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Meraki MS Switches vs NVIDIA Mellanox 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:
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
8.5
Meraki MS Switches are praised for strong support and convenience, though some desire more senior engineers and improved communication.
No sentiment score available
Many users rely on peers over technical support, propose multilingual options, and rate support effectiveness three out of five.
If the devices are licensed, the support team will assist you depending on the severity level of the case.
Cisco's tech support is pretty good, and I would rate it an eight out of ten.
 

Room For Improvement

Sentiment score
4.7
Meraki MS Switches face pricing and cloud dependency issues, needing better licensing, scalability, security, and technical support features.
Sentiment score
3.5
NVIDIA Mellanox should simplify documentation, installation, and CLI, enhance switch integration and monitoring, and improve support response times and scalability.
Meraki should also consider improvements in stacking features, particularly in the lower-end models like NS130, where stacking isn't supported, unlike with Cisco traditional switching.
There are compatibility issues with certain Power over Ethernet (PoE) devices, which we would like to see resolved.
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.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Meraki MS Switches offer scalability for SMBs and cloud environments but lack features and options for large enterprises.
Sentiment score
9.0
NVIDIA Mellanox offers highly scalable solutions, supporting up to 20 switches, with stable performance and ease of scaling.
 

Setup Cost

Sentiment score
3.4
Meraki MS Switches are costly but valuable for features and support, with complex licensing. Some see it as competitive.
No sentiment score available
NVIDIA Mellanox offers competitive pricing and quality, but some users note additional costs for switch port use and technical support.
Meraki pricing is a little premium compared to other vendor products.
Pricing is affordable, and licenses for the cloud need to be purchased every three to five years.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.6
Meraki MS Switches offer stable performance, reliability, and ease of use, with minor issues resolved quickly in complex environments.
Sentiment score
9.3
Users find NVIDIA Mellanox highly stable, reliable, and attribute its performance partly to the Linux OS, rating it nine out of ten.
If something happens to the device or hardware, Cisco will automatically change the device by the next business day.
We faced issues following firmware updates, which we now handle by performing updates outside of working hours.
 

Valuable Features

Sentiment score
8.4
Meraki MS Switches offer centralized cloud management, robust security, and scalability, making them ideal for efficient, distributed network operations.
No sentiment score available
NVIDIA Mellanox excels with RDMA capability, high stability, user-friendliness, powerful hardware, vast features, and open Linux-based software.
The most valuable feature is the ability to access devices from anywhere in the world through the cloud.
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.
The control plane is in the cloud, and the data plane is local, allowing manageability from anywhere.
 

Categories and Ranking

Meraki MS Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
8th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
94
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
NVIDIA Mellanox
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
20th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2024, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 4.7%, up from 4.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NVIDIA Mellanox is 2.0%, up from 1.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Jóhann G. Thorarensen - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable and easily accessible switches with a plug and play setup
We used Cisco switches, then we decided to go with Meraki MS Switches for several reasons. One reason was that the Cisco switches were originally set up by a company that was in charge of the whole system, which was run from a company outside the school. Then, we had someone come in to take charge here in our school, then we transferred that responsibility to an outsider. I then came in, and I started learning the system, so the outsider became the backup plan. It turned out, once we started digging into things, that the system was set up in a cumbersome and closed way, much like a banking system, rather than a setup that would be good for a school, that can rely on switches rather than closing the school into units. Another reason was that our switches were getting outdated, so we had to do something. We started looking at various solutions, and we had to decided whether to continue the way we were doing things, which we did not like because it was cumbersome and it had to be done on-site, or if we could do it in a way that would be more accessible both inside and outside the school, while having the level of security and stability we need. For example, we looked at Ubiquiti UniFi which was a cheaper system, but it was less stable, though I know that some schools were using that system. It was really just a question of stability and accessibility, and these were deciding factors in the system that we chose. Even though Meraki MS Switches were more expensive than the other solutions, we ended up with Meraki.
Anil Ergunsah - PeerSpot reviewer
Powerful hardware, reliable performance, and advantageous open-source OS
Mellanox Switches were easier before Nvidia bought Mellanox and then their new version of the operating system changed. They started with Ennui, and now they only use Linux. If they returned to their previous CLI it would be a good option for starters. The new CLI is more difficult to use but more powerful than the older one. It has its advantages.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
19%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Retailer
7%
Government
6%
Computer Software Company
22%
Manufacturing Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

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?
Compared to other products in the market, it is always expensive.
What needs improvement with Meraki MS Switches?
The GUI can be improved for a better comfort level.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Mellanox Switches?
The solution is affordable. I rate the product’s pricing as two out of ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive.
What needs improvement with Mellanox Switches?
The response time of the support could be faster.
What is your primary use case for Mellanox Switches?
We use the solution to lock switches, storage switches, and border gate switches.
 

Also Known As

MS220, MS320, MS420
Mellanox Switches, Mellanox SN2700
 

Learn More

Video not available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
CNPC, Korea Consumer Agency, Nutanix, Roxo Systems, StorPool, Atlantic.Net, INFN, StarWind, NYSE Technologies, Creative Consultants, ENKI
Find out what your peers are saying about Meraki MS Switches vs. NVIDIA Mellanox and other solutions. Updated: October 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.