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it_user938022 - PeerSpot reviewer
Lead Presales at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Nov 6, 2021
Stable with good pricing and a straightforward setup
Pros and Cons
  • "Technical support is very helpful, even during implementation."
  • "The solution has been issue-free."
  • "The licensing process could be a bit less complex."
  • "There are some models that can occasionally cause problems."

What is most valuable?

The solution has been issue-free.

The solution is scalable.

The stability of the product is good. We've had no problems whatsoever.

Overall, the pricing has been good.

Technical support is very helpful, even during implementation.

The initial setup is simple.

What needs improvement?

There are some models that can occasionally cause problems. If a particular switch is made for some specific use case or a particular environment, if you put that in other types of infrastructure or use cases, then you may face problems.

The licensing process could be a bit less complex.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have dealt with the solution for about three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability has been good overall. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. The performance has been reliable. 

Buyer's Guide
Cisco Catalyst Switches
November 2026
Learn what your peers think about Cisco Catalyst Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2026.
921,665 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability has been good. If a company needs to expand it, it can. However, you do need to have the right model, otherwise, you run into issues with scaling. 

We have 15 to 20 clients that use this product.

How are customer service and support?

We have good technical people and an experienced technical team who can install those switches, and do a level of troubleshooting and escalations.

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

For five years, we've used Huawei. Three years ago we started with Cisco. This was mostly due to networking, as we don't have a team five years back. After that, we got the team specifically for networking and we started that with Huawei, and we got a very good response in the market. Unfortunately, due to the Chinese market, and all that stuff, that didn't last. That said, the customers who are using the technology, are still happy with the support as well as with the product.

We also occasionally use Aruba.

We didn't work with Juniper as an installation system integrator, however, we have with Cisco (including Nexus and Meraki) and Huawei, and we have had a very good experience. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is good. It is easy. If you know the commands, even basic commands, you can do the normal installation. If you want to go for V-LAN and other things, routing, et cetera, level three switches kind of installations, then you may need some time and knowledge. 

For deployment and maintenance, you need a minimum of two people. Three or four is also good if it is enterprise. There are some customers where we have to do installations at three or four sites simultaneously and we have to complete that within one or two days or within a specific downtime. If the network is down, everything is down. That is when you require multiple team members. Otherwise, if that is one site and one installation with one day's worth of downtime, with two people, you can do it easily.

What about the implementation team?

Support is helpful in regard to the implementation process. My team didn't find any issues with installation.

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

The solution's pricing is pretty good. As far as whatever else is available in the market, for example, if you compared it to Aruba, Juniper, or other enterprise solutions, the pricing is reasonable.  

You do require licenses. There are some licenses that you need to procure separately. By default, the licensing process is good.

Everyone has their own licensing structure. With Cisco, once you do a setup two or three times, the process gets easier and the licensing gets clearer. Until then, licensing is a little bit tricky.

What other advice do I have?

We do not use the solution in our office, however, as Test System Integrators, we have provided the solution.

I'd rate the solution at a ten out of ten. It's been quite good overall.

I would recommend the solution to other users and companies. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Integrator
PeerSpot user
reviewer935562 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Buyer at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Nov 4, 2021
A stable and scalable solution which is easy to install
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is stable."
  • "The solution was easy to install it.This took around half a day."
  • "The general price of the solution could be cheaper."

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. 

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Catalyst Switches
November 2026
Learn what your peers think about Cisco Catalyst Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2026.
921,665 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer1662204 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Manager at a construction company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Nov 2, 2021
High performance, scalable, and reliable
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution has high performance and we do not have to troubleshoot the network."

    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.

    Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    Kannan Raja - PeerSpot reviewer
    Senior Executive at a leisure / travel company with 201-500 employees
    Real User
    Oct 26, 2021
    Reliable, has good support, is easy to install, and is well-integrated
    Pros and Cons
    • "It can be expanded."
    • "We don't have any issues with technical support, and when we report a problem, we receive the assistance we require."
    • "While it is scalable, it could be better."

    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?

    Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    reviewer930072 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Senior Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
    Real User
    Oct 23, 2021
    Easy to configure, scalable, and stable
    Pros and Cons
    • "We find the product very easy to configure."
    • "The solution is expensive."
    • "The solution is expensive. Sometimes we will choose some cheaper options even though they are not as stable as Cisco's offering."

    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. 

    Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    Network Engineer at a security firm with 11-50 employees
    Reseller
    Oct 23, 2021
    A stable and scalable solution with expert technical support and good performance
    Pros and Cons
    • "The technical support is at an expert level."
    • "We are satisfied with the solution; it demonstrates good performance."
    • "The GUI should be addressed."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use the solution both in my company and in those of my customers. 

    What needs improvement?

    The GUI should be addressed. I am not certain if they have this. 

    The solution is kind of expensive when compared with other products. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for two years. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The solution is definitely stable. 

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The solution is certainly scalable. 

    How are customer service and support?

    The technical support is at an expert level. 

    How was the initial setup?

    One only need have a feel for the setup to do this. Technically speaking, this is quite fine. 

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

    When compared with other products, the solution is kind of on the expensive side. 

    What other advice do I have?

    We are satisfied with the solution. It demonstrates good performance. 

    We rate Cisco Catalyst Switches as a nine-point-five out of ten. 

    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    it_user1689987 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Network Operations Center Engineer at a tech company with 51-200 employees
    Real User
    Oct 22, 2021
    Stable, simple to use, and the technical support is good, but the pricing could be better
    Pros and Cons
    • "The configuration is the most valuable feature of this solution; it is easy to use."
    • "The cost could be reduced. If they worked on lowering the price, they would be able to attract more customers."

    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
    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
    PeerSpot user
    Director, IT Infrastructure Department at Zemen Bank S.C.
    Real User
    Top 20
    Oct 18, 2021
    Good for computation and backup; lacks some features and not user-friendly
    Pros and Cons
    • "The solution is good for computation and backup."
    • "We need to rely on other devices to provide management features."
    • "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."

    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. 

    Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    Works at a insurance company with 1,001-5,000 employees
    Real User
    Oct 14, 2021
    Reliable and scalable
    Pros and Cons
    • "Catalyst Switches perform very well, and the network is stable."
    • "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."
    • "If we have a major problem, fixing it takes two or three days and six to eight engineers from Cisco."

    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
    Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    reviewer1672632 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Head of Production Information Systems/MES at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
    Real User
    Oct 6, 2021
    Stable and scalable but could be more secure
    Pros and Cons
    • "Catalyst Switches are easy to install."
    • "Catalyst Switches 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
    Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Cisco Catalyst Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: November 2026
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Cisco Catalyst Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.