We primarily use the solution for ethernet WAN connectivity, LAN connectivity, wireless, then integration with other third-party solutions. That's all we use it for, for the most part.
Network Support Engineer at Nigeria LNG Limited
Easy to set up with good support and excellent stability
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is easy to use."
- "The price of the product is very expensive."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The solution is easy to use.
It is very stable and the performance has been very reliable.
The installation process is fairly straightforward.
Technical support has been helpful.
What needs improvement?
The solution should work to become more scalable.
The price of the product is very expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for a long time. It's likely been 15 years or more. It's well over a decade at this point.
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Cisco Catalyst Switches
June 2025

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is very good. The performance is great. It doesn't crash or freeze and there are no bugs or glitches.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable enough. It could be better.
We have around 2,000 users on the switches currently.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support has been good overall. We've been in touch in the past. They were helpful and responsive and we've been satisfied with them in general.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not previously use a different solution. We've been using Cisco switches for a very long time.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is pretty straightforward. If I need to do a new deployment, for example, we just go to the store, get a new one, and install it. We have 40 right now. The installation is very easy.
Due to the fact that we have another of the Cisco products in our environment, Cisco Prime, it helps to deploy switches faster. It's very easy. It doesn't take much time to deploy.
We have five engineers that are able to handle any deployment or maintenance.
What about the implementation team?
I was able to handle the implementation process myself. I did not need the assistance of an integrator or consultant.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We do find the cost to be quite high. They should work to lower it if possible.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate the product itself at a nine out of ten. It's been very good so far and we are satisfied with its capabilities. The cost is quite high, however.
I would recommend the solution to other users and organizations.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

Network System Specialist at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Great technical support with very good scalability capabilities and good stability overall
Pros and Cons
- "Technical support is always very helpful and fast to respond."
- "The product should work on its pricepoints. It's an expensive solution."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for its switches. It's very similar to Dell or HPE - only much stronger.
What is most valuable?
The product is very strong. It's much stronger than other options on the market, for example, Dell and HPE.
The software is excellent.
Overall, the solution works very well and we don't have any real complaints in terms of its capabilities.
The product has been very stable and extremely reliable over the years.
You can scale the product quite well.
Technical support is always very helpful and fast to respond.
The stability has been great over the years.
What needs improvement?
The product should work on its pricepoints. It's an expensive solution. It's the main complaint I hear from people.
For how long have I used the solution?
At this point, I've been working with the solution for seven or eight years. It's been quite a while.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is quite stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's very reliable. We've been happy with its performance and its stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product can scale very well. When it comes to doing something like stacking - for example, stacking switches, of course, it is very simple to accomplish. It's very easy to stack two or more switches in order to expand the solution out. A company shouldn't have any issues with doing so.
We have a client that has 800 users and up on the solution.
We do plan to continue to use the solution into the future.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technial support responds quickly. They're very good at being timely. They also have a very good forum where you can ask your questions if you want to.
Overall, it's very easy to get in touch with them and to find the answers you need to resolve issues. We're quite satisfied with eh level of support they provide to us.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Veeam Backup and Replication High-Rated Course
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not too complex. It's pretty straightforward. For setting up the access layer, it takes about half an hour, which isn't that long. However, for the correlator - and that includes designing and drawing the map of the network and tasks such as that, it takes a few days.
What about the implementation team?
We're actually consulting and doing a project for a state company in Tehran, for more than 800 switches. We can assist clients in the implementation process if they would like s to.
What was our ROI?
Veeam Backup and Replication High-Rated Course
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is quite expensive. There are less expensive options on the market. The pricing can be a pain point for some companies.
What other advice do I have?
I work often with the 3,000 and 4,000 series versions. It's not necessarily the latest version all the time.
I'd recommend this solution to other organizations.
Overall, we've been quite satisfied with their level of service. I would rate them ten out of ten. They've worked perfectly over the years.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Catalyst Switches
June 2025

Learn what your peers think about Cisco Catalyst Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2025.
857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Straightforward to upgrade, simple to configure, and good online community support
Pros and Cons
- "Cisco Catalyst Switches are easy to use, simple to configure, and straightforward to upgrade. Additionally, CDN has been very helpful for separation."
- "The solution could improve by adding a user-friendly GUI. We use third-party applications for log monitoring that are expensive and if Cisco could provide log monitoring as part of this solution it would be beneficial."
What is our primary use case?
We are using this solution as a switch for networks.
What is most valuable?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are easy to use, simple to configure, and straightforward to upgrade. Additionally, CDN has been very helpful for separation.
What needs improvement?
The solution could improve by adding a user-friendly GUI. We use third-party applications for log monitoring that are expensive and if Cisco could provide log monitoring as part of this solution it would be beneficial.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for approximately six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have approximately 200 users using this solution in my organization.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have not used the technical support from Cisco. However, we have used Cisco Forums where we can write a question and one of the technical engineers will respond.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is not difficult, it comes with good documentation that can be followed.
What about the implementation team?
We did the implementation of the solutions.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
System Administrator at Finlays
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: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Branch Manager / Team Leader at Bank Al Habib Limited
High performance, durable, and good technical support
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features are performance, speed, and durability."
- "In an upcoming release, adding SD-WAN capabilities would be a big advantage for our company."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution as a network switch in banking and financial environments.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are performance, speed, and durability.
What needs improvement?
In an upcoming release, adding SD-WAN capabilities would be a big advantage for our company.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for approximately 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have found the stability very good in this solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is good.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have licenses to have 24/7 technical support from Cisco directly. We have been satisfied with the support we have been receiving.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of this solution is reasonable.
What other advice do I have?
In the future, we are going to implement the 2960-X next-generation version instead of this legacy solution we are using now which will have some added benefits.
I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Director of Product Management at a engineering company with 11-50 employees
Reliable, good scalability, and easy to configure through the command-line interface
Pros and Cons
- "One of the most valuable features is the MatchBox Switch."
- "They need to simplify the Web GUI and make it easier to use, and more intuitive for the users."
What is our primary use case?
I use this solution for AV, Audio-Video applications, over IP solutions. It's to forward Audio-Video IP packets based on the ITMP protocol. I also needed a POE port to power the transmitters and receivers.
What is most valuable?
One of the most valuable features is the MatchBox Switch.
What needs improvement?
I used to use the CLI, the command line, but some users may want to use the Web GUI.
They need to simplify the Cisco 2960 Web GUI control, but not the entire version or the functionality for the Web GUI control.
IT people will most often use the CLI to configure the Cisco Switch.
They need to simplify the Web GUI and make it easier to use, and more intuitive for the users.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have more than ten years of experience working with Cisco Switches.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's stable. The Catalyst Switches are reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is good.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have not contacted Cisco technical support.
There are several training videos available on YouTube.
If you Google, you can very easily gather material or training videos on how to configure the Cisco switch.
The Cisco website itself is too complicated for the user and there are too many things on it. If the users are not familiar with Cisco, it's very difficult to find useful information on the Cisco website.
In general, I don't use the Cisco website. I just Google the Cisco user manual or training video on YouTube to learn how to configure some features.
How was the initial setup?
If you are familiar with the Cisco Switch, it is pretty straightforward to configure it using the CLI.
If you are not familiar, in general, you will use the Web GUI.
What other advice do I have?
There are several YouTube videos available to help configure the Cisco switches. It is very easy to configure them.
I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches and eight out of ten. It's a pretty good switch.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
IT Operations Section Head at Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation
Enterprise-grade networking switches that are stable and scalable
Pros and Cons
- "I like everything about Cisco Catalyst Switches. It's both stable and scalable."
- "The price could be better. For Cisco, there is no need for improvement except for the price. It's expensive."
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco Catalyst Switches for the local area network.
What is most valuable?
I like everything about Cisco Catalyst Switches. It's both stable and scalable.
What needs improvement?
The price could be better. For Cisco, there is no need for improvement except for the price. It's expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for about ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Catalyst Switches are scalable. We have about 1,300 users.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support was okay.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup and installation were straightforward. For configuration, it took around ten minutes. For the maintenance, we have two network administrators—just two personnel.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It's expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to new users.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give Cisco Catalyst Switches a ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Telecommunication Department Head at a energy/utilities company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Reasonably priced with good routing capabilities but needs to be more stable
Pros and Cons
- "The installation process is very straightforward."
- "We would like the solution to be more stable."
What is our primary use case?
The solution is primarily used for getting network switching and routing for the telephone exchange here.
What is most valuable?
The solution is rather inexpensive.
The product has very good routing capabilities.
The installation process is very straightforward.
What needs improvement?
We would like the solution to be more stable.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for about five years or so. It's been a while.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution's stability is questionable. It's something they could work on. It would be ideal if it had better performance and reliability.
How are customer service and technical support?
I've bever dealt directly with technical support as everything so far has been fine. We haven't had any issues or required any assistance so far.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used Huawei switches, however, we do not use them anymore. We have completely moved away from them.
How was the initial setup?
We have found that the installation process isn't overly complex or difficult. It was pretty straightforward and simple for us. We didn't face any complexity issues.
For every switch, it took a few hours to be adjusted and managed.
We only needed one technical person for deployment and maintenance.
What about the implementation team?
We had a manager that was able to handle the initial setup. We didn't hire any consultants or integrators.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We found the product to be reasonably priced. It's not too expensive.
We do not pay a licensing fee to use the product.
What other advice do I have?
We use various versions of the solutions, including versions 12 and 15X.
I'd rate the solution at a seven out of ten. We're mostly happy with the product.
I'd recommend the solution to other users and companies.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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Updated: June 2025
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