Radek Skrivanek - PeerSpot reviewer
Department Leader: Project Leadership Production Compact at SKODA AUTO a.s.
Real User
Top 5
Useful in VPN connections but deployment is complicated and pricing is expensive
Pros and Cons
  • "The tool's administration is easy."
  • "Cisco Catalyst Switches' pricing can be cheaper."

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. 

Buyer's Guide
Cisco Catalyst Switches
March 2024
Learn what your peers think about Cisco Catalyst Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2024.
765,386 professionals have used our research since 2012.

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. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Flag as inappropriate
PeerSpot user
Itsikc BenTolila - PeerSpot reviewer
Founder & CEO at Malam-Team
Real User
Top 20
Great features, good support, and easy to set up
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution offers great scalability."
  • "The product could always be more secure."

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. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Integrator
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Catalyst Switches
March 2024
Learn what your peers think about Cisco Catalyst Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2024.
765,386 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Ali ALI - PeerSpot reviewer
Assistant Manager Traditional Channels at FrieslandCampina
Real User
They're balanced and highly reliable but don't integrate well with some solutions
Pros and Cons
  • "Catalyst switches are highly reliable. They have a good product life, they are balanced overall compared to others."
  • "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."

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
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Ceo & President at TNL
Real User
Useful reports, highly reliable, and integrates well
Pros and Cons
  • "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."
  • "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."

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.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Radek Skrivanek - PeerSpot reviewer
Department Leader: Project Leadership Production Compact at SKODA AUTO a.s.
Real User
Top 5
Easy to manage, scalable, but could be more secure
Pros and Cons
  • "One of the main features of this solution is it is easy to manage."
  • "The security of the solution could be improved, it is really important to us."

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.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Akshit Chhokar - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Solutions Specialist - Networking at Google
MSP
Top 10
Offers top-notch performance and reliability
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is robust in terms of the equipment provided."
  • "It is not easy for everyone to configure the product's initial setup part, making it an area where improvements are required."

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
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Flag as inappropriate
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Account Manager at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
Reseller
Highly stable, great software and hardware integration, and helpful technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "The Cisco software ties all the hardware together better than the competition."
  • "Cisco Catalyst Switches do not have an open architecture and you have to buy into the Cisco architecture to be able to use them."

What is our primary use case?

We have customers that use Cisco Catalyst Switches for SMB, enterprises, schools, colleges, and universities. We have worked with almost everything except the federal government.

What is most valuable?

The Cisco software ties all the hardware together better than the competition. Cisco used to license their IOS software to HPE for their own switches, which were decent switches as well. HPE has been through a bunch of different changes over the years and now has Aruba switches. 3Com was part of HP for a while and the ProCurve was the original HP switch that I remember.

What needs improvement?

Cisco Catalyst Switches do not have an open architecture and you have to buy into the Cisco architecture to be able to use them.

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?

The solution is extremely stable and reliable, this has been proven from many years of use.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Cisco Catalyst Switches can be used in any sized company. We have customers in small to enterprise companies, with our largest being General Reinsurance. Multi-national companies would benefit the most from the use of Cisco switches. This is why the international community likes this solution because it can be used anywhere in the world.

How are customer service and technical support?

The paid technical support is very good.

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

I have used many other switches, such as HPE, Juniper, and Aruba.

How was the initial setup?

The installation is a definite effort to get everything set up and working correctly. They do not work out of the box. However, these days they have improved a lot and the new Cisco solutions today would be much easier to put together than the ones in the past.

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

The cost of Cisco switches is a little more expensive than the competition. However, as the saying goes, "you get what you pay for." If you want a reliable solution and other benefits, Cisco Catalyst Switches are worth the money. 

There are additional costs for support.

What other advice do I have?

My advice for others looking to implement this solution would be to work with a reseller, such as us, that has a good history of working with Cisco and can give the customer a good short and long-term plan.

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: Reseller
PeerSpot user
System Administrator at Finlays
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
A reliable solution with good stability and scalability
Pros and Cons
  • "It is very reliable."
  • "Its price should be improved. It is very pricey."

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
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: March 2024
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Cisco Catalyst Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.