Aruba Instant On Switches vs Cisco Nexus comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Cisco are both solutions in the LAN Switching category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #2 with an average rating of 7.6, while Cisco is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.3. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 8.1% mindshare in LS, compared to Cisco’s 8.7% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Cisco users who would recommend it.

Aruba Instant On Switches

Read 32 Aruba Instant On Switches reviews

1,143 Views
1,143 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Cisco Nexus

Read 107 Cisco Nexus reviews

2,502 Views
1,001 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Aruba Instant On Switches

Cisco Nexus

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 6, 2025

Cisco Nexus and Aruba Instant On Switches cater to different market segments within network infrastructure. Cisco Nexus offers more advanced features tailored for data centers, whereas Aruba Instant On targets small to medium businesses. Cisco stands out for data center optimization, while Aruba offers simplicity in deployment.

Features: Cisco Nexus excels with its advanced features like VDCs, VPCs, and superior hardware engineering for data center environments. Its high scalability and stability make it ideal for complex configurations. Aruba Instant On, although less feature-rich, is favored for its easy deployment, affordability, and capabilities such as centralized management through Aruba Central, making it appealing to SMBs.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Nexus can improve by enhancing cost-effectiveness and simplifying the licensing process. Users have reported stability issues with software updates. Aruba Instant On can benefit from more robust features, improved stability, and quicker boot-up times. Expanding its scalability and management capabilities would also enhance its appeal to larger networks.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Nexus requires sophisticated technical expertise for deployment, praised for robust support despite inconsistent experiences. In contrast, Aruba Instant On is noted for its simple and fast deployment process, well-received customer service, ensuring a smooth onboarding experience for SMBs.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Nexus is higher-priced due to its enterprise capabilities, justified by the ROI from system stability. However, its complex licensing can be a drawback. Aruba Instant On offers a cost-effective alternative with competitive pricing and low ongoing fees, attracting budget-conscious buyers with a balanced feature set.

To learn more, read our detailed Aruba Instant On Switches vs. Cisco Nexus Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant On Switches vs. Cisco Nexus

December 2025

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Helped 879,889 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score

4.6

Aruba Instant On Switches are valued for affordability and ease of integration, appealing to startups and service providers.

Sentiment score

7.3

Cisco Nexus offers strong ROI with cost savings, reliability, and ease of use, balancing initial costs with long-term benefits.

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the Aruba Instant On Switches report

Speeding up our response times and reducing errors and incidents with automation and available APIs.

reviewer2669133

Global Head, Network Endpoint Connectivity at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco Nexus report

Customer Service

Sentiment score

6.4

Aruba Instant On Switches support is reliable, with skilled staff, but users request better communication access and quicker resolutions.

Sentiment score

7.3

Cisco Nexus boasts responsive, knowledgeable support with quick resolutions, though service quality sometimes varies between representatives or escalation steps.

I want more direct communication with the technical support.

Indrajith Solanga

System Engineer at University of Kelaniya

I would rate them an eight on a scale of one to ten because the support was good.

Van-Padgett

Engagement Manager at a marketing services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Aruba Instant On Switches report

For us, we have a time advantage because we know the solution, and the technological refresh is easier.

Claudio Fedeli

Systems Area References Specialist at Fondazione Poliambulanza

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco Nexus report

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

6.7

Aruba Instant On Switches offer flexibility and ease for small businesses but have limitations for enterprise-level demands.

Sentiment score

7.6

Cisco Nexus offers scalable solutions for enterprises, supporting numerous nodes with flexibility despite cost concerns.

The product scalability can be deployed on a very large network scale.

reviewer2596875

Presale Network Security at a consumer goods company with 1-10 employees

I would rate the scalability of Aruba Instant On Switches as an eight regarding the ability of the product to adapt to our needs.

Indrajith Solanga

System Engineer at University of Kelaniya

For more quotes and insights, download the Aruba Instant On Switches report

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco Nexus report

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

8.0

Aruba Instant On Switches are reliable, easy to install, and offer good performance at a competitive price, despite occasional issues.

Sentiment score

7.9

Cisco Nexus is highly stable, with minor bugs, improved reliability, and long uptime, enhancing user satisfaction significantly.

In terms of stability and scalability, I have not faced any performance issues with Aruba; it functions very well.

reviewer2596875

Presale Network Security at a consumer goods company with 1-10 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Aruba Instant On Switches report

Initially, the stability of Cisco Nexus, particularly with the ACI, was problematic due to unstable codes, requiring replacements.

reviewer2669133

Global Head, Network Endpoint Connectivity at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco Nexus report

Room For Improvement

Aruba Instant On Switches need better pricing, scalability, feature set, user documentation, and improved management and configuration tools.

Cisco Nexus requires better GUI, programmability, multi-tenancy support, simplified licensing, improved tools, automation, integration, and competitive pricing.

Aruba Instant On Switches could be improved by utilizing more AI features.

Van-Padgett

Engagement Manager at a marketing services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees

If they can apply more security features to Aruba Instant On Switches, such as network access control including ClearPass, then that would be great.

reviewer2596875

Presale Network Security at a consumer goods company with 1-10 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Aruba Instant On Switches report

When I talk about data centers, which are critical infrastructure and centralized application hubs, the Nexus platforms should be highly stable.

reviewer2669133

Global Head, Network Endpoint Connectivity at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees

The solution is on-premises and stable.

Claudio Fedeli

Systems Area References Specialist at Fondazione Poliambulanza

It might be pretty expensive for other companies.

Mohammed Faisal Ikram

Director at WAJDA GROUP

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco Nexus report

Setup Cost

Aruba Instant On Switches offer competitive pricing and inclusive licensing, praised for cost-effectiveness and compatibility with existing Aruba solutions.

Cisco Nexus pricing is high, with complex licensing and significant costs, though discounts are possible through negotiation.

Economically, its price is acceptable for us.

Indrajith Solanga

System Engineer at University of Kelaniya

The pricing was good because they do not nickel and dime on costs.

Van-Padgett

Engagement Manager at a marketing services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Aruba Instant On Switches report

The price of Cisco Nexus is on the higher side due to the premium services Cisco offers.

reviewer2669133

Global Head, Network Endpoint Connectivity at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees

All solutions are very expensive and not an economy solution.

Claudio Fedeli

Systems Area References Specialist at Fondazione Poliambulanza

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco Nexus report

Valuable Features

Aruba Instant On Switches offer easy setup, cost-effective scalability, and advanced network features for SMBs and SOHOs.

Cisco Nexus is praised for flexibility, scalability, strong security, and ease of use, making it ideal for data centers.

The best features of Aruba Instant On Switches include the ability to remotely monitor the access points and any troubles on the network.

Van-Padgett

Engagement Manager at a marketing services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees

The first valuable aspect of Aruba Instant On Switches is the price because it is affordable, and it is easy to deploy and not complicated regarding licensing because when you purchase it once, you can enjoy it for more than five years or lifetime.

reviewer2596875

Presale Network Security at a consumer goods company with 1-10 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Aruba Instant On Switches report

It provides visibility and configuration options, aiding significantly in network management initiatives.

reviewer2669133

Global Head, Network Endpoint Connectivity at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees

For us, we have a time advantage because we know the solution, and the technological refresh is easier.

Claudio Fedeli

Systems Area References Specialist at Fondazione Poliambulanza

I would recommend Cisco Nexus for large enterprises and the government sector, as they can afford it.

Mohammed Faisal Ikram

Director at WAJDA GROUP

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco Nexus report

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Instant On Switches

Ranking in LAN Switching

2nd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Cisco Nexus

Ranking in LAN Switching

4th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

107

Ranking in other categories

Data Center Networking (5th)

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the LAN Switching category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant On Switches is 8.1%, down from 10.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Nexus is 8.7%, up from 8.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

LAN Switching Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Aruba Instant On Switches	8.1%
Cisco Nexus	8.7%
Other	83.2%

LAN Switching

Featured Reviews

Indrajith Solanga

System Engineer at University of Kelaniya

Solution offers straightforward management and compatibility, though user support needs direct access improvement

Sometimes some features are not available. For example, the network discovery protocol, LLDP, is not available on some of the switches. When we look at the CLI management, we are considering Cisco, and we are familiar with the Cisco commands. In that case, at the command level, Cisco is much better than Aruba Instant On Switches. Considering the configuration and the CLI level and some of the features, Cisco has better offerings than Aruba Instant On Switches. There are Netgear and some other low-cost switches, but the quality of those is not aligned with our organization's requirements. Overall, I rate Aruba Instant On Switches a seven out of ten.

Read full review

reviewer2669133

Global Head, Network Endpoint Connectivity at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees

Streamlines network operations with automation and visibility while initial setup complexity and code stability improve

When I talk about data centers, which are critical infrastructure and centralized application hubs, the Nexus platforms should be highly stable. Initially, the codes I received through ACI were quite unstable, causing me to frequently replace them, which led to significant issues. However, it is much more stable now. Nonetheless, the initial instability with ACI iOS upgrades was a significant problem.

Read full review

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

12%

Computer Software Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

10%

University

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Performing Arts

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	19
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	7

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	19
Midsize Enterprise	17
Large Enterprise	82

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba Instant On Switches?

The solution has a simple deployment and zero border.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Instant On Switches?

The pricing was good because they do not nickel and dime on costs.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Aruba Instant On Switches?

Aruba Instant On Switches could be improved by utilizing more AI features. They are starting to use some AI capabilities, though I haven't kept up with developments since I left.

See all answers

What do you like most about Cisco Nexus?

The product's initial setup phase is very easy.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Nexus?

We are a reseller, and we sell products to our customers.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco Nexus?

Cisco Nexus may not be very popular because of the requirements that we come across, as it will go into the core data centers, whereas we work with most of the corporate sectors, so Cisco Nexus is ...

See all answers

Comparisons

HPE ProCurve vs Aruba Instant On Switches

Compared 39% of the time

Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Aruba Instant On Switches

Compared 30% of the time

NETGEAR Switches vs Aruba Instant On Switches

Compared 17% of the time

Dell PowerSwitch N-Series vs Aruba Instant On Switches

Compared 8% of the time

Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch LAN Switches vs Aruba Instant On Switches

Compared 7% of the time

More Aruba Instant On Switches Competitors

Juniper QFX Series Switches vs Cisco Nexus

Compared 28% of the time

Arista Networks Platform vs Cisco Nexus

Compared 12% of the time

Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Cisco Nexus

Compared 10% of the time

Dell PowerEdge R-Series vs Cisco Nexus

Compared 7% of the time

Juniper QFabric vs Cisco Nexus

Compared 7% of the time

More Cisco Nexus Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant On Switches

January 2026

Download Aruba Instant On Switches product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Nexus

January 2026

Download Cisco Nexus product report

Also Known As

Aruba Instant On 1930 Switches

No data available

Overview

The Aruba Instant On 1930 switches features advanced, smart-managed, fixed configuration Gigabit switches designed for small businesses that are easy-to-deploy and affordable. They’re made to handle today’s bandwidth-heavy applications like voice and video conferencing, enabling consistent connectivity to enhance performance. Using either the Instant On mobile app or the cloud-based web portal, you can quickly set up, monitor and manage the 1930 switch series from anywhere at any time. What’s more, up to 30 W PoE power delivery is available out-of-the-box for your class 4 PoE devices, like access points, surveillance cameras and VoIP phones, all easily managed from the same platform.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

The Cisco Nexus family of switches is designed to meet the stringent requirements of the next-generation data center. Not simply bigger or faster, these switches offer the following characteristics: infrastructure that can be scaled cost-effectively and that helps you increase energy, budget, and resource efficiency, transport that can navigate the transition to 10 Gigabit Ethernet and unified fabric and can also handle architectural changes such as virtualization, Web 2.0 applications, and cloud computing and operational continuity to meet your need for an environment where system availability is assumed and maintenance windows are rare if not totally extinct.

Cisco

Sample Customers

KEMET, Vestavia Hills City Schools, Dropbox

Advanced Medical Transport, Banco de Guayaquil, Baylor Scott & White Health, BH Telecom, Bowling Green State University, Calligaris, Children's Hospital Colorado, City of Biel, Del Papa Distributing, Department of Justice, Dimension Data, Dualtec Cloud Builders, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Grupo Industrial Saltillo (GIS), Hertz, K&L Gates , LightEdge, Lone Star College System, Management Science Associates, Mindtree, NBC Olympics, Quest, Sony Corporation, The Department of Education in Western Australia, Valley Proteins

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant On Switches vs. Cisco Nexus

December 2025

Free Report: Aruba Instant On Switches vs. Cisco Nexus

Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Instant On Switches vs. Cisco Nexus and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.

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