IT Support Executive at a healthcare company with 51-200 employees
Real User
A stable and proven technology for our network infrastructure
Pros and Cons
  • "These are a proven technology and I haven't had any problem with them."

    What is our primary use case?

    These switches were provided by our internet provider and they are used as part of our network infrastructure.

    What is most valuable?

    These are a proven technology and I haven't had any problem with them.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for approximately four years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    This is a stable product.

    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco Catalyst Switches
    April 2024
    Learn what your peers think about Cisco Catalyst Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2024.
    768,924 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    I have not configured these switches before, so I'm not sure about the scalability.

    We have between 60 and 100 users.

    How are customer service and support?

    I have not been in contact with technical support for this product.

    What about the implementation team?

    The Catalyst switches are all maintained by our vendors, so we don't have to concern ourselves with maintenance.

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

    The pricing of these devices can be better.

    What other advice do I have?

    Based on my experience, I can recommend these switches.

    I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    IT & Software Manager at a energy/utilities company with 51-200 employees
    Real User
    A stable part of our network infrastructure, with many resources available
    Pros and Cons
    • "These switches are stable."
    • "In the future, I would like to see better security for this product."

    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
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco Catalyst Switches
    April 2024
    Learn what your peers think about Cisco Catalyst Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2024.
    768,924 professionals have used our research since 2012.
    Networking Engineer at a non-tech company with 10,001+ employees
    Real User
    Stable reliable product
    Pros and Cons
    • "Scalable product."
    • "Customer support answers on time and resolve any issues I have."
    • "Price could be lower."

    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
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Junior Network Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
    Real User
    Good scalability with very nice stability and good flexibility
    Pros and Cons
    • "The scalability is excellent."
    • "The configuration process is hard."

    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.

    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
    PeerSpot user
    CISO at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
    Real User
    It is pretty much stable, and there is a lot of improvement in the network segment
    Pros and Cons
    • "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."
    • "Cisco can definitely improve the training part. They can provide more training related to configuration."

    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
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    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: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Senior Buyer at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
    Real User
    A stable and scalable solution which is easy to install
    Pros and Cons
    • "The solution is stable."
    • "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: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    IT PM at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
    Real User
    Suitable for handling extreme temperatures, but the price could be better
    Pros and Cons
    • "It's got one feature, and that's handling extreme temperatures."
    • "They should be cheaper."

    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
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Cisco Catalyst Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: April 2024
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Cisco Catalyst Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.