No more typing reviews! Try our Samantha, our new voice AI agent.

Aruba Switches vs Cisco Ethernet Switches vs MikroTik Routers and Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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
2.6
Users appreciate Aruba Switches for cost savings, stability, long-term ROI, warranty benefits, and efficiency compared to Cisco.
Sentiment score
5.7
Cisco Ethernet Switches offer high ROI with low maintenance, uptime, but some face renewal, scalability challenges affecting profitability.
Sentiment score
7.1
MikroTik devices are cost-effective, reliable, and offer an impressive 80% return on investment with no licensing fees.
It has saved considerable time for engineers to troubleshoot and perform related tasks.
Network & Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Private Limited
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.3
Aruba Switches' customer service has mixed reviews; response times and support quality vary, especially with complex issues.
Sentiment score
6.1
Cisco Ethernet Switches are praised for strong support, yet experience variability, especially with complex issues and response times.
Sentiment score
4.3
MikroTik support receives mixed reviews; while knowledgeable, users face access challenges and documentation limitations compared to Cisco.
When issues are escalated to TAC for switching cases specifically, the support tends to be a little poor, whereas support for other products remains acceptable.
IT Solution Analyst II at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Their tech support is good.
CTO at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
I find that technical support is available, especially during the warranty period.
Head Of ELV and ICT at Intec Systems Solution Pvt Ltd
Customer support for Cisco Ethernet Switches is really good.
Network & Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Private Limited
It takes two to three days for Cisco support to address issues.
Asst IT Manager at Ultra Engineers
Currently, we don't have any technical support because our license doesn't allow for direct support.
Commercial Experience Supervisor at Jazz (previously known as Mobilink)
Their support team knows their product very well.
Community Director at PeerSpot
I sometimes need technical support from my ISP company, or else I gather information from YouTube.
IT Manager at ERL
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Aruba Switches offer high scalability, praised for modularity, integration, and flexibility, with excellent user ratings for adaptability.
Sentiment score
8.1
Cisco Ethernet Switches are scalable, adaptable, and support efficient network expansion across diverse environments, suitable for all company sizes.
Sentiment score
7.1
MikroTik Routers are seen as scalable, though some note hardware and security limitations in larger deployments.
The scalability offered by Aruba Switches is similar to Cisco, demonstrating options for enterprise networking.
Technology supervisor at a non-profit with 1-10 employees
I would rate the scalability of the product an eight out of ten.
Chief Executive Officer at Talinda East Africa
I would rate the ability to scale at seven because the modular backbone devices are very good.
Administrator at Sulbana Oy
Cisco mainly provides security, patch management, hardware reliability, durability, scalability, and security features supporting my organization's expansion.
Head of the Solutions Department at BIM Group of Companies
The latest products do not allow integration with the earlier environment.
Asst IT Manager at Ultra Engineers
The scalability depends on the model.
Commercial Experience Supervisor at Jazz (previously known as Mobilink)
Even in a big enterprise, MikroTik Routers and Switches can scale very well.
Community Director at PeerSpot
It's easy to scale MikroTik Routers and Switches; you can add more and have a cluster.
IT Consultant at M-COM s.r.o
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Aruba Switches are lauded for stability and reliability, offering consistent performance with minimal issues, particularly with proper maintenance.
Sentiment score
8.9
Cisco Ethernet Switches are highly regarded for their durability and reliability, with users praising their long-lasting performance and support.
Sentiment score
7.4
MikroTik Routers and Switches are generally stable, but newer OS versions and the power system can cause issues.
I have sites that have been running for many years with no issues.
Chief Executive Officer at Talinda East Africa
The stability of Aruba Switches is very good, and I would rate it between eight and nine out of ten.
Head Of ELV and ICT at Intec Systems Solution Pvt Ltd
Once we install Aruba Switches, we can forget about them for years and years.
Sales Engineer at SGE
The switches are very stable, rated ten out of ten.
Senior System Engineer & Project Manager at TechnoPeak
MikroTik Routers and Switches are very stable.
IT Manager at ERL
MikroTik Routers and Switches have very high stability.
Community Director at PeerSpot
 

Room For Improvement

Aruba Switches require better integration, user-friendliness, support, pricing, stability, delivery, cooling solutions, documentation, and global training.
Cisco Ethernet Switches face challenges with complexity, costs, inadequate support, and demand improvements in scalability, security, integration, and usability.
MikroTik Routers and Switches need better interface, security, documentation, compatibility, advanced features, and support for improved user experience.
Improving the distribution network across regions would be beneficial.
Chief Executive Officer at Talinda East Africa
Aruba Central also has certain security features including segmentation capabilities and endpoint information that can be used to define policies.
IT Solution Analyst II at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
There are more centers of knowledge for Cisco than for Aruba here.
Technology supervisor at a non-profit with 1-10 employees
The pricing and hardware warranty renewal costs are more expensive than other products.
Asst IT Manager at Ultra Engineers
FortiGate switches are considered more valuable because they have firewall capabilities.
Commercial Experience Supervisor at Jazz (previously known as Mobilink)
For example, on switches, filtering specific sections isn't supported, whereas, on routers, you can do 'show run' with additional commands to filter.
Senior System Engineer & Project Manager at TechnoPeak
It would be better for me if I could establish filter rules within MikroTik.
IT Manager at ERL
The most important thing is maintaining and enhancing their strong security features.
Community Director at PeerSpot
 

Setup Cost

Aruba Switches are generally affordable and cost-effective, with no license requirements, offering competitive pricing compared to Cisco and Huawei.
Cisco Ethernet Switches offer high quality and reliability but come with high prices, inflexible licensing, and potential hidden costs.
MikroTik offers cost-effective routers with lifetime licenses, appealing to enterprises seeking affordable high-performance alternatives without hidden charges.
The pricing of some products, such as the 6300M switch, is considered a significant cost.
Chief Executive Officer at Talinda East Africa
From my experience, the pricing of Aruba Switches is competitive.
Head Of ELV and ICT at Intec Systems Solution Pvt Ltd
A high-end model with Aruba is about five thousand.
Sales Engineer at SGE
Cisco Ethernet switches are priced at a rating of nine, indicating they are expensive.
Asst IT Manager at Ultra Engineers
We need to pay for the subscription, as there are extra expenses after purchasing the product.
Head of the Solutions Department at BIM Group of Companies
Regarding the cost, Cisco Ethernet Switches have a competitive price.
IT Manager at Decorgel
MikroTik Routers and Switches are expensive, but they are the best products in terms of quality.
Community Director at PeerSpot
 

Valuable Features

Aruba Switches excel in security, scalability, and ease of management, offering superior support and features compared to Cisco.
Cisco Ethernet Switches provide performance, reliability, security, scalability, advanced management features, customization, energy efficiency, and extensive support.
MikroTik devices combine affordability, scalability, and performance with features like flexible firewalls and user-friendly GUI for efficient networking.
One of the most valuable features of Aruba Switches is the security and cybersecurity features they have.
Technology supervisor at a non-profit with 1-10 employees
Scalability is significant since you can start from an economical product to a very high-end option, accommodating growth.
Sales Engineer at SGE
In the hotel sector, IGMP 3 is particularly valuable for IPTV.
Chief Executive Officer at Talinda East Africa
Their stability and durability are essential features we've been looking for many years, and they are still working fine.
IT Manager at Decorgel
It provides a high layer of enterprise security via 802.1X port-based authentication, DHCP snooping, ARP inspection, IP Guard, ACLs, and integration with Cisco ISE.
Network & Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Private Limited
The Cisco Ethernet switches are sturdy products that do not require any kind of maintenance.
Asst IT Manager at Ultra Engineers
They simplify the process of creating access lists, allowing me to understand my network's activities effectively.
IT Manager at ERL
MikroTik Routers and Switches are some of the best routers around, security-wise, followed by Cisco.
Community Director at PeerSpot
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Aruba Switches is 8.9%, down from 10.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Ethernet Switches is 9.0%, down from 14.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MikroTik Routers and Switches is 4.6%, down from 6.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Aruba Switches8.9%
Cisco Ethernet Switches9.0%
MikroTik Routers and Switches4.6%
Other77.5%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Aneesh K - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Solution Analyst II at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Has supported dynamic user segmentation and centralized management across campus networks
The best features of Aruba Switches are their stability and reliability. Hardware failures are rare because the switches have been running for years, and it is uncommon to encounter hardware issues or impacting bugs. From an operational perspective, Aruba Switches are stable and easy to configure through centralized management solutions. Initially managed through AirWave and now through Central, the configuration can be managed easily with audit records and visibility to switch health and other parameters. Another advantage is that Aruba Switches work seamlessly with ClearPass as a NAC server. This integration allows for dynamic policies, dynamic downloadable user roles, and enables seamless segmentation of users for network security. The real-time analytics provided by Aruba Switches for network efficiency are valuable when needed. All information visible in the analytics dashboard is truly helpful. With Aruba Central's migration to AI capability, additional value is being provided, offering more information and making troubleshooting easier with user-friendly features where you can search for anything and receive relevant results.
Sachin-Yadav - PeerSpot reviewer
Network & Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Private Limited
Network segmentation has improved security and performance across all departments
Cisco Ethernet Switches offer various features such as L3 capable models which help me with my routing requirements, OSPF, EIGRP, and VRF for segmentation, as well as policy-based routing. Additionally, it provides a high layer of enterprise security via 802.1X port-based authentication, DHCP snooping, ARP inspection, IP Guard, ACLs, and integration with Cisco ISE. I have been using Cisco Ethernet Switches for more than four years, and they have provided me stability, better connectivity, and higher speed. My organization values these switches greatly.
AnikIslam - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Executive at Lakdhanavi Limited
Cost-effective protocol support and a straightforward setup with room for login enhancements
In the network operations center, I manage our client's bandwidth. We connect with our clients through BGP and OSPF based on client demands. We also manage routing protocols, policies, internal firewalls, and other details like QE bandwidth, client manage bandwidth management, PoE, PPPoE, and DNS…
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
899,258 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
11%
Computer Software Company
9%
Construction Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
18%
Computer Software Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business50
Midsize Enterprise19
Large Enterprise22
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business60
Midsize Enterprise35
Large Enterprise55
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business43
Midsize Enterprise16
Large Enterprise9
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Switches?
In terms of pricing for Aruba Switches, I would rate it a five. They are quite expensive devices.
What needs improvement with Aruba Switches?
Technology is constantly advancing, and although more security is always needed, our networks are still old, so we mo...
What is your primary use case for Aruba Switches?
Aruba Switches are used in our organization for a straightforward purpose. We started with the HP line, and when Arub...
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 func...
Which would you choose - Fortinet Fortiswitch secure access or Cisco Ethernet Switches?
We researched Cisco but ultimately chose Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access, mostly because of the price. Fortinet F...
In terms of ethernet switches, would you go with Cisco or Juniper?
Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether Cisco or Juniper Ethernet switches were the better fit for...
How do Cisco Enterprise routers compare with Mikrotik routers and switches?
Cisco Enterprise Routers are very stable and easy to use. They offer a very solid performance and are very secure. Th...
Which are better - Ubiquiti UniFi switches or MikroTik routers and switches?
Ubiquiti Unifi is a great solution. For starters, it is easy to configure and implement, and doesn’t require a learni...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for MikroTik Routers and Switches?
MikroTik Routers and Switches are expensive, but they are the best products in terms of quality. From my knowledge, t...
 

Also Known As

8400 Series, 8320 Series, 5400R Series, 3810 Series, 2930M Series, 2930F Series, 2920 Series, 2540 Series, 2530 Series
Cisco Industrial Ethernet Switches
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Purdue University
Linz AG
ABB, Boingo Wireless, JPL, HP, Allied Telesis, iPass, Mips Technologies, MicroAge, Matsushita, Telia, undp, WFP, NASA
Find out what your peers are saying about Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Cisco, Ubiquiti and others in Ethernet Switches. Updated: May 2026.
899,258 professionals have used our research since 2012.