We use Cisco Catalyst Switches for networking.
Video conferencing Admin at Akshara Enterprises India Pvt Ltd
Stable, reliable, and overall good functionality
Pros and Cons
- "Cisco Catalyst Switches are the best overall."
What is our primary use case?
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.
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Catalyst Switches
August 2025

Learn what your peers think about Cisco Catalyst Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: August 2025.
865,384 professionals have used our research since 2012.
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 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
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Integrator

Network Administrator
Beneficial conductivity for different devices, stable, and easy installation
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is beneficial for interconnecting POE telephones, computers, printers, and buffering networks."
- "The solution could improve by allowing administrators to create scripts to help automate processes to make tasks easier."
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
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Catalyst Switches
August 2025

Learn what your peers think about Cisco Catalyst Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: August 2025.
865,384 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Software Engineer at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees
Easy to install, simple to configure, and user-friendly
Pros and Cons
- "We find the product very easy to use."
- "The product is expensive."
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
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Straightforward to upgrade, simple to configure, and good online community support
Pros and Cons
- "Cisco Catalyst Switches are easy to use, simple to configure, and straightforward to upgrade. Additionally, CDN has been very helpful for separation."
- "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."
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
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Infrastructure Manager at a non-profit with 51-200 employees
Highly stable, top quality hardware and features
Pros and Cons
- "Overall top of the line solution."
- "The solution could be easy to use, you need a certificate to use it."
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
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Electronic Engineer at eBTel Cia. Ltda.
Is stable, configurable, durable, and easy to manage
Pros and Cons
- "Cisco Catalyst Switches is very stable, configurable, and durable. It is also easy to manage."
- "It would be good if Cisco Catalyst Switches could align maintenance with one version."
What is our primary use case?
My customers are using Cisco Catalyst Switches for communication in different areas in the enterprise. My customers who use this solution are medium sized companies.
What is most valuable?
I think this solution is very good. I manage other solutions, and compared with those, Cisco Catalyst Switches is very stable, configurable, and durable. It is also easy to manage.
This solution is cheaper than other solutions.
What needs improvement?
It would be good if Cisco Catalyst Switches could align maintenance with one version.
Also, the protocols for management should be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have about five years of experience with this solution.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is good.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Compared to the price of other solutions such as Huawei and HP, Cisco Catalyst Switches is a cheaper solution.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
My customers have evaluated Huawei and HP.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend Cisco Catalyst Switches and rate it at nine on a scale from one to 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. Reseller
Firewall Engineer at a marketing services firm with 1-10 employees
Extremely stable, scalable, and excellent technical support
Pros and Cons
- "I have found this solution to be extremely stable."
What is our primary use case?
I am using this solution as a network switch for my clients.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for many years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have found this solution to be extremely stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable and there are approximately 700 people using the solution in one client's organization. I have plans to keep using the solution in some cases.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support of Cisco is very good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have previously used HP, Jupiter, and Fortinet solutions.
How was the initial setup?
The installation should be done by someone that knows Cisco solutions very well. I am certified in the solution so it was not difficult for me.
What about the implementation team?
I have done the implementation myself but in some circumstances, I need assistance from Cisco.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of this solution could be reduced, it is expensive and I am using an annual license.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others, it is very good.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Consultant at a comms service provider with 501-1,000 employees
Easy to scale, efficient technical support, and affordably priced
Pros and Cons
- "Cisco Catalyst Switches are very stable."
- "I would like to see the integration of the 2960 SX switched."
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
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner

Buyer's Guide
Download our free Cisco Catalyst Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Updated: August 2025
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Cisco Catalyst Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
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