. Small to medium-sized companies have the option to choose from three different switching options. The three options that are most appropriate for businesses of this size are the NETGEAR Unmanaged, Plus, and Smart Switch solutions. If you're managing a large enterprise network or a campus network, then NETGEAR Fully Managed Infrastructures is the solution for you. All the NETGEAR Ethernet Switches and solutions are innovative, easy to install and use, reliable, and very cost-effective.
NETGEAR Ethernet Switches have many features that make them a most effective product. Included in these is the ability to virtually stack IP addresses in such a way that users can scale their network up with ease. These IP addresses are grouped together. Once additional data ports are connected, you have only a single switch to manage and you gain both a much higher level availability of data and a greater level of network resilience.
Benefits of NETGEAR Ethernet Switches
Some of the benefits of using NETGEAR Ethernet Switches include:
Reviews from Real Users
There are a number of characteristics that make NETGEAR Ethernet Switches extremely effective. Two major ones are its inherent flexibility and its user-friendly nature.
PeerSpot user Kevin W., a network delivery architect at a tech-services company, notes that NETGEAR Ethernet Switches gives users the ability to tailor the switches to fit their needs. He writes, "The big winner for NETGEAR is their modular switch: the 96X version. That is something that you don't see in the market anywhere else, except for Cisco who has it at a high level for a high expense. The ability to customize your own switch with their modules is a big plus for what we do in the market right now. Instead of having to piece together standardized switches, trying to make something work, or fitting the design into the mold, the modular switches are aware that you can make a mark in the industry because you purchased one switch and design with different modules added and removed later on for functionality."
PeerSpot user Chris W., a system engineer at Diversified, notes just how easy they are to use when he writes, "The ease of use of these switches is very good because of the Cisco CLI. If you are familiar with CLI, then you can configure the switch that way. It also has a relatively straightforward web interface. Using the web interface is good for beginners or people who aren't familiar with Cisco CLI. However, having a common command line interface method is great for some of our more advanced guys who are familiar with it."
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