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ITDirect96f6 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Director at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Great performance, high availability and easy administration
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features are the great performance, high availability and easy administration."

    What is our primary use case?

    Our primary use case is for our core network.

    What is most valuable?

    The most valuable features are the great performance, high availability and easy administration.

    What needs improvement?

    The price is a con.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Our network is stable.

    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco Nexus
    June 2025
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    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    It's scalable.

    How are customer service and support?

    If you previously used a different solution, which one did you use and why did you switch?

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

    We needed to upgrade our network and we needed to decide to change our core network.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup was straightforward, it was simple.

    What about the implementation team?

    We used our reseller for the implementation. We liked them.

    What was our ROI?

    ROI comes after three years.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    We used Cisco before. When we made the decision to choose a new solution, we evaluated other vendors and chose Nexus.

    What other advice do I have?

    I would rate this solution a ten out of ten because it's the best.

    Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    Principal Engineer 2 at Charter Communications, Inc.
    Real User
    Has good performance, flexibility, configuration, and cost
    Pros and Cons
    • "The most valuable feature of Cisco Nexus is the performance, flexibility, configuration, and cost. It's not a traditional pricing model from Cisco. They've offered our company a considerable reduction in price. That makes Cisco Nexus now very competitive with other vendors."
    • "One improvement needed is support for Multi-CAD scale that we were concerned about. We're not hitting any limits at this point."

    What is our primary use case?

    Our primary use case for the Cisco Nexus is for a VXLAN environment with some video multicast.

    How has it helped my organization?

    I don't think we've been using Cisco Nexus long enough to know accurately how it is improving our organization. Our first deployment was about a month ago.

    What is most valuable?

    The most valuable features of Cisco Nexus are the performance, flexibility, configuration, and cost. It's not a traditional pricing model from Cisco. They've offered our company a considerable reduction in price. That makes Cisco Nexus now very competitive with other vendors.

    What needs improvement?

    One improvement needed is support for Multi-CAD scale that we were concerned about. We're not hitting any limits at this point. There were concerns about the amount of server capacity that was going to be available. We like to see things that are already there as opposed to being told where they will be. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The stability of Cisco Nexus thus far has been excellent. We had some initial issues with some non-Cisco optics, third parties claiming compatibility when they weren't compatible.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    We've not had a scale-out yet. Cisco Nexus looks very valuable. We're starting to deploy them in other environments as well.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    Cisco technical support for the 9000 is good. During our issues, we had excellent technical support. The support issues required around 40 hours. We had Cisco engineers available for the entire time. It was impressive.

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

    In the production of our network, we've grown in scale, and that's really what it came down to. Previously we wouldn't have thought that a Nexus product was comparable to some of the other vendors, like Arista and Juniper. But the features of the 9000 brought it into line with the capabilities of other vendors that we used.

    How was the initial setup?

    The setup is straightforward. Nexus uses options that our engineers are familiar with. The advantages were that we could leverage the knowledge that we already had.

    What other advice do I have?

    On a scale of 1-10, I would rate it a 9. Cisco is very competitive with the other companies that are out there. I would recommend them. We've had very good luck.

    Cisco is a leader. They help us with the deployment at a lower cost.

    Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco Nexus
    June 2025
    Learn what your peers think about Cisco Nexus. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2025.
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    TechArch0f90 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Tech Architect at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees
    Real User
    Helps us with troubleshooting and uptime management in keeping a healthy network but needs better granularity
    Pros and Cons
    • "Cisco Nexus has improved the way our organization functions through the troubleshooting. We had issues where we've seen our links saturated. We were able to determine what was being processed on the link."
    • "I would like to see more granularity."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use Cisco Nexus primarily to check the health of our links. We use it to make sure if our links are good or not. It really helps with troubleshooting.

    How has it helped my organization?

    Cisco Nexus has improved the way our organization functions through the troubleshooting. We had issues where we've seen our links saturated. We were able to determine what was being processed on the link. 

    It has reduced the complexity of our network monitoring because I'm able to drill down quickly and figure out what's going on. 

    It has helped us make sure that we have the best uptime that we can have. 

    What is most valuable?

    Although it could be better, you can get the granularity depending on the amount of time that you drill into it.

    What needs improvement?

    I would like to see more granularity. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The stability of the solution is very good.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    It scales very well.

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

    We did not have a previous solution.

    How was the initial setup?

    Cisco Nexus is straightforward to set up. We just pointed our logs to it. It's pretty easy. 

    What about the implementation team?

    We used a consultant. I didn't install it, I don't know exactly how it was done.

    What was our ROI?

    We have seen ROI based on the fact that we have more uptime.

    What other advice do I have?

    On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate this product a seven because it's helped out a lot in terms of troubleshooting.

    Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    NetworkEd74c - PeerSpot reviewer
    Network Engineer Principal
    Real User
    Flexible, reliable, and the VPCs operate accurately
    Pros and Cons
    • "The flexibility, how accurately the VPCs operate as well as the redundancy built into it with the VPCs are the most valuable features."
    • "There's been a little bit of bugginess in the code, but that happens."

    What is our primary use case?

    Our primary use case of this solution is for our data center environment.

    What is most valuable?

    The flexibility, how accurately the VPCs operate as well as the redundancy built into it with the VPCs are the most valuable features. 

    What needs improvement?

    I would like to see improved ISSU.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    It's a stable solution, but there are a few bugs here and there in it and it would be nice if they weren't there. The Mac looping is an issue as well. 

    The ISSUs sometimes go down.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    It's very scalable. You can go up or down in size as much as you want. 

    How are customer service and technical support?

    Their technical support is outstanding. We had some issues at the core layer in our Nexus data center, and the 7Ks were hitting a bug, and we couldn't figure that out until we got really deep into debugs. Their tech support was able to resolve that. 

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

    We had our Cisco account rep and they helped us figure out what the right solution was for us.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup was rather complex because it was my first time deploying Nexus, and you have to turn on all the features to make them all work and that's something that you don't have in any other Cisco switch. It threw me for a loop. But once you figure out the resources and setting up the VDCs and everything, you're good.

    What about the implementation team?

    I deployed this solution myself. 

    What was our ROI?

    We definitely got ROI from Nexus and a pretty short term because the pure redundancy and the uptime, is a real value add for us.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    We were using another solution and we went with Cisco because it has more features. Also because Cisco is reliably good; nobody ever got fired for choosing Cisco.

    We were looking at Arista and Juniper, but we ended up going with Cisco, mainly because of the features.

    What other advice do I have?

    I would rate this product a pretty solid eight out of ten because it's been pretty reliable and good and it's done what it's supposed to do. There's been a little bit of bugginess in the code, but that happens.

    I would consider the cost and functionality that you need and consider this in between ACI and a Nexus deployment. Right now, ACI isn't super mature, and if you don't have people that are able to actually dig in and really learn ACI, Nexus still might be the best solution.

    Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    Sr. Data Center Network Engineer at a insurance company with 10,001+ employees
    Real User
    Good data center connectivity and is easy to use
    Pros and Cons
    • "We are a Cisco shop. This solution is better compared to other options."
    • "I would like to see more automation and for it to be easier to use."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use it for data center connectivity and we integrate it with ACI. 

    How has it helped my organization?

    We are a Cisco shop. This solution is better compared to other options. 

    What is most valuable?

    It's easy to use. 

    What needs improvement?

    I would like to see more automation and for it to be easier to use. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Stability is much better than it was. 

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    Scalability is good. 

    How are customer service and technical support?

    Their technical support is better than other companies. 

    How was the initial setup?

    The setup can be easy and complex depending on the product and features we're using. 

    What about the implementation team?

    We used in-house resources for the deployment. 

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

    Our licensing costs are yearly. 

    What other advice do I have?

    I would rate this solution a nine out of ten. Nexus is better than other switches so I would advise going with this solution. 

    Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    NetworkCaac9 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Network Coordinator at a government with 1,001-5,000 employees
    Real User
    The port density enables us to connect all of our departments and agencies
    Pros and Cons
    • "It has improved our organization because we have aggregated ports, we're able to put multiple agencies on the multiple different interfaces that we have going there. We're able to separate them out with the use of VLANs and whatnot."
    • "If we could get some more automation integrated into it, it would make it easier."

    What is our primary use case?

    We got it for its port density. Our primary use case of this solution is so we can connect all of our other departments and agencies. It'll be the main connection to our core routers. I don't work directly on it, I work with the router that connects to it. 

    How has it helped my organization?

    It has improved our organization because we have aggregated ports and we're able to put multiple agencies on the multiple different interfaces that we have going there. We're able to separate them out with the use of VLANs and whatnot.

    What needs improvement?

    The VLAN is a little more hand driven now. I don't know exactly why the split screen does that.

    If we could get some more automation integrated into it, it would make it easier.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    As far as I know, it's been stable the entire time we've had it. 

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    We haven't surpassed the scalability at this point. 

    How are customer service and technical support?

    I haven't had to use their technical support for this solution but I have used Cisco support in general. They're outstanding. 

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

    We knew we needed to switch solutions because when we migrated to Cisco as a network, we needed a good way to could control a lot of our outside agencies.

    What about the implementation team?

    We did the deployment ourselves and we have a reseller that sells us the equipment. 

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

    We do yearly licensing. 

    What other advice do I have?

    I would rate this solution an eight or nine out of ten. 

    I would advise someone considering this solution to research what your actual needs are so that you size it correctly. You can always upgrade size. It's harder to downgrade.

    Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    Solutions Architect at ABS Technology
    Real User
    Provides fast access to storage and data center resources
    Pros and Cons
    • "Cisco technical support is a good backup team when you have issues with anything. If you open a case they are very good at following up and making sure that the issue's resolved according to the needs of our network."
    • "In the next release of the solution, I would like to see varying integration between VRF (Virtual Routing and Forwarding) instances so we can integrate BGB into different VRFs in a more organized way. We have some issues with tunnels and VRFs."

    What is our primary use case?

    Our primary use case for the Cisco Nexus solution is to provide data center access for our customers. This includes providing servers, storage, and interconnecting those to the rest of the network.

    How has it helped my organization?

    This product has improved the way our organization functions by providing fast access to storage and data center resources. We are getting better performance out of our network by using this platform.

    What is most valuable?

    The most valuable feature of this solution is the capacity of the switches. One of the main advantages of going with the Nexus 9000 is that it can do advanced routing and segmentation with VLANs. 

    What needs improvement?

    In the next release of the solution, I would like to see varying integration between VRF (Virtual Routing and Forwarding) instances so we can integrate BGB into different VRFs in a more organized way. We have some issues with tunnels and VRFs. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The stability of this solution is pretty cool. NX-OS is a solid match. It does run the features and all the protocols very well for us.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The scalability of this solution is very good. We had different options for physical form factors. It does work for what we need on our enterprise network.

    We have a 1GB connection to a data center. Then we upgraded a server. We can quickly get more scalability from the switch by migrating to 10GB or even 25GB connections.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    Cisco technical support is a good backup team when you have issues with anything. If you open a case they are very good at following up and making sure that the issue's resolved according to the needs of our network.

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

    We knew we needed to invest in a new solution because upgrading the network is a must for every company. We had to just take into consideration the legacy switches that we were using were not giving the performance needed for the network. The old hardware did not support the demands of our clients connecting to the network.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup, if you know what you are doing, is very straightforward. You have to know what a switch is and what routing protocols are, like any other device.

    If you are familiar with the IOS it is a little bit easier to translate to NX-OS and use the switch.

    What about the implementation team?

    We're the reseller for Cisco Nexus.

    What was our ROI?

    We have seen new ROI from the previous platform to the new one. We're starting to see that.

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

    Our licensing costs for this solution are approximately $100K a year for the switching part.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    The products on our shortlist were mostly Cisco Nexus and Meraki.

    What other advice do I have?

    On a scale from 1 - 10, I would give Cisco Nexus a 9. It's a solid platform. We've been having very good stability from the use of that network device.

    Take into consideration the features and the protocols that are in use. Make sure that whatever is being used as a current platform can be migrated to the Nexus and that the features are available before you purchase the hardware. Understand exactly how the infrastructure will work from the operating system of the switch in case you're using any advanced features from another platform. Make sure that the transition is as expected and don't go down a bad path.

    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner.
    PeerSpot user
    NetworkEf82e - PeerSpot reviewer
    Network Engineer at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
    MSP
    Performs well and has good capacity for the number of customers that we can get onto it
    Pros and Cons
    • "The scalability of Cisco Nexus is good. We've had them for the entire lifetime. We've never had to upgrade them yet."
    • "If I call during a high volume, I might get someone that just doesn't know as much or it takes a little bit of time and they put us on hold more. Otherwise, it's good."

    What is our primary use case?

    Our primary use case is for multitenant switching in our data centers for our edge equipment to go in between our firewalls and out to the internet.

    How has it helped my organization?

    It's performing well. 

    What is most valuable?

    The most valuable feature is the capacity for the number of customers that we can get onto it.

    What needs improvement?

    I get more of the frustration out of Juniper equipment than I do from Cisco products. Cisco Nexus is more versatile for us in comparison to Juniper. The routing is easier with Cisco.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The stability is good. We've never had any of them die. They've been very consistent.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The scalability of Cisco Nexus is good. We've had them for the entire lifetime. We've never had to upgrade them yet.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    Their technical support is good and very helpful. They knew exactly what we needed. If I call during a high volume, I might get someone that just doesn't know as much or it takes a little bit of time and they put us on hold more. Otherwise, it's good. 

    What about the implementation team?

    We used a consultant for the deployment. 

    What other advice do I have?

    On a scale of one to ten, I would rate Cisco Nexus a ten. I like it. I would advise anyone to go through a professional consultant with Cisco training.

    Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Cisco Nexus Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: June 2025
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Cisco Nexus Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.