Sultan Mohammed - PeerSpot reviewer
Enterprise Network Engineer at IE Network Solutions PLC
MSP
Top 10
High-performance solution that can accommodate growing network demands
Pros and Cons
  • "It enables fast data transfer rates, while offering stable and consistent network performance."
  • "With most of the Cisco devices and models, we faced a slight decrease in speed during the initial setup and while restarting the system"

What is our primary use case?

The main use case usually depends on the client itself. We are operating as system integrators with numerous customers and different software vendors. 

What is most valuable?

When deciding on the system, most of the clients check for switching capacity and Cisco Catalyst Switches is a very good solution for that purpose. It enables fast data transfer rates while offering stable and consistent network performance. 

What needs improvement?

With most of the Cisco devices and models, we faced a slight decrease in speed during the initial setup and while restarting the system. The performance of the solution itself is really good. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been employing this solution for a year and a half. 

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April 2024
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I would rate the stability ten out of ten. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability depends on the device that is used and the client's requests, but overall, it is a scalable solution that can accommodate growing network demands. 

How are customer service and support?

Cisco provides comprehensive support and advanced management capabilities, including remote configuration and monitoring options. We had a small issue with the data center so we had to engage with the tech team, and their service was exceptional. I rate it ten out of ten. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was not complex at all. The only issue with the setup is that it takes a lot of time for the system to be deployed. 

What about the implementation team?

The deployment of the solution is based on specific networking needs so the timing and the whole process depends on the complexity of the project.

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

I would say that the pricing of the solution falls within the moderate to higher range. It is still quite reasonable for the provided service. I rate it seven out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

I highly recommend Cisco Catalyst Switches as they facilitate the creation of network segments and VLAN configurations for smooth traffic management and security. I rate it ten 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:
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Fraud Risk Analyst at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Easy to use, reliable, and reasonably priced
Pros and Cons
  • "Cisco Switches are more stable in terms of hardware and firmware, rather than Juniper Switches."
  • "In terms of performance, Juniper switches have a more user-friendly interface and more features than Cisco switches."

What is our primary use case?

Cisco Catalyst Switches is our core switch.

What is most valuable?

Cisco Catalyst Switches are easy to use.

They are user-friendly.

It's a common product to use.

Cisco Catalyst Switches is the best product that we use.

We have a lot of security modules, but we don't have any problems with switches.

Cisco Switches are more stable in terms of hardware and firmware, rather than Juniper Switches.

We think it's popular. We prefer to use Cisco CLI commands rather than Juniper CLI commands.

What needs improvement?

Cisco Catalyst Switches could be more secure.

In terms of performance, Juniper switches have a more user-friendly interface and more features than Cisco switches.

For how long have I used the solution?

The core Cisco Catalyst Switch is 4507.

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?

Cisco Catalyst Switches are scalable, and we use them for the entire team.

We don't need an upgrade right now because we're transitioning to another product that's already in place and ready in our infrastructure.

We have 500 users in our company.

We don't have any plans to increase our usage.

How are customer service and support?

We don't have any issues with the technical support.

I believe we contacted support for the core switch once, and they helped us with the firmware, which we upgraded. It was, however, about five years ago.

Years ago, we didn't use any kind of support. But I believe it is working, and they are working threefold with no problems.

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

We use several products such as Cisco Switches, Access Points, Linksys, and Fortinet FortiGate.

We use an older version of Cisco Access Points, 4400, I believe.

Before Catalyst, we used Extreme Switches. We worked with Extreme Switches for five years.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. We have previous experience with Cisco switches. We can easily assist with any upgrades or support. It is very simple for us.

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

The price is fine. 

It is reasonably priced because we have already conducted a tender, allowing Cisco and other vendors to compete for the best price.

We did not renew the support.

It was a good price because, as I previously stated, we held a tender for purchasing and received the best offer.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to my colleagues.

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.
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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.
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Project Manager at a wholesaler/distributor with 11-50 employees
Reseller
Top 20
Offers good, solid hardware and security, with great performance
Pros and Cons
  • "The hardware and the security are the product's valuable features"
  • "The cost of this product is very high and not all companies can afford it."

What is our primary use case?

We generally work with small, medium and sometimes government organizations. We do layer 3 switches, as well as 9200 as layer 2 switches. I'm an integrator and we are customers of Cisco. 

What is most valuable?

We don't use any specific protocols. For us, the hardware and the security are the product's valuable features and performance of this solution is good. 

What needs improvement?

The cost of this product is very high and not all companies can afford it. Government entities can but corporations these days are hesitant to get Cisco. They're looking for other options that can cut their costs by 30% or 40% from the cost of Cisco Catalyst Switches. I think the command line in the platform could be improved because it's divided and can complicate things, maybe they can go direct to GUI. Using all the commands is a bit difficult. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Cisco is stable. There are no issues with outages or integration. Once it's up and running, configuration is okay, and once it's on the live network, it's fine, no issues. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is not an issue. Cisco is their own market and it works.  

How are customer service and technical support?

If I have Smart Net, I get good technical support. Whenever I have an issue I contact them. They're very good. 

How was the initial setup?

Initial setup can be a bit complex depending on the organization. Deployment time depends on the configuration. I did an installation with around 44 switches of Cisco 3850, which took me around one week to do the installation, configuration, and handover. It depends on the number of switches and configuration required. 

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

When we propose Cisco to a company, the only issue they are concerned with is price and the yearly subscription. You have to buy Smart Net to get a warranty and that is also expensive. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Cisco is similar to other solutions such as D-Link. They have the same features. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate this product an eight out of 10. 

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
PeerSpot user
Consultant at Lifeline IT
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Reliable, stable, and provides good performance for its price
Pros and Cons
  • "The product is reliable."
  • "The product could be more user-friendly."

What is most valuable?

The product is reliable. The performance is good.

What needs improvement?

The product could be more user-friendly. The tool is not easy to manage or integrate.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The tool is stable. I rate the stability a nine out of ten. We need to dive into it and know what we're doing. It's not straightforward. We can’t just go to the web GUI and check.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate the tool’s scalability an eight out of ten. We need to know the command lines to expand them. It is not GUI-based. The number of users varies from 100 to 5000. The usage depends on the requirements.

How are customer service and support?

We have to go through a long process. It is not quite straightforward.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

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

We used other solutions before. We chose Cisco because of its reliability. The choice also depends on the cost versus the performance of the solution.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was complex. The deployment takes an hour.

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

The price could be improved. We must have a relevant partnership with Cisco.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I rate the product an eight or 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.
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Sr.Manager at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Highly scalable and easy to manage
Pros and Cons
  • "We can have multiple Cisco switches, like seven or eight, on a stack for 300 users. So it is highly scalable and easy to manage."
  • "I think one switch should go beyond the 10 gig connectivity to 40 gigs."

What is our primary use case?

We are using all the three hierarchal models of Cisco Catalyst: 2960, 4500, and 6800. It is perfect for an enterprise setup where you have multiple buildings and you want to aggregate in a single building. 

What needs improvement?

I think one switch should go beyond the 10 gig connectivity to 40 gigs.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been working with Cisco Catalyst switches for more than 10 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Cisco Catalyst switches are resilient.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We can have multiple Cisco switches, like seven or eight, on a stack for 300 users. So it is highly scalable and easy to manage. There are 15,000 users on our campus total.

How was the initial setup?

Installing Catalyst Switches is straightforward, just like with any other Cisco device. For the Alto switch, it hardly takes 20 or 30 minutes. I believe we used a configurator. All in, it takes seven to eight people to deploy because we have a large number of switches. And on the operations team, we have seven to eight people managing them.

What other advice do I have?

I rate Cisco Catalyst switches nine out of 10. I would definitely recommend them to others.

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
Namra Saif - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Sales Engineer at Comstar - Information Systems Associates Ltd.
Real User
Top 5
Provides flexibility and is reliable from a security perspective
Pros and Cons
  • "The product is also flexible."
  • "The product's high price is an area of concern where improvements are required."

What is our primary use case?

Cisco offers good switches. In Pakistan, there are a lot of customers who are Cisco lovers, and they also use Cisco's firewall products.

What is most valuable?

The features of Cisco that I find to be the most valuable or effective are its network security and speed.

What needs improvement?

My company cannot import Cisco products in Pakistan due to some L/C issues. Cisco can consider the aforementioned details related to imports for improvement.

The product's high price is an area of concern where improvements are required.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for more than three years. I sell the product to my company's clients in Pakistan and don't use it personally.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is a scalable solution. The product is also flexible.

My company deals with around 50 customers who use the product.

How are customer service and support?

The quality of support services provided by the product is good. You can open a ticket with the support team and also use Cisco's RMA option, which is quite a speedy process.

The product's support team is good, and it is easy to open a ticket. The product's technical team responds to a user's queries in a few hours or minutes.

How was the initial setup?

The product's initial setup phase was easy.

There is a manual from Cisco that can be followed to deploy the product, and our company's clients mostly use it since it helps them take care of the deployment process by themselves. Our company's clients don't seek help from my organization for deployment. Our company's clients will only approach us if they get stuck somewhere with the deployment process.

For the deployment process, there is a portal maintained by Cisco where you can log in and take care of the configuration part. Cisco provides guidance with the steps involved in the deployment, and one can easily follow them. The user dashboard in Cisco's hotel can be helpful for those who are involved in deploying the product.

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

The new products from Cisco in the market are expensive. My company cannot import Cisco products, so they are mostly unavailable.

My company's clients pay yearly for the licensing costs attached to the solution.

What other advice do I have?

The product was helpful in improving the network performance for our company's clients, considering that I have dealt with a few companies who are quite satisfied with Cisco's technical features because, on a monthly basis, they acquire five to six Cisco tools from my organization. Our company's clients can't afford the new equipment provided by Cisco and mostly prefer to purchase refurbished equipment. Our company's customers are satisfied with refurbished equipment.

The product is reliable from a security perspective since it offers a secure VPN.

The product's ease of management has improved our company's operational efficiency since Cisco supports configuration or troubleshooting issues.

I recommend the product to those who plan to use it.

Integrating the product with other network tools impacts our company's IT infrastructure since it is an easy process to integrate, deploy, and configure the tool.

The product's users experience many benefits, considering that it is a scalable and reliable tool. Cisco places a strong emphasis on security. Cisco offers a range of features to protect its users' networks. The product secures its users' networks from cyber threats. It is easy to deploy and configure, and its support is good. I sell a lot of Cisco refurbished or used equipment in Pakistan. People love to use Cisco in Pakistan. There are a lot of Cisco lovers in the market who won't switch from it to some other brand. Some of our customers have been using Cisco for many years. I have suggested other brands to my company's customers, but they are stuck with Cisco due to its great features.

I rate the overall product an eight and a half out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
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IT Consultant & Administrator at ETCOM
Real User
High performance, helpful support, and reliable
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features of Cisco Catalyst Switches are that they are very common. If you talk to someone most likely they will have a Cisco Catalyst Switch, they will not mention other names, such as Juniper, ProCurve, Dell, or anything else. The most common product in networking in my country is Cisco. Everywhere you go they talk about Cisco."
  • "The management of Cisco Catalyst Switches could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

I am using Cisco Catalyst Switches for my network.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features of Cisco Catalyst Switches are that they are very common. If you talk to someone most likely they will have a Cisco Catalyst Switch, they will not mention other names, such as Juniper, ProCurve, Dell, or anything else. The most common product in networking in my country is Cisco. Everywhere you go they talk about Cisco.

The overall performance of Cisco Catalyst Switches is very good.

What needs improvement?

The management of Cisco Catalyst Switches could be improved. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for approximately seven years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Cisco Catalyst Switches is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This solution is scalable.

How are customer service and support?

Cisco has superior technical support, but it has to be paid for.

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

I have used other solutions in the past similar to Cisco Catalyst Switches, such as Dell Switches.

Cisco Catalyst uses the standard CLI and you get used to it if you take some courses, such as CCNA, CCNP, and CCIE. They are all the same, but for Dell, they have their own commands. They differ a bit from Cisco.

How was the initial setup?

You have to have someone with extensive knowledge to do the implementation of the Cisco Catalyst Switches. You have to read a lot of manuals and the manuals, are segregated. It's not only one small manual that you need to read and you have all the information you need. 

What about the implementation team?

You need someone with experience to implement this solution.

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

If you compare Cisco to other products, Cisco is more expensive. If you choose a 7000 series switch it will be a very pricy system. The support from Cisco is an additional service.

What other advice do I have?

Cisco Catalyst Switches uses jargon that is very much different from other vendors. If use a ProCurve solution or others, it seems every vendor has its own dialect of the command. There is no common ground, there are some similarities between each other, but in real management, they differ from each other.

Those wanting to implement Cisco Catalyst Switches should read a lot about them.

I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a ten 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
PeerSpot user
Senior Network Consultant at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
MSP
Top 20
Stable legacy switches with increasingly good performance
Pros and Cons
  • "When it comes to Cisco Catalyst Switches, one can say that the legacy switches are stable."
  • "All other modules have comparatively many more functions or power than regular Catalyst switches."

What is most valuable?

When it comes to Cisco Catalyst Switches, one can say that the legacy switches are stable. We have been using them for so long and there are many who feel comfortable with their use. This can vary with the business size, some being entry, medium or enterprise level, which means its use is geared towards every level. 

What needs improvement?

All other modules have comparatively many more functions or power than regular Catalyst switches.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches since the outset, for more than 20 years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Being legacy switches, Catalyst switches are stable. We have been using them for many years and there are many who are comfortable with their use. 

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

Nexus, which uses NX-OS, runs on a different operating system than CatOS, which means that the latter tends to run on OS - just like a Cisco router - only with the functioning being a bit different. While NX-OS is very different, even when it comes to the command line, most things are the same. 

However, NX-OS already introduced a different concept, which is more like a carrier level. They have a dedicated command management module. All other modules have comparatively many more functions or power than regular Catalyst switches. 

What other advice do I have?

Catalyst is a legacy system and we are already utilizing the 9000 series, including 9200, 9300 and 9800 for different use scenarios. As Catalyst covers all levels and areas, I cannot think of anything needing improvement. It is getting to be very good, performance-wise, at the moment.

We are talking about a network portion. Catalyst and Nexus switches are all part of the network domain. 

I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches as a nine-point-five out of ten, since it is a great, albeit imperfect, product. 

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.