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Bharath Kumar Gajula - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Security Architect at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Leaderboard
Feb 14, 2024
Support really stands out, stable and easy to setup
Pros and Cons
  • "The initial setup is straightforward. The steps are simple, and you can always contact support if needed. Overall, it's easy."
  • "Some users might look for high-speed switching like Cisco or Nexus switches, which can handle larger volumes. HPE's current offerings aren't as robust in that area, but they could improve."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case is LAN switching. Users connect to these switches to access other corporate resources.

We deployed them for LAN switching across the organization. They do quite well in terms of both functionality and configuration.

How has it helped my organization?

HPE switches have supported our data center connectivity and improved our office network operations.

They do quite well when it comes to switching. We also use their wireless products, but the integration between them can vary. However, the switching functionality and configuration are both very good. 

They facilitate easy connectivity between data centers and between data centers and campus networks. They are an integral part. 

It was very easy to integrate the HPE switches with our existing network infrastructure.

What is most valuable?

Compared to other vendors, their support really stands out. They're always willing to help with expansion support needs and understand customer concerns well. They're eager to help, which I always adore and admire about HPE. 

Additionally, their products are very stable and easily scalable.

HPE Ethernet Switches are very reliable. While some smaller products might not have dual power supplies, they typically offer redundant power supplies and CPUs depending on the model and requirement. Overall, they are quite reliable.

What needs improvement?

Some users might look for high-speed switching like Cisco or Nexus switches, which can handle larger volumes. HPE's current offerings aren't as robust in that area, but they could improve.

So, HPE could offer higher-end products for data center and LAN connectivity.

Buyer's Guide
HPE Ethernet Switches
April 2026
Learn what your peers think about HPE Ethernet Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2026.
889,955 professionals have used our research since 2012.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using it for six years. I use the latest version. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

HPE Ethernet Switches are quite stable. The version releases are good, and they patch any security vulnerabilities they find. They could even offer further improvements in that area.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

HPE Ethernet Switches are scalable. 

We have around 3,000 end users. If the need arises, we plan to increase the number of users in the future.

How are customer service and support?

The customer service and support are very good; they are HPE's USP. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We did use Cisco. HPE performs well for LAN switching, Wi-Fi, and even some routing. However, when it comes to WAN switching, Cisco is generally preferred.

While HPE's routing capabilities are good, Cisco might be preferable for complex routing scenarios.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward.

The steps are simple, and you can always contact support if needed. Overall, it's easy.

The deployment process includes racking and stacking, connecting to uplinks and enabling downlinks, configuring for interconnectivity and data center connections, and then configuring all ports (uplink and downlink).

What about the implementation team?

We did it in-house. For maintenance, a team of five should be sufficient for 3,000 users. We have around three to four engineers and one manager.

What was our ROI?

The ROI is quite good. The value is quite high in terms of reliability. We don't have much incidents with the devices. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The support is included with the product.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend using this product. Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. 

It is quite a reliable product with all the features and is quite easy to implement.

Moreover, the troubleshooting operations are quite easy.  

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Reidar Lænø - PeerSpot reviewer
Area manager at Region Midtjylland
Real User
Top 20
Feb 9, 2024
A scalable and reliable solution that performs well and has no hardware errors
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution performs well for its price."
  • "The management of the tool must be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We have an enterprise infrastructure. We are using HPE Ethernet Switches for activation on the access layer. They are placed on our sites. The technical staff use the tool.

What is most valuable?

The solution performs well for its price.

What needs improvement?

The management of the tool must be improved. The add-on tools and management of Cisco are better than those of HPE.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The tool is stable. We can rely on it. The stability depends on which models we use. If we use the 7500 series for our enterprise, the stability would be ten out of ten. Hardware errors are quite rare.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The tool is scalable for our requirements.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is quite easy.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The list price is high. We do not buy at the list price. HPE costs almost the same as Cisco.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We also use Cisco. Cisco and HPE are similar when it comes to access and activation.

What other advice do I have?

The network is managed by the command line and monitored by several systems. We have our integrations for provisioning the switches. We use standard features of the tool for the access layer. There’s nothing special. The product has a software-defined access system, but we do not use it. Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
HPE Ethernet Switches
April 2026
Learn what your peers think about HPE Ethernet Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2026.
889,955 professionals have used our research since 2012.
DebjitRoychowdhury - PeerSpot reviewer
System admin at Vareli Tecnac Pvt. Ltd.
Real User
Top 10
Sep 29, 2024
Effortless VLAN trunking and seamless configurations with an easy setup
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features of HPE Ethernet switches include configuring VLAN trunking and the overall ease of configuration."
  • "Integrating AI features could make it better."

What is our primary use case?

I use HPE Ethernet switches for managing network configurations, including configuring VLAN trunking. Additionally, I work with HPE 3PAR storage, HP ProLiant servers, and HPE BladeSystem.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features of HPE Ethernet switches include configuring VLAN trunking and the overall ease of configuration.

What needs improvement?

I do not currently have specific ideas for improving the solution. However, integrating AI features could make it better.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have experience using HPE Ethernet switches for over six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of HPE Ethernet switches is excellent. I would rate it a nine on a scale of one to ten.

How are customer service and support?

The customer support is very good and provides excellent assistance both on-site and remotely. I would rate it a ten out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

HPE Ethernet switches are cost-effective as compared to Cisco switches.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was easy. It took a couple of hours to deploy the switches.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

HPE Ethernet switches are cheaper than Cisco products.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend HPE Ethernet switches due to their cost-effectiveness and excellent support.

I'd rate the solution ten out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
OğuzKalaycı - PeerSpot reviewer
system engineer at Yaşar Holding
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Apr 18, 2024
Provides an ease of management and valuable security features
Pros and Cons
  • "We can easily replace components without incurring significant costs in an error or failure."
  • "There could be features for ransomware attack detection and enhanced anomaly detection to identify and mitigate anonymous traffic."

What is our primary use case?

We use the product to provide users access to our local area network (LAN).

What is most valuable?

The platform is stable and easy to use.

What needs improvement?

The product needs improvement in terms of compatibility. There could be features for ransomware attack detection and enhanced anomaly detection to identify and mitigate anonymous traffic.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using HPE Ethernet Switches for 14 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the platform's stability a nine out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have around 1000 users for HPE Ethernet Switches in our organization.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support services are affordable. We have found it easy to access support when needed, and the response time has been fast. The support team is knowledgeable.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward. The installation process typically took five to ten minutes. We designed our network infrastructure carefully, identifying the optimal locations for the switches. Once the placement was decided, deploying the switches was a simple task.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented the platform with the help of our in-house team.

What other advice do I have?

HP has significantly impacted our data center operations and business processes, primarily in terms of stability. We can easily replace components without incurring significant costs in an error or failure.

The security features have enhanced our network environment's overall safety and security. The scalability has been excellent for our business needs. We can easily extend our network as needed.

I would rate HP switches' ease of management and configuration as an eight.

Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Systems Engineer at Corporate System Supply
Reseller
Aug 18, 2022
They're solid and can last for up to 15 years
Pros and Cons
  • "I like that HPE's management functions are GUI-based, so it doesn't rely on command lines."
  • "HPE switches have been rock-solid for many years."
  • "I would also like to see a more centralized private management console for the series of devices. Most solutions are adopting centralized cloud-based management, but my client base believes cloud solutions are too insecure. You've got a few dozen switches, so it would be nice to have the ability to manage them on a "single pane of glass.""
  • "The GUI still doesn't cover everything. The basic stuff can be done in the GUI, but you still need to use the CLI to implement the advanced features."

What is our primary use case?

Around 90 percent of our clients have no in-house IT staff. We resell solutions and manage the hardware and software for networks and desktops. We're a provider of managed services and security. We spec out the solution they need minus the necessary software for their business. 

How has it helped my organization?

HPE's switches get the job done. There are a million to choose from, but this is the one I prefer. You can't have a network without them, so it's hard to say that HPE switches do anything wonderful. So all you're looking at is price point and functionality.

What is most valuable?

I like that HPE's management functions are GUI-based, so it doesn't rely on command lines.

What needs improvement?

The GUI still doesn't cover everything. The basic stuff can be done in the GUI, but you still need to use the CLI to implement the advanced features. That's the biggest complaint. Some things still need to be configured in the command line interface. I would rather not use the CLI for anything.

I would also like to see a more centralized private management console for the series of devices. Most solutions are adopting centralized cloud-based management, but my client base believes cloud solutions are too insecure. You've got a few dozen switches, so it would be nice to have the ability to manage them on a "single pane of glass." 

Everybody's doing that in the cloud. They want to charge you for the cloud, and you have no idea who has access to your network. That creates another attack vector because the switches are always phoning home. They can be hijacked, but everybody thinks that's what they want because they can manage it from anywhere. They like the convenience. However, I've been in the business for a long time, so I know it's going to come back to haunt them. It's just a matter of time before it happens.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using HP switches since they bought the technology from the Digital Equipment Corporation in the mid-1980s. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

HPE switches have been rock-solid for many years. They usually outlast the servers. Their useful life is about 10 to 15 years. If you're not making major changes to the network, you never need to touch them. You can go for years without ever rebooting them. A lot of times they're only rebooted when there's a major enough power failure that they finally go down.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability and backbone don't come into play often. I would say HPE switches are as scalable as anything else out there.

How are customer service and support?

HPE customer service is pretty good. I rate their support eight out of 10. At times, they can be too slow to respond if you have an unusual request.  Sometimes, you have a problem that nobody on their team has seen. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Typically, our clients haven't used anything else. Many of them have been using HPE for over 10 years, and we usually deployed the first switches, which would've been HPE. For some clients, we've completely replaced everything three times now during that time because things have reached the end of life and need to be replaced.

How was the initial setup?

Deploying HPE switches is straightforward unless you have to enable some advanced features, then you need to go into the command line interface, which makes it more complex than necessary.

Usually, it takes only a few minutes to deploy because most of my clients' networks are pretty flat. The only thing we need to do is configure a few VLANs on the switch. After deployment, maintenance is minimal. 

What was our ROI?

It's like the janitor. You can't have a business without it, so it's hard to say that you're not going to save money because you put one in. You have to have it, so it's hard to say that there is a return on investment. It's just one of those things you need to do business. It's like saying the ROI for the power bill. You either make money or you don't.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I like HPE switches because you get a perpetual license with the hardware.
The initial cost is about the same as other switches, but it starts beating the competitors after three or four years because you don't have to pay for additional annual licensing costs.

We also pay for a support contract as well. It's optional, but you don't get software updates without the contract.

What other advice do I have?

I rate HPE Ethernet switches a solid eight out of 10. This is the best product to get if you're not doing something special. If you're doing something odd, you should consider going with Cisco.

There are many cheaper options, but they don't have lifetime hardware support. That's one of the reasons I like HPEs better.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. partner & reseller
PeerSpot user
reviewer2319423 - PeerSpot reviewer
Network engineer / owner at a photography company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Top 10
Jun 30, 2024
Perform quite well and last for a long time

What is our primary use case?

I have been working with HP ProCurve Switches for about 20 years. I used to be an employee at a company that was a reseller for HP and obtained some networking certifications, such as Master HPE.

For the last ten years, I have been working as an engineer with customers, setting up networks and devices with HP or Aruba solutions.

How has it helped my organization?

HPE Ethernet switches support some parts of our network infrastructure well, but other parts not so well.

What is most valuable?

HPE Ethernet switches perform quite well and last for a long time. They are robust and have a low frequency of breaking down or failing.

What needs improvement?

The initial support from HPE was not good. Also, the Aruba and HPE Comware operating systems are incompatible in many ways.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have experience with HPE Ethernet Switches for about ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I would rate the stability of HPE Ethernet switches a nine out of ten. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I would rate the scalability of HPE Ethernet switches as fair - not bad, not very good, but somewhere in between.

Manageability could be improved. The clients using this solution are mainly small businesses.

How are customer service and support?

The accessibility of support could be improved.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have a long experience with HPE solutions, including ProCurve Switches, Aruba, and the legacy iLO portal or web solution.

How was the initial setup?

On a scale of one to ten, I would rate my experience with the initial setup a six.

The solution is deployed on-premises, and the deployment usually takes a few days.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend HPE Ethernet switches. Overall, I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. MSP
PeerSpot user
Zuhair Hasan - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager, Information Technology Security at Nesma
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Apr 5, 2024
Useful for network setup and improves performance
Pros and Cons
  • "Switching to HPE Ethernet Switches greatly improved our network. We used to have both Cisco and HPE Ethernet Switches. Our network performance has increased by 300 percent."
  • "Sometimes, we encounter the need for new technologies, especially when we require higher bandwidth. If we can't find what we need with HPE Ethernet Switches, we explore options from other vendors like Cisco."

What is our primary use case?

We use HPE Ethernet switches for our networking setup. Most of our infrastructure is configured with them. Recently, there have been discussions about changing them, but we've been using them extensively.

What is most valuable?

Switching to HPE Ethernet Switches greatly improved our network. We used to have both Cisco and HPE Ethernet Switches. Our network performance has increased by 300 percent. 

What needs improvement?

Sometimes, we encounter the need for new technologies, especially when we require higher bandwidth. If we can't find what we need with HPE Ethernet Switches, we explore options from other vendors like Cisco.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The tool is scalable. 

How are customer service and support?

The solution's technical support is good. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We're not currently using Cisco. We used a mix of HPE Ethernet Switches and Cisco in the past but ultimately opted for HPE.

How was the initial setup?

The solution's deployment is easier than Cisco's. Cisco deployment can be challenging primarily due to its complex configuration process. Accessing certain features may not be straightforward, which adds to the difficulty. In contrast, HPE Ethernet Switches are easier to navigate and configure. The tool's deployment time depends on the switches. Smaller ones, like the 24-volt or basic ones, may take less time. However, our experienced team typically takes around an hour or less to install and configure them.

Its maintenance depends on the size of our infrastructure. For our setup, which is quite large, we usually have around three to four people to maintain it.

What other advice do I have?

The reliability of HPE Ethernet Switches, in terms of uptime and performance, is good. We have no concerns in this regard. I rate the overall solution a nine out of ten. You need to choose the right switching system for your network. The tool offers a wide range of modules, so it is important to select the ones that best serve their specific needs. For instance, if they require high bandwidth, they should opt for those designed for that purpose. Similarly, they should choose the appropriate switching system for a standard network.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Lutz Kirchner - PeerSpot reviewer
Founder & CEO / CIO at German Top Secure Data Processing GmbH
Real User
Sep 24, 2023
Offers good performance and easy to deploy
Pros and Cons
  • "I would rate the stability a solid ten out of ten."
  • "There is room for improvement in the update process, especially the web UI update process."

What is our primary use case?

We use them as a core connection throughout the entire company. Our entire company network is run by those switches. So, it's for internal Ethernet. We use it for almost everything.

What is most valuable?

They are running very robustly, so they handle the default tolerance.

What needs improvement?

There is room for improvement in the update process, especially the web UI update process, is very, very slow. That should be improved.

In future releases, I would like to see zero downtime updates. Currently, when I do updates on a certain website, I have to restart the entire device, which makes it hard to keep network connectivity going.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for five years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I would rate the stability a solid ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is definitely scalable. I would rate the scalability a nine out of ten. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We actually looked into three companies, HPE, Dell, and Ubiquiti, during our initial setup. We made our decision for HPE because the price value was quite competitive. Even though at some point, they were more expensive than Dell's tools, they had some advantages in terms of stability and availability as well.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was actually straightforward. The onboarding was quite easy. You just have to learn some command line codes, which are very well documented. So with some experience, it was an easy task to do.

The initial deployment took me about three months throughout the entire company. We're talking about thousands of switches.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We also have Ubiquiti. We use them in our branch offices as a connection throughout the office network because they are very easy to manage. It's one of the best UI experiences I've had in the past years.

What other advice do I have?

I recommend that you talk to the folks from HPE. They have real knowledge of what they are doing. They don't see you as a typical customer; they see you as a partner. So they went pretty far with engineering and ingenuity, which took me very, very far. They've made a difference for us to get this all up and running.

Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. partner
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free HPE Ethernet Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: April 2026
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free HPE Ethernet Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.