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Network & Security Specialist at Fonicom
Real User
Extremely reliable and high quality technology with easy maintenance
Pros and Cons
  • "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."
  • "Out of the competition, Cisco switches are easily the most expensive."

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.

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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 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
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. partner

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    reviewer1365339 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Network and Infrastructure Engineer at a tech vendor with 1-10 employees
    Real User
    Easy to configure, good documentation, and the community support is helpful
    Pros and Cons
    • "The most valuable feature is the ease of configuring a switch."
    • "Reducing the price would be an improvement."

    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.

    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. partner

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      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.
      864,248 professionals have used our research since 2012.
      Works at Thomson DeRienzo Engineering
      User
      Stable and have a long service life, but they are expensive and should be more cost-effective
      Pros and Cons
      • "They don't ever fail and they have a long service life."
      • "The price is high and it should be improved."

      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.

      Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Certified partner agreements

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        reviewer980556 - PeerSpot reviewer
        Network Engineer at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
        Real User
        The system runs very well, we haven't experienced any downtime
        Pros and Cons
        • "The new series has lots of great features, it's really lovely. From a management perspective, or a policy creation perspective, which we are seeing in the Catalyst 9000 series it is great."
        • "The current catalyst is probably outdated so we will most likely move to the newer version of the solution soon."

        What is our primary use case?

        Our primary use case is system integration on the client end. We propose this solution to our customers based on their individual capacities and requirements. We have also been using the basic functionalities of the tool internally, very basic not to any high-end degree. 

        How has it helped my organization?

        I personally have never faced any kind of issues. The system is running very well and does what I need it to do. If there are any failures or problems we can resolve them quickly. We are able to get things up and running again and accomplish tasks after a failure within a few hour's time. We are very happy with what we are getting from our Cisco Catalyst Switches solution.

        What is most valuable?

        The new series has lots of great features; it's really lovely. From a management perspective, a policy creation perspective, and a utility perspective; the functionality we are seeing in the Catalyst 9000 series is great.

        What needs improvement?

        The current catalyst is probably outdated so we will most likely move to the newer version of the solution soon. 

        Some additional features that should be included in the next release could include the ability to create real integration, standard policy pushing, and optimizations.

        For how long have I used the solution?

        More than five years.

        What do I think about the stability of the solution?

        The product is very stable in all environments. We haven't experienced any problems.

        What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

        The scalability is great. I have to say that the Cisco Catalyst solution provides the scalability directly in line with our needs.

        How are customer service and technical support?

        Our technical support experience has been very good. We have mainly relied on our internal team for technical support and maintenance.

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

        In the past, we used a different solution but it was a long time ago and I really can't remember what it was.

        How was the initial setup?

        Since we are all certified engineers we found the initial setup to be straightforward. 

        What about the implementation team?

        The implementation was done in-house.

        What was our ROI?

        I believe that our return on investment is excellent mainly due to the fact that we haven't experienced any downtime, no issues at all. This is one of the reasons I believe the production is a good solution; it's a sound investment. We are not losing any time.

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

        The pricing and licensing are fine. To be honest we have found that this tool is able to meet all of our expectations at this time. This solution is agile and meets our expectations.

        What other advice do I have?

        Overall, I can say that the Cisco Catalyst Solution is a very stable product. Technical support is good from our experience. Everybody seems to know and work well with the tool, including management cross-functionally it's a tool that we enjoy using.

        I would rate it an eight out of ten. The only reason I'm not giving this solution a slightly high rating is due to the fact that we are seeing improvements in the new series of this solution. What we are seeing and what we are expecting are great improvements; the management team likes the new type of architecture we are seeing in the new series of the tool. 

        Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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          reviewer794646 - PeerSpot reviewer
          Information Security Analyst at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
          Real User
          The SmartPort feature has been valuable and helped my organization
          Pros and Cons
          • "We heavily use the SmartPort features. It has really helped us. The U.S. policies are handled by the auto SmartPort feature"
          • "They should make so that they let users know five to ten minutes before productivity is restored in the case of power loss."

          What is our primary use case?

          We use this solution for provisioning.

          How has it helped my organization?

          We heavily use the SmartPort features. It has really helped us. The U.S. policies are handled by the auto SmartPort feature.

          What is most valuable?

          It's easy to use and easy to configure. It's easy to provision and plan ahead. 

          What needs improvement?

          They should make so that they let users know five to ten minutes before productivity is restored in the case of power loss. 

          For how long have I used the solution?

          One to three years.

          What do I think about the stability of the solution?

          It's very stable. 

          What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

          It is highly scalable. We have 120 users. It has high capabilities. We only require six or seven people for the maintenance. Cisco has guidelines for the maintenance that are straightforward. 

          How are customer service and technical support?

          If I ask for any support, they're responsive. Their support is very good. We haven't had any problems.

          How was the initial setup?

          The initial setup was very easy, not complex at all. 

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

          It's very pricey. Compared to competitors, it's a lot more expensive. They should consider lowering the price for smaller organizations so that it's easier for them to afford. 

          What other advice do I have?

          I would rate it an eight and a half out of ten. 

          They should develop more customization features. It would make things easier for the engineers. 

          Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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            NetworkEb6ab - PeerSpot reviewer
            Network Engineer at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
            Real User
            Has become easier for us to troubleshoot but the newer models aren't so stable
            Pros and Cons
            • "It has become easier for us to troubleshoot and find issues faster in the management software for the switches. It saves us troubleshooting time because if the network is down it has a big impact on production."
            • "The newer models are not so stable. Other products like 6800, 3750, were stable but starting from 3850 it got worse. We have a lot of issues and a lot of bugs. It's a new product so it's understandable but it should be improved."

            What is our primary use case?

            Our primary use case of this solution is for routing, switching, and for interconnecting sites.

            How has it helped my organization?

            It has become easier for us to troubleshoot and find issues faster in the management software for the switches. It saves us troubleshooting time because if the network is down it has a big impact on production.

            What is most valuable?

            The stability is the most valuable feature. We have some outages but it's 95% stable. 

            What needs improvement?

            The newer models are not so stable. Other products like 6800, 3750, were stable but starting from 3850 it got worse. We have a lot of issues and a lot of bugs. It's a new product so it's understandable but it should be improved. 

            What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

            Scalability is easy. It's easy to increase the size of our network, we use templates. 

            How are customer service and technical support?

            We haven't had to use their technical support. 

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

            We wanted a reliable solution so we chose Cisco. We began working with them ten years ago. We have everything on Cisco and it's not worth it to switch everything to another brand. 

            How was the initial setup?

            The initial setup is a bit complex but we have templates so we just have to deploy our template configuration. The VLAN configuration was complex. We have STP and different protocols which are not on the V-port so we had to enable it.

            What about the implementation team?

            We implemented it ourselves. 

            Which other solutions did I evaluate?

            Ten years ago we used Avaya and HPE. 

            What other advice do I have?

            I would rate it a seven out of ten. Not a ten because we are highly satisfied with all of their products but with the newer products, some parts have problems that take a while to fix.

            I would say to go for Cisco. It is a stable and quality solution. 

            Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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              NetworkE1c8f - PeerSpot reviewer
              Network Engeneer at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
              Real User
              Performs really well and has great support, we use it everywhere in our company
              Pros and Cons
              • "Their technical support is very good. They know what to do and if they don't know what to do, they give me the person who does know."
              • "It should have better security and the prices can always be lower. The cheaper the price, the better but if the quality is good, it's worth it. They also have to improve the firewalling."

              What is our primary use case?

              We use it everywhere in our company. The switches are in our data center and our stores. It performs really well, it's stable. There are some software issues but it's generally good. 

              What is most valuable?

              Cisco support is one of the most valuable features. If you have any problem you can find a lot of information online. If it's a really bad situation, you can have a technician help you. 

              What needs improvement?

              It should have better security and the prices can always be lower. The cheaper the price, the better but if the quality is good, it's worth it. They also have to improve the firewalling. 

              SP access should be included in the next release. 

              What do I think about the stability of the solution?

              Stability is perfect. 

              What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

              Scalability will depend on the specific product. 

              How are customer service and technical support?

              Their technical support is very good. They know what to do and if they don't know what to do, they give me the person who does know. 

              How was the initial setup?

              Sometimes we have complex setups and sometimes they're simple. 

              What about the implementation team?

              We implemented with MTS Austria. They were really great. They know what to do. 

              Which other solutions did I evaluate?

              We also looked at HPE and Juniper. 

              What other advice do I have?

              Look at the pricing. If you can afford it, buy it. 

              I would rate it a nine out of ten. I like it, it works. 

              Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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                ChiefDepbed6 - PeerSpot reviewer
                Chief Deputy Quality Audit
                Real User
                We use it for networking, it's very stable and has good scalability
                Pros and Cons
                • "The stability and Cisco's support are the most valuable features."
                • "The prices are high. It's more expensive than other similar options."

                What is our primary use case?

                Our primary use case is for networking, both for the local network and our internet network.

                What is most valuable?

                The stability and Cisco's support are the most valuable features. 

                What needs improvement?

                The prices are high. It's more expensive than other similar options. 

                I would like for them to include more cloud options in the next release and a smaller router.

                What do I think about the stability of the solution?

                It's a very stable product. It has become increasingly more stable since we started working with them in 1988. 

                What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

                Scalability is good. 

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

                We knew we needed to switch solutions because we have a client who told us what they need for their future projects. We strategized and went with this solution. We try to find them the best product. 

                How was the initial setup?

                The initial setup was straightforward. 

                What about the implementation team?

                We used a Cisco representative for the initial deployment. We didn't have any problems with them, it was a good experience.  

                Which other solutions did I evaluate?

                We also looked at Huawei but we went with Cisco because we're more comfortable with them even though their prices are a little higher. 

                What other advice do I have?

                I would rate it an eight out of ten. Not a ten because of the prices. 

                I would advise someone considering this solution to check out all of your options and go back to Cisco. 

                Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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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.
                  Updated: August 2025
                  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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