Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch LAN Switches vs Cisco Catalyst Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 6, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch L...
Ranking in LAN Switching
10th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Cisco Catalyst Switches
Ranking in LAN Switching
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
176
Ranking in other categories
Ethernet Switches (7th), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the LAN Switching category, the mindshare of Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch LAN Switches is 4.1%, up from 2.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 28.1%, down from 31.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
LAN Switching
 

Featured Reviews

Attila Gyalus - PeerSpot reviewer
Highly Recommended Switches with User-Friendly Configuration Capabilities
A customer expressed dissatisfaction with the color of the switches, preferring black over the current color, which is close to white. While the color is not a personal concern, my earlier preference was for all products to be extendable in one large stack since some equipment limits stacking to four elements instead of eight.
Joshua Odunsi - PeerSpot reviewer
Ensures efficient performance and supports network growth with optimal speed
Catalyst Switches are efficient and swift, which is valuable for my organization. I experience optimal speed and effective configuration, making them stand out compared to other switches. The PoE switches offer more ports on SFP, and it is efficient in use. Overall, the switches provide me with the value I expect in terms of speed and efficiency.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"OmniSwitch LAN Switches' performance is very good."
"These OmniSwitches are very manageable and easy to configure."
"With Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch LAN Switches everything comes from one vendor. It operates very smoothly."
"The most valuable feature is the ease of configuration."
"I rate the technical support an eight or a nine out of ten. So far, they've been very professional and helpful, especially when we need to raise a case for any issue."
"One of the main advantages of the solution is that the configuration is straightforward, offering various configuration options through CLI or web interfaces. I'm satisfied with the customer service and support. The solution is good and people should know about it."
"A very expandable solution."
"This is a feature-rich product and the newer models have improved features that allow for many new possibilities."
"They don't ever fail and they have a long service life."
"Perpetual POE is a valuable feature, because when the switch reboots, access points do not."
"The PoE capability of Catalyst Switches is great for using WAPs and other PoE equipment, such as security cameras."
"Catalyst switches are highly reliable. They have a good product life, they are balanced overall compared to others."
"We decreased budgets on the support corporate network and increased user satisfaction."
"In terms of technology, Cisco is the leader in everything. I'd rather buy a second-hand Cisco switch than a brand new switch from a competitor. They're that reliable and resilient."
 

Cons

"There are some issues with the network firmware being deleted from the switches."
"There is no OEM support in India so RMAs need to be sent to France, which takes a long time if the hardware is faulty."
"I would like to see better third-party integration with third-party systems."
"n general, the way the product is put together is not well done."
"A customer expressed dissatisfaction with the color of the switches, preferring black over the current color, which is close to white. While the color is not a personal concern, my earlier preference was for all products to be extendable in one large stack since some equipment limits stacking to four elements instead of eight."
"I think that the price should be cheaper and they should include at least one year of basic service for technical support for each product, and not just the 90 days from the time of purchase."
"I would like to see support for one-touch provisioning."
"The management of Cisco Catalyst Switches could be improved."
"First of all, there are some features that take a long time to get implemented, and other vendors have them for a long time before them. For example, it took a long time to have a way to commit change with the timer, so it gets undone if the user doesn't accept the change after it's done. Like, having to say the changes be done, and everything works fine. In the end, everything works fine, but it didn't exist. That's just an example of stuff that came late to Catalyst."
"Their price should be cheaper. We lose a lot of work because of the price that they have."
"The configuration options on the Cisco Commerce website could be more efficient."
"While it is scalable, it could be better."
"The product could be cheaper."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The license is purchased one time only, it is a perpetual license with no renewal."
"The solution’s price is at a moderate level."
"OmniSwitch LAN Switches are cheaper than Cisco's switches."
"The price is okay. It's comparable to similar switches."
"It would be great for the user if Cisco lowered the prices for their routers and switches."
"I would rate the features-to-pricing ratio at six out of 10. My advice about licensing is that you should have a perpetual license, not one that is subscription-based."
"I don't know a lot about the price, but they are affordable compared with other solutions."
"The general price of the solution could be cheaper."
"I cannot say that the pricing is reasonable because it's a little above our expectations. If we consider the recent price increases, it is not acceptable anymore."
"Cisco's prices are not cheap, but the stability is worth it."
"The solutions are costly, considering that Cisco provides top-notch support and devices."
"Generally, Cisco Catalyst would be relatively expensive compared to the competition, it would be on the expensive side."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which LAN Switching solutions are best for your needs.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Government
17%
Retailer
13%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Computer Software Company
12%
Educational Organization
53%
Computer Software Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
4%
Financial Services Firm
4%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch LAN Switches?
One of the main advantages of the solution is that the configuration is straightforward, offering various configuration options through CLI or web interfaces. I'm satisfied with the customer serv...
What needs improvement with Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch LAN Switches?
A customer expressed dissatisfaction with the color of the switches, preferring black over the current color, which is close to white. While the color is not a personal concern, my earlier preferen...
Would you recommend replacing a Cisco Catalyst Switch by a D-link one?
Hello Mesfin It depends on the real scenario, the cisco 2960 is a very good device and they usually have routing functions but there are many different models within the same 2960 line, and on the ...
What do you like most about Cisco Catalyst Switches?
We are a vendor for the healthcare sector, especially hospitals, and normally, we use a full Cisco solution for stability, especially for the stability of the Access Points and the security of swit...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Catalyst Switches?
For pricing satisfaction, I'd say it will be six to seven because Cisco usually is costly compared to other vendors. Regarding pricing, there is indeed room for improvement.
 

Also Known As

Alcatel Lucent OmniSwitch LAN Switches, OmniSwitch, OmniSwitch LAN Switches
Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
 

Overview

Information not available
 

Sample Customers

Advocate Health Care, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Azienda Ospedaliera della Provincia di Lodi, Centre Hospitalier Carcassonne, Certis Cisco Security, China Tianchen Engineering Corporation Co. LTD, City of Frankfurt, Dongseo University
Afni, Anilana Hotels and Resorts, Baylor Scott & White Health, Beachbody, Bellevue, Del Papa Distributing, Explorer Pipeline, Mindtree, Omaha World Herald, Radio 538, Sony Corporation, Telecom Italia, Telenor Arena
Find out what your peers are saying about Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch LAN Switches vs. Cisco Catalyst Switches and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.