Cisco Catalyst 6509-E - switch - 2 ports - rack-mountable - with Cisco Virtual Switching Supervisor Engine 720 3C, Fan
Mfg # VS-C6509E-S720-10G
CDW # 1507004
Quick tech specs
- E
- 2 x X2 + 2 x SFP + 1 x 10/100/1000
- with Cisco Virtual Switching Supervisor Engine 720 3C
- Switch
- rack-mountable
- Fan Tray
Know your gear
The 9-slot Cisco Catalyst 6509-E Switch provides high port densities that are ideal for many wiring closet, distribution, and core network as well as data center deployments. The Cisco Catalyst 6509-E supports Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series end-to-end operational consistency benefits.
Enhance your purchase
Cisco Catalyst 6509-E - switch - 2 ports - rack-mountable - with Cisco Virt is rated
4.50 out of
5 by
128.
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1331349 from
Scalable, reliable, and it is easy to find trained engineers
What is our primary use case?
I design, implement, and troubleshoot networks that use Cisco switches. I am involved in every part of the design, including wireless.
What is most valuable?
The biggest advantage of having this solution is that it is easy to find engineers, and they are cheaper than hiring HP engineers. HP engineers are difficult to find and you have to train them, which brings up the price of an HP solution.
What needs improvement?
Cisco switches are really expensive compared to other solutions, which is something that should be improved. They are almost double in price.
As of late, Cisco has been moving from one technology to the next and they don't support each other. If you want new features then you have to buy a new product and forget about the old one. This is from a licensing perspective. For example, the Cisco DNA license versus then Cisco One license are things that I don't know about.
I would like to see better compatibility between Cisco and other vendors. There are a lot of features that are for Cisco devices only, and when you bring in a second or third vendor there are a lot of problems. Fixing this incompatibility would be an improvement. I have not tried a lot of other brands, but I have connected both Huawei and Aruba Wireless with Cisco. Connecting Huawei with Aruba Wireless works well with no hangs. However, connecting Cisco and Huawei is terrible. Sometimes you have to restart one, whereas other times you have to restart the other. I do not recommend mixing equipment between these two companies.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Cisco Catalyst switches for close to 11 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
If the switch is set up properly in the first place then you don't need to come back to do anything with it. This is especially true with the Catalyst 3750. It is the most stable thing in the world. I have found that some of the newer switches will hang or lose their configuration, but this never happened with the 3750.
For example, I have faced a lot of problems with the 3850, especially if there are Aruba access points. Sometimes, it will just reject the access point, although when I bring a new one, it will allow it. Sometimes the VLAN, itself, hangs. Then you can put in another VLAN and it will work. There are a lot of mysterious things that I could not find an explanation for.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have not faced any problem with scalability.
In my opinion, the Catalyst switches are for enterprise-level organizations with 5,000 or more employees. If there are 1,000 or fewer employees then any switch will manage.
Some of the places I have worked in had networks with 20,000 to 70,000 users.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have not contacted technical support from Cisco. I have friends and colleagues who have received support but I just keep reading, then trial and error until I get it. I wouldn't want to pay for support if I don't use it. The only time I would require support is a hardware failure.
I have worked on two projects in the past where support licenses were purchased for a year. What I found was that I could purchase four additional switches and in total, they would cost less than the support. Those switches then go into storage and if one of the others fails then a replacement is available. Ultimately, it is much, much cheaper.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have always used Cisco networking solutions, although we are opening a new branch and I think that this time, we will use HP. They do not want to pay one to two million dollars for IT infrastructure. With HP, if they have to pay half a million then they will approve it.
I have experience with a hybrid environment where it was a Cisco LAN and an HP Aruba wireless LAN, and I didn't like it. I was losing some great options. Based on that experience, I think that all of the hardware should be from a single vendor. Either Cisco all the way, or HP Aruba all the way.
How was the initial setup?
It is very easy and very straightforward to set up and deploy. It takes maybe 15 to 30 minutes to get it working.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of Cisco equipment is very expensive and you have to pay extra for support.
What other advice do I have?
My advice for anybody who is implementing this solution is to design the system well before deploying it. You have to consider all of the aspects and all of the options. Always beware. If there is a 1% chance of failure then consider it to be a 90% failure rate because when it fails, you will have options. Always have a plan A, B, C, and D. In my experience, sometimes all of the plans will fail, and sometimes the first one succeeds.
I can't give them a perfect market but they undeniably are of good quality.
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2020-04-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1441959 from
Simple to use with good functionality and a straightforward installation
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution as access switches they get connected to the end-users and access points and IB fronts.
What is most valuable?
The solution is fairly simple to use.
We're able to use L2 switches with this product. We are using normal VLANS plus spanning trees.
The installation is very straightforward.
The overall functionality is very good.
The solution is already at the cutting edge in terms of innovation.
What needs improvement?
There aren't any features that are missing. It's quite a good solution.
There are two different families, the older family is not programmable. The newer family is programmable and everything is there, so for now, most of the improvement is in the capacity and the speed and other items.
They could use more layer trees or VXLAN. Any modern setup which uses the SD axis and other features would benefit from this. It would definitely be more stable as we could remove all spanning trees. It's already technically there in Catalyst 9K.
Any improvements that they make should be in the wireless area of the product.
We could see more 100 GB interfaces and higher speeds in the future.
The access levels could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for six or seven years now. It's been a while.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is good in terms of stability. Everything you need is right there. It's reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is very scalable. If a company needs to expand the product, they will be able to do so.
Our whole organization is currently using the solution. If I calculated all employees, it would be over 70,000 users. All of them definitely go through access switches, unless they are on remote access, in which case they don't access the switch.
We do plan to continue to use the solution going forward.
How are customer service and technical support?
As a Cisco vendor and a company that deploys the solution to our customers, we tend to handle the technical support ourselves. We assist our clients if anything happens with the solution.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I cannot recall using any other switches. We've always used Cisco.
How was the initial setup?
The solution is not complex in terms of setup. It's rather simple and pretty straightforward.
I cannot recall how long the deployment took. It actually doesn't take that much time. It takes a couple of days for the setup and to connect everything.
The number of people you need for deployment depends on the size. For simple use cases, if you just want to plug in a new switch, you do not need many people. However, in our case, we had a campus and that takes a bit more staff.
What about the implementation team?
I handled the implementation myself.
What other advice do I have?
I'm not sure of the exact version of the solution we are using. It might be version 15.
I'm technically a Cisco vendor.
I would recommend this solution to others.
On a scale from one to ten, I'd rate this solution at a nine.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:implementer
Date published: 2020-11-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
OSSENI Adé Adam from
Excellent for covering business needs, relatively easy to deploy, and offers good technical support
What is our primary use case?
We don't personally use the switches; we provide services to our clients, including implementing the switches for them.
How has it helped my organization?
Catalyst switches solutions are great. For various customers we have deployed for, business operations run smoothly and without any complain. Troubleshooting and insights are clearer.
Our customers love working with us.
What is most valuable?
Catalyst switches support a variety of features from both layer 2 and layer 3. The fetaures supported depend on the model your dealing with. Though there are various common features such VLAN, MLAG, SDM, STP, Resiliency, PoE, Wireless settings, etc....which Stacking feature happens to be the most common deployment.
Recently I laid hands on Meraki Switches and what I can say to love is its seamless network services to build high-performance networks.
What needs improvement?
The user interface needs improvement. It might make them a bit more user friendly.
The one thing that I came across with the Catalyst 2950-X switch was that I wanted to alter the dashboard, so I connected it to the management interface. I gave it an IP address and I used the browser. However, as soon as I accessed it, I realized that the system of the computer from which I was accessing it didn't support that version. I was using Linux and the OS didn't support the switch. I had to get a Windows computer to access the switch. The dashboard was difficult to manage. It would have been nice if they made it obvious that it didn't work on Linux.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been dealing with the solution for more than two years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I wouldn't say that the switches are stable. It depends on the situation more than any fault in the technology, however.
If a customer approaches my company, we provide the best option for the client. Sometimes that's Catalyst. We do work to evaluate the client and their needs quite extensively before making recommendations. Most of the time, clients look only at the cost and not at the bigger picture. Many don't want to spend too much money. Sometimes, however, a better solution may cost more.
While a well-implemented product is typically stable, if a client says that they don't want to spend anything higher than X, you have to work within those parameters and explain what X will get them, which may ultimately be instability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Very scalable.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have dealt with Cisco's technical support in the past. They were especially helpful and very polite. They are always there if we need them and their insights are always excellent. I would say that we have been satisfied with the level of support we've gotten so far.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Of course, we use and still use Meraki solutions. We didn't switch. Like I said, it is based on what customers need.
How was the initial setup?
The Catalyst switches take more time to implement than Meraki. How long it takes varies for each organization. It depends on the size and requirements. We have spent up to a few weeks on previous contracts setting up switches for companies.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Catalyst licensing varies from a thousand of dollars to 20+ thousands dollars , however, that might depend on the model or version you choose. There are some switches where the licenses are features-based and you need to get a specific license for specific items if you want to use them.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We've looked at Meraki, among other solutions.
While we have used Meraki, it's hard to compare them to Catalyst switches. Meraki is quite good and agile. They've simplified a lot of their processes and have some features that make actions easy to do on Meraki. However, Catalyst offers much of the same features, and are possibly more feature-rich.
Meraki is very much more focused on business needs. While it may be good for their own business model, it doesn't encapsulate everything. Catalyst does a better job in that regard. It has many more features on offer. You aren't limited, although you will want to focus on a particular kind of feature list for your deployment or your integration into your environment.
Cisco happened to own Meraki solutions now.
What other advice do I have?
Last year, we were Cisco partners, but something happened and Cisco made some changes to its partnership requirements. Right now, we are working on re-establishing the partnership with Cisco. We'd like to be partners again.
We are planning to be a distributor. For the moment, however, now that we are waiting on the partnership, we're more of an integrator.
We have deployed on-premises mostly and also a hybrid version sometimes. It depends on what the customer wants and what fits best for their needs. It also depends on the model that you are talking about. On the Catalyst switches, as far as I know, the models vary from types of deployments and features. Some features are only available on applicable switches.
In terms of advice I would give to other companies, I'd say that I like both Meraki and Cisco. I don't really prefer one over the other. It depends on the situation which one makes the most sense. Both are very large solutions but I could recommend either.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. I really do love Catalyst switches.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Integrator
Date published: 2020-06-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Gervasio Alferes Caetano from
Is easy to configure and resolves our internal problems
What is our primary use case?
We have an Academy, we know how to manage it. We have the knowledge to manage it and it gives us security. We can configure the switch to resolve our internal problems. We can use one switch for five to six years.
It's used for our processor, a small data center, and we have our network with at least 500 users.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the interface, it's easy to configure. The command line uses a switch that gives us security.
What needs improvement?
In the next release, they should lower the price. It's too expensive.
They should also have a graphic interface for the switches too without the command line.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have 500 users.
It requires us to have at least 10 technicians. Five technicians and other administrative staff.
In the future, we need to do disaster recovery in the cloud. We are working on-premise and our future is to use it on the cloud for our disaster recovery.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have a contract with a company that gives us support.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was not very complex.
What about the implementation team?
We used a consultant for the implementation.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Licensing is on a yearly basis. We usually spend up to $20,000.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend it because it's a good solution that gives you security and is easy to use.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight out of ten. They respond to all of our needs.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2020-07-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1016370 from
Helps us connect drivers and desktops, the expandability provides flexibility
What is our primary use case?
My primary use case of this solution is for connecting up drivers and desktops. I'm a system administrator and we're a customer of Cisco.
What is most valuable?
I like the expandability of the solution. I have a pair of 6509 catalyst switches and they use the add on boards. I also like the dual power supplies.
What needs improvement?
We are not working off the latest version so the switches on the product are very old and that could be improved. The one gig boards are strictly one gig and not backward compatible. This switch also does not have power over ethernet, so that's old.
I'd like to see a better web interface. I can't tell you what the existing generations have so I'm sure there have been improvements. These are so old and I'm sure modern switches now have much better tools to interface with them.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for over 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's clearly very stable, otherwise we wouldn't be using it anymore. The fact that we still use it shows how stable it is.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
That switch was very scalable because itwas one of the ones that had nine slots in it. So it could have additional boards within.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was fairly straightforward but we're not doing anything fancy with it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We're not paying maintenance - these switches were end of life years ago. Maintenance is separate from licensing. Now there is no additional monthly recurring cost on the Cisco switches that we are running.
What other advice do I have?
This solution has been good to us, it's very solid.
I would rate this solution a nine out of 10.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2020-07-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Tomislav Stanojevic from
Extremely reliable and high quality technology with easy maintenance
What is most valuable?
The switches are the easiest to deploy and maintain out of other competitors.
In terms of technology, Cisco is the leader in everything. I'd rather buy a second-hand Cisco switch than a brand new switch from a competitor. They're that reliable and resilient.
Cisco offers many ranges of switches and you'd know exactly if you were buying an access switch or a core switch distribution. They are definitely among the top companies. They just know how to predict things and what will evolve in the following years.
What needs improvement?
Out of the competition, Cisco switches are easily the most expensive.
There's something at Cisco called a console that is used for basic configuration and everything and I think that they excluded a normal USB. Instead of that micro USB they should put in the normal one. It would make things a bit easier.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've had experience dealing with the solution since 2010. It's been about ten years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of Cisco is unmatched. We don't experience bugs or glitches or have any issues. There's been no worry of crashing. The technology is impeccable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is quite good. We've never had any issues with scaling if necessary.
How are customer service and technical support?
If the company pays for a given device's Smart Net - that's Cisco's official name for support - then the support provided is huge. It could be challenging for people that want to fix an old switch or a router but do not have paid support anymore. That's not the case for us. I do think Cisco could be a bit better at assisting in those instances instead of just putting customers in a position where they have to buy a new device where an old one just needs a repair. Beyond that, we have no complaints and have been satisfied with the level of service they provide.
How was the initial setup?
For me personally, the initial setup was very straightforward. I have experience with the product so it helps. if you are a user who has the experience, it shouldn't be too difficult to implement. Otherwise, you will have to spend some time learning about it and how it works.
What about the implementation team?
Everything depends on the size of the network that you want to design and implement. Of course, you need a consultant if you need something with 200 users or so. Or if you don't have any expertise in IT. The question is, is Cisco switch easier or harder to configure than some other brand or our vendor? And the answer is that, in my opinion, Cisco switches are not among the easiest ones to deploy, however, they are definitely the most reliable switches.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco is easily one of the most expensive on the market, but users are buying quality and reliability.
What other advice do I have?
The company I work with is a Premium Cisco partner. I've even based my career around Cisco vendors.
The solution is on a Private Cloud that we are renting (including equipment and the data center space and the LANs). We have obtained everything from Alban India, and our customers are mostly on our product site with the cloud. The customers include various financial companies, payment providers, etc. We're a systems integrator.
I would easily rate the solution ten out of ten. It's really great.
In terms of advice for other companies, I'd say that whether Cisco would work for them or not depends on the size of the network they want to cover. The small and midsize network users just really don't need to spend that amount of money on Cisco equipment, but the larger organizations and mission-critical environments definitely require Cisco.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:partner
Date published: 2020-06-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1365339 from
Easy to configure, good documentation, and the community support is helpful
What is our primary use case?
I am a network engineer and work primarily on Cisco products, including the Catalyst Switches.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the ease of configuring a switch. It gives you a lot of control.
The community support is good.
I am satisfied with the documentation that is provided by Cisco.
What needs improvement?
Reducing the price would be an improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst switches for the past year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This solution is definitely stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would say that this product is scalable.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have never used the Cisco technical support. The community support is pretty good and there are a lot of resources available online.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have not used networking products by another vendor.
How was the initial setup?
Catalyst switches are pretty easy to install. It takes between 20 and 30 minutes per switch.
What about the implementation team?
I am the only person who is maintaining the switches.
What other advice do I have?
This is a product that works find and I definitely recommend it. Interface-wise, it is pretty straightforward and I haven't had any issues with it.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:partner
Date published: 2020-06-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Vajahat Ali from
Easy to use, provides good network visibility, and supports multicast routing
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for LAN connectivity. We also use it for routing capabilities. It can become an L3 switch.
What is most valuable?
Cisco has a well-maintained library of maps and features that we use to monitor.
One of the most valuable features is the IP SLA feature that allows you to connect the routes or to switch the routes when there is static. Also, the flow exporter tells you which host is using a lot of traffic or where they all are transferring data.
It gives you transparency into your network.
It supports multicast routing. We use Ganglia to monitor the Condor Grid. Ganglia transmits statistics that are multicast. Because it has multicast forwarding routing capabilities, it is also usable.
IP SLA or NetFlow are things that are presented in Catalyst and are extremely easy to use.
It also supports QoS. Basically, it can configure layer 2 or layer 3 QoS to prioritize the traffic that we want.
They have a robust monitoring system.
What needs improvement?
Most of the time, I struggle with the bugs. I don't find it very challenging to configure these because I have been using them for the last eight years, so I am pretty comfortable with the CLI. With these bugs, I don't know the configuration for a one time task, you configure it, you deploy it, and you forget about it.
The biggest issue we are having is with bugs and memory loss, which occurs when developing the IOS.
We also had an issue with Nexus 3548. The CPU started stalling and the switch became unresponsive. We had to call support and have someone remove that cable immediately, as we are not able to travel due to the COVID situation. Once the cable was removed, the switch came back to life.
I searched through the log and learned what happened. The CPU was stalled for 11 seconds. I searched Google and on the Cisco bug tracker, and I found that it was a bug. There is no workaround for that. It was a huge loss for us and we lost money as a result.
There was nothing that I could have done to prevent this from happening. This is a management interface that is supposed to be used to manage the device. I connected the cable not knowing that the bug existed.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Cisco Catalyst Switches for eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We are going to be upgrading to the latest version because there are a few bugs in the release that we are currently using. We are facing issues with it causing the memory to be depleted. The bug is in the operating system itself.
Despite the bug issues we are facing, it is a stable solution. It is partly our fault as we have not upgraded to the newer version.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This solution is scalable. I don't think that it is stackable, but with a recent Catalyst that we have purchased, it provided four 10G uplinks.
Catalyst is installed in a central location. Everyone who connects to the company network goes through a Catalyst switch, one way or another. The switch is placed strategically so that we have the data of every incoming and outgoing connection. There can be 100 to 200 users.
How are customer service and technical support?
We raised a case with the memory leak issue that we were facing and they said that we will need to update our device. In general, they are very good at what they do.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was extremely simple. We are engineers and know the plan beforehand how it will be used, how many ports will be used, what kind of configuration it will have, where the ports will be connected, and where the device will be mounted.
It's easy for us to configure and deploy. It takes two to three hours.
The device goes into the co-location center, where our cabinets are. The switch is mounted and we configure a management IP on that interface.
What about the implementation team?
The deployment doesn't always involve us, as we are not always able to travel to the locations. Instead, we ask them to contact the vendor to install and connect the device.
The implementation is done through a vendor and our team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
They install licenses for 24 ports and then an additional 24 ports. The client is able to use the 48 ports or just 24 port if they want.
The cost of a license before COVID and before the lockdown was approximately three lakh 70,000 in Indian Rupees. After this COVID situation, the cost has gone down to two lakh 46,000 rupees.
The additional cost depends on where the device is being installed. If it's shared then we have to pay the rent for that cabinet where the device is being installed.
The device has only the chassis cost and the licensing cost.
In two or three years, we renew the support contract and that is an additional charge.
What other advice do I have?
Our environment includes a heterogeneous network. It's not all in the same place geographically, where some of the servers are in India, some are in Delhi, some are in Mumbai, London, Chicago, and Brazil.
The monitoring of the device is in the day-to-day operations.
We don't have a lot of traffic, we run simulations. We need high-capacity servers. In terms of network devices, we don't need much. When we need better switches or better devices, we have Nexus. They are used so that there is the lowest latency possible and maximum throughput.
We have point-to-point lead lines to connect to those sites, as well as architect tunnels.
Overall, it's a very robust switch and it's very nice.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2020-06-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1155498 from
This gives us control of our throughput traffic but it comes with mandatory options that increase cost
What is our primary use case?
Our installation is totally on-premises. It is a backend solution supporting the entire campus. This is used as a three-tier network for our overall networking. We use it as a call switch at the backend, it is also used in the distribution, and it is used on the server farm switches. We use them for these three different kinds of purposes in the data center at the same time. All these servers can function on the network through these switches.
How has it helped my organization?
The improvement the product provides to our organization is the backend throughput over all the sites. It can give us about 1.4 TB backend throughput overall. We have variable multi-gate support through the ports. So we can connect on the same switch with the 1G, 10G, 25G, 40G, and 100G. In that way, we get multi-port throughput on the same switch. Because of this capability, scalability is not a bottleneck for us now.
We have used Cisco Catalyst Switches to achieve our goals with stability and blanket level of performance. The documentation and help capabilities provided for users are transparent and widely available. You can find and read about solutions to fix your own issues. Virtually anything you want to study about the product or if you want to verify something, information about it is available and doesn't require calls to support and potential wait times.
What is most valuable?
The volume possible with the throughput is the feature that is most valuable to us. It helps to get things done. For example, we can program the logic and can get more details through the SDM (Service Desk Management) to deliver a better level of support to users.
The solution is good but the support from Cisco makes it that much better. Even the task of logging into the system is really good. All those things together boost the end user's confidence in the product and performance.
What needs improvement?
One thing I think should be improved is that billing should be customizable for end-user. If the customer wants a particular feature or upgrade or does not want the feature or upgrade, it should be their choice. If the user rejects the additional services those should be cut off from the pricing and not forced on the billing. Instead, they just include these things and the end-user has no choice. That is a concern for end-users who are trying to be cost-conscious and know what they need — and what they do not need — in their environment.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using the Cisco series since incorporating an older series about six to seven years ago. Right now, we are revamping our architecture with the new series that has the Cisco DNA (Digital Network Architecture). It is the latest solution in the Cisco Catalyst Series. We can use multi-gate ports and 100 GM port gate uplinks with the latest high-availability features along with DNA and deploy the latest technologies.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of the product is quite good. Cisco is a brand that developed a reputation by taking care of the reliability to perform at least as well as any product on the market. The support level also contributes to that stability. Because they give me all the details, all the documentation, all the product details, and they supply that in a good manner, we can get the things that we need to resolve any issues as soon as possible. They are well aware of the product they deliver and we easily benefit from their knowledge and willingness to help keep our systems running.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
My impression of the scalability is that it is there if you need or want it. But some scalability is also built-in. We are getting the multi-gate switches, and the multi-gate can be scaled. If you have a 10G right now, you can change to 25G later, then 40G even after that. You have opportunities to scale out in different always. In our case, we already knew what we planned to do so we had already thought that through.
As far as handling a volume of users, all the traffic of our whole organization is going to be passing through these switches. These switches are deployed on the call side, the distribution, and the server farm. Because of the setup, the whole of my data center and any user accessing the system is passing through it. We are a large educational organization and we have between 30,000 to 40,000 users total. On a daily basis, there will be 20,000 users on the system.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support from the support team is good. Overall with the availability of documentation and resources, it is great. For me, on a scale of one to ten, it would be between seven to eight.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not really use a different system. We were using a Cisco solution already and just upgraded to the newest version of the product so we could have its advantages.
How was the initial setup?
The setup is not very complex. You will spend more time planning the concept than in installation. We need to migrate the things and the migration is not a complex one. We had some new features to incorporate but this was not hard.
If you include all the testing and the proof of concept, the deployment took around about a month. We just needed to get the things for new features tested and working. We did need some support from the OEM team, but it was not on site.
For maintenance and management, we did not need anything additional as that was already done by our team. We have about two or three people only. One who sometimes shares some responsibilities, so it is two, only, full-time.
What about the implementation team?
Because we have a good team in the organization already who were already familiar with the previous equipment and we have good access to support materials use an integrator, we did not need a reseller or a consultant to help with the deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I am not exactly sure of the final cost of the upgrade as we are still just finalizing in terms. The teams have to finalize the pricing and their exact needs. They have not placed the entire order yet. We should have the whole thing completed in one or two months.
One thing I am sure of is that the pricing is a little higher for the new product on average.
It is also a little bit higher than its competition. That includes any competition with Cisco in this category of solutions, like Juniper, Dell, or anyone else. But the thing is if the customer wants the kind of reliability, support, and transparency that a solution provides, then they need to pay a premium for it.
What other advice do I have?
Advice that I would give others who are not using this Cisco solution is that maintenance is not a big deal for Cisco products. They deliver on customer support if it is even necessary at all. The Cisco team is always available to provide you the facts about the root cause of any problem or to answer any question. Because they have an excellent knowledge base, you can even research things and find solutions on your own.
Whether you need this kind of dependability will have to do with your use case. If you are working on some kind of critical industry or environment, you can trust Cisco to be a reliable solution. But if you do not have very critical operations, you want to review other options. Cisco might be a solution you would pay more for and you do not really need it. If you do not need it, then you can go with another product like Juniper or Dell — or any vendor or solution that can supply the services and capabilities that you actually need. But knowing that depends on evaluating your situation and the reality of what you need to do.
On a scale from one to ten where one is worst and ten is the best, I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches in terms of technology and all the capabilities as a whole as a seven right now. It is a seven to me just because there are problems that I see. The consideration of the rating is just not about the technical capabilities and documentation which are excellent. The problem is that they charge you for what they have supplied that you wanted as well as what they make it mandatory to buy. In the licensing, they include licensing for architecture, for new parts, for the software design, and for the future scheduled upgrades they have over the term of the contract. All these additional things are bundled in the licensing costs. The end-user can not exclude things from the license when you license the new switch. So even if there are items that you feel are not required for you as an end customer, they go on the billing.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2020-08-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1353324 from
Great PoE capability, good scalability, and useful analytics
What is our primary use case?
We deploy various Cisco solutions, such as Catalyst 3850 to 4500, 9000 Series, and Nexus lineup for data centers.
We've got various clients, ranging from financial services to hotels and higher education facilities. There are many use cases, such as data centers, disaster recovery.
How has it helped my organization?
Our clients are able to get analytics on how often people are in rooms or using a certain area of a building. By doing this, in the future, they can often opt for a slightly smaller space and use multi-purpose rooms instead. They have higher efficiency and lower overhead for rent and other things.
What is most valuable?
The PoE capability of Catalyst Switches is great for using WAPs and other PoE equipment, such as security cameras.
What needs improvement?
I would like to see better efficiency. They are powering all the PoE ports 100% of the time instead of powering only when there is a draw on them.
It has too many options. Therefore, there is a reasonably high barrier to entry in terms of learning about this stuff. A lot of times, you need to be a CCNA, which is like your ticket into the industry, but it is not the easiest thing to get.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
You expect reliability and security when you're using Cisco. If you're getting a switch from some manufacturer on the other side of the world, it may fail after 10,000 hours.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is pretty good. Our clients are more on the large side.
With 4500 Series, you can add extra blades pretty easily, which makes things easier. You can also just stack them on top of 3850s or something else, add ports, and connect with fiber or ethernet. You're good to go. It is pretty easy.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have not used them.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have always used Cisco.
How was the initial setup?
Depending on the use case, it can be pretty complex, but it is all done by people who are trained on it. The fact that you need somebody trained to do it means that it is pretty complex.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco switches are expensive. Their price range is based not only on what the product does but also the name in the industry.
They are good at what they do. If you need a better product, there are other lineups available.
What other advice do I have?
Make sure that you buy the right product and it does what you want. Don't get something that won't be what you think it will do.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2020-11-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
VarinderKUMAR from
It is pretty much stable, and there is a lot of improvement in the network segment
What is our primary use case?
I use it for connectivity for my enterprise users. My entire platform is on Cisco, and we have different plans.
What is most valuable?
There is a lot of improvement in the network segment after replacing the older switches.
I have not seen any kind of issue with these switches since deployment. They are pretty much stable.
What needs improvement?
Cisco can definitely improve the training part. They can provide more training related to configuration.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have recently done an upgrade. We installed these switches around one year ago.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a pretty much stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. We have 1,500 users.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is managed by the vendor so far. The vendor is taking care of any issues.
What about the implementation team?
The entire implementation was done by the vendor, but we are managing it in-house. We have a Cisco-certified vendor to do all kinds of implementation and train our people. The overall project was for six months, but because of Covid, it got delayed. We have finished it may be a month back. We have four different locations. The vendor deployed technical manpower of six to eight members for each location.
We had just one issue with a switch, and the replacement was done within a week. The connectivity was not going through, and it was giving packet drops. The issue was identified, but because of Covid, there was a delay from Cisco. Our vendor was able to ensure that there was no installation delay. Because we had 3% to 4% stock over and above the inventory for installation, they used the switch from that particular inventory, and later on, they provided the switch within a week.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I don't see any price issue with Cisco. Whenever you buy a quality product, you always have a mindset of paying the premium amount. For any good product, you pay a premium amount, but that also means you are going to recover that premium over a period of time in terms of performance.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution. It is a pretty good product. We don't see any issue with Cisco Catalyst Switches. We have a license of five years as per our current agreement with Cisco. We plan to keep using these.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2020-11-15T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1454511 from
Robust hardware with good documentation and good support
What is our primary use case?
LAN access, distribution and core.
How has it helped my organization?
We are Cisco partner and sell Cisco solutions, we have sold this platform for last 20 years. Its quite robust and work in worst environmental conditions.
What is most valuable?
In terms of the switches, the uptime and the robustness of the hardware are the most valuable aspects.
Cisco devices are quite good. They do not fail specially the Catalyst Switches.
The solution offers quite a robust infrastructure, hardware-wise.
Cisco provides very good support services.
Cisco is improving and investing in R&D right now. They are investing a lot in research, and keep improving their products.
For example, they have recently launched the SDA, SDWAN, ACI etc. Software Defined-Solutions, in which you can automate your operations and enhance your operations, and avoid manual stuff.
What needs improvement?
With their constant innovation and investment in R&D, there isn't really very much the solution isn't lacking or building upon in terms of features.
The pricing could be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using Catalyst for long time. It's a very old Cisco brand, I have been deploying catalyst switches for last 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is extremely stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
You can scale the solution quite well. It's good in that regard.
How are customer service and technical support?
We're quite happy with their support services. They also offer very good documentation.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Since we are reseller / partner we sell different vendors solutions.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very easy.
On top of that, they have complete documentation available on their website. Whatever scenario you are deploying, you can search for an example of it on their website. That can help guild you during the process.
What was our ROI?
We are reseller / partner.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
licensing model is changing from perpetual licenses to subscription based licensing. Subscription based licensing model is cheaper but reoccur every year or 3, 5 or 7 years.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Not relevant.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2020-11-19T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer773409 from
Strong features, easy to manage, and excellent support
What is our primary use case?
We use it to connect our end users. It is used for DMZ connections behind the firewalls and campus network.
What is most valuable?
All features are very strong. It is very easy to manage. It is also certified and popular.
Cisco has come up with a new management console to manage the switches. I still haven't tried it, but in my opinion, this is the best way forward. You can use software to manage the switches instead of the common line configuration. You can manage it through software, which is very easy.
What needs improvement?
It can have more security features to secure the access layer.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Catalyst 9300 Series for the last two years. It is a new model. I have been using previous models, such as Catalyst 3750, 3560, and 2960, for maybe more than 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable. You just install it and forget about it for years. I had a switch that was running for more than 11 years without a singular restart. That switch had a running time of more than 11 years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. We have 400 users.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is great. I was talking to one of my colleagues just two hours back about Cisco technical support. They are brilliant and excellent. If we have any hardware failure, we get it fixed the second day. We get multiple engineers working on the case if it is a critical issue. They are really supportive.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have been using only Cisco solutions from the beginning. It has been more than 20 years now.
We plan to keep using this solution. We are going to refresh it with the latest model. We are in the process of acquiring the new model and replacing all obsolete switches with the new Catalyst 9K series. The order will be placed maybe next week.
How was the initial setup?
Its setup was easy. It took an hour to configure each switch.
What about the implementation team?
I deployed it myself. We have three network engineers to manage the entire network.
What other advice do I have?
I would definitely recommend this product to other users. I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2020-11-18T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Ali ALI from
They're balanced and highly reliable but don't integrate well with some solutions
What is our primary use case?
We are mostly using the Cisco Catalyst 2900 Series, but some are the new 900 Series and a mixture of a lot of solutions. More than 300 people are working on Cisco Catalyst switches.
What is most valuable?
Catalyst switches are highly reliable. They have a good product life, they are balanced overall compared to others.
What needs improvement?
We sometimes have issues using Cisco Catalyst switches in a mixed environment. For example, we are using Fortinet's firewall, so if we jump to Cisco, then we have a problem. If we need another solution for MAC filtering, we need to go for IEEE or AAA.
Cisco needs to improve compatibility with other solutions and other vendors like SolarWinds. We've had problems using Catalyst with SolarWinds. Some devices can't be put on SolarWinds due to some ID Values and so on.
They need to show some flexibility because no environment depends on one product. And when we add new solutions for monitoring, troubleshooting, etc., we need integration with our Cisco devices. I think it would be great if Cisco could improve its integration with other vendors in the future.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've used Cisco Catalyst for the last four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst switches are stable. No question about it.
How are customer service and support?
TAC is a wonderful service. They are cooperative and professional. They do great in the case of RMA or case of troubleshooting.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We tried Juniper HP and some other solutions.
How was the initial setup?
Setting up Catalyst switches is complex. We have about four or five Cisco-certified technicians to look after these things.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of Cisco Catalyst switches is reasonable.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Catalyst seven out of 10. I definitely recommend Cisco switches as a complete solution.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-02-24T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Ricardo_Perez from
Stable reliable product
What is our primary use case?
I am a CMP and know the Cisco Catalyst Switches very well. We use them for connectivity.
What is most valuable?
The product is good, very stable.
What needs improvement?
Prices could always be lower.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for 12 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is very scalable.
How are customer service and support?
The customer service and support is good, they answer on time and resolve any issues that I have
How was the initial setup?
Being a CMP, the initial setup is easy for me.
What other advice do I have?
Cisco is very reliable and I would recommend their products. I would rate the Catalyst Switches a 10 out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-01-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Charbel Hajj from
Professional, quick, simple to work with and requires little to no maintenance
What is our primary use case?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is used for large networks with 48 ports for example.
More than just a few switches on a small scale, they can be used on the main switch of a small or medium-sized business. It is determined by the size. It's heavy-duty, you only need to configure it once, and it'll keep running for several years. We have run it for ten years with no problems.
What is most valuable?
With Cisco Catalyst Switches, everything is working perfectly. We have not had issues with this solution.
Everything I need is available.
What needs improvement?
For the time being, Cisco Catalyst Switches are working well, but they are not PoE switches, which is why we would consider replacing them.
If I were to change later, I would go with the PoE version.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches in my company for more than 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are scalable.
With the exception of WiFi, we have 40 users connected. We have small switches in some offices, and some users are connected to these small switches via a single cable that leads to the Catalyst.
Currently, we have no plans to increase our usage.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is easygoing.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have experience with Cisco and TP-Link.
How was the initial setup?
It is easy to implement on the network, and easy to work with. It is not complicated.
There is little to no maintenance required.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There are no licensing fees required.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I was looking for the UniFi switch or access point because it was the first time I heard of it, so I was looking for feedback on it in comparison to TP-Link and Cisco.
What other advice do I have?
It's one of the best switches, professional and fast. I would recommend these switches to others who are considering using them.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-03-10T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Adli Hajarat from
High performance, helpful support, and reliable
What is our primary use case?
I am using Cisco Catalyst Switches for my network.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of Cisco Catalyst Switches are that they are very common. If you talk to someone most likely they will have a Cisco Catalyst Switch, they will not mention other names, such as Juniper, ProCurve, Dell, or anything else. The most common product in networking in my country is Cisco. Everywhere you go they talk about Cisco.
The overall performance of Cisco Catalyst Switches is very good.
What needs improvement?
The management of Cisco Catalyst Switches could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for approximately seven years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This solution is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
Cisco has superior technical support, but it has to be paid for.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used other solutions in the past similar to Cisco Catalyst Switches, such as Dell Switches.
Cisco Catalyst uses the standard CLI and you get used to it if you take some courses, such as CCNA, CCNP, and CCIE. They are all the same, but for Dell, they have their own commands. They differ a bit from Cisco.
How was the initial setup?
You have to have someone with extensive knowledge to do the implementation of the Cisco Catalyst Switches. You have to read a lot of manuals and the manuals, are segregated. It's not only one small manual that you need to read and you have all the information you need.
What about the implementation team?
You need someone with experience to implement this solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
If you compare Cisco to other products, Cisco is more expensive. If you choose a 7000 series switch it will be a very pricy system. The support from Cisco is an additional service.
What other advice do I have?
Cisco Catalyst Switches uses jargon that is very much different from other vendors. If use a ProCurve solution or others, it seems every vendor has its own dialect of the command. There is no common ground, there are some similarities between each other, but in real management, they differ from each other.
Those wanting to implement Cisco Catalyst Switches should read a lot about them.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Integrator
Date published: 2022-03-13T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
MAXIM TEN from
It's useful for connecting everything into one big domain, but we've had problems since we upgraded
What is our primary use case?
Catalyst switches are our dedicated solution for connecting everything into one big domain.
What needs improvement?
We have configurations for port channels between two facilities, and we cannot communicate between these two buildings. An SFP configuration uses one wire to send and receive the signal. It's opt-in. We cannot use it after the upgrade. What can we do in this situation? We already bought it.
We have a lease between these buildings, so it's important for us. There are some other SFPs, but we cannot order them at the moment. It's a very slow project. We will order those and receive them after two or three months.
Cisco devices should support Cisco SFPs. Right now, I'm testing it on Cisco and some small devices, like Planets, and it worked. It has changed, but it's working. But it doesn't work using the original Cisco because inside of a Cisco Data Sheet it says they do not support this product on the device.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I thought Catalyst switches were stable, but now I'm not so sure.
How was the initial setup?
Deploying Catalyst switches is complex. We had to add a second one for high availability.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-01-10T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1108698 from
Helpful technical support and highly reliable
What is our primary use case?
We are using Cisco Catalyst Switches for corporate and production, such as offices. We have two networks running and the second one is an Everts network and it is more specialized in TV video broadcasting.
How has it helped my organization?
Cisco Catalyst Switches has been very useful in my organization because we do a lot of videos. My company is a TV station.
What needs improvement?
The solution could improve by having a video IP feature.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for approximately 30 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are highly reliable and stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have approximately 500 Cisco Catalyst Switches installed.
How are customer service and support?
The support of Cisco Catalyst Switches is very good.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We are a large company and the price is reasonable because we have received a discount. However, the full price is expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2022-01-10T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
B Sudheer from
User-friendly commands and configuration, good support, and feature-rich
What is our primary use case?
These switches make up part of our network infrastructure.
What is most valuable?
The configuration and command set are user-friendly.
Cisco switches are feature-rich compared to other vendors.
Technical support is good, as they resolve any issues that we have.
What needs improvement?
The initial setup can be easier in cases where the policy and ruleset are complex.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for between five and six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This product is stable and our switches have been working fine. These switches are used extensively.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This is a scalable solution. We have 5,000 or more users.
We have several Catalyst switches in our environment. Most of them are running version 15.x of the operating system, although some of them are version 12.x and older. These may be upgraded in the future.
We may increase our usage although I don't know at present.
How are customer service and support?
We are not the team that is responsible for contacting support. However, the support from Cisco is good. They easily resolve any issues that we have.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have only worked with Cisco solutions.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup can be complex, depending on the policy and the rules.
Only a small staff is required for deployment and maintenance.
What other advice do I have?
Cisco is regularly updating this product.
I would rate this solution a ten out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-01-13T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
MartinVelazquez from
Stable and scalable product
What is our primary use case?
My primary use case is to assign VLAN or a port for VLAN on the main network.
What needs improvement?
An area for improvement would be the documentation and training on configuring this product.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for four or five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I've had no problems with the stability of this solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is fine.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was complex because it was a common line.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Licenses are available on a three-yearly basis.
What other advice do I have?
I would give this solution a score of nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-01-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Cesar Reza from
Excellent technical support
What is most valuable?
The best feature is the technical support.
What needs improvement?
An area for improvement would be the high price.
How was the initial setup?
The setup was complex, as we had some issues with the new SMARTnet and DNA.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this product as ten out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-01-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer959808 from
Does not account for personal automization and is not geared towards leading enterprises, but is a reliable solution with extensive support
What is our primary use case?
I work in a big Colombian bank and we use the solution for the campus connectivity involving, perhaps, 23 buildings.
What is most valuable?
Cisco boasts very reliable technology.
As there are many who are knowledgeable of this technology, this translates into much support for it. The main feature we like is its easy support.
What needs improvement?
The managing of the changes and automatization should be addressed. We don't have control of the changes involving automation. In terms of what is new, network technologies and those on the cloud, the solution is outdated. Personal automatization is a feature that should be addressed.
As we are experienced with the solution, we found the initial setup to be easy, but an enterprise which is more new to this technology may find the implementation and deployment to be somewhat challenging.
While the solution was very good for its time, this may not be so, at present, for big, leading enterprises, such as a bank consisting of 10,000 people.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for, perhaps, five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The technology underpinning the solution is very stable and reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is good.
We do not have plans, at present, to increase the usage, as we wish to change the technology several months down the line, the solution being included in these future plans.
How are customer service and support?
As there are many who are knowledgeable of this technology, this translates into much support for it. The main feature we like is its easy support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We use both Cisco Catalyst Switches and HP solutions.
How was the initial setup?
As we are experienced with the solution, we found the initial setup to be easy, but an enterprise which is more new to this technology may find the implementation and deployment to be somewhat challenging.
What about the implementation team?
We have a team of, perhaps, 20 people who are responsible for the deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I am not knowledgeable of the licensing costs, since we have a contract for service with this partner, meaning we don't purchase the license or equipment directly.
What other advice do I have?
Five years ago, I was involved in a project in which the solution was deployed on-premises. Yet, Colombia or the bank have made recent changes to the switches and routes, since the enterprise wishes to optimize the traffic to the cloud. This is because many of our applications involve AWS.
I would estimate that we have 10,000 users making use of the solution.
The solution takes advantage of very stable and reliable technology.
The main features of the solution are its reliability and security. With the current technology, there are many enterprises that can design secure solutions. Other solutions do not provide for the same measure of security. I feel this to be a good feature.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches as a five out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-01-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1662204 from
High performance, scalable, and reliable
What is our primary use case?
We are using Cisco Catalyst Switches as a network switch in our organization.
What is most valuable?
The solution has high performance and we do not have to troubleshoot the network.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for approximately 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have found Cisco Catalyst Switches to be stable, we do not have any packet loss issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is scalable, we can expand the network regularly.
We have approximately 150 people using the solution in our organization.
How are customer service and support?
We used technical support during the installation but after we did not use them often.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have used other smaller solutions in the past but we have moved back to Cisco solutions.
How was the initial setup?
It takes a few hours to have the hardware installed.
What about the implementation team?
We have a team of two engineers that do the implementation of the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We are on an annual license to use this solution and the price of the solution could be reduced. We have spent hundreds of thousands on our Wi-Fi network.
What other advice do I have?
I highly recommend this solution to others.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a ten out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-11-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
MinaMagdy from
Recommended for its abilities, durability, and the support
What is our primary use case?
My primary use case is providing Catalyst switches for the edge and campus networking. You may have lots of IoT switches, like surveillance access points and you need to implement IPE switches that deliver the power and networking through the endpoint sensors. Most of these are considered access switches. We then implement the distribution layer that links all of the access switches and network traffic, then move to the course switches that handle all the packets and connect all the buildings to each other. After, the core is connected to the firewall, from Cisco as well, to get out of building to the internet. So the core portfolio comes from access to the core. I end with the firewall and the routers to the internet.
Cisco's support is called SMARTnet, but we provide support to customers in case of any troubleshooting or if it's on-premises. We act as a mid-layer between the customer and Cisco. Most customers deploy it on-premises, but some prefer to build their own private cloud.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is that Cisco comes with built-in software access for network devices. You may use SDN for SD-Access, so you don't need to configure each switch with its own configuration, but can deploy the configuration from a single point of management. You can also monitor the traffic and access for the users. Especially if they are using their own laptops, you can make a VLAN for each switch. Cisco is a very stable portfolio format considering the network features and the heavy duties of traffic.
What needs improvement?
The prices could be improved. Cisco is dedicated to providing their customers with the latest technology, but it comes with a price. It's very expensive and when compared to competitors' products, like HP or Aruba, this is the most expensive one.
I can't think of any additional features I would like to see in the next version. The features included are sufficient.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Cisco Catalyst for more than ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco is famous for its stability and operating system. It's a very stable platform for heavy-duty network traffic.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Catalyst is easy to scale, especially because of stacking. The stack member can reach out to each member per the tech stack group as well as for Catalyst. As long as you have a sufficient number of ports in the core and distribution, you can scale and connect as much as you need in the access layers. If you exceed the number of ports existing in the distribution, you can add another distribution layer and connect them together to extend the number of endpoints.
How are customer service and support?
I have been satisfied with technical support. Especially when it comes to hardware attachments, their response is very fast, and almost by the next business day, we're able to go and replace it on-premises for a customer.
How was the initial setup?
The process was simple and straightforward. Most of us started our first year by taking Cisco courses, so we are talented at implementing and configuring Cisco switches. It depends on the project, but if you are looking at full premises with maybe 20 switches, the setup should take around three or four days.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented through an in-house team. We are partnered with Cisco and have our own professional service team certification in data center, networking, security, and collaboration systems.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
This is expensive, even when compared to competitors' products.
The Catalyst doesn't come with licensing, but it comes with models. It comes with nine key series, each with its own purpose: some are for access, some for distribution, and some for the core, so it's not a matter of licensing. The only licensing that you are using with Catalyst is either the Essential or Advantage licensing, which represents Layer 2 or Layer 3 switches. If you are going to use Layer 3 for routing, use the Advantage license. Otherwise, use the Essential license, which is meant for the access switches.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Dell EMC has a magnificent working portfolio, but customers still may not trust its durability and reliability. Most customers will choose Cisco rather than Dell EMC, even though Dell EMC has a reliable reputation and is very cost-effective. Yet, from my side as a partner and someone who works a lot with technology, I would recommend Dell EMC for customers with a smaller budget that needs a flexible and a cost-effective solution, rather than picking a small solution from Cisco. I would commit to buying a large solution from Dell EMC, then going with a reliable solution provider.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Cisco Catalyst for its abilities, durability, and the support. Cisco is very familiar—all engineers know Cisco very well—and we can handle the troubleshooting and configuration.
The Advantage license is suitable for large companies. All of the oil and gas sectors use the Advantage license for their switches. Even they are not going to use all the layers or access switches, but they invest a lot and have a huge budget for networking. For a small or medium company, you could use and split the Essential license and the Advantage one based on building needs in order to optimize the cost and make sure your solution is cost-effective.
I would rate Cisco a nine out of ten. Not a ten because of the high price.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2021-11-16T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1715952 from
Useful analytics, stable, and highly scalable
What is our primary use case?
I use Cisco Catalyst Switches for an SD-Access solution.
What is most valuable?
The solution works well with analytics.
What needs improvement?
Cisco Catalyst Switches could improve by having more integration with third-party products.
In the next release, I would like the solution to be able to integrate easily with third-party WFi products.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for approximately five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches have very good performance and are reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
I have been satisfied with the technical support. They are very good.
How was the initial setup?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are complex to implement, it takes a lot of time. You need to take a lot of time to learn out to configure the solution.
What about the implementation team?
Cisco does the maintenance of the solution for us.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of the solution is expensive compared to other products from America or Europe. They should have more competitive pricing.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2021-11-21T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Manoj Chitgopeker from
Excellent technical support, stable, simple to install, and scales well
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco Catalyst Switches for network connectivity.
What is most valuable?
The performance of Cisco Catalyst Switches is good.
What needs improvement?
The only improvement I would like to see with Cisco Catalyst Switches is the pricing.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for five years.
We use Cisco Catalyst, 9000 series.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of Cisco Catalyst Switches is good.
In our organization, we have more than 7,000 users.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are quite scalable.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is excellent.
If there is one area where Cisco excels, it is in technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We use Dropbox occasionally. OneDrive is mainly what we use. We also, use Teams.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is straightforward. It's plug-and-play.
To deploy and maintain Cisco Catalyst Switches, we have a team of four people, which includes one manager and three administrators.
What about the implementation team?
You can install Cisco Catalyst Switches yourself.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We pay the licensing fees annually because we have an enterprise license agreement.
What other advice do I have?
There are other products that I personally prefer, but from an organization's perspective, I would recommend this solution.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-11-14T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer935628 from
Highly scalable and easy to manage
What is our primary use case?
We are using all the three hierarchal models of Cisco Catalyst: 2960, 4500, and 6800. It is perfect for an enterprise setup where you have multiple buildings and you want to aggregate in a single building.
What needs improvement?
I think one switch should go beyond the 10 gig connectivity to 40 gigs.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been working with Cisco Catalyst switches for more than 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst switches are resilient.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We can have multiple Cisco switches, like seven or eight, on a stack for 300 users. So it is highly scalable and easy to manage. There are 15,000 users on our campus total.
How was the initial setup?
Installing Catalyst Switches is straightforward, just like with any other Cisco device. For the Alto switch, it hardly takes 20 or 30 minutes. I believe we used a configurator. All in, it takes seven to eight people to deploy because we have a large number of switches. And on the operations team, we have seven to eight people managing them.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Catalyst switches nine out of 10. I would definitely recommend them to others.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-11-10T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer935562 from
A stable and scalable solution which is easy to install
What is our primary use case?
I do not recall which version we are using.
We use the solution with our networks.
What needs improvement?
The general price of the solution could be cheaper.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for around five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
I have not had contact with technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not use other solutions prior to the one we are using at present.
How was the initial setup?
The solution was easy to install it.
This took around half a day.
What about the implementation team?
Installation can be done on one's own.
We have two people responsible for the deployment and maintenance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The general price of the solution could be cheaper.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
There are, perhaps, five users making use of the solution.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches as an eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-11-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer938739 from
Easy to use, but could be cheaper
What is our primary use case?
My primary use case of this solution is for my company's network connection.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is how easy it is to use.
What needs improvement?
This product could be improved with cheaper pricing.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for five to six years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This solution may be scalable, but I don't have much knowledge on its scalability. It's used for my company's networking and there are about 500 users.
How was the initial setup?
I installed this solution myself.
What about the implementation team?
I implemented through an in-house team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are a bit expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I rate this solution a seven out of ten. I am satisfied with the performance of these switches and would recommend them to others.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-11-25T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Itsikc BenTolila from
Great features, good support, and easy to set up
What is our primary use case?
The solution is primarily used for the access layer, distribution layer, core layer - the three layers as well as a signal fabric that is managed through the DNA center.
What is most valuable?
The performance is great.
The solution offers great scalability.
We have found the pricing to be okay. It's not overly expensive.
It has all of the features we need.
I've been pleased with the level of security.
The setup process is simple.
We've been happy with technical support.
What needs improvement?
We would like to see more automation integrated into the solution in future releases.
The product could always be more secure.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for many years. It's been a while.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of the product is pretty good. There are no bugs or glitches. The performance is reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution scales well. If a company needs to expand it, it can.
We have customers on the solution that have 5- to 100 users and others that have thousands.
How are customer service and support?
We've been very satisfied with technical support. Overall, it has been good.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not overly complex or difficult. It is simple and straightforward.
The number of people you need to maintain the product depends on how large it gets. Naturally, the bigger it is the more people you need. The size of the network will determine the maintenance requirements.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of the solution is good. It's reasonably priced. The licensing fee depends on the setup.
What other advice do I have?
I'm an integrator for Catalyst.
I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. I'd recommend it as a product to others.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Integrator
Date published: 2022-04-09T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1125813 from
Great managed switches that are stable and easy to set up
What is our primary use case?
I'm using almost six Cisco switches.
We use the solution for the LAN, Local Area Network, for the organization, or for business.
What is most valuable?
The solution is very stable.
The scalability is good.
They are managed switches, and we can control and manage almost all of these switches - even individually, one by one, or through a central control center.
The initial setup is pretty straightforward.
What needs improvement?
The device age becomes an issue. For example, with the 2960 version, they're not supporting that one anymore. I find that the device or the model age is a little bit short. It is five or eight years. When we have a big organization, we have 100 or 200 switches, and suddenly it's out of support, end of support, or end of life, or whatever, it's difficult as we cannot change switches every five years. At a minimum, they should last ten years. That's better. To upgrade, it's a huge budget. Therefore, the age of the product itself is a little bit short. They really should make it longer.
The technical response could be faster in the future.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for maybe ten years or so. It's been a while.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is perfectly stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is pretty good. If a company needs to expand it, it can do so. It's not a problem.
We have up to 600 or 700 users. It's not measured per user. Rather, it is per device. We have many devices on top of users.
We do plan to increase usage in the future.
How are customer service and support?
I have contacted technical support in the past. They are fine, however, they are a little bit slow.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not previously use a different solution. We've always used Cisco products.
How was the initial setup?
The solution is easy to install for administrators and network engineers. People who are qualified in networking shouldn't face any issues. It's fine, it's easy.
The amount of time it takes to deploy a switch depends. If it is at layer switch, it will not take more than one hour, maximum, for each switch. However, if it is a core switch, it might take one day.
The size of the team you need for maintenance also depends. If we are going for an upgrade, we need a big team. However, if it is just for troubleshooting, only two engineers are required.
What about the implementation team?
We can handle the implementation ourselves. We do not need any integrators or consultants.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We can use the switches without licenses. However, with licenses, yearly licenses, it is better, as we will have more troubleshooting options and control options, through a control center device.
What other advice do I have?
We use various versions of the solution. For the access layer switch, we have different models, including 2950 and 2960. Now, we are using the 9K series, 9200. The latest one. This is for the access layer. For core and distribution switches, we have 6500 and 4500 versions.
I'd recommend the solution to others.
I would rate them at a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-12-13T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
MartinYu from
Stable legacy switches with increasingly good performance
What is most valuable?
When it comes to Cisco Catalyst Switches, one can say that the legacy switches are stable. We have been using them for so long and there are many who feel comfortable with their use. This can vary with the business size, some being entry, medium or enterprise level, which means its use is geared towards every level.
What needs improvement?
All other modules have comparatively many more functions or power than regular Catalyst switches.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches since the outset, for more than 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Being legacy switches, Catalyst switches are stable. We have been using them for many years and there are many who are comfortable with their use.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Nexus, which uses NX-OS, runs on a different operating system than CatOS, which means that the latter tends to run on OS - just like a Cisco router - only with the functioning being a bit different. While NX-OS is very different, even when it comes to the command line, most things are the same.
However, NX-OS already introduced a different concept, which is more like a carrier level. They have a dedicated command management module. All other modules have comparatively many more functions or power than regular Catalyst switches.
What other advice do I have?
Catalyst is a legacy system and we are already utilizing the 9000 series, including 9200, 9300 and 9800 for different use scenarios. As Catalyst covers all levels and areas, I cannot think of anything needing improvement. It is getting to be very good, performance-wise, at the moment.
We are talking about a network portion. Catalyst and Nexus switches are all part of the network domain.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches as a nine-point-five out of ten, since it is a great, albeit imperfect, product.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-12-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1597503 from
Reliable but not very flexible
What is our primary use case?
We use Catalyst switches to extend our network throughout the facility. It's a big facility, so we need to use switches the ABS to get the signal out to the entire facility.
What is most valuable?
I like Cisco because you are dealing with something old that the new generation doesn't know about, like telnet or how to configure the switch. I don't like simple GUIs where you can do everything with a click.
What needs improvement?
I can't use older Cisco devices with newer versions of the controller or switches. For example, if a switch was manufactured in 2014, I can't use it with a controller made in 2019. I have to change the switch so that I can upgrade my network or my devices. I don't have the option to update the version I have on the image of the AP or the controller.
Also, in the K5 Series of the switches — Cisco calls them "Core" switches — they have some commands that Catalyst doesn't support, so you have to know the command lines for two different devices to configure them. It's a bit confusing when you are working on both at the same time, and you have some problems, then you notice that you didn't use the correct command for that switch.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Cisco Catalyst for five years, but I've only been working with the solution in-depth for the past few months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Catalyst Switches are reliable. We don't have major problems like lost connections, and we only have a minor issue with something every few months. In the last five years, a switch broke down once, and that was due to human error.
How are customer service and support?
Cisco customer service is excellent. We had some issues with devices, and Cisco replaced them for us. We had some significant problems with one of the switches because they changed the image. It took a while, but overall, the support is good.
How was the initial setup?
It's not hard if you have some networking experience. I didn't deploy the switches by myself. We had some help from the vendor, and I supervised them.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
With some competitors, yes, it's about, let's say very high price. Half the price you can get Jupiter, or I think also, I forget the brand, TP-Link, you can have something like that, but half the price with it, with maybe also advanced features to deal with it.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate Cisco Catalyst switches seven out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:partner
Date published: 2021-12-04T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
JaromirLikavec from
Feature-rich, secure, and supports virtual stacking
What is most valuable?
The security is very nice.
This is a feature-rich product and the newer models have improved features that allow for many new possibilities.
The virtual stacking feature is helpful.
What needs improvement?
My company would prefer that the price was more cost-effective.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Cisco Switches for approximately 25 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
With respect to stability, Cisco is a vendor that we can rely on.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I work with a variety of Cisco network products, including Cisco Wireless.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Pricing from Cisco is expensive but we pay for the reliability.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I am in the process of changing my core networking infrastructure, and I am moving into the new portfolio that is offered by Cisco. My boss regularly asks whether we can change from Cisco to another vendor to get better pricing, but I always reject this. We rely on Cisco.
When you have a homogenous network, as I do with only Cisco networking products, with no other components, then all of the features from the old platforms are available. I can use the same access procedures, regardless of whether the device is wireless, wired, or remotely accessed.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I am satisfied with Cisco Catalyst switches. The only complaint that my company has is about the pricing.
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-01-28T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Ismail-Youssef from
Poor performance, difficult to implement, but helpful support
What is our primary use case?
The main use of Cisco Catalyst Switches is for enterprise networking.
What needs improvement?
Cisco Catalyst Switches should have better performance and be easier to use. Additionally, they should add artificial intelligence features.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used Cisco Catalyst Switches within the last 12 months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
My clients are not happy with the stability of the solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable but the configuration to have it scale can be complex.
How are customer service and support?
I have not opened up a ticket for Cisco Catalyst Switches. However, I have used the support from Cisco and they are very good and responsive.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used other solutions, such as Juniper, HP, Aruba, and Fortinet switches, and they are better than Cisco Catalyst Switches.
How was the initial setup?
The configuration of the solution is difficult. If you are not using the Cisco Prime or Cisco DNA for management then the solution will be complex.
What about the implementation team?
Three or five engineers are needed for the implementation of large projects.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are very expensive.
We have found that we need to purchase a DNA license to be able to use the Cisco Catalyst Switches but we never used it. There is an annual fee to use the solution. There are additional services that can be added at an extra cost.
They need to remove the DNA license.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have evaluated other solutions, such as Juniper, HP, Aruba, and Fortinet switches
What other advice do I have?
I would not recommend Cisco for anyone, many of my customers have had bad experiences with them.
For the rest of the business for Catalyst customers, we replacing all of them for our customers. I saw the many cases the customers were replacing Cisco with another vendor. It is more expensive and it didn't meet their expectations. However, we are using another technology from Cisco but the security from Cisco is not good anymore.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a four out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-01-17T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1289460 from
Reliable with good security and helpful technical documentation
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for switching. Some devices are used for ethernet connections. Some we're using with our data center. For example, it's what's in use in the data center. It's got quite a few different applications.
What is most valuable?
I work in security with various switches and routers, and I find the product, without getting into too much detail, quite secure.
It's a stable solution.
We find the product to be scalable.
The device itself is quite good and reliable.
The security is very good.
Its implementation is quite simple as there's good documentation you can reference.
What needs improvement?
The cost of the product is a little high. They should work to lower it a bit.
There's a ban on my country and therefore I can't get Cisco support if I need it. It's not allowed.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for more than 15 years at this point.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In terms of stability, the solution has been reliable. We haven't had issues with bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. the performance is pretty good overall.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
For our purposes, the solution has been scalable. You can expand it if you need to.
We have more than 1,000 people using the switches.
How are customer service and support?
We tend not to have to worry about dealing directly with technical support. If we run into issues, we tend to reference the technical documentation and that always has included any information we've needed to find the answers we need ourselves.
That's important as Cisco does not offer direct support to my country. We are banned from getting support services delivered to us.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I'm also familiar with Huawei devices.
That said, we only really technically deal with Cisco switches.
How was the initial setup?
The installation of Cisco is easy. They have great official documentation and have a good design overall which makes it easy for everyone who needs to run the installation.
It takes about five to ten minutes to install a switch for our technical personnel.
The team that can deploy and manage the switches include ten to 20. That includes managers and technical support people.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution can be a bit pricey. That said, I can't speak to exact pricing as a different department handles licensing details.
What other advice do I have?
We are using various versions of the solution. We don't just use one kind. We have many different ones.
I'm not sure if I would recommend the solution to others. Cisco is a large and technical company. A switch that is just as good with less trouble is Huawei.
That said, I've had no issues with it and would rate the product at a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-02-22T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1781955 from
A stable and easy-to-deploy solution with quick support and DHCP feature
What is our primary use case?
We are supporting many clients. Some of them have Cisco switches, and some of them have HPE. We are supporting their network and solving any requests. We are doing troubleshooting for them. For most of the clients, we do full support of the network, but it also depends on the service that they took from our company. Some of them don't give us access to their core switches, which is very rare. Most of the clients give us full access. If they need, for example, a new route, we edit the VLAN port configuration, port channels, etc.
We are also managing the wireless controller for all clients. We are supporting them by creating the wireless connection and changing the password periodically.
What is most valuable?
I recently discovered the DHCP feature. There is a feature with which you can make the core act as a DHCP server, and it will distribute the IPs for every device. I discovered this feature recently, and it is very nice.
What needs improvement?
Its price can be improved. Some devices can be very expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with this solution for around two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
If you follow the recommendation of Cisco, it is scalable. Sometimes, when there is anything wrong with it, we open a ticket with Cisco, and they recommend upgrading the IOS.
We have many clients here. Most of them have Cisco. We have three clients with HPE.
How are customer service and support?
They are very nice and very quick.
How was the initial setup?
Most of them are easy, especially if you have a stack solution. If it is arranged as a stack, it would be very easy to do an installation, and it also takes a shorter time than the standalone. One of the clients I worked with had a stack solution, and it was very easy. We just had to erase everything, put the new switch in there, and connect the stack cables and power cables. That was it. Sometimes, it can take the configuration from the flash.
The number of people required depends on the topology. If it is a big topology, you need two or three people. If it is a small topology, you need less number of people.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is overpriced. Some devices can be very expensive.
Most of the clients have a contract with Cisco for two or three years.
What other advice do I have?
There are different categories of switches. There are Layer 2 and Layer 3 switches. In Layer 2 switches, 2650 is nice. It is a good switch. In Layer 3, most of the switches are good.
I would rate this solution an eight out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2022-02-18T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Arnold Domacena from
Easy to set up, good support, and interchangeable with other switches
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco switches as part of our network infrastructure. We have a LAN and we will be implementing an SD-WAN in the future.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Cisco equipment is reliability.
As we are a Cisco-based company, the interchangeability with other switches is something that is valuable for us.
What needs improvement?
These switches should have better compatibility with software-defined technology.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Cisco Catalyst Switches for approximately 25 years. Our current Cisco equipment is about five years old.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a stable product, which is why we use it. The majority of our equipment is more than five years old.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco switches are very scalable.
We have two organic employees and we outsource between six and ten.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support that we get is great. We have another partner for support, rather than contact Cisco directly.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have been working with similar products from Dell EMC for approximately 15 years. Our most recent Dell product is about five years old. There have been improvements made with some of the newer products that have been released since then.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was easy. We do have experience with Cisco products and also, our setup is not very difficult or complex. It's just a simple setup.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I cannot say that the pricing is reasonable because it's a little above our expectations. If we consider the recent price increases, it is not acceptable anymore. They are trying to price us out of our budget.
What other advice do I have?
We want to adopt SD-WAN technology at the switch level. We will be expanding the software-defined capabilities of Cisco equipment to the LAN side of our network. We expect that Cisco will be the primary vendor for the equipment we use to initiate that move. This is not just for the wide-area network, but also the local area network.
In summary, Cisco is a good vendor but they're quite pricey at the moment.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-02-16T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1567812 from
Used on-premise and at data centers
What is our primary use case?
We are using this solution on-premises and in the data center; it enables us to access switches. We have several hundred users.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for more than five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It works well.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is a scalable solution.
How are customer service and support?
Cicso Catalyst Switch's technical support is one of the best. They are very fast and knowledgeable.
How was the initial setup?
The setup is straightforward for people that know about Cisco Catalyst Switches. For a normal switch, it takes one hour to deploy.
What about the implementation team?
We were able to implement the solution on our own. We have three Network Engineers on our technical team that handles the deployment and maintenance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is smart networking; we have a yearly licensing subscription. It is one of the most expensive solutions, however, it is one of the best.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution a 10 out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-01-23T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
teamlead968247 from
Easy to use with good pricing and a simple installation process
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for the virtualization infrastructure and for bare metal platforms.
What is most valuable?
We are satisfied with the solution's performance so far.
The stability has been perfect.
The solution can scale.
It is a very easy solution to use.
We have found the installation process to be very simple.
The pricing is quite good.
What needs improvement?
The delivery dates need to be more expedient. This could be improved. Right now, when we need to buy a new Cisco Switch, we may have to wait a few months. It could be as much as six months sometimes. It's far too long of a wait.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for a few years at this point.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
So far, the solution has been very stable. The performance is excellent. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of the solution is quite good. If a company needs to expand, it can do so.
We have hundreds of users that are leveraging this product.
At the moment, we do not have plans to increase usage.
How are customer service and support?
We've never contacted technical support in the past. I can't speak to how helpful or responsive they are.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
A very, very long time ago we used HP Brocade Switches. W removed over to Cisco mostly due to the fact that there is a very rich knowledge base over the internet. Also, the implementation is pretty straightforward and the commands are pretty easy to follow.
How was the initial setup?
When it comes to the initial setup, the solution is very simple and straightforward. It's not overly complex or difficult.
How much time it takes depends on the configuration, specifically the complexity of the configuration for the Cisco Switch. Most of the time, a few days are enough for any configuration.
Two engineers are enough in terms of handling the initial setup.
What about the implementation team?
We were able to set up the solution ourselves, in-house. It's not a complex process, and therefore, we did not need outside help from integrators or consultants.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is a license that is paid with the Switch when you are buying the Switch.
It's reasonably priced.
What other advice do I have?
I'm not sure if we are using the latest version of the solution, although we are often handling product updates.
I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-01-18T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1378041 from
Stable, scalable, and it is easy to install
What needs improvement?
The price could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for 25 or 30 years,
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We don't have any issues with the stability of Cisco Catalyst Switches.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are scalable.
We have approximately 20,000 people who use this solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have not contacted technical support.
How was the initial setup?
It is easy to install. Most of the engineers already know about it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing could be cheaper.
There is a one-time license, but we pay for the smart net license every three years for support.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-09-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1563651 from
Versatile, reliable, has many features, and the support is fast and knowledgeable
What is our primary use case?
We have not deployed on the cloud because the company's core business is on yachts. Yachts are not familiar with the cloud and online solutions.
We have been integrating Cisco Catalyst Switches in yachts that are 100 feet in length to 100 meters in length. With simple infrastructure such as two or three switches connected with copper, and with large infrastructures we use a three-layer level with the backbone of a multimode fiber.
What is most valuable?
The switches are related to simple switching infrastructures, without the implementation of routing protocols. The routing protocols are referring to routers and layer three switches. They are not required with this kind of infrastructure.
I like the management of streaming both audio and video. On a yacht, the network infrastructure is not related to data usage, it is mainly for audio, video management, and distribution.
When compared with other brands, they are not as reliable as Cisco Catalyst Switches.
What needs improvement?
There is always something better. The price could be better.
The service contract for technical support should be included for at least the first year of purchasing the product.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Cisco Catalyst Switches for more than ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are reliable. It is very stable and performant. There have only been a few failures. In general, there is a very low level of failure.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
If we refer to shipyards, then we have six or seven shipyards in Italy and outside of Italy. When referring to Yachts, I have installed these switches on more than 100 to 200 Yachts.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is very fast and highly skilled.
The only issue with the support is that without an active service contract, they will not address any of your concerns. Even if you are a Cisco partner, they will not address your concerns without an active technical contract.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
For networking and switching, we have used most Cisco solutions.
For Unified Communications, we have used BE6000 and 4000.
Switching solutions we the new brand 9000.
We started with the low level 9200 to 9500. We use the Cisco Firewall ASA 2100 and we have Wi-Fi solutions such as the Wireless LAN controllers 2500,3500, and 9800.
At one time, we also integrated Nexus switches.
In the past, my company used to propose low-level Cisco products such as Linksys. They were not reliable and the return on investment was not as high as Catalyst. This strategy was a failure.
How was the initial setup?
The physical installation is not difficult. There are four factors for all devices that are almost the same. The main factor is the configuration.
If you speak with someone who has five to six years of experience in Cisco products, it is really fast. If you have someone with little experience then it takes longer. Cisco Catalyst Switches can be configured using the command-line interface and not the web interface. The web interface would be fine for people who do not have a lot of experience with the product.
Using the command-line interface is a faster way to configure for skilled people who have experience, and not for technicians who are not as experienced.
It requires a complete team from the beginning. This includes the system engineer, the installer technician, the standard technician, and two or three IT engineers to configure and maintain these switches.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price for Cisco Catalyst Switches is not cheaper than other solutions.
Licensing fees are something that you pay at the time of purchase. During the year, I have not had any customers request to renew the license. I have only had customer requests to activate our systems contract when there has been an issue with the device. Cisco products have been shown to be very reliable and stable. It's something that rarely has to be activated.
I think that the price should be cheaper and they should include at least one year of basic service for technical support for each product, and not just the 90 days from the time of purchase.
Oftentimes, when my company purchases the Cisco products, they are not installed until three or four months after the date of purchase. The installation is done at least one year after the building and delivery of the Yacht which makes the warranty is not useful.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend these switches to others. Over the years, I have been working with Cisco, and Aruba HP Enterprise devices. I can say that if you use Cisco, you will have good results and reliability. With comparisons, I would suggest not to use Linksys products if you don't have a stable environment, and you have an environment that is moving all over the world such as a Yacht.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Integrator
Date published: 2021-09-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer930159 from
Reliable, has good support, is easy to install, and is well-integrated
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco Catalyst Switches for the office network.
What is most valuable?
It can be expanded.
The integration is quite easy.
What needs improvement?
While it is scalable, it could be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Cisco Catalyst Switches for more than two years.
We are using the latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is good. We have not had any stability issues with Cisco Catalyst Switches.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is a scalable product.
We have 450 people in our organization who use this solution.
We have no plans to increase usage at this time.
How are customer service and support?
We don't have any issues with technical support.
When we report a problem, we receive the assistance we require.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We also use ATI.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is quite straightforward.
The configuration is easy.
The installation took less than an hour.
What about the implementation team?
You can do the installation yourself.
This solution is being maintained by a team of three people.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing, and maintenance fees are paid on a yearly basis.
You can also choose between a three-year and a five-year licensing fee.
When you select the longest subscription period, you will receive a discount.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
No
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-10-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1456230 from
Straightforward, scalable and stable solution
What is our primary use case?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are pretty straightforward. They offer LAN and internal networking. They are for network segmentations and LAN and WAN perimeter networks.
What needs improvement?
In terms of what could be improved, more integration is the main thing they should be focused on.
For how long have I used the solution?
I believe the sets of Cisco Catalyst Switches are being used in our company for more than five to seven years.
I myself have been using this for the last two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
They are pretty good. They are stable. Cisco has been around in the industry for a long time, so they are reliable, as well.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are quite scalable.
Our organization strength is around 15,000 using it.
How are customer service and technical support?
We are pretty happy with customer service. As far as my experience with Cisco is concerned, they are pretty up-to-date in terms of their responses.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was easy. They are very easy to install.
What about the implementation team?
We generally do a first model and we have an execution team. They take care of the implementation and everything.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale of one to ten, I would give Cisco Catalyst Switches around an eight.
I think they're pretty okay. Cisco is pretty straightforward.
I would absolutely recommend Cisco Catalyst Switches for others.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-09-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1572795 from
Highly scalable, helpful technical support, and installation reasonable
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco Catalyst Switches to connect devices to a network.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for approximately 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution was stable 10 years ago, there is room for improvement in this area.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution highly scalable.
We have approximately 650 users using this solution in my organization.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support experience has been mixed, it depends on the subject. There are occasions when we have a quick resolution and for others, there can be long discussions to receive a resolution.
How was the initial setup?
The installation was not difficult for me but I have been working with these types of solutions for a long time. It could be difficult for those with limited experience.
What about the implementation team?
We have a team of 10 engineers that do the implementation and maintenance of the solutions.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost of this solution could be less expensive, and we are on an annual license.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-09-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1655238 from
Easy to install and setup, but the price needs improvement
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco Catalyst Switches as access switches, for connecting to what we call the last mile within the office. We connect from the patch panel to the wall jack.
We use layer three switchings to interconnect between branch sites.
What is most valuable?
It is easy to use. I have only had one course on Cisco Switches.
What needs improvement?
The pricing needs improvement.
Price stops entries in Africa. We are not at that level where IT is considered a very big business enabler.
When I compare with the competition, MikroTik or NETGEAR I can purchase the switch and use it for whatever I want. I don't have to add the license, or the BGP routing license, and an ERGP writing license. Other switches are the providers that work out of the box without additional hidden fees.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches since 2005.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have 1,500 end users.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have only ever contacted Cisco support once in the time that I have been using it, but it was not related to the switches. Rather, I contacted them regarding Cisco ISE.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We started out with Cisco Linksys in 2006, now we are fully using Catalyst.
How was the initial setup?
It was very easy to install. The last switch I implemented took me 15 minutes to install and set up a complete network.
We have 15 admins to manage this solution
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We love Cisco, but the price is very prohibitive. We don't require any licensing, we scaled down to 2960.
What other advice do I have?
I would not recommend using this solution in Africa.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a six out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-09-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
SameerBali from
Reliable and stable catalyst switch; can be easily installed
What is our primary use case?
I've utilized Cisco Catalyst Switches on a DNA center. I've also used it for many solutions, e.g. in universities, telecom companies, and other commercial institutions.
I've implemented many solutions that contain Cisco Catalyst Switches, call switches, abbreviation switches, and access switches on Cisco design solutions. I worked on a network that contained more than 100 Cisco Catalyst Switches in some of the universities.
I use Cisco Catalyst Switches and I implement most of the technology with that content in IOS.
What is most valuable?
I like Cisco Catalyst Switches because most of the time, we can do what we want with the product. Cisco has good guidelines that enable us to implement anything, so we can have a multiple ability product on most of the network equipment worldwide.
Cisco has communities or forums that help us implement more complicated areas in terms of network, so in addition, Cisco is not just a network equipment company, because they provide us most of the solutions, development, protocols, and new technologies, more than any other company in the world.
I also like the availability of Cisco Catalyst Switches, including scalability and reliability. You can find all these in this product.
What needs improvement?
Pricing for Cisco Catalyst Switches is on the higher end, compared to its competitors, and is something that could be improved. Security could also be increased.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been working with Cisco Catalyst Switches for 15 years, and still working with it and other Cisco products currently.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I find this product stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This product is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
We count on the technical support of Cisco in many ways, and we have different ways of contacting them. We can open a ticket, use the Cisco community forum online to provide us support, and give them a call to solve any problems that arise.
How was the initial setup?
I've installed a lot of Cisco Catalyst Switches and I never had any problems with the installation, including the installation of other Cisco products, e.g. routers, firewalls, etc.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Some switches need a license, while some don't. Cisco Catalyst Switches has different types of licenses that could count as versions, e.g. version 12.4. 12.4 is a version we can't provide because we don't have a license for it, but Cisco Catalyst Switches from IOS version 15 and up, we need to purchase a license for all features if you want to run them on Cisco Catalyst Switches. Version 15 is better than 12.4, and version 15 has a better license, when compared to other Cisco Catalyst Switches licenses.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are not one of the cheapest switches in the market. There are a lot of products that are cheaper, e.g. HP, Huawei, Netgear, but they don't provide us with the availability, possibility, etc., we need, which Cisco can provide.
HP could provide us with cheaper switches, with a lot of security features and stability, but it's not absolute, compared to what Cisco Catalyst Switches can provide.
Juniper switches can also provide us with more security and stability without any problem, so it can be a Cisco competitor product we can use.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I was able to evaluate HP, Netgear, and Juniper switches.
What other advice do I have?
I've worked with all Cisco products, e.g. routers, ASA firewall, switches, etc. I started working with them 15 years ago.
More than 500 employees in our company use this product. We have more than 1,000 network equipment that utilize Cisco Catalyst Switches.
My rating for Cisco Catalyst Switches is a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-02-06T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Raphael Haroun Ikyagh from
Scalable solution used for long connections
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for long connections. It is deployed on-prem.
We're using seven Cisco devices in the head office.
What needs improvement?
The stability could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for about three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's stable, but it could be better.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
We haven't needed to contact technical support because we haven't had any issues so far.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, we used Fortinet.
What about the implementation team?
We integrated the solution ourselves.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution 8 out of 10.
I would recommend these switches for those who want to start using them.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-02-25T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Curtis Anderson from
Useful reports, highly reliable, and integrates well
What is our primary use case?
I use Cisco Catalyst Switches mostly in apartment complexes. They are apartment buildings, where one apartment has three or four bathroom/bedroom combinations and each resident who lives in those has their own connection to the switch. Additionally, the common areas of the building have a connection to the switch.
I've used Cisco Catalyst Switches in that environment, providing internet to a complex, both fiber and copper. We have taken and put cable TV, converted the satellite signals off of DIRECT TV satellites, and broadcasted all their channels, including local channels in the complex. There are approximately 250 channels through the same switches by converting the output to a network environment by turning them around and sending it back out on the other end for coaxial cable distribution. I've been working a lot in the MDFs and the IDFs of the individual complexes.
What is most valuable?
We use the VLANs to separate library, office, and individual apartments. With some of the reporting that receive, we're able to take and track down where people like to put in their own wireless routers. Sometimes they will take a DSL modem from AT&T that they brought from home, hook it in backward, and it will give rogue addresses causing issues.
It's been pretty easy for us to track down where those rogue addresses are coming from and shut the port down until we can have a technician go out and fix it properly.
There are a lot of features that Cisco Catalyst Switches have. However, they're not always needed.
The security of Cisco Catalyst Switches seems to be sound. It's very good with security. I've had no issues, security-wise. The important this is to know what to do to fix problems if you have a security issue, and it seems to work, whether you're using Cisco Catalyst Switches, Opensense, pfSense firewalls, or any normal firewall issues. Cisco Catalyst Switches are able to communicate to all the other hardware very well.
What needs improvement?
I use the Cisco Catalyst Switches command-line interface(CLI) a lot out in the field, but there are some web interfaces features that are available that I haven't used very much. I'm more comfortable with the CLI, but the web interfaces are very lacking.
The application controls that you have when you go through the Cisco Catalyst Switches for configuration and to see your whole network could improve. If the interface could display and recognize devices other than the Catalyst that you might have in the network to allow you to build your network. It does not necessarily need to control them, but to see they're there and how they're hooked up would make a big difference when it comes to trying to map and monitor the network activity in the system.
Those are two areas I find in the Cisco Catalyst Switches that are not as robust as some of the newer solutions, such as Aruba. You could see everything's controlled by the web interfaces, but not as much by the CLI. I don't like that Arubas CLIs, but I do like the web interface where you can see everything and control everything without having to load a special application on a computer and/or use the CLI. You can visually see all the information, and I find that's an easier learning curve for people monitoring. I haven't used it very much with the Cisco Meraki's, but a lot of the places we have worked have been with governments, and they use a lot of the Cisco Catalyst line of solutions.
If someone was trying to manage their own office, I would rate the usability of Cisco Catalyst Switches a five out of ten. Unless you know the CLI well then you will use the interface that is a little bit tricky to work with.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for approximately 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Most of the stability issues I have found have been hardware-related and not software. I have found that sometimes a port will go dead, and when a port goes dead on the even side, the odd side equivalent goes dead as well. This is where things get a little hot and it caused the solder joint to go loose or something similar happened. That's what my guess would be on the issue, a lot of times they only mark the port as dead and shut it off. When they have many ports that are dead that they don't have any spares they typically switch out the switch altogether.
People do not want to pay for you to resolder a circuit board and check for cold solder joints, I try and speed things up. If I have not had to use many spares on the ports for repair, to keep the repair at a quick pace. I can change a power supply or I can change a board in them quickly. I haven't actually bothered to go through and see if it's a cold solder joint or if it's actually a dead port. I'm having to use my experience with other equipment and knowing that it more times than not, kills both ports on the same connector, it's probably a cold solder joint or something to do with where it's connecting to the motherboard. This would be the first place I would look.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches stability a nine out of ten.
They are highly stable, they have never given me a problem.
How are customer service and support?
I've never had to talk with the Cisco technical support. Usually, if there is a problem I know how the switches are built, I can take them apart and put them together to fix them. For example, in the last Cisco solution I did fix, the power supply was overheating, and it would eventually shut the unit down or it would freeze. I let it cool off and came back when it was cool and took a power supply from one that the mainboard that was frozen, and put it in. It came right back up and it was working at the right temperature.
When it comes to technical support, I've never had to use them. What typically happens is the client calls technical support, technical support turns around dispatches a company that dispatches me and I go out there, fix the issue. I notify that company of their technical support, which may be Cisco's, or not, and inform them of the problem. The technical support double-checks the program and makes sure everything's up and operating.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used other networking solutions previously, such as Aruba.
What other advice do I have?
I have found that the problems with Cisco Catalyst Switches are caused by the end-user putting equipment on it backward and various other similar user errors. Cisco Catalyst Switches does not have all the features in the web interface. I didn't see the web interface able to be controlled the solution well. You can bring up some information controls, you click a link, and everything's in it is confusing to me, they could improve it. The web application gives you the ability to change some settings, but not necessarily critical ones. There're some things that you have to do at the CLI that their application does not give you the ability to do.
I have VLANs that are set up in my office under a pfSense firewall. The VLANs are set up in the firewall, and it acts as a switch as well. The actual switches turn around and act as a router and then the Cisco Catalyst Switches recognize the VLANs, and process everything accordingly as if it was a Cisco solution. They integrate well will all other hardware.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-02-14T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1230129 from
The V-line configuration helps us build our network backbone
What is our primary use case?
Cisco Catalyst Switches help build our Internet backbone.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is Catalyst's V-line configuration.
What needs improvement?
The configuration of Catalyst switches could be more straightforward. We need to use the command-line interface, so it would help if Cisco added a graphical interface. We would also like to see the ability to roll back to the previous configuration. When we sometimes have a conflict, we cannot restore the last working configuration.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for more than 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The performance and reliability are good.
How are customer service and support?
We can handle most problems in-house. If not, we call our partner.
How was the initial setup?
I'm not the one who configures the Catalyst switches. I have an employee who does that because they are more familiar with Cisco.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We compared other brands, but we decided to go with Catalyst because our existing switches were Cisco, and some of them are not compatible with other vendors.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches nine out of 10. The switches are doing the job perfectly. The only thing missing is the rollback feature.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-04-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Issam-Kawash from
Works well, easy to use, and stable
What is our primary use case?
We work on level 2 and level 3 switches to connect many branches.
What is most valuable?
These switches are stable. They work well and are easy to use.
What needs improvement?
Cisco switches are expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been selling this solution for about 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
They are stable.
How are customer service and support?
I have not contacted their support. Another engineer has contacted them. We have our own two people for support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We also deal with the HP ProCurve switch, but it is not as good in Libya.
How was the initial setup?
It is not complex now because we have CCNA and CCNP engineers. We have two engineers who are certified with Cisco. Overall, we have three people who work with this solution.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented and finished a big project for a company. The company is still working with the same components that we installed. For deployment, I have two people with me, but in our company, we have a big team of 20 people.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
They are expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend these switches to others. Cisco is a good company.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-03-31T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1802343 from
Helpful support, reliable, and simple implementation
What is our primary use case?
I use Cisco Catalyst Switches for the connectivity of my client's local area network.
What is most valuable?
I have found that the protocols that Cisco Catalyst Switches support are beneficial for my customers.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for approximately one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have found Cisco Catalyst Switches to be scalable.
We have five customers using Cisco Catalyst Switches.
How are customer service and support?
The support from Cisco Catalyst Switches is good.
How was the initial setup?
Cisco Catalyst Switches has a straightforward installation.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing of Cisco Catalyst Switches could be better in general. There is an annual license required.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2022-03-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1392267 from
Easy to use, reliable, and reasonably priced
What is our primary use case?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is our core switch.
What is most valuable?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are easy to use.
They are user-friendly.
It's a common product to use.
Cisco Catalyst Switches is the best product that we use.
We have a lot of security modules, but we don't have any problems with switches.
Cisco Switches are more stable in terms of hardware and firmware, rather than Juniper Switches.
We think it's popular. We prefer to use Cisco CLI commands rather than Juniper CLI commands.
What needs improvement?
Cisco Catalyst Switches could be more secure.
In terms of performance, Juniper switches have a more user-friendly interface and more features than Cisco switches.
For how long have I used the solution?
The core Cisco Catalyst Switch is 4507.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are scalable, and we use them for the entire team.
We don't need an upgrade right now because we're transitioning to another product that's already in place and ready in our infrastructure.
We have 500 users in our company.
We don't have any plans to increase our usage.
How are customer service and support?
We don't have any issues with the technical support.
I believe we contacted support for the core switch once, and they helped us with the firmware, which we upgraded. It was, however, about five years ago.
Years ago, we didn't use any kind of support. But I believe it is working, and they are working threefold with no problems.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We use several products such as Cisco Switches, Access Points, Linksys, and Fortinet FortiGate.
We use an older version of Cisco Access Points, 4400, I believe.
Before Catalyst, we used Extreme Switches. We worked with Extreme Switches for five years.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. We have previous experience with Cisco switches. We can easily assist with any upgrades or support. It is very simple for us.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is fine.
It is reasonably priced because we have already conducted a tender, allowing Cisco and other vendors to compete for the best price.
We did not renew the support.
It was a good price because, as I previously stated, we held a tender for purchasing and received the best offer.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to my colleagues.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-03-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1690557 from
Stable, easy to use, and familiar to local engineers
What is our primary use case?
We are using the Catalyst 9200 series as a network switch and the 9500 as a core switch. We sometimes use a 9300 for the distribution switch.
What is most valuable?
Catalyst switches are highly stable and easy to use. It's a technology well known by most engineers.
For how long have I used the solution?
We are an enterprise end-user. We also consult for other government entities and recommend using certain technologies to them. I've been working at this business and using Catalyst Switches for a year now.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Catalyst switches are highly scalable.
How are customer service and support?
I'm satisfied with support from Cisco and the vendor as well as their partners here in Egypt.
How was the initial setup?
It is a straightforward installation. You don't need anyone to install Catalyst Switches for you. You just add it to your network and then do the installation and configuration as well as the pre-setup preparations. It doesn't take a lot of time. You take the switch from the box and put it in the network, then configure it directly. The switch will only take about 30 minutes to configure.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco licenses are yearly. A single 9000 series Catalyst switch is about 75,000 Egyptian pounds. It is kind of expensive. But compared to other switches, it will save you in the long run. You need to hire specialized engineers who know how to operate those devices, and some of them are rarer in Egypt, like FortiSwitch or HPE Switch. Most engineers know how to use Cisco Catalyst. You would need to hire a specialist engineer and train them, and that will cost money. There are other cheaper technologies, but for Cisco, the price is expected.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches 10 out of 10. I would recommend it. This is a leading technology, and the price is reasonable, especially the Catalyst switches I mentioned. Other types of Catalyst switches are more expensive, but the ones we use are more affordable.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2021-10-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1672632 from
Stable and scalable but could be more secure
What is our primary use case?
Cisco Catalysts Switches can be useful for the future.
What needs improvement?
Catalyst Switches could be more secure.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Catalyst Switches for about four or five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have room to expand.
How are customer service and support?
We haven't used Cisco support for this. For the technical aspect of Cisco products, we have some in-house support in this aspect.
How was the initial setup?
Catalyst Switches are easy to install.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My company gets the quote from the provider.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches seven out of 10. I would recommend the solution to others.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-10-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1644681 from
Stable and one of the easiest solutions to run and manage
What is our primary use case?
Office network
How has it helped my organization?
Stable solution
What is most valuable?
Everyone knows Cisco as a product. It is definitely one of the easiest solutions to run and manage.
It's a product that has dominated the marketplace for many years.
You have many professionals out there who are Cisco-certified, which makes them comfortable working with Cisco. Therefore, getting a trained workforce is easy when you look at Cisco from a deployment perspective.
The solution is stable.
What needs improvement?
The solution offers a bit of complexity and you need a specialized workforce.
The scalability can be a bit limited due to the stacking topology which limits the number of switches that can be added in a given stack
It's always a while before you can get through to technical support.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been dealing with the solution for a few weeks to a few months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable. It's reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
When it comes to scalability, Cisco is the one who has been pretty heavy on the switch-stacking deployment topology, which hinders your capacity to scale, especially when you compare it against their arch-rival, Arista.
We have about ten clients who have been working with Cisco forever.
I'd recommend the solution to other organizations. When it comes to the budget, everything boils down to that and that's where Cisco would take the cake compared to Arista.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support could be better. When you call, the wait times are quite long. They need to hire more support or to work to make the wait times lower in some way.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I also have some experience and knowledge of Arista products.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is something like Arista, as they do have a central deployment model. The only complaint about Cisco is that too many units have to be deployed to have things done in a much better way, which makes it costly. They could improve on that and make it easier for the administrators to implement Cisco.
The size of the technical team you need for deployment and maintenance depends
completely on the size of the network and the kind of operations that you carry out as a company. With Cisco, you likely would need at least one person for every 50 or 60 switches.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is less expensive than, for example, Arista.
What other advice do I have?
I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten. The only complaint I have about Cisco is the wait time when you call tech support.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Integrator
Date published: 2021-10-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer930072 from
Easy to configure, scalable, and stable
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for our server. It's a network solution as well.
What is most valuable?
It's a very popular solution.
We find the product very easy to configure.
The stability is very good.
The product can scale quite well.
What needs improvement?
Cisco is basically the number one switch in the market. It makes it hard for other options to compete.
The solution is expensive. Sometimes we will choose some cheaper options even though they are not as stable as Cisco's offering. However, if it is a small project, it may not be worth paying Cisco prices to get it done.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for two or three years at this point.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have found the solution to be very stable. The performance is good. It doesn't crash or freeze. it's reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability has been excellent. A company shouldn't have any issues with expanding it if they need to.
We have three to five people that directly work with this product.
We already use so many Catalyst switches. I'm not sure if we intend to add any more.
How are customer service and support?
We don't really need any support as we have a network engineer on staff that can help us troubleshoot if we have issues.
How was the initial setup?
I can't speak to the initial setup. In terms of the installation process, we have a network engineer that will help us to install the switches when we need them.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is expensive. There are other cheaper switches on the market. However, they may not necessarily be as stable as this option.
When you buy the Cisco, the price already includes a software license.
What other advice do I have?
I'm not sure which version of the solution we're using. It might be the latest.
I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten. I've been pleased with its capabilities overall.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-10-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1689987 from
Stable, simple to use, and the technical support is good, but the pricing could be better
What is our primary use case?
This solution is used to strengthen our connections, connect to the network, as a router to multiple systems, network management, and monitoring.
What is most valuable?
The configuration is the most valuable feature of this solution.
It is easy to use.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Cisco Catalyst Switches for one year.
We are working with the 3750 series.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of Cisco Catalyst Switches is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's a scalable product.
This solution is used by 1,000 customers.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We use Cisco Routers as well as Huawei Routers, and Cisco Linksys.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward.
The solution took them two and a half years to implement.
What about the implementation team?
We have a fiber team that handles solution maintenance and helps us with some technical issues.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost could be reduced.
If they worked on lowering the price, they would be able to attract more customers.
We are consultants who provide licensing to our clients.
What other advice do I have?
When I graduate, I will have improved my English and will be able to perform more tasks.
I am in charge of the data while learning how to deploy this solution.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2021-10-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
José Neves from
Reliable and scalable
What is our primary use case?
I use Catalyst Switches in the lines of our local networks. We also use ASR routers from Cisco in one. We have other branches and about 20 or 30 buildings. It's a very large network.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of Cisco Catalyst are the DHCP features that I use in our routers and the PfR connections. Someone said a long time ago that he who buys Cisco is never fired. They have good solutions.
What needs improvement?
At present, we are adopting many cloud solutions. We are connected to several cloud platforms and do a lot of business in the cloud. So I think that in general, we don't need many features at the moment unless we want to create some applications on the cloud. But that's not the case right now. We are thinking of moving all the people from these 20 buildings to one building. So with all of them in the same building, we'll need to design a new architecture. We have the ACI in our data centers, so we must see how all of this works. We don't know if we'll go to SD-LAN too. So I don't know if we'll use Catalyst or another solution—a solution with ACI, SD-WAN, or SD-LAN. At this moment, I can't say because we are starting to think about this new design.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Catalyst Switches for about 25 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Catalyst Switches perform very well, and the network is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Catalyst Switches are scalable.
How are customer service and support?
If we have a major problem, fixing it takes two or three days and six to eight engineers from Cisco. When they escalate a ticket, it goes through too many levels. Every time the issue is passed along to a new person at Cisco support, they ask the same questions repeatedly. However, if we have a problem that requires a quick fix, Cisco support can handle it in one or two hours. But if we need two or three guys from them, it gets complicated. I don't know if the problem is, but it seems like they spend too much time analyzing the problem and passing it along to other people. Other vendors like Palo Alto and Aruba resolve problems more quickly.
How was the initial setup?
Having worked with Cisco for at least 25 years, I think it's easy, but I don't know if someone with less experience would say the same. It's easy because it's very fast. We have some labs where we implement things, and then it's mostly copy-paste — copy the configuration and paste into a new suite. So it's not difficult. Catalyst Switches don't require much maintenance. Sometimes we have problems in our network, but mostly they're not actually problems with the network itself. The business thinks that the problems are in the network, so we must call Cisco to help us prove that we don't have a problem. We can prove that, but if the data service is from Cisco, it's better. All of them. We have about seven or eight people in my company working directly with the Catalyst Switches.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Catalyst Switches are costly. When I started working with them 25 years ago, prices were a problem too. In my opinion, they are good, of course, and they are the answer to all of our questions. I can say that.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Catalyst Switches nine out of 10. I would recommend them to others. I don't know when they will design a new edition of the bigger switches. Because if you have a branch, for instance, you a small Catalyst. You don't need a large Catalyst. But whether it's a small or big installation, I recommend Catalyst.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-10-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Mitku Bitew from
Good for computation and backup; lacks some features and not user-friendly
What is our primary use case?
Our company is in the financial sector and we are customers of Cisco.
What is most valuable?
The solution is good for computation and backup.
What needs improvement?
We need to rely on other devices to provide management features. Other solutions provide more features and Catalyst Switches is not user-friendly. Even the configuration is difficult for our new engineers. Cisco has some weaknesses.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for 13 years.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is very good, but anything support-related is based on payment. Without paying you won't see any service from Cisco. The same goes for training which requires payment. Other solutions provide training without payment but not Cisco.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The technical support license is very difficult because you can only get support if you've purchased the hardware. After you own the devices you still have to pay for support and pay for the license. Everything is an added cost.
What other advice do I have?
There are alternative solutions now penetrating the market and because of difficulties with configuration in this product, there are now more appealing options.
I rate the solution seven out of 10.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-10-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1550937 from
Stable, reliable, and overall good functionality
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco Catalyst Switches for networking.
What is most valuable?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are the best overall.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for approximately six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
We have approximately 25 customers using the solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support from Cisco is very good.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is easy if you understand the Ciscos CLA interface and your infrastructure is correct.
What about the implementation team?
We have CCNA and CCNP certified engineers that do the implementation and maintenance of the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of a Cisco Catalyst Switches license is expensive.
There is a big problem with their pricing structure. For example, there is a system called first come first serve metric for integrators. The person who logs the case gets a better price than what I receive. They give discounts to other people, such as those with certifications, and what happens is people go away from this solution because of it. I do not receive a better price which puts me in a position to promote other solutions.
I lost a large contact because of their pricing structure. Cisco should give the same pricing to everybody.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend this solution to others.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Integrator
Date published: 2021-08-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
RobertoAlonso from
Beneficial conductivity for different devices, stable, and easy installation
What is our primary use case?
We are using this solution as a network LAN switch in a financial company.
What is most valuable?
The solution is beneficial for interconnecting POE telephones, computers, printers, and buffering networks.
What needs improvement?
The solution could improve by allowing administrators to create scripts to help automate processes to make tasks easier.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Switches for approximately eight years and I have been using this particular Cisco Catalyst Switch for six months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are highly scalable.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have not used technical support from Cisco. However, I have used online documentation that has been helpful.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is easy, the whole process takes approximately one week.
What other advice do I have?
I would advise those to make sure they understand the requirements before they purchase Cisco Catalyst Switches because they are an entry-level solution.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-08-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Wesley Wang from
Good technical support, stable, and scalable
What is our primary use case?
The solution can be used to connect the internet and servers, such as databases.
What needs improvement?
The solution could improve security.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for approximately 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is scalable.
How are customer service and technical support?
We are satisfied with the technical support from Cisco.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is easy and takes approximately 10 minutes.
What about the implementation team?
I did the implementation myself.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-08-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1362099 from
Easy to install, simple to configure, and user-friendly
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for both corporate and data centers.
What is most valuable?
The solution is very stable and the performance is good.
It's easy to configure.
We find the product very easy to use.
The solution can scale.
The installation process is easy.
What needs improvement?
You need to predict your scaling considerations at the outset.
The product is expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable. There are no bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable, however, you need to plan for future scaling at the outset, otherwise, you will be limited.
How are customer service and technical support?
We are quite satisfied with technical support. They are helpful and responsive.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very straightforward and simple. It's not overly complex or difficult at all.
What about the implementation team?
We handled the implementation ourselves in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution could be cheaper. It's a bit expensive.
There aren't any extra costs for licensing or customization.
What other advice do I have?
I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten. We're quite happy with its capabilities.
I would recommend the solution to other users and companies.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-08-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Tham Cm from
Easy to configure, but its pricing and stability could be improved
What is most valuable?
Since Cisco Catalyst Switches don't go online, they are secured. The solution is not on the same network as the users.
What needs improvement?
The solution’s pricing and stability could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for a couple of years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We haven’t received any complaints from our customers regarding the solution’s stability.
I rate the solution a seven or eight out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is a scalable solution, and two customers are working with the solution.
What about the implementation team?
We configure the solution for our customers within 30 minutes. You can open the switch console on the device and configure it.
What was our ROI?
The solution is too expensive for me, and I will never have a return on investment with it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is a very expensive solution. I do not pay for a license for the solution.
What other advice do I have?
We don't manage Cisco Catalyst Switches once it's configured. Two people from the tech support team are involved in the solution’s deployment and maintenance. I wouldn’t recommend Cisco Catalyst Switches to other users because it’s expensive.
Overall, I rate the solution a six out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-03-02T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Dev-Patel from
Reliable, stable, and provides good performance for its price
What is most valuable?
The product is reliable. The performance is good.
What needs improvement?
The product could be more user-friendly. The tool is not easy to manage or integrate.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The tool is stable. I rate the stability a nine out of ten. We need to dive into it and know what we're doing. It's not straightforward. We can’t just go to the web GUI and check.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s scalability an eight out of ten. We need to know the command lines to expand them. It is not GUI-based. The number of users varies from 100 to 5000. The usage depends on the requirements.
How are customer service and support?
We have to go through a long process. It is not quite straightforward.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used other solutions before. We chose Cisco because of its reliability. The choice also depends on the cost versus the performance of the solution.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was complex. The deployment takes an hour.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price could be improved. We must have a relevant partnership with Cisco.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I rate the product an eight or nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-03-02T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Arif-Kundi from
Reliable platform with easy-to-access console
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case for Cisco Catalyst Switches for campus-wide local area networks. We have configured it to power and support LAN nodes and facilitate separate VPNs, terminating routers for secure remote communication.
How has it helped my organization?
The platform significantly improved our organization by addressing latency issues in our network. Previously, banking operations were impacted by switch-related disruptions.
What is most valuable?
The platform is reliable and easy to use.
What needs improvement?
The product’s pricing needs improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches since 2007.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The platform is stable. We never encounter any issues and receive regular updates. I rate the stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have over 400 Cisco Catalyst Switches users in our organization.
How are customer service and support?
When we needed access to resources or encountered issues with the software solution, we utilized the help desk provided by Cisco.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have worked with HP before. Later, we switched to Cisco to create a wide network area.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward as there was ample availability of resources within our country trained in Cisco equipment.
Our deployment model primarily involved an on-premises setup for the Cisco Catalyst Switches. At the headquarters, we deployed the core and distribution switches to create a robust network infrastructure. The core switches served as the backbone, while smaller switches, likely the Cisco Catalyst 900 series, were deployed in branches for more streamlined connectivity. The network was interconnected through routers, facilitating efficient communication across the organization. Additionally, we implemented an MPS deployment to enhance network performance and management.
What was our ROI?
The product is worth the investment considering consistency in efficient operations without compromise. We experienced minimal downtime, attributed not to Cisco equipment but external factors like power issues in the grid. It is a robust solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We had to pay for the product’s licenses.
What other advice do I have?
It is easy to access the console and troubleshoot the issues. It has effective protocols implemented within Cisco devices.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-03-03T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Akshit Chhokar from
Offers top-notch performance and reliability
What is our primary use case?
In the market, if you are deploying any kind of network in an environment, there is a need for switches to distribute the network. You can use a switch to distribute the entire connection to other users in the company if you have a small company.
What needs improvement?
I can't think of an area where improvements are required in the product since Cisco seems to be regularly involved in patching the software part. Cisco Catalyst Switches releases regular software updates, so there shouldn't be any issue with the solution.
It is not easy for everyone to configure the product's initial setup part, making it an area where improvements are required.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for three years. I am a customer of Cisco.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight or nine out of ten.
The product is not easy for everyone to configure the initial setup. Sometimes, it becomes a pain point when people are not able to understand everything related to the product, and they run into certain issues, making it a reason why I would say that the tool is not that stable.
How are customer service and support?
Cisco's support team is good and can provide you with solutions quickly since Cisco has not given its support area to vendors. All of Cisco's support teams are handled by Cisco's employees. Cisco has support centers all around the globe, including countries like India, Singapore, Australia, and Europe. As a customer of the switches and routers from Cisco, my company gets twenty-four hours and seven days a week of access throughout the year to contact the support team and its engineers, who are well-trained before they get deployed on the queue to pick up the customer cases.
I rate the technical support a nine and a half out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have experience with switches from NETGEAR and Sophos, but both products can provide detailed functionalities or features like Cisco Catalyst Switches. The functionality and features you get with Cisco Catalyst Switches are incomparable to other tools.
How was the initial setup?
The product's initial setup phase was a bit difficult. A subject matter expert might be required to help with the initial setup phase.
The solution is deployed on an on-premises model. The product works fine if you have experience with Cisco Catalyst Switches.
The solution can be deployed in a few hours. For the basic deployment, it takes a couple of hours.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solutions are costly, considering that Cisco provides top-notch support and devices.
What other advice do I have?
Cisco Catalyst Switches have impacted our company's network flexibility since it is a very flexible product. The solution is robust in terms of the equipment provided. As per my knowledge, no other switch provides the same functionalities that Cisco Catalyst Switches provide in the current market.
In terms of network security in our company, I would speak about the number of VLANs that users can probably have on Cisco Catalyst Switches and how we can manage the traffic going from one VLAN to another VLAN, which is a very smooth process with no issues. When you look at network security, the way Cisco implements SCP is tremendous since it has many features that one can use that are not available in other legacy products.
The performance and reliability of Cisco to support our company's critical applications are areas of the tool that can be described as top-notch.
In terms of the tool's management and configuration, if a person is into the networking field and works as a network engineer who has probably dealt with CCNA or CCNP certifications with experience for a couple of years, it will be very easy to use. Cisco Catalyst Switches might be a little difficult for a newbie to learn. Once a person learns about the product in a month or so, everything related to the solution becomes easy.
I recommend the product to those who plan to use it, especially the ones who don't have budget constraints and have people or teams who are well-versed in handling devices from Cisco.
I rate the tool an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-03-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Kevin-Tafuro from
Highly reliable solution that ensures stable and consistent network performance
What is our primary use case?
We mainly use it for user access in corporate offices, but we have been working on certain projects that require using XE access to support APIs and network connectivity.
What is most valuable?
I highly appreciate the durability and the availability. It is also proven to be a very reliable solution that ensures stable and consistent network performance.
What needs improvement?
Facilitating and adapting the security updates would be a good improvement because it usually requires use to reboot the router to get them. The whole process is slightly complex and it could be easier.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It offers excellent stability. There are some switches with twenty years of uptime which is quite an impressive number.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Catalyst Switches provide scalability and accommodate different network demands.
How are customer service and support?
The quality of the customer support that is provided depends on the line of the product and the model that is used. Sometimes, the first level of support is basic, but mostly it is good. Their customer service is available at all times. I rate it seven out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup might be significantly challenging for clients who are not familiar with its intricacies. Their advanced features and configuration options require knowledgeable IT professionals to implement them.
What about the implementation team?
Once the solution is set up, the process of deployment and configuration is almost seamless. It takes around one hour to be fully completed.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I find the price to be just right, it is not cheap, but it is not expensive. The solution provides a good balance between the features and the cost structure. They offer many options regarding the licensing so it is easy to choose one option that adapts to the needs of the customer.
What other advice do I have?
I strongly recommend this solution because it delivers high-performance switching, enabling fast data transfer rates with minor to no bugs. I rate it nine and a half out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2023-08-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Sultan Mohammed from
High-performance solution that can accommodate growing network demands
What is our primary use case?
The main use case usually depends on the client itself. We are operating as system integrators with numerous customers and different software vendors.
What is most valuable?
When deciding on the system, most of the clients check for switching capacity and Cisco Catalyst Switches is a very good solution for that purpose. It enables fast data transfer rates while offering stable and consistent network performance.
What needs improvement?
With most of the Cisco devices and models, we faced a slight decrease in speed during the initial setup and while restarting the system. The performance of the solution itself is really good.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been employing this solution for a year and a half.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability depends on the device that is used and the client's requests, but overall, it is a scalable solution that can accommodate growing network demands.
How are customer service and support?
Cisco provides comprehensive support and advanced management capabilities, including remote configuration and monitoring options. We had a small issue with the data center so we had to engage with the tech team, and their service was exceptional. I rate it ten out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was not complex at all. The only issue with the setup is that it takes a lot of time for the system to be deployed.
What about the implementation team?
The deployment of the solution is based on specific networking needs so the timing and the whole process depends on the complexity of the project.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would say that the pricing of the solution falls within the moderate to higher range. It is still quite reasonable for the provided service. I rate it seven out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I highly recommend Cisco Catalyst Switches as they facilitate the creation of network segments and VLAN configurations for smooth traffic management and security. I rate it ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Date published: 2023-08-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer2066382 from
A stable product that performs well and provides appropriate support and patches when required
What is our primary use case?
We have different use cases for different verticals. Our network is built mainly on Cisco equipment, including switches, firewalls, and routers. Most of the devices are Cisco products.
What is most valuable?
The product is stable, and it performs well. We get support and patches from Cisco. It is going well. We have different companies and different verticals. Cisco is our backbone.
What needs improvement?
The support team’s response and resolution time must be faster.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for eight to ten years. We are using the industry-standard version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
When we have more than 1000 Cisco Catalyst Switches, we have a failure rate, too. We would hardly notice failure if we had a smaller company with one to ten switches. A couple of times, it has happened that the switches have failed while upgrading.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We design the network according to the environment's requirements. We also keep the network ready for the business requirements. When a request comes in, we help customers get their devices into a specific network zone. We have a huge number of users. My company caters to its internal customers, including JioMart, Jio Payments Bank, and JioChat.
How are customer service and support?
The support is good so far.
How was the initial setup?
We configure and deploy the solution according to our needs. If a product or feature is not available, we discuss and open a ticket with Cisco. Cisco then helps with some patches or other features that we require.
The procurement process for Cisco Catalyst Switches is different. Once we receive the switches in bulk, we divide them among the different verticals. Depending on the needs, we allocate 100 or 1000 switches to each vertical and then start deploying.
What about the implementation team?
I help the team to deploy the solution. We have a different deployment process. When a user requests a deployment, we first discuss their network and how they want it distributed. We then discuss the feasibility of the request and suggest the best possible option available to meet their requirements.
We have an on-premises team who helps us if there is an issue with the device. If the team cannot resolve the issue, we either get a replacement device or ask an expert for help with deployment. If there is a requirement to use multicast streaming, we need to check if our current network supports it. We also need to consider the bandwidth, network resources, and uplink and downlink ports.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing should be improved. We have purchased a one-time license. When we place an order for Cisco Catalyst Switches, the quantity is huge.
What other advice do I have?
I am an implementer. I would recommend the solution to others. People must use the solution based on their requirements. Overall, I rate the solution an eight or nine out of ten.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Implementer
Date published: 2023-08-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
RafaelTorres from
Easy to configure and has good features like BGP, VPN, and spine-leaf architecture
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of the solution are BGP, VPN, and spine-leaf architecture. The solution has good scalability. The solution’s configuration is easy.
What needs improvement?
The solution’s licensing could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for 13 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the solution ten out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution has good scalability. Around 8,000 users use Cisco Catalyst Switches in our organization.
I rate the solution a nine out of ten for scalability.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used Juniper.
How was the initial setup?
The solution’s initial setup is easy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is a very expensive solution.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend the solution to other users.
Overall, I rate the solution ten out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-02-24T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
EmadAttia from
Easy to use, helps secure the network, and provides good quality and stability
What is our primary use case?
The product is used in the hotels for the network.
What is most valuable?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are the most stable. The network is secure. I have a lot of options. If a port is not used for a long time, it will be disabled by default. If anyone tries to use it, I will have to enable it for them. The tool helps me secure my network. The product is easy to use. We do not face any challenges.
What needs improvement?
Cisco is the most expensive product. All hardware tools have become very expensive nowadays.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco is the most stable solution. I rate the stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
All our reports are based on Cisco Catalyst Switches.
How was the initial setup?
The setup is straightforward. The deployment takes 10 to 15 minutes.
What about the implementation team?
We can deploy the tool in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I prefer one-time payments.
What other advice do I have?
I have worked with all the brands in the market. I will recommend Cisco to others. It is stable. It has good quality. Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-03-01T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1483503 from
Good communication features, scalable, stable, and has good support
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco Catalyst Switches for the LAN connection.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of this solution is communication.
What needs improvement?
When you compare it with HPE and Aruba, it should be fancier.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for three years.
We are using version 2950.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is great! We have not had any issues with stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's a scalable product. It's very good.
We have approximately 200 users in our company.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is very good. I would rate them a nine to ten out of ten.
We did not have any issues with technical support.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. It's easy.
It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to deploy.
What other advice do I have?
Plan well before implementing this solution.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-02-11T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1188324 from
Suitable for handling extreme temperatures, but the price could be better
What is our primary use case?
We use these switches outdoors.
What is most valuable?
It's got one feature, and that's handling extreme temperatures. Everything else is alright, and we buy them because they're suitable for extreme temperatures.
What needs improvement?
They should be cheaper.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Rugged Series Switches for 15 years.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is good.
How was the initial setup?
It's easy to install these switches. It takes about half an hour to implement one switch.
What about the implementation team?
We do it ourselves, and we use consultants and integrators.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It's overpriced and should be cheaper.
What other advice do I have?
I wouldn't recommend this product because it's overpriced.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give Cisco Catalyst Switches a four.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-02-09T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1120785 from
Stable and scalable network switches with great technical support
What is most valuable?
I find their system throughput and Cisco support very useful.
What needs improvement?
The price can definitely be lower. I also think that a Combi Port should be added to the next release.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for about two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
They're quite stable. Our Cisco Catalyst Switches have been working for many years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are very scalable.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is great.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price can definitely be lower. I think the quality is much higher than the other LANs, but the price must be lower on this.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale from one to ten, I would give Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2021-02-21T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1501767 from
Reliable, with good virtual LAN, and outstanding support
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for LAN and WAN networking.
We are system integrators, and we provide maintenance services for our clients.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of this solution is the Virtual LAN.
This technology is completely mature and I don't think anything needs to be changed.
What needs improvement?
Scaling can be quite costly.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Cisco Catalyst Switches for ten years.
We are using the latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's an extremely stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's a scalable solution, but at a high cost.
Our clients have large-sized companies.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have contacted technical support. The support is excellent and they are efficient.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We are using other brands but the volume is very small compared to the Cisco Catalyst Switches.
Cisco has advantages in terms of stability, reliability, and scalability as well.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was complex but has since been simplified.
To deploy with one node can take 10 to 15 minutes.
This solution requires long-term maintenance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is in an affordable range and everything is included.
What other advice do I have?
I would advise going with Cisco because they have an outstanding support team.
They can support up to the extent of installation. They have other services as well, such as RMN.
Your network downtime is minimal, and your business will not suffer in case of any trouble in the network. I would definitely recommend going with Cisco only.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2021-02-15T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1480044 from
Flexible, user-friendly, stable, and easily set up with the proper training
What is our primary use case?
We are a solution provider and Cisco switches are one of the products that we provide to our customers. It is primarily used for datacenter networking.
What is most valuable?
These switches are flexible and user-friendly.
What needs improvement?
Installing and configuring these switches requires the proper training.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been selling Cisco Catalyst Switches for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This product has very good stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability depends on the design, not the product.
Based on our demand, we will continue supplying these switches to both new and existing clients.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We also work with Cisco Nexus switches.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is straightforward for somebody who has been trained. Somebody has to have the training to properly configure and work with it. It cannot be used out of the box by somebody who is unfamiliar with the technology.
The length of time required for deployment depends on the size of the environment and the number of switches.
What about the implementation team?
We deploy and maintain this solution for our clients. We have a team of between 12 and 15 engineers.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
This is an expensive product.
There are different versions of these switches, where some of them have licenses and some do not. The subscription is often renewed every three years.
What other advice do I have?
In summary, this is a good product and I recommend it.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2021-02-19T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1471347 from
Stable and easy to install
What is our primary use case?
I am a student as well as a researcher at a university. I use this solution for various simulations. I am using the latest version of this solution. We have 10 to 15 technical people in our team.
What is most valuable?
It is a stable and good product. It is also easy to install.
What needs improvement?
Its price can be improved. It is currently expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for two to three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is stable.
How are customer service and technical support?
I didn't use any technical support.
How was the initial setup?
It was easy to install. It wasn't complex. It took about 10 to 20 minutes.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution. It is a good product. There are a lot of users of Cisco solutions in Pakistan.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-01-13T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Tanvir Hasan from
Good LAN switches with an easy initial setup and good stability
What is our primary use case?
Typically, the solution is used for a client's official network and several times as a replacement. A client may use it to replace the total network LAN switch.
What is most valuable?
Mostly the LAN switching is the most valuable aspect of the solution.
Clients often do not emphasize specifications of Catalyst features. They just need a switch for an office LAN and other segments.
What needs improvement?
There are several versions of Catalyst, and yet, they are quite similar. If, in the simplest one, they could create a Catalyst segment where all the possibilities like QSFP, SFP, 10G, that would be ideal. MikroTik, a Latvian company, has that as an option. They include 1G and 10G and QSFP all in one switch. Cisco, however, divides it into several switches across these features. Cisco is likely doing it to make money. However, clients sometimes don't want to pay more for the switches and they ignore Cisco and grab other brands like MikroTik. As distributors, it makes it hard to sell Cisco when features come at such a high price.
Another issue is the restrictions on the product. Cisco applies restrictions in relation to renewals on a yearly basis. Many other brands don't have restrictions. If Cisco lifted them, they wouldn't lose so many clients to competitors.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using the solution for a long time. It's been about seven to nine years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is quite stable. It doesn't crash or freeze and there aren't any bugs or glitches. It's quite reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
You can scale the solution and you can choose different versions that fit the sizes of a variety of organizations.
Our clients range in size. Some are smaller organizations. Others are enterprise-level companies.
How are customer service and technical support?
We talk with the support that is based in Bangladesh. They have an office in our country and provide support as necessary. We have contracts for one to three years and they provide technical and phone support to us. The support is fine, but it takes time sometimes to get the assistance we require.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
As resellers, we work with other solutions, including Huawei, Juniper, MicroTik, and some other brands in China (as well as Cisco).
Recently, Huawei has been doing good in switching segments. They're bringing some new features that are better than or compete with Cisco, and they are very aggressive in pricing.
The problem is they're doing only Enterprise segments. They are not doing SMB.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup isn't too complex. However, we have very well trained technicians that really understand the process. For them, it's easy.
If our clients request it of us, we can maintain the switches for them after implementation.
What about the implementation team?
We can assist our clients with implementation if they request the service.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing of Cisco products is quite expensive. Huawei, for example, costs much less.
There aren't extra costs for additional features. All features are standard.
What other advice do I have?
We are resellers and distributors. We're partners with Cisco.
We use a variety of different versions of the solution, including 3003, 29603, and 9003. Those are three of the most popular. Which we use depends on the client and their particular needs. Sometimes we only resell the product to our clients and sometimes we also provide the solution and install and configure the Catalyst for the clients. It depends on the client's query.
Overall, I would rate the solution eight out of ten. Overall, our clients have been quite happy with the results they get from Cisco products.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2020-12-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Ermal Galo from
Useful for core switching, very stable, and quick to deploy
What is our primary use case?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are more for core switching because they are enterprise solutions. We mostly use Cisco for all of our infrastructure, so these switches are used everywhere as core switches.
What is most valuable?
These switches are very stable. We haven't had any problems. We also have some old switches that are working for almost ten years.
What needs improvement?
Their price should be cheaper. We lose a lot of work because of the price that they have.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for more than 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
They are very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have a hundred users and maybe a hundred other ports for connecting servers with each other.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have opened a case with them for the FirePOWER Services, not Cisco Catalyst Switches, and it is the first time that I haven't got a response. It has been a week since I've sent the request, which was just a question, but I don't have any response so far. For the previous cases that I had with tech support, they were very quick.
How was the initial setup?
If you have experience in working with Cisco solutions, the initial setup is easy. Otherwise, it may be complicated.
The deployment doesn't take a long time. We already have the guidelines, and we have been doing it and using Cisco for a long time. It usually takes a maximum of one hour to configure the switches. Two people will be enough for deploying these switches.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
These switches are expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend these switches to others. We plan to keep using them.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a ten out of ten. We are happy with them.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2020-12-13T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1429659 from
Easy to configure, stable, and scalable
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for the LAN and WAN.
What is most valuable?
Configuring the solution is very easy. It's quite a straightforward process, and it's not difficult at all.
The solution has proven itself to be very stable.
We've found the solution to be quite scalable.
The initial setup is quick and simple. Technical support is very good.
What needs improvement?
You need to have dual powers, dual power points for each to take into account the redundancy.
Compared to other switches, the Cisco products are expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for a long time now. It's been ten years. It's been at least a decade.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is quite stable. There are no bugs and glitches. It doesn't crash and freeze. It's reliable and the performance is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution scales well. If a company needs to expand it out, it can do so with relative ease.
Everyone in our company uses the solution. We have about 4,000 employees currently.
We do plan to continue to use the solution going forward.
How are customer service and technical support?
Cisco is available for support. We've been satisfied with them overall. I have no complaints.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
When I started with this company, they were using Cisco, and they've used Cisco since then. I do not know if any other solution has ever been used.
How was the initial setup?
The solution was not complex to set up. It was very straightforward and simple. It's a hot spot, and therefore everything happened very quickly. The experience was very good.
It took our IT department about three hours to set everything up for us.
We have 11 IT personnel in our organization that are capable of handling maintenance and deplyment.
What about the implementation team?
I'm just an end-user. Our IT department handled the installation and it was very simple. They didn't need the assistance of consultants or integrators. They handled it in-house themselves.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is higher, however, I would argue that with the price you are getting a lot of value for money. That said, compared to other switches, the Cisco switches are expensive.
We pay a yearly licensing fee to Cisco.
What other advice do I have?
We keep changing the version as it comes in. Every time we are going a new installation, we do the new modem.
Cisco switches are superior. They're a robust product. Therefore, I would rate them at a nine out of ten overall. We are very satisfied with the technology.
I'd recommend the solution to other organizations.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-04-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Brijesh Bhesania from
Stable, very reliable, and easily scalable
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for networking and the UCS.
What is most valuable?
The solution is extremely reliable as a product. The clients very much appreciate that.
The configuration is easy.
The solution is customizable.
We've found the solution to be stable.
A company can scale a solution easily.
Technical support has been very helpful.
What needs improvement?
The solution is quite expensive for our clients. It's a pain point for some companies. They should work to reduce the price.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for a long while. I've used the solution basically since its inception.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We haven't had any issues with the stability of the solution. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We typically deploy the solution to medium to large-scale enterprises.
The solution scales well. It's not hard for a company to expand it as they need to.
How are customer service and technical support?
We've been in touch with technical support in the past. We've found them to be helpful and responsive. They are quite helpful and very polite. We're very satisfied with the level of support we receive.
How was the initial setup?
I'm not a technical person. I didn't actually handle the initial installation for our organization.
There is little to no ongoing maintenance required once it is implemented. I'd say you have 1% to 2% of effort going into maintenance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We've found the solution to be quite expensive.
What other advice do I have?
We are a premium partner with Cisco.
We use various versions of the solution. It depends on the client. We have multiple clients and each instance is unique.
It's deployed both on-premises and on the cloud.
I'd recommend the solution to other organizations. We've mostly been quite happy with the product.
I'd rate the solution at an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2021-04-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1548180 from
Extremely stable and very high quality with pretty good technical support
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for the switching capabilities.
What is most valuable?
The initial setup of the product is pretty simple and straightforward.
The solution is adding more automation capabilities.
The quality of a Cisco switch is very high. They are extremely stable.
What needs improvement?
Cisco should work to lower its costs. It's quite expensive right now. They force the customer to buy the DNA license and that shouldn't be the case.
Instead of making automation cheaper, they are making it more expensive and clients don't like it.
They really need to simplify their licensing and simplify moving to a controller base.
The scalability is limited.
Cisco also owns Meraki, however, they keep these switches as separate products, and customers are confused by that. Meraki has a lot of features and a customer questions why those features are there and not here. Meraki also allows for more integrations with solutions such as HP, and it's harder to integrate Cisco.
The same is true of Nexus switches, which basically do the same thing and yet everything is siloed. It's confusing for the clients.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for about 20 years. It's been two decades. I've had a lot of time to get to know the product.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco switches are of very high quality, which makes them very stable. It's a very strong selling point for the product. It doesn't crash or freeze. There are no bugs or glitches. It's very reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is limited. There are other solutions that can do it better. Cisco is not number one in this respect - especially as more companies head toward the cloud. Luxul, for example, offers better scalability - if that is what a company is looking for.
We tend to use the solution quite extensively.
How are customer service and technical support?
I've used Cisco for 20 years or so and therefore have had encounters with technical support. I would note that the first 15 or so years had been very great and I would describe them as very helpful and responsive. However, as of the last five years, I find they are going south. They aren't as good as they used to be. It's still okay. It's just not as good as it was.
Whereas in the past I've given them five out of five stars, now I would rate them at a four.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We didn't previously use a different solution. We're mostly a Cisco shop.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not overly complex. To set up a switch is not a big issue. I see Cisco is trying to go into the DNA to do some automation.
Every site is different in terms of deployment and the number of switches/users. On every site, we have two engineers and we're also doing web support. The setup is a one-time thing and the switches are pretty stable, and therefore it doesn't take us much time to do an implementation so long as there are no hardware failures.
What about the implementation team?
I handled the implementation myself. I did not need the assistance of a consultant or implementor. I have enough experience to handle it at this point.
What was our ROI?
I've used a few different switches and I wouldn't say that you necessarily get a better ROI just because you use Cisco.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost of the solution is quite high. There are other cheaper options. On Cisco, you're paying probably double or triple times the cost.
Many people don't like the complexity. It should be simpler and offer a low cost. The reason people are looking for automation is that they are looking to lower costs, however, if you go to Cisco solutions, the automation solution is very expensive. This is the opposite of the customer expectations.
I do not do the purchasing directly and therefore I can't estimate an exact cost for the product.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I've used Juniper and HPE switches, and, if you were to compare them, I'd say there isn't too much of a difference. The functionality is pretty much the same.
You can also compare the solution to Luxul, which has better scalability.
What other advice do I have?
We are a customer.
Cisco tries to move clients over to their own ecosystem so that they are only using Cisco from end-to-end.
The solution is very good for enterprises, however, it might be a bit much for a small company that may only need one switch.
If the costs are not a concern for an organization, I would recommend the product.
I'd rate the solution at an eight out of ten. We've been very happy with the stability on offer, however, the pricing isn't the greatest and the licensing is confusing.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-04-13T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Aws Al-Dabbagh from
Reliable and scalable with lots of great features
What is our primary use case?
We're using it as basic switches - mainly VLANs and SPB, The main focus is actually for just VLANs and VLAN switching, and that's it.
What is most valuable?
There are a lot of features on the device. We're not using all the features that we can use, however.
It's all fine. It works quite well. What we have now is good. We don't have many requirements for these switches except just forwarding traffic.
The solution has been very stable.
We find the product to be scalable.
Technical support is very responsive and helpful.
The solution is very reliable.
What needs improvement?
Pricing mainly is the only issue. For our company, IT is not a major investment, so it would be harder to convince management to invest in Cisco switches. For quality, they are the best, however, in terms of pricing, especially due to the COVID crisis and everything, investment into a network is now a lower priority. Before, when the money flow was better, it was easier to sell. However, now, for this current situation, a major point of pain in the company is price.
Even though my priority is reliability, in order to avoid downtime, management is harder to convince and they just see the price tag.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using the solution since about 2018. It's been around four years or so now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable. Since 2018, since we started with them, we haven't faced any issues with these switches, except for one instance where we switched to a new switch and needed to restart to enable the functionality.
Other than that, the switches are working great. There were only two times we restarted them due to an incident with the power equipment. The switches restarted because of a power issue, and not due to the switch itself having a problem.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable. We're actually using it using iStack. It is stackable and very scalable to add more switches. It's quite easy to expand everything.
We're using these for our core network. It's across all our core network that is going through our IT department. For that reason, many people are on them. It's likely about 50 people 50, plus the user traffic. We're an ISP. We have some servers and portals that use these servers, switches to reach the network. Therefore, many, many users use that. We have a lot of user traffic going through the switches.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support is fine. We've had, several moments in these last four years where we've requested Cisco technical support and they were very quick to respond and provide assistance. It's taken, at a maximum, two days to go from request to support. they are very responsive. We are very satisfied with their level of service.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
As I understand, Cisco's prices are very high and other vendors might have a lower price. Therefore, we're considering Aruba or Huawei or maybe other vendors as well for both access switches and managed wireless solutions (as in lightweight access points with controllers and these kinds of networks).
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Due to the wireless network upgrade, I'm considering other measures as well as Cisco. We're considering Aruba and we're considering Huawei. I'm considering switching to other vendors mainly because of the price.
What other advice do I have?
We are a customer and an end-user.
We deal with a lot of Cisco products. We use maybe 20 or so Cisco switches.
We have an old 2960-X and a 2960 Plus. We also have three 9300 switches, which are the newer model.
I would advise other users to plan for a larger network than you currently need. For example, if you need 20 ports on a switch and you're ordering this equipment. order a 48 port one, as you'll find that you quickly consume the 20 ports and you need upgrades of two, three, four, five, six. You'll need upgrades quickly and you'll find yourself ordering another switch to replace this one. The most sensible recommendation is to order one bigger switch, which is better than replacing the switch you have within one year.
I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten. The switches are excellent.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-04-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Isdore Chukwu from
A stable part of our network infrastructure, with many resources available
What is our primary use case?
I use Cisco Catalyst switches as part of the network infrastructure.
What needs improvement?
In the future, I would like to see better security for this product.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Cisco Catalyst Switches for more than three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
These switches are stable. I use both the switches and the access points.
How are customer service and technical support?
I am satisfied with the Cisco support. There are a lot of resources out there.
How was the initial setup?
This product is complex to install and it takes time to configure it.
What about the implementation team?
I deployed it myself.
What other advice do I have?
This is a product that I can recommend to others.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2020-11-23T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Wilber Calle from
Stable with good routing capabilities and a fairly easy setup
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution specifically for our internal network - for our users and some servers. We also have servers on the cloud as well, although largely we are on-premise.
What is most valuable?
The VLANs portion of the solution is very good.
The product offers very good routing and ranking capabilities. It allows for better channels.
The initial setup is very simple. An organization shouldn't have too much trouble setting everything up.
We've found the solution to be rather stable. It offers good performance.
What needs improvement?
There aren't any features that are lacking from my perspective. It's pretty complete.
The solution itself is quite expensive. It would be ideal if they could lower the pricing a bit.
The product could offer more integrations with other solutions.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have had experience with the solution since around 2000. In 2010 I began on the sales-side of the product. Therefore, I have many, many years of experience with the product at this point.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution offers very good stability. We've found it to be reliable. It doesn't crash or freeze. It also doesn't seem to have bugs or glitches that affect its performance.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability depends on the layer you are talking about. Layer 2 is not scalable, however, Layer 3 switches offer very good scalability.
We have about 50 people currently using the solution.
How was the initial setup?
We found the implementation to be very simple, and straightforward. It was easy. There weren't any complexities, therefore, we didn't face any difficulty when setting everything up.
Deployment takes a few hours.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing of the product is quite high. It's not the cheapest option on the market.
What other advice do I have?
We're Cisco partners. We have a business relationship with the company.
I'd recommend this solution to other organizations. Over the years, I've found that it works very well.
In general, on a scale from one to ten, I would rate it at a nine.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2021-02-04T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1238931 from
Good scalability with very nice stability and good flexibility
What is our primary use case?
We have clients that have application servers and we offer our services to them. The switches are provided alongside Cisco Firewall and they also integrate into Cisco storage.
What is most valuable?
The product is easy to use. It's very user friendly and simple to navigate.
The solution offers very good stability.
We've found the product to be quite flexible.
It integrates well with other solutions, including other Cisco solutions especially.
We've found the technical support to be quite helpful.
The scalability is excellent.
What needs improvement?
The implementation of the solution is a little bit difficult. It would be nicer if the process was a bit easier.
The configuration process is hard.
The pricing of the solution is quite high.
For how long have I used the solution?
I started working with the solution a few months ago. It hasn't been too long just yet. I'm still relatively new to the product. I'd say that it has been almost six months or so.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product offers very good stability. It's reliable. We haven't had issues with bugs. It's not glitchy. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's been very good overall.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is quite scalable. If a company needs to expand it, it can do so. It's not a problem at all.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is excellent. It's much better than other solutions. They're very helpful and responsive. They're very good at helping if we run into issues with implementations. We've more than satisfied with the level of support we receive from them.
That said, I have had a bad experience once or twice where we had an issue with an appliance and some licensing. It took Cisco a month to get the license figured out successfully. The issue was that there wasn't enough knowledge about the product and it affected the support.
However, one of the last issues we had, we were assigned a senior level person and she was very good. She sorted everything out and got it deployed in one or two hours.
Therefore, as long as you get a knowledgeable person, you're going to have a very good experience.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
While I am aware of our company using different switches in the past, I was not a part of the project. I'm not sure what product they were using.
How was the initial setup?
The Cisco implementation is tough. It's not straightforward per se. However, it's very important for the network level solutions. It's more difficult than Fortinet or other vendors. At the same time, their support for their solution is very effective and in that sense, they are actually much better than other vendors. That's why everyone prefers Cisco. They offer good help if you run into trouble.
In terms of deployment, the product takes about two or three weeks to deploy. If you are adding Fortinet or other solutions, you're looking at a month and a half for a full deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing for Cisco is expensive. However, they offer very good support services.
What other advice do I have?
I'm not sure of the switch model. I work remotely. It would be hard for me to check.
We're a vendor company. We're Cisco partners. We have almost 10 engineers and about two or three people are dedicated to Cisco.
I'd recommend this solution to other users. I would warn companies, however, that the implementation process is tough. It's good to have some sort of support in order to deploy the solution effectively and correctly. Without help, if you don't know what you are doing, you may run into issues.
In general, I would rate the solution at a nine out of ten.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2021-02-04T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Riasat Ali from
Very easy to manage with a long lifespan
What is our primary use case?
I'm the group head of IT and we are customers of Cisco.
What is most valuable?
In general, this is a good product with a long lifespan and easily managed. There is good local support available as well as principal support.
What needs improvement?
I'd like to see better reporting and also integration possibilities with other platforms. It's quite an expensive product and it would be helpful if they reduced the cost.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using this product for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This product is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's a scalable product.
How are customer service and technical support?
Support can be improved, it's usually a matter of your location. That aside, if you can reach them, the support is fine.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is quite straightforward although deployment takes some time because you need to carry out the configuration and attach some additional equipment. It can take a few hours. Our implementation partner helps with the base configuration, and then they draw on our internet team to work with them. Once completed, it's handed over to our team management. We've deployed the product on five sites and we usually have one or two people dealing with any issues that arise.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is an annual license fee.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-02-28T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Pierre Claver B Traore from
Easy to deploy, stable, and have been running without any problem
What is our primary use case?
We have the Cisco Catalyst 2940 Series switches. We usually use these switches for connections inside our office. We have a three-story building, so we have quite a number of switches to connect specific departments. These switches are mainly used to share a connection among computers in a specific department.
What is most valuable?
They are stable. We haven't had any particular problem with them.
What needs improvement?
Their price should be improved. They are a little bit expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using these switches for around five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
They are stable. We haven't had any problems. There was a time when due to power failures or outages, we lost some switches and had to replace them. Power is very unstable here, and we are experiencing outages due to heat.
In one of the devices that I am using, I notice lights blinking from time to time. I don't know whether it is related to the equipment, but it seems that the connection is not going through. It only occurs from time to time. I am yet to understand the reason behind this. It is not a big problem, and we are able to use it.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Our network doesn't grow so much, and it has more or less the same things. We are a public university, and we have three sites. I am at one of the sites. At this site, we have about 60 to 70 people. We also have our campuses where some of these switches are used. All in all, we have about 1,000 people.
We are setting up a national research and education network for which we have acquired some Cisco Catalyst 9000 Series switches, which are new to me. When we start using these, I would have more to say about what they can achieve in terms of scalability.
How are customer service and technical support?
We don't have external technical support. Unfortunately, this is not something that works very well in a country like ours. We have to rely on our own technicians.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have had the opportunity, although not so extensively, to use MikroTik. In my experience, they are easy to use, and they are cheaper. Our financial department opted for Cisco, but we are satisfied with Cisco.
How was the initial setup?
It is easy. We haven't had much trouble.
What about the implementation team?
I can do it by myself.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
They are a little bit expensive. We are a public institution, so we go through other traders, and sometimes, they put in their own surplus price because it is a government contract. Cisco products are expensive, especially when you compare them to Huawei.
What other advice do I have?
I would surely recommend this solution. We plan to keep using these switches.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-04-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Charles Biggers from
Good warranty and continued firmware support, extremely stable, and very scalable
What is our primary use case?
We have Cisco Catalyst 2960 series. We're using them for core switches at two locations. We are also using them as endpoint switches and distribution switches.
What is most valuable?
The warranty and continued firmware support are most valuable.
What needs improvement?
Their centralized management could be better. There should be some kind of software for centralized management so that I don't need somebody else to manage it.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been running them for 12 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
They are extremely stable. We've been running them for 12 years, and we lost the uptime only due to power loss. We had only one of them go bad, and it was through the lightning.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is very scalable. We have at least one in every building, and we have over 70 buildings that we maintain. Some buildings have even up to five of these.
How are customer service and technical support?
Their tech support is great. We never had any issues. It is also easy to find a solution by using their community forums. Because Cisco is so widely used, you can find answers for any issue online.
How was the initial setup?
It was straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of these switches is on the upper end. It is around $3,500 plus for a 24-Port switch. These switches are more expensive than Linksys and TP-Link, but you get what you pay for. If you look at the pros and cons per switch, you can justify the cost compared to a lesser and cheaper brand.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-04-21T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1541169 from
Helpful support, very reliable, but has an outdated operating system and a weird pricing model
What is most valuable?
It is an infrastructure tool, so it is just providing a backend service. Its most useful feature is that it operates on a regular basis. It is reliable.
What needs improvement?
Cisco is weird about their pricing models, so that's one problem. Their operating system is also a little outdated.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with this solution on and off for about ten years. We are using the Cisco Catalyst 9000 series.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is generally a very stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is weird in terms of scalability. By the time you get to the point of scaling up any equipment, which it is capable of doing relatively easily, it is usually out of date. You end up having to rip and replace everything anyway. So, technically, it is scalable, but in practicality, it is not.
We're sticking with this one for a while. I am not aware of any plans to increase its usage.
How are customer service and technical support?
Their tech support has always been very helpful to me. I have no issues there.
How was the initial setup?
If you are trained, it is very straightforward. You have to be skilled in order to get it going. They do provide support for those who don't have these skills.
What about the implementation team?
In terms of maintenance, one person could support a thousand people, but that would be a very busy job. It is better with a team.
What other advice do I have?
The best advice would be to get your training done so that you get a good overview of all the solutions.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a seven out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-04-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Paul Woods from
High level technical support, scalable, and secure
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution as a switch for campus locations.
What is most valuable?
One main feature with Cisco is you know you are going to get a very good switching infrastructure that is secure.
What needs improvement?
In a future upgrade, I would like to see integrated wireless in the solution.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for approximately 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of this solution is really good because you can attach switches together. We currently have 5,000 users using the solution and we plan on having approximately 30,000 in the near future.
How are customer service and technical support?
Cisco provides great customer support.
How was the initial setup?
The solution installation is straightforward to a degree. It is not as smooth as it could be. You cannot do zero-touch provisioning.
What about the implementation team?
It is best to use a technician that understands the configuration file needed for the deployment and then there is some testing that is needed.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There needs to be some improvement with the Cisco DNA licensing activation process, it is difficult at the moment.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others. When my customers want security infrastructure on their campus locations this solution is the one I will continue to suggest.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-04-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Ravikumar Subbiah from
Flexible, easy to use, and offers good performance
What is most valuable?
The solution is very easy to use. We've found that it isn't overly technical and is, in fact, quite user-friendly.
The product is extremely flexible.
The stability of the solution has been very good. We've found the performance to be very reliable.
The initial setup is mostly pretty straightforward. It's not overly complex.
The product is very robust.
What needs improvement?
The configuration setup is a little more complex if you go into detail.
The price is something we would definitely like improved. It would be nice if it was more economical.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for about four years or so. It's been a while. I've had some time with the technology and am pretty comfortable with it.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. We like the performance. It's reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have about 50 people using the solution currently.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously Juniper switches. I am not using them anymore. I was using them about three years ago.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is okay. It's not overly difficult. The configuration can be a bit tricky, however, depending on the complexity involved.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing could be improved. It's a bit high right now.
What other advice do I have?
A lot of my colleagues are using Cisco switches. I often touch base with them to share know-how on the technology.
I'm not using the latest version of the solution. I'm using an older version right now.
On a scale from one to ten, I'd rate the solution at a nine. We've been quite pleased with the solution overall.
I would recommend the solution to other users, companies, and organizations. It's quite robust and flexible.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-05-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1461459 from
Reliable technology that improves businesses, is easy to install and scale
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution to provide stability between sites. Also for our customers who have multiple branches, Cisco routers and switches are perfect for them.
What is most valuable?
As far as technology is concerned, Cisco improves the client-to-client business.
What needs improvement?
Cisco should support all of the features that are included with the suite.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco products for more than six years.
I am using the latest version of Cisco Catalyst Switches.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
They are very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst switches are definitely scalable.
There are a number of models and scalability depends on the requirements. You have to consider how far you want to scale your organization with the different branches.
I work with many different organizations and many different users. Some have 6,000 users whereas others have 3,000.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is good. Cisco offers the best possible support.
As for the new products that Cisco has acquired it's okay, but not as good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, I have used Linksys and Meraki Switches.
How was the initial setup?
It's easy to install.
If you have clear knowledge and design, it's pretty easy to implement.
The time it takes to deploy depends on how large the site is and a number of things. If everything is available it can be configured in minutes.
The size of the technical team depends on the installation and what the customer requires. For the deployment, if you have different sites you will need more people, a larger team. It also depends on the timelines and how soon you have to hand over the project to the customer.
Essentially, it depends on the circumstances.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Price is an area that can be improved. Cisco is pioneering technology and they are definitely charging for their technology.
It would be great for the user if Cisco lowered the prices for their routers and switches.
The price is not really in the market. When the new product line arrives, it's still very expensive. The product has new features, new capabilities, and definitely costs more than the previous one.
The price could be cheaper. Many other vendors provide the main features with lower pricing and better performance than Cisco.
Overall, Cisco prices are high.
What other advice do I have?
We have plans to continue using this product and would recommend them to others.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2021-05-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1523253 from
A reliable and scalable solution, but the pricing and licensing process could be improved
What is our primary use case?
I've been using Cisco Catalyst for switching.
What is most valuable?
I find the quality of the solution to be valuable. I also like that many organizations use Cisco.
I think it is a reliable and scalable solution.
What needs improvement?
The licensing process should be back to how it was before. Now, you have to register online, and it makes staging a bit trickier.
Pricing could be cheaper as well.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for more than ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have found it to be reliable and stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I think that Cisco Catalyst Switches is a scalable solution.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used Dell and HP switches before.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was very easy and took only a few minutes.
What about the implementation team?
I implemented it myself.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I think pricing could be cheaper, depending on the range purchased.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale from one to ten, I would rate this solution at seven.
It is a reliable and scalable solution, but I think pricing could be cheaper.
I also think that the licensing process could be improved so that staging is not tricky.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-05-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Ali Mansouri from
Great technical support with very good scalability capabilities and good stability overall
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for its switches. It's very similar to Dell or HPE - only much stronger.
What is most valuable?
The product is very strong. It's much stronger than other options on the market, for example, Dell and HPE.
The software is excellent.
Overall, the solution works very well and we don't have any real complaints in terms of its capabilities.
The product has been very stable and extremely reliable over the years.
You can scale the product quite well.
Technical support is always very helpful and fast to respond.
The stability has been great over the years.
What needs improvement?
The product should work on its pricepoints. It's an expensive solution. It's the main complaint I hear from people.
For how long have I used the solution?
At this point, I've been working with the solution for seven or eight years. It's been quite a while.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is quite stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's very reliable. We've been happy with its performance and its stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product can scale very well. When it comes to doing something like stacking - for example, stacking switches, of course, it is very simple to accomplish. It's very easy to stack two or more switches in order to expand the solution out. A company shouldn't have any issues with doing so.
We have a client that has 800 users and up on the solution.
We do plan to continue to use the solution into the future.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technial support responds quickly. They're very good at being timely. They also have a very good forum where you can ask your questions if you want to.
Overall, it's very easy to get in touch with them and to find the answers you need to resolve issues. We're quite satisfied with eh level of support they provide to us.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not too complex. It's pretty straightforward. For setting up the access layer, it takes about half an hour, which isn't that long. However, for the correlator - and that includes designing and drawing the map of the network and tasks such as that, it takes a few days.
What about the implementation team?
We're actually consulting and doing a project for a state company in Tehran, for more than 800 switches. We can assist clients in the implementation process if they would like s to.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is quite expensive. There are less expensive options on the market. The pricing can be a pain point for some companies.
What other advice do I have?
I work often with the 3,000 and 4,000 series versions. It's not necessarily the latest version all the time.
I'd recommend this solution to other organizations.
Overall, we've been quite satisfied with their level of service. I would rate them ten out of ten. They've worked perfectly over the years.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-03-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1609476 from
Highly stable, top quality hardware and features
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution as a networking switch for a data center.
What is most valuable?
Overall top of the line solution.
What needs improvement?
The solution could be easy to use, you need a certificate to use it.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for approximately ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is highly stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is not able to scale because you would need to purchase more hardware.
Everybody in my organization is using the solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have not needed to contact technical support because we are using managed services which gives us support when needed.
How was the initial setup?
The installation and implementation are not easy.
What about the implementation team?
We are using managed services for the implementation of the solution.
A normal deployment can take from one to two months. However, this depends on the size of the site.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is a license required for the use of this solution and we pay annually.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have evaluated Meraki switches which is an easier version of Cisco Catalyst Switches.
What other advice do I have?
This solution is the best in the market but there are some limitations. I am moving to the Meraki solution because it is easier to use.
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-06-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1520013 from
Reliable, good scalability, and easy to configure through the command-line interface
What is our primary use case?
I use this solution for AV, Audio-Video applications, over IP solutions. It's to forward Audio-Video IP packets based on the ITMP protocol. I also needed a POE port to power the transmitters and receivers.
What is most valuable?
One of the most valuable features is the MatchBox Switch.
What needs improvement?
I used to use the CLI, the command line, but some users may want to use the Web GUI.
They need to simplify the Cisco 2960 Web GUI control, but not the entire version or the functionality for the Web GUI control.
IT people will most often use the CLI to configure the Cisco Switch.
They need to simplify the Web GUI and make it easier to use, and more intuitive for the users.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have more than ten years of experience working with Cisco Switches.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's stable. The Catalyst Switches are reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is good.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have not contacted Cisco technical support.
There are several training videos available on YouTube.
If you Google, you can very easily gather material or training videos on how to configure the Cisco switch.
The Cisco website itself is too complicated for the user and there are too many things on it. If the users are not familiar with Cisco, it's very difficult to find useful information on the Cisco website.
In general, I don't use the Cisco website. I just Google the Cisco user manual or training video on YouTube to learn how to configure some features.
How was the initial setup?
If you are familiar with the Cisco Switch, it is pretty straightforward to configure it using the CLI.
If you are not familiar, in general, you will use the Web GUI.
What other advice do I have?
There are several YouTube videos available to help configure the Cisco switches. It is very easy to configure them.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches and eight out of ten. It's a pretty good switch.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-06-08T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Waqar Khan from
High performance, durable, and good technical support
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution as a network switch in banking and financial environments.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are performance, speed, and durability.
What needs improvement?
In an upcoming release, adding SD-WAN capabilities would be a big advantage for our company.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for approximately 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have found the stability very good in this solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is good.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have licenses to have 24/7 technical support from Cisco directly. We have been satisfied with the support we have been receiving.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of this solution is reasonable.
What other advice do I have?
In the future, we are going to implement the 2960-X next-generation version instead of this legacy solution we are using now which will have some added benefits.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-06-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Cliff Matonda from
A reliable solution with good stability and scalability
What is our primary use case?
We are using 29 series. We have three switches that we use for common switches and routing. We also have a number of access switches that we interconnect to the devices in the network, such as telephone, CCTV. We have defined a number of VLANs that are running traffic between the switches, and we have done interconnections within the switches, cable, and fiber.
What is most valuable?
It is very reliable.
What needs improvement?
Its price should be improved. It is very pricey.
Its installation can be simplified. Its installation is a bit complex.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for four or five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is very scalable. You can almost do any new thing that is coming.
Our users will always be around 80 to 90 because the interconnections occur within the switches.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I've just been working on Cisco switches.
How was the initial setup?
Cisco solutions are a bit complex to install. They are not easy, and they require training and knowledge. When we changed our switch, it took 30 minutes to one hour.
What about the implementation team?
I installed it on my own, but most people prefer to hire a consultant.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is very pricey. You have to pay for support.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution. It is good.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-06-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Nelson Gonzalez from
Managed switching, dynamic routing, and network segmentation are helpful
What is our primary use case?
This solution is capable of high-quality L2 & L3 switching at several different layers of our enterprise with a high rate of availability and reliability.
It has excellent dynamic routing capabilities. We manage a large WAN environment that requires the use of OSPF.
Cisco Catalyst Switches perform these two functions very well.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of this solution is managed switching.
We rely on heavy segmentation to secure and isolate several business units.
The dynamic routing capabilities are excellent.
What needs improvement?
Licensing is somewhat expensive and should be improved. Cisco should provide customers with a more advantageous licensing model included with the purchase of the equipment.
They have done some good by providing low-cost multiyear DNA center licenses with the purchases and have increased the number of benefits provided with the HW warranty, but must still work on lowering smart-net cost.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for fifteen years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This solution is extremely stable.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support for this solution is excellent. They are very knowledgeable, courteous, and adamant to meet their SLA.
If you previously used a different solution, which one did you use and why did you switch?
I have used non-Cisco equipment, especially in the IoT environment of this municipality. In my experience, the competition falls short when it comes to features and reliability.
In the enterprise environment, there are several others that compare to Cisco and it is up to you to pick the right solution for your environment. For me, it is all related to budgeting, previous environment, expertise, and training needs.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of this solution was simple. I included professional services and cross-training for my team.
What about the implementation team?
We have experience in both cases.
More complex and mission-critical deployments are handled by consultants. Less complicated deployments are handled by our staff.
What was our ROI?
ROI for this solution is excellent.
My HW lifecycle schedule is seven years. Some of these switches stay in production and performing ultimately for ten years.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Try to buy everything you need in bulk purchases and ask Cisco for volume discounts.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Prior to choosing this solution, I evaluated the IoT environment Antaira, Cradlepoint, and Sierra Wireless. Cisco's solution was superior.
In an enterprise environment, I have evaluated Juniper, Extreme, and HP. Cisco's solution fit my operational, budgeting, and logistic needs better.
What other advice do I have?
This is a solid solution.
When choosing them vs others, it all depends on your budgeting, previous environment, expertise, and training needs.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2019-11-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
William DeRienzo from
Stable and have a long service life, but they are expensive and should be more cost-effective
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for networks linking SMB Offices and remote access VPN.
What is most valuable?
They don't ever fail and they have a long service life.
What needs improvement?
The price is high and it should be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for twenty-five years.
How are customer service and technical support?
The service is good.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I'm satisfied with this solution.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Certified partner agreements
Date published: 2019-11-24T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer654672 from
Advanced customization and manageability
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for a full range of layer two and only limited set of layer three services.
We are a backbone company and we provide a public service. The traffic of millions of users traverse Cisco switches, but they are not within our company. It's a public service.
We plan to increase our usage of this solution.
What is most valuable?
The operating system is great.
What needs improvement?
They need to implement sFlow, other than that, I can't think of anything else that needs to be improved — I am happy.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for roughly 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are very stable. We've been using them for 10 years without any issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We use an old model, they're not designed to be scalable. But in general, the Catalyst networking suite is scalable.
How are customer service and technical support?
For our application which is rather simple, we are using only 5% of the features that Cisco Catalyst switches offer. We haven't encountered any problems and therefore, we have not had to call technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used to use other products, but our CTO loves Cisco.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward and very fast. In total, the whole installation process took two days.
What about the implementation team?
We deployed this solution by ourselves.
What was our ROI?
3-years
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price could always be lower.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Arista, Fiber Store, Dell, Extreme Networks
What other advice do I have?
I would absolutely recommend this solution to others. Overall, on a scale from one to ten, I would give Cisco Catalyst Switches a rating of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-03-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Iman Mo from
Straightforward to upgrade, simple to configure, and good online community support
What is our primary use case?
We are using this solution as a switch for networks.
What is most valuable?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are easy to use, simple to configure, and straightforward to upgrade. Additionally, CDN has been very helpful for separation.
What needs improvement?
The solution could improve by adding a user-friendly GUI. We use third-party applications for log monitoring that are expensive and if Cisco could provide log monitoring as part of this solution it would be beneficial.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for approximately six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have approximately 200 users using this solution in my organization.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have not used the technical support from Cisco. However, we have used Cisco Forums where we can write a question and one of the technical engineers will respond.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is not difficult, it comes with good documentation that can be followed.
What about the implementation team?
We did the implementation of the solutions.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-07-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Lameck Durban from
Has a good spanning tree, with power over the ethernet and RRP, virtual redundant routing and GLBP capabilities
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features include the redundancy one and the spanning tree. We also use the power over the ethernet. Moreover, we like the RRP, virtual redundant routing and GLBP, which are primarily on the Cisco Switches.
What needs improvement?
In the future it would be nice to see a dynamic VLAN database that's not managed by another, say, Cisco product.
I would like for Cisco to come up with an affordable dynamic VLAN solution. This would mainly serve the purpose of network access control. My thinking is along the lines of that of my colleagues, that there are non-Cisco infrastructures available which are more affordable. This would give us the option of using Cisco Catalyst or of moving on to the competition.
Cisco ACI is a feature I would also like to see. When it comes to automation, it would be good to be able to use Ansible or Puppet to run one's network and enforce compliance. Roadmap is the way to go, especially when it comes to network engineers. I would be very pleased if Cisco were to enable its product to work with these automation tools. This is where the challenge lies in deployment for most network engineers. Automation is key.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Cisco Catalyst Switches for around 13 or 14 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable, durable and resilient. We had many issues in regards to other people and products and upgraded these solution so that they would be on par with Cisco.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have not had to make use of direct technical support. Mainly I have taken advantage of the one which is online and this works very well for me. There are no issues to report. It has provided me with much assistance, especially the forum, and I would rate it as pretty good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have worked with switches from other vendors, specifically SP and Ubiquiti. Then we worked with Cisco, as well. However, multiple infrastructure mainly applies to Cisco and this is in accordance with our enterprise standards. This means that we deploy Cisco for all sites that we take over.
When it comes to the access points side, we found Cisco to be a bit pricey and have utilized a different product that we combined with the Cisco switches.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is on the high end. Recently, at the beginning of this year, we actually did a comparison of Cisco and HP products. As far as I see it, given the same specifications and features, Cisco is comparatively expensive.
What other advice do I have?
Cisco delivers when it comes to business value. So, I would advise others to go for it. But, they should be aware of budgetary considerations vis-a-vis the pricing. This is key.
The product is one which delivers, especially as concerns large enterprise networks that put an emphasis on visibility and the time it takes for deployment and reaction to situations. Keeping this in mind, I would say that Cisco Analyst is the best for me.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches as an 8.5 out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-06-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Ossama Helmy from
Reasonably priced with good routing capabilities but needs to be more stable
What is our primary use case?
The solution is primarily used for getting network switching and routing for the telephone exchange here.
What is most valuable?
The solution is rather inexpensive.
The product has very good routing capabilities.
The installation process is very straightforward.
What needs improvement?
We would like the solution to be more stable.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for about five years or so. It's been a while.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution's stability is questionable. It's something they could work on. It would be ideal if it had better performance and reliability.
How are customer service and technical support?
I've bever dealt directly with technical support as everything so far has been fine. We haven't had any issues or required any assistance so far.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used Huawei switches, however, we do not use them anymore. We have completely moved away from them.
How was the initial setup?
We have found that the installation process isn't overly complex or difficult. It was pretty straightforward and simple for us. We didn't face any complexity issues.
For every switch, it took a few hours to be adjusted and managed.
We only needed one technical person for deployment and maintenance.
What about the implementation team?
We had a manager that was able to handle the initial setup. We didn't hire any consultants or integrators.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We found the product to be reasonably priced. It's not too expensive.
We do not pay a licensing fee to use the product.
What other advice do I have?
We use various versions of the solutions, including versions 12 and 15X.
I'd rate the solution at a seven out of ten. We're mostly happy with the product.
I'd recommend the solution to other users and companies.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-05-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Dercio Gulele from
Easy to scale, efficient technical support, and affordably priced
What is our primary use case?
We are implementors. We implement this solution for our customers as access switches. They connect the users to the network and identify them.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is network access.
What needs improvement?
I would like to see the integration of the 2960 SX switches. I would also like to see more information about them.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for six months.
We are using Catalyst 2960-SX and Catalyst 3560.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's a very scalable solution. They are very easy to scale.
We have approximately 40 users in our organization who are using it.
How are customer service and technical support?
Cisco technical support is very efficient.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was simple and straightforward.
Our administrators maintain this solution.
What about the implementation team?
We had some help from Cisco it implement these switches.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I don't know a lot about the price, but they are affordable compared with other solutions.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2021-05-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Gaurang Modi from
Offers good, solid hardware and security, with great performance
What is our primary use case?
We generally work with small, medium and sometimes government organizations. We do layer 3 switches, as well as 9200 as layer 2 switches. I'm an integrator and we are customers of Cisco.
What is most valuable?
We don't use any specific protocols. For us, the hardware and the security are the product's valuable features and performance of this solution is good.
What needs improvement?
The cost of this product is very high and not all companies can afford it. Government entities can but corporations these days are hesitant to get Cisco. They're looking for other options that can cut their costs by 30% or 40% from the cost of Cisco Catalyst Switches. I think the command line in the platform could be improved because it's divided and can complicate things, maybe they can go direct to GUI. Using all the commands is a bit difficult.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco is stable. There are no issues with outages or integration. Once it's up and running, configuration is okay, and once it's on the live network, it's fine, no issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is not an issue. Cisco is their own market and it works.
How are customer service and technical support?
If I have Smart Net, I get good technical support. Whenever I have an issue I contact them. They're very good.
How was the initial setup?
Initial setup can be a bit complex depending on the organization. Deployment time depends on the configuration. I did an installation with around 44 switches of Cisco 3850, which took me around one week to do the installation, configuration, and handover. It depends on the number of switches and configuration required.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
When we propose Cisco to a company, the only issue they are concerned with is price and the yearly subscription. You have to buy Smart Net to get a warranty and that is also expensive.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Cisco is similar to other solutions such as D-Link. They have the same features.
What other advice do I have?
I rate this product an eight out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Integrator
Date published: 2021-05-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1591638 from
Easy to manage, scalable, but could be more secure
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution in our server room for end-user network conductivity.
What is most valuable?
One of the main features of this solution is it is easy to manage.
What needs improvement?
The security of the solution could be improved, it is really important to us.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of the solution is good but could always improve.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable and we have approximately 1,000 computers using it.
How are customer service and technical support?
The support is good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have previously used HP and other Cisco switches.
How was the initial setup?
The installation could be easier.
What about the implementation team?
We have five technicians for the deployment and maintenance.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a seven out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-06-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1417350 from
Reliable, stackable, and easy to deploy
What is our primary use case?
These are the main core switches for our data center. We are using Cisco Catalyst Switch 6509. It works as a VTP server on our premises. All L2 2960 Catalyst Switches behave like a client.
What is most valuable?
We use these core switches as a stack. The VSS protocol is running on the switch, and it provides redundancy for our infrastructure in our organization.
What needs improvement?
Cisco has an upgraded OS version called Nexus OS, but it is very costly to purchase for our organization. Cisco should provide some of the basic features of Nexus OS in Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches. If they can upgrade the OS of Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches or provide a lighter version of Nexus OS with Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches, it will be good for our organization and other small organizations.
Cisco should provide a build from time to time to prevent any kind of issues. It will be very good for clients.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for eight to nine years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a reliable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches are chassis-based. If we want to expand our network, we need to install chassis. They have a solution for the chassis.
We have an on-premises data center, and approximately 1,000 employees are connected to this. We are currently not planning to replace L2 switches. Nowadays, technology is moving to the cloud, and there are cloud-based solutions. In one and two years, we will have to move to a cloud-based solution such as Meraki. Most of our applications and application servers have already been moved to the cloud.
How are customer service and technical support?
When we purchased Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches, we had a warranty of three years for direct OEM. After three years, we took AMC through a vendor. When we have a problem, such as SMPS and chassis issues, we call the vendor, and the vendor directly interacts with Cisco. This vendor is like a middle man between Cisco and the client.
How was the initial setup?
Its deployment is straightforward. There is no pain point in terms of deployment. The deployment duration depends on what kind of infrastructure you want and what behavior is expected from these core switches.
What about the implementation team?
Cisco provides a TAC person for migration, deployment, and commissioning. They also provide someone who acts in the middle and coordinates with Cisco and the client.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches are very costly. A couple of months ago, we took AMC for one year through a vendor, and it was very expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-05-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1644672 from
Easy to set up with good support and excellent stability
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for ethernet WAN connectivity, LAN connectivity, wireless, then integration with other third-party solutions. That's all we use it for, for the most part.
What is most valuable?
The solution is easy to use.
It is very stable and the performance has been very reliable.
The installation process is fairly straightforward.
Technical support has been helpful.
What needs improvement?
The solution should work to become more scalable.
The price of the product is very expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for a long time. It's likely been 15 years or more. It's well over a decade at this point.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is very good. The performance is great. It doesn't crash or freeze and there are no bugs or glitches.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable enough. It could be better.
We have around 2,000 users on the switches currently.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support has been good overall. We've been in touch in the past. They were helpful and responsive and we've been satisfied with them in general.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not previously use a different solution. We've been using Cisco switches for a very long time.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is pretty straightforward. If I need to do a new deployment, for example, we just go to the store, get a new one, and install it. We have 40 right now. The installation is very easy.
Due to the fact that we have another of the Cisco products in our environment, Cisco Prime, it helps to deploy switches faster. It's very easy. It doesn't take much time to deploy.
We have five engineers that are able to handle any deployment or maintenance.
What about the implementation team?
I was able to handle the implementation process myself. I did not need the assistance of an integrator or consultant.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We do find the cost to be quite high. They should work to lower it if possible.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate the product itself at a nine out of ten. It's been very good so far and we are satisfied with its capabilities. The cost is quite high, however.
I would recommend the solution to other users and organizations.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-08-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1426623 from
Stable, flexible, easy to install, and the support is fair
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for our network.
I am a system engineer, and we sell the products to our customers.
What is most valuable?
I like the flexibility of this product.
What needs improvement?
There is a complexity with Cisco.
They should have unified software that includes all of the licenses. We should not have to pay for different software on the same platform. Each one has a specific use or a specific feature.
If you need dynamic routing then you have to purchase the software, if you need basic IP routing, you need different software. Why do you need this type of complexity?
They have their own propriety protocols while other competitors go with other standards and are easy. Cisco is a bit complex.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for 15 years.
We use several different versions, not just one. If they have different software for universal enterprise services, they will have specific features to use for the specific use case.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of this solution needs to be improved. It is not very scalable. For example, if you want to enable the features such as VSS, you have to add other modules and hardware.
Other competitors have this feature available from the beginning.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is fair.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. It is easy to install.
I was not involved in the installation but it is approximately five or ten minutes to deploy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is no licensing fee. All of the features are available on the switch from day one.
It's not a complicated license; you have to buy a license for different services or features. This is different.
Most of the features are available without additional hardware.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Cisco to other users, along with several other products.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2021-08-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Pratik Tupe from
Offers good stacking capability, automation compatibility and durability
What is our primary use case?
We use them in multiple projects in the organization.
So we provide access to approximately 600 users. They use access points, and some of them are designated for core features.
How has it helped my organization?
The benefits are that it is pretty easy to configure, deploy, and troubleshoot. There are no issues because we have a lot of knowledge-based access from Cisco itself. So troubleshooting is smooth, and it's good for both plugging and troubleshooting.
What is most valuable?
Power over Ethernet (PoE) is one of the most valuable features. It eliminates the need for power supplies every time.
Then, the stacking capability allows me to stack nine or ten switches. With that, I don't need to log into every switch individually; I can access all of them through one. That's the second thing.
Third, they can be used with automation pretty easily. Our organization is not currently using automation, but we're planning to. I've used it on virtual platforms, like emulation software, and they work well with automation. That's a good thing.
Another point is that I've worked with various Cisco switches, including the 3900 series, 800 series, 2900, and 2600 switches. In the past, the environment used to be dusty and tested, but these devices, even the older ones, worked remarkably well. I was amazed because any other device might have failed in those conditions, but these switches performed admirably.
It has everything covered, from automation to a non-automated environment.
What needs improvement?
Customization is okay, but it's not fully fledged because if it's not modular switches, you can not change it.
Cost-wise, they are expensive, but the service they provide is very good. However, the solution should aim for a little bit more cost-effectiveness.
There is room for enhancement in customization and pricing models.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for more than five years. I am still currently working with the Cisco Catalyst switches, specifically the Catalyst 3900 series in my current organization.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I haven't seen any issues with stability or durability. Even the older ones work well in the worst-case scenarios.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product is scalable. However, some features or technologies owned by Cisco can be a bit troublesome while deploying. They cannot be embedded with other vendors.
How are customer service and support?
The customer service and support need a bit more improvement and a faster response. So, there is an area of improvement.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have also worked with ASR 9000 and XR series routers. I have worked with enterprise routers for a longer duration, around five years.
How was the initial setup?
The deployment is good. The knowledge base and articles are available for normal users, so they can configure it well. If needed, we can raise a complaint ticket, and we get good tech support for that too.
What about the implementation team?
If everything is ready and set up, including detailed information and physical products, it takes around two to three hours, max.
It's not difficult, but it requires maintenance. They have engineers for that, and they come for regular maintenance, check, and update or replace parts if needed. They also have AMCs for regular maintenance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is worth the money. The product is expensive, but the service they provide is very good, which makes it worth it.
What other advice do I have?
It is a good product. It's a low-maintenance product, a little bit costly, but worth it. Good technical support also. It is vendor-specific, and you need to have these things for the configuration part and deployment. Everything is good, so there are no issues while deploying with other vendors.
Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten because I expect a little bit faster support from the technical support team.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2023-10-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Rabiul-Islam from
A highly scalable and easy-to-deploy solution that can be deployed remotely
What is our primary use case?
We are mainly deploying the tool for client requirements.
What is most valuable?
The product is convenient to deploy.
What needs improvement?
The stability must be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Sometimes, when we do upgrades, the tool goes down. We purchased a new one, but it didn’t go well.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The tool is highly scalable. Our clients are mostly enterprises.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy. We deploy the tool mostly in the cloud. Someone in our team will be physically connected to the console and give us access to the network. Then, we deploy it remotely. The deployment can be done in half an hour. We connect the key ports, get the network management configurations, and deploy the product.
What other advice do I have?
We’re a service provider. If people find the price to be competitive, they choose Catalyst. Otherwise, they go with other vendors. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:MSP
Date published: 2024-01-18T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer2332008 from
The online support available for the tool is good, but it can be difficult to understand the functioning of the solution
What is our primary use case?
I use the tool in my company for spine and leaf architectures and to deploy new data centers.
How has it helped my organization?
The benefit of the tool is that it is a stable product. You can find enough expertise in the market to hire someone for help if required. Cisco's technical support is great.
What is most valuable?
Cisco Catalyst Switches offer familiarity with operating systems. The operational knowledge that I have gained after working with Cisco for around ten to twelve years is the sole reason I prefer it. The stability in the operations that I get with Cisco Catalyst Switches, the support it offers to users through the articles available over the internet, and the expertise related to the tool available in the market are good.
What needs improvement?
There are multiple operating systems across Cisco's portfolio, which is problematic. Cisco's firewall has some different operating systems, while Cisco's routers have a different operating system, so you might need to have people with different expertise, and the learning curve might be a little high as compared to other network providers, which might have common operating systems across different types of devices.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for ten to twelve years. Currently, I'm not working with Cisco. I have my own startup organization where I provide services related to networking devices.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution. I have no complaints about the tool's stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution.
Around 100 people in my company use the tool.
How are customer service and support?
I have experience with the solution's technical support. I found Cisco's support team to be one of the best in the industry.
I rate the overall tool a seven and a half out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
It doesn't take much time to set up any Cisco device, but again, it depends on how comfortable you are with the tool. From my personal viewpoint, Cisco Catalyst Switches are pretty much easy to set up.
The product's deployment phase initially starts with a discovery and a design workshop. After that, our company mostly automates a lot of stuff based on the design and discovery workshop, where we come up with some artifacts with respect to configuration, and then we leverage some automation tools to deploy it.
The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.
Depending on the size of the deployment, around eight to ten people are required from an operation standpoint, and not more than two people are required to manage the deployment process.
What about the implementation team?
The solution can be deployed with help from an in-house team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licenses are definitely expensive. There is a need to make annual payments towards the subscription or licensing costs attached to the solution.
What other advice do I have?
Before a user picks up any product or solution, due diligence should be followed. Though Cisco offers many services, features, and functionalities, better solutions might be available in the market. If users need only ten features, it is better to choose a solution that offers only ten features rather than opting for something like Cisco, which offers over a hundred features, making it an expensive product.
I rate the overall tool a seven and a half out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-01-18T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Radek Skrivanek from
Useful in VPN connections but deployment is complicated and pricing is expensive
What is our primary use case?
Cisco Catalyst Switches helps us with VPN connection.
What is most valuable?
The tool's administration is easy.
What needs improvement?
Cisco Catalyst Switches' pricing can be cheaper.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product for a few years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The tool is scalable. My company has 20000 users. My company has plans to increase its usage.
How was the initial setup?
The tool's deployment is complicated due to the VPN. We have a certified administrator who makes the deployment easier. You need ten resources to help with the deployment process.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
You don't have to pay any additional costs while using the product.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-01-20T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Abubakar Bello from
A durable and user-friendly solution that is very stable and provides very good technical support
What is our primary use case?
I use the product to connect computers to the local area network.
What is most valuable?
The solution is durable. We have a lot of power fluctuations, yet the product works well. It is user-friendly.
What needs improvement?
The product must improve its security. It should be more intelligent. The optimization features must be faster. It must follow in tandem with technology.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for around ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The tool is very stable. I rate the stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s scalability a seven out of ten. We plan to replace all our switches. We will choose Cisco.
How are customer service and support?
Cisco has a lot of layers of support. We won’t have a problem with support. The support is very good.
How was the initial setup?
I rate the ease of setup an eight out of ten. It is plug-and-play. The setup is straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The product is quite expensive.
What other advice do I have?
The solution is good. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-01-24T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
NassifKaleny from
A very stable and flexible tool with great support for users
What is our primary use case?
With Cisco Catalyst Switches, EtherChannels can be mixed with other ports or switches to ensure that users get maximum speed from the tool. The tool also offers VLAN membership. There is another category of products that fall under Cisco, which can be compared with Aruba or NETGEAR.
What is most valuable?
I work with Cisco products since the tools are very stable. You can manage Cisco Catalyst Switches as it is flexible to do so with the help of CLI. Aruba is very poor when it comes to the area of management via CLI. Users can get backup and restore remotely from Cisco Catalyst Switches as it offers many connections and consoles, like an additional auxiliary port, which is not a feature that others can find in Aruba. Users can migrate switches and routers of Cisco by adding more firmware to add extra features, like voice, that can make the device of Cisco work as a VoIP service. All of the aforementioned stuff can make a very good combination for a company to get a very cheap service with the same device, which is possible because of Cisco, and if Aruba can do it, then it would be great.
What needs improvement?
The addition of more security and privilege levels to Cisco Catalyst Switches is required as it is one of the areas with certain shortcomings. In my company, we use switches from Cisco with 802.1X authentication and haven't used anything that offers more security. All over the world, everything is open to facing cyber attacks, so there is a need for Cisco Catalyst Switches to offer more security.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches since 2001. I have experience with the product for around twenty-two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a very scalable solution. Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
There are more than 1,600 users of the solution in my company. I haven't used Cisco Wireless Access Points. I use Cisco Catalyst Switches for our company's main servers and a core switch, which supports streaming because Cisco is costly. The product is not meant to cater to users' needs but to meet the requirements of the main servers.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's technical support is great. I rate the technical support a nine out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
I rate the product's initial setup phase a ten on a scale of one to ten, where one is a difficult setup process, and ten is an easy setup phase.
The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.
The solution can be deployed in around 15 minutes.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I rate the product price a nine on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price and ten is high price. Though I don't remember the exact price of the product, one may multiply the current prices of Aruba products by two to three times to get an estimate of the price of Cisco Catalyst Switches. Cisco products have always been expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I work with Cisco Catalyst Switches and the whole family of solutions that fall under Cisco, like Cisco's core switches and regular switches, along with all kinds of routers, Cisco ASA Software, and Cisco Secure Firewall, meaning I have experience with everything related to Cisco framework and components.
I have the old versions of Cisco Catalyst 3500 Series Switches, as it serves as a core switch in my company's server room, while the other core switch I use is Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches.
I rate the overall tool a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-01-25T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer2330706 from
Offers adaptability of the deployment process, with different strategies in different environment and good stability
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for everything layer 2 related to our infrastructure, from data centers to local networks. Our business is airports, so we utilize them throughout the entire airport infrastructure.
On a day-to-day basis, we use it for all switching layers, like access, core, or distribution. We also utilize 802.1X.
What is most valuable?
This solution has a pretty good rate of not causing unexpected behavior or failing. We're using maybe 900 switches right now. And, rarely, if ever, something fails, it's dependable.
What needs improvement?
First of all, there are some features that take a long time to get implemented, and other vendors have them for a long time before them. For example, it took a long time to have a way to commit change with the timer, so it gets undone if the user doesn't accept the change after it's done. Like, having to say the changes be done, and everything works fine. In the end, everything works fine, but it didn't exist. That's just an example of stuff that came late to Catalyst.
The CLI structure is mostly outdated sometimes. It doesn't really make sense how things connect to each other. It's not object-oriented, stuff like that.
Moreover, if you want to stack switches, you can't really do it except that you have stack modules, which I find is outdated. Like Juniper Switches, stacks, even switches that were on different locations over Layer 3, and stuff like that. I'd suggest stacking to take cues from other vendors.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using it for decades. Currently, I operate as the end user. In my previous role, I acted as an integrator, and we partnered with Cisco.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Sometimes, we have issues with stability. We even have some switches, like, that simply stopped working. Like, something went off, but it is not a usual occurrence. It's quite rare.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The way we design things, we could scale them. We could scale, meaning that we could add more switches to our current design. But we're not at this point because there's no need yet. We pretty much thought about it right in the beginning.
We have about 750 users using this solution in my company.
How are customer service and support?
Sometimes, it's quick and helpful. Sometimes, we did have one case that took, like, months, and, eventually, things got solved after upgrading newer firmware that, by then, had been released. However, tech support did not solve the case.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used HPE and Juniper in the past. I've also used Dell Power Connect and Luxul. First of all, they're on the more pricey end. They cost more than most. I'm not sure if that's true today, but when I still had to take into account money when it was my job to take into account money, they were on the pricing. So that's an accounting pro. HPE and Juniper, which were fine switches, both of them for, like, two-thirds of the price or something like that.
Stability, plus the fact that resources are very easily found. Moreover, everybody knows how to work with Cisco. Also, if anyone gets certified, we'll most probably start getting certified by Cisco because it's an industry-standard certification. So, people who work with Cisco are easier to find. And they pretty much work as advertised.
Cons: there are features that Cisco lacks interface-wise, like UI stuff that could be a lot better. For example, take a look at Juniper, and it's like night and day.
How was the initial setup?
We're currently transitioning to Catalyst 9200 series. We still have a lot of Catalyst 2960s in various locations, but they're being replaced with new ones.
We don't have any central management for the Switches. So it all gets done with copying, phasing, changing IPs, or whatever is relevant. So, the setup is not complicated as long as you know what you're doing. But that goes for everything, I guess. Like, if you already know how it works, then it's not complicated.
The setup is straightforward for me because I know what I'm doing. However, the CLI and the way iOS is structured could take a lot of improvement. There are some things in there. You have to know that they connect in a certain way, or else you won't ever find how it works. You need your Google open for a lot of stuff if you don't already know it.
What about the implementation team?
I was a part of the deployment team. We had already designed what needed to be deployed. We have multiple locations and multiple airports. Each airport was not in the same condition as the other ones.
For example, each airport had its own separate preexisting network. So, there were different strategies that we had to use in each airport to deploy the switches without disrupting the airport functions. It was not the same thing everywhere.
In general, we had a pretty simple design of what we needed, how many switches were sized, and what we expected in terms of customers. It was a pretty standard design to construct a backbone and distribution point within the airports. So, it was pretty much doing three or four templates. And just changing the variables on those templates. That was it.
We don't need a lot of resources or staff members for the deployment part because it depends on the size of the airport again. Like, if there were 300 devices to be deployed, we would need 15+ people. So, it depends on size.
Also, the time depends on the physical properties of the site that you are on. Where are the switches going to be installed? Where, in what condition is this place? Is it still under construction? Is it already constructed? Is it somewhere that's difficult to reach? All these are variables that should indicate how many people you need.
However, maintenance could be a bit more automated. Maybe if Cisco have a central management console or something, then it is more automated. The way we do it, we have to upgrade by ourselves. Like, it's stuck, or it's switched separately by hand. Using FTPs and FTPs and the old way of doing stuff. So, if there's a management, it's a central management tool. When we do maintenance, it's a hassle.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend using the product. Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-01-28T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Loris Signoracci from
A tool that offers reliability and scalability feature
What is our primary use case?
I use the solution in my company as a data switch. The product is mostly used in the entertainment systems of luxury yachts and not in some banks.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of the solution is reliability. I have seen Cisco Catalyst Switches working for more than six years without any kind of outage.
What needs improvement?
Products from Cisco that deal in areas like VLAN management, internal routing, and inter-VLAN routing don't seem to be compatible with other products. When users put Cisco Catalyst Switches in the same environment or infrastructure where other devices or products exist, like HPE, Aruba, and Ubiquiti, it doesn't work properly. The aforementioned area can be considered for improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for more than twenty years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution. Cisco solutions are always scalable.
My organization has around 200 users of the product.
There is a need to increase the number of devices or switches, or it can be done by implementing a change in relation to the old devices in an environment by moving from a 10 GB switch to 40 GB uplinks. A 10 GB switch is enough for now in my business.
How are customer service and support?
Cisco's support team is friendly if you have a maintenance contract active with the technical support team of the tool. You will end up breaking your head on the wall if you do not have an active maintenance contract with Cisco's technical team since they are not responsive or supportive at all until you subscribe to the service contract Cisco offers.
How was the initial setup?
After dealing with the product for more than twenty years, it has become easy to deploy the solution.
I have been installing the tool inside a luxury yacht to manage some internal data switches and for some of the entertainment systems where streaming services are required. VLAN is mandatory for managing the kind of networks in the aforementioned environment.
The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.
The time required to deploy the product depends on the dimension of the project undertaken by someone. If you install the system in a 30-meter yard, deploying it takes around four days. If you install the product on a yacht where around 100 meters need to be covered, the deployment process may take over a month.
The number of people required to deploy and maintain the product depends on the project size. One person is enough to take care of the deployment in a 50-meter yard area. Three people are enough to take care of the deployment in a 100-meter yard area. In an infrastructure with around 200 people, only one person can maintain the warehouse system.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I rate the overall product a six out of ten from a price perspective since it is an expensive tool.
There is a need to make yearly payments towards the licensing charges of the product.
What other advice do I have?
From a technical perspective, I rate the overall product a nine out of ten.
There is a need to use professional devices like the ones offered by Cisco if someone needs a reliable infrastructure that is flexible and scalable.
Overall, I rate the product a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-01-30T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Munmeet Dosanjh from
A stable and reliable solution that is easy to deploy and performs well
What is our primary use case?
The solution connects our hosts to the network. It's our core aggregation and access layer. It's used throughout the network.
What is most valuable?
I like the product’s performance. The solution is reliable. It provides support.
What needs improvement?
The support is not the quickest.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The tool is scalable. We have more than 1000 users in our organization.
How are customer service and support?
We contact the support through a third-party vendor. They are not the quickest.
How was the initial setup?
The setup is quite simple. It is not complicated. We do not overcomplicate things. Otherwise, support-wise, it gets difficult. We follow the design given to us to deploy the tool. We use Cisco’s recommended best practices for installing switches. We try to follow it as much as we can. Deployment can take up to a year.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation is done in-house. There might be contract resources that get involved in the deployment, but we don't go outside to another company to get people to do it for us.
What was our ROI?
Without the tool, we wouldn’t have service, without which we would not have revenue. Then, we wouldn’t be a viable business.
What other advice do I have?
We do not use the solution much currently, but it is still in the network. We have replaced it with Nexus. The solution fits the purpose. I will recommend the product to others. Overall, I rate the product a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-01-31T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Karthikeyan Ravi from
Improves network efficiency and visibility, but the pricing must be reduced
What is our primary use case?
We propose the solution to our customers. It is used in airports, smart cities, and city surveillance networks. We are using the 9300, 9400, and 9500 series.
How has it helped my organization?
The product improves network efficiency. We have highly efficient network visibility, security, and automation.
What is most valuable?
Network segmentation and security groups are valuable features. We use features like network analytics, network flow, and other network solutions across our large network. The solution is highly reliable. It has a self-healing infrastructure. We do not have even a single point of failure in the core and distribution architecture. Inside the hardware, we have route processors, power supplies, line cords, and multiple lines.
It is a highly available network between core and distribution. We can design the network with a 25 GB platform. It supports wireless infrastructure like Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E. The tool provides mobility. It helps us achieve a connected experience across multiple devices. We get the same performance, reliability, and portability, whether it is wired or wireless.
What needs improvement?
The product provides enterprise-grade switches. The vendor must provide mid-level switches. If we need automation, we can only choose higher-end switches to achieve the functionality. We cannot enable the fabric with entry-level switches. It will be good if the solution provides an additional level of switches.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s stability a seven to eight out of ten. There are some improvements needed in certain models and versions. The stability must be worked on.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s scalability an eight out of ten. We work with enterprise businesses.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is good.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
I rate the ease of setup a seven out of ten. We need certified resources to set up the fabric. Once the fabric is implemented, adding the switches and network is easy. We need highly skilled people for the initial setup. For a large infrastructure, the initial deployment takes about a month. After that, everything is done by Zero-Touch Provisioning. It is a plug-and-play process. The deployment takes a few days for a small infrastructure.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price must be reduced. I rate the pricing a five out of ten. The price depends on the network size. If we need a huge volume, we will get more discount.
What other advice do I have?
We are Advanced Enterprise Network partners. In DNA Center, we started with 5000 endpoints. Now, we have 50,000 endpoints. We have seamless scalability and upgraded functionalities. I rate the ease of management and configuration a seven out of ten. I will recommend the solution to others. It has an end-to-end product portfolio. It provides centralized management, visibility, scalability, manageability, and integration with multiple security solutions. Overall, I rate the product a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2024-03-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
SunilNair1 from
Has no downtime and provides good reliability and stability
What is most valuable?
I never had downtime with Cisco Catalyst Switches in the last eight years, and I'm pretty impressed with its reliability.
What needs improvement?
The only drawback I saw with Cisco Catalyst Switches is that it's not cloud-managed. We have to manage them on-premises.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches in one of our hospitals for the last eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is a highly stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is a pretty scalable solution. Around 2,000 people in the hospital use the solution on a daily basis.
I rate the solution an eight to nine out of ten for scalability.
How are customer service and support?
I rate the solution's technical support around six to seven out of ten because they are not very responsive. You have to log a TAC ticket, and then you have to wait for them to come back.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
On a scale from one to ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy, I rate the solution's initial setup and configuration a six to seven out of ten.
What about the implementation team?
We have around 108 Cisco switches, and it took a couple of hours to deploy each switch. The whole installation took around a couple of weeks. We had to connect to the console of each switch and configure it before configuring the next switch. It took some time to deploy the switches because they were on-premises. We could have configured the switches remotely if they were on the cloud.
We implemented the solution through a reseller. We placed the order with Cisco, and they had their partner do it for us.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco Catalyst Switches is an affordable solution.
On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a six to seven out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
We use access, edge, and core switches from Cisco. Since it's not cloud-controlled, we need a specialist or network engineer to configure the solution. As far as reliability and stability are concerned, I would recommend Cisco Catalyst Switches to other users.
Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-03-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Namra Saif from
Provides flexibility and is reliable from a security perspective
What is our primary use case?
Cisco offers good switches. In Pakistan, there are a lot of customers who are Cisco lovers, and they also use Cisco's firewall products.
What is most valuable?
The features of Cisco that I find to be the most valuable or effective are its network security and speed.
What needs improvement?
My company cannot import Cisco products in Pakistan due to some L/C issues. Cisco can consider the aforementioned details related to imports for improvement.
The product's high price is an area of concern where improvements are required.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for more than three years. I sell the product to my company's clients in Pakistan and don't use it personally.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution. The product is also flexible.
My company deals with around 50 customers who use the product.
How are customer service and support?
The quality of support services provided by the product is good. You can open a ticket with the support team and also use Cisco's RMA option, which is quite a speedy process.
The product's support team is good, and it is easy to open a ticket. The product's technical team responds to a user's queries in a few hours or minutes.
How was the initial setup?
The product's initial setup phase was easy.
There is a manual from Cisco that can be followed to deploy the product, and our company's clients mostly use it since it helps them take care of the deployment process by themselves. Our company's clients don't seek help from my organization for deployment. Our company's clients will only approach us if they get stuck somewhere with the deployment process.
For the deployment process, there is a portal maintained by Cisco where you can log in and take care of the configuration part. Cisco provides guidance with the steps involved in the deployment, and one can easily follow them. The user dashboard in Cisco's hotel can be helpful for those who are involved in deploying the product.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The new products from Cisco in the market are expensive. My company cannot import Cisco products, so they are mostly unavailable.
My company's clients pay yearly for the licensing costs attached to the solution.
What other advice do I have?
The product was helpful in improving the network performance for our company's clients, considering that I have dealt with a few companies who are quite satisfied with Cisco's technical features because, on a monthly basis, they acquire five to six Cisco tools from my organization. Our company's clients can't afford the new equipment provided by Cisco and mostly prefer to purchase refurbished equipment. Our company's customers are satisfied with refurbished equipment.
The product is reliable from a security perspective since it offers a secure VPN.
The product's ease of management has improved our company's operational efficiency since Cisco supports configuration or troubleshooting issues.
I recommend the product to those who plan to use it.
Integrating the product with other network tools impacts our company's IT infrastructure since it is an easy process to integrate, deploy, and configure the tool.
The product's users experience many benefits, considering that it is a scalable and reliable tool. Cisco places a strong emphasis on security. Cisco offers a range of features to protect its users' networks. The product secures its users' networks from cyber threats. It is easy to deploy and configure, and its support is good. I sell a lot of Cisco refurbished or used equipment in Pakistan. People love to use Cisco in Pakistan. There are a lot of Cisco lovers in the market who won't switch from it to some other brand. Some of our customers have been using Cisco for many years. I have suggested other brands to my company's customers, but they are stuck with Cisco due to its great features.
I rate the overall product an eight and a half out of ten.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Reseller
Date published: 2024-03-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Edison Marques from
The stability and performance are extremely good
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for live support systems.
What is most valuable?
The stability and performance are extremely good.
What needs improvement?
The solution could be cheaper.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable.
I rate the solution’s stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution’s scalability is good. 200 licenses of support systems are used.
I rate the solution’s scalability a ten out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward and takes half an hour to complete.
What was our ROI?
ROI is of 10-15 years. It's very good for long-term investment.
What other advice do I have?
It provides stability to our life monitoring system. The ease of management and configuration is good.
It is attributing the switches and has accessible IT. There's always a web configuration. I manage the solution.
Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-03-31T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer2000751 from
Performs well and is very flexible, but it is expensive, and the central management tool is primitive
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for the data center infrastructure. It is a hybrid solution that requires high-performance computing capabilities to send traffic from on-premise data centers to the Azure data centers. We used the scalability of the solution for redundancy purposes.
What is most valuable?
The product’s scalability and performance are valuable.
What needs improvement?
The product must provide a better central tool for management. The existing management tool is primitive. It requires a lot of improvements. It's something that we see with competitors like Meraki. Meraki has a very good central management system.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for a couple of years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The tool is scalable and flexible. We can expand it quickly. I rate the tool’s scalability an eight out of ten. The product is quite sensitive to the changes within the network. If scaling is done by someone with experience with the software and the Cisco ecosystem, it will go smoothly. If it is done by someone new to the product and does not follow the procedure properly, they could take down a large part of the network. Cisco must provide more building controls to avoid such mistakes. We had 2500 users in my previous company.
How are customer service and support?
The level one support is not very good. We always get the newcomers who have to verify their checklist. When we reach the second line of support, we get very decent people who know and can solve the issues. Generally, the support is very good once we get past level one. Level one is time-consuming.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward. We started from scratch. We had about 40 Switches in total. It took us about three days to complete the setup, from the physical installation to the configuration of software management. The deployment process includes the hardware unboxing and verifying whether everything is compatible.
Initially, we did a life cycle certification to check if the firmware was up to date. It depends on whether the firmware is deployed and managed by Cisco. Then, we did the physical installation as well as the uplinks. Finally, we did the configuration between the switches. As far as I remember, there is no central cloud-based solution yet. Everything is still CLI-based.
What about the implementation team?
If we have decent knowledge, everything can be done in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We paid an annual subscription fee. The product is quite expensive. Cisco, in general, is quite expensive because it is still one of the prime market leaders. It can be more cheap. The prices are too high for what we receive. In the last five years, I have seen a growing landscape of other competitors like Juniper, HPE, and Dell coming close. They are slowly and slightly adjusting the prices to a more objective measure.
What other advice do I have?
The product is easy to manage as long as we have hands-on experience with them. We need to have decent network personnel. It needs a certain level of knowledge and experience. The management and configuration are easy for people with knowledge and experience. However, it has a very steep learning curve.
We had an IT team of 15 people, including three networking personnel. People who want to use the product must not take it lightly. It is a very good solution, but don't expect it to self-configure out of the box. We must have a very good understanding of what we want to achieve before we start with it.
The integration into our existing network infrastructure did not impact our operational efficiency. We didn't experience any change. It worked as well as it had before. Once the devices had been integrated within the ecosystem, we didn't experience any issues. The operational support remained the same as before, so it didn't have a real impact.
Overall, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-04-02T00:00:00-04:00