Big Switch Networks vs Cisco ACI comparison

Arista and Cisco are both solutions in the Software Defined Networking (SDN) category. Arista is ranked #9, while Cisco is ranked #2 with an average rating of 9.0. Arista holds a 4.2% mindshare in SDN, compared to Cisco’s 9.1% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Arista users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 85% of Cisco users who would recommend it.

Big Switch Networks

Read 1 Big Switch Networks review

1,079 Views
324 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Cisco ACI

Read 104 Cisco ACI reviews

4,927 Views
1,823 Comparison Views

85% willing to recommend

Big Switch Networks

Cisco ACI

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Big Switch Networks and Cisco ACI based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Aviatrix, Megaport and others in Software Defined Networking (SDN).

To learn more, read our detailed Software Defined Networking (SDN) Report (Updated: May 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Software Defined Networking (SDN)

May 2026

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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

Big Switch Networks

Ranking in Software Defined Networking (SDN)

9th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

8.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Packet Broker (NPB) (4th)

Cisco ACI

Ranking in Software Defined Networking (SDN)

2nd

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.2

Number of Reviews

104

Ranking in other categories

Network Virtualization (2nd), Cloud and Data Center Security (9th)

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Software Defined Networking (SDN) category, the mindshare of Big Switch Networks is 4.2%, down from 4.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco ACI is 9.1%, down from 15.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Software Defined Networking (SDN) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Cisco ACI	9.1%
Big Switch Networks	4.2%
Other	86.7%

Software Defined Networking (SDN)

Featured Reviews

Jason Best

Data center network architect at Cloudwire

A flexible solution that can be integrated with third-party solutions whilst maintaining its automated nature

I think if I was to say something that could be improved, it would be a multi-data center nature of the implementation. Meaning, having an active-active data center with multiple entrance-exit points. I think that feature could be improved to provide a kind of anycast gateway solution into the functionality that would make it a lot more flexible and versatile. Maybe also making the solution a bit more like the NSX-T from VMware, more on the logical part of the solution, like micro-segmentation and the ability to have a distributed firewall across the whole solution, to implement it in an easier way than they currently do with the security aspect of the solution.

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Rahul Khandelwal

Network Technical Manager at KPMG

Enables streamlined data center management with automation and application-centric design

The main features of Cisco ACI that I really appreciate are the application-centric and network-centric designs, allowing you to create your network according to your application. That's helpful, and it's good for one-time implementation. The automation capabilities are really helpful. We deployed one data center using Terraform, and after deployment, many automation features are available, which can be very helpful. Based on my experience, Cisco ACI provides substantial capability; you can design your network accordingly and it's part of the SDN family, providing many benefits to the organization, especially when moving from traditional network infrastructure. Many organizations are actually using the old traditional Nexus infrastructure or some old data center devices. It gives you significant control and one-time implementation capabilities, and it also provides better performance and security. Functionality-wise, Cisco ACI provides integration using automation. We implemented it through Terraform, which was easy. Those features are available, so I don't think any new features are needed right now; something new could come up, but they have implemented many improvements over the years.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"What I liked about the solution is the quick and easy way you can build a network data center fabric."

"I think it's an easy, versatile solution to implement."

"It decreases network provisioning time and application provisioning time, and it also takes fewer resources to manage it because you have a centralized system where one APIC controller can manage more than 200 leaf switches."

"Having a lot of racks and switches with a single point of configuration which can be done with automation on one platform using one API. This makes everything work faster."

"The basic functionality that is the most useful is creating a virtual network on a physical device."

"It improves security and automation."

"It is easy to use because you have all the information coming from the same technology."

"PBR has been beneficial for network efficiency."

"It is a complete re-write of everything that you've ever thought of from a networking standpoint, and it can simplify your life if you do it right."

"Cisco ACI can separate networks with a buoy interface. That is the most valuable feature."

More Cisco ACI pros

Cons

"I think if I was to say something that could be improved, it would be a multi-data center nature of the implementation."

"An area for improvement in Cisco ACI is security, which Cisco needs to enhance in the solution. Though Cisco ACI uses a whitelist model, you must purchase an external product, such as a security firewall solution, to make whitelisting work, which the customer could find expensive. For example, you're a customer who has Cisco ACI, and the solution doesn't have IP-based filtering, so as a customer, you've purchased Cisco ACI. However, you still need to buy another product for security, and some customers wouldn't like that. However, some customers prefer to go with Cisco ACI because of its scalability and flexibility versus other solutions such as Juniper and Aruba. Technical support for Cisco ACI also needs improvement, particularly in product knowledge."

"It needs to be able to function on the cloud."

"ACI is not simple by any stretch of the imagination, but the initial go-at-it is pretty straightforward, which is nice."

"It is more about resolving bugs early on in the code. Otherwise, as the product gets more mature and those bugs get discovered sometimes by the customer, then Cisco will resolve them."

"The challenging thing about Cisco ACI was we had to put a lot of effort into providing the customer the full picture, new standards, and new technology that they had to use. This was more challenging than deploying the product."

"The product needs to be simpler. There is too much complexity in ACI. 80 percent of its features are of no use to us. We could do with a simplified version."

"If you don't have visibility and you want micro-segmentation and you don't want to pay, then ACI is not your solution."

"The ability for us to figure out the traffic flows, to enable some of the more segmentation parts of it, is really tough with what is built into ACI."

More Cisco ACI cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The licensing cost depends on the number of switches that are going to be licensed to run the software."

"A big company can automate it themselves or spend a lot of money and buy it."

"Cisco ACI costs depend on how many sites you have. One simple site with a simple installation, including two leaves, two spines, and some fibers, would cost $200,000 to $300,000 for the licenses. The solution is a bit expensive, but it's a good investment if you want your data centers to work without interruption."

"We used Cisco Professional Services for the deployment. They were outstanding, but very expensive."

"The licensing cost for ACI is expensive - I would rate its price 2.5 out of five."

"Pricing for Cisco ACI could be expensive if you're not a gold partner. If you're a gold partner, you'll get reasonable pricing, but to become a gold partner, you must cross several layers. For example, at least twenty engineers within your organization have to be certified, with each certification priced at £2,000 minimum, so this would make some companies think twice about the product. If you're going for Aruba and Juniper products, on the other hand, you can quickly get the partner status, and you can start selling the product. As a gold partner, you can get up to seventy percent discount on Cisco ACI, for example, while an ordinary partner gets ten percent off. Cisco ACI is expensive for both customers and partners, but I'm rating pricing for the product as four out of five because even if the price is costly, you get a lot of benefits from the product. Cisco ACI isn't the best, price-wise, but it's still a good solution. If you're in a small organization, you may be unable to afford it. Cisco ACI is best for enterprises but not SMBs because Cisco ACI and its required resources are expensive."

"We don't use all of the features but it's still worth the money."

"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."

"There are no additional costs. We only have to pay for a support contract apart from the license."

More Cisco ACI pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

13%

Construction Company

12%

Healthcare Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

15%

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	20
Large Enterprise	88

Questions from the Community

Ask a question

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What are the biggest differences between Cisco ACI and VMware NSX?

There are some very major differences between both the Products and to name a few. -Cisco ACI have physical network gear (9K Switches) where the Code runs in ACI Policy Mode & the UCS server wh...

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What are the biggest differences between Cisco ACI and VMware NSX?

Once you know your way around the Cisco ecosystem, using Cisco ACI is not so difficult. It is a global product, so when you change one interface, changes are automatically reflected on every switch...

See all answers

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

Cost is one thing that could be improved, as it is heavy for an emerging market like ours.

See all answers

Comparisons

Gigamon Deep Observability Pipeline vs Big Switch Networks

Compared 19% of the time

Niagara Packet Brokers vs Big Switch Networks

Compared 13% of the time

Ixia Network Packet Brokers vs Big Switch Networks

Compared 12% of the time

cPacket cVu vs Big Switch Networks

Compared 10% of the time

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker vs Big Switch Networks

Compared 6% of the time

More Big Switch Networks Competitors

VMware NSX vs Cisco ACI

Compared 17% of the time

Cisco Secure Workload vs Cisco ACI

Compared 11% of the time

Illumio Segmentation vs Cisco ACI

Compared 8% of the time

Juniper Contrail Networking vs Cisco ACI

Compared 7% of the time

Tungsten Fabric vs Cisco ACI

Compared 3% of the time

More Cisco ACI Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Software Defined Networking (SDN)

May 2026

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Buyer's Guide

Cisco ACI

June 2026

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Overview

Big Switch Networks specializes in network management solutions designed to optimize and streamline data center operations, leveraging advanced SDN technology for increased efficiency and scalability.

Big Switch Networks harnesses the power of software-defined networking (SDN) to transform traditional network infrastructures. By providing innovative, agile, and adaptable solutions, it enhances data center performance, supports dynamic workloads, and ensures seamless integration with existing systems. Users experience enhanced control and visibility over network resources, facilitating faster deployment and reduced complexity.

What are the key features of Big Switch Networks?

SDN Technology: Enables centralized management and automation, reducing manual configurations.
Network Virtualization: Allows flexible resource allocation for dynamic traffic adjustment.
Application Visibility: Provides detailed insights into application performance and traffic flows.
Security Features: Incorporates advanced security protocols to protect data integrity and privacy.
Cloud Integration: Supports seamless connection with public and private cloud environments.

What benefits should users expect from Big Switch Networks?

Cost Reduction: Lowers operating expenses through automated management and reduced hardware dependencies.
Improved Performance: Enhances data flow efficiency and network speed, leading to increased productivity.
Scalability: Offers flexible growth options to accommodate expanding business needs.
Increased Reliability: Minimizes downtime with robust failover mechanisms.

Big Switch Networks finds application across multiple industries, tailoring its capabilities to meet the demands of sectors such as finance, healthcare, and telecommunications. In finance, it optimizes high-frequency trading networks, while in healthcare, it ensures secure and efficient data management. Telecommunications benefit from its advanced traffic routing and load balancing features.

Arista

Cisco ACI provides advanced capabilities with features like seamless integration with VMware and APIs for programmability. It offers centralized management for streamlined operations, efficient micro-segmentation, and robust security, addressing modern data center needs.

Cisco ACI brings automation to data center infrastructure, enabling transitions from legacy to modern environments with centralized management. Organizations benefit from optimized server farms, seamless integration with VMware, and support for Kubernetes, making it suitable for large-scale environments. Offering support for healthcare, finance, and public sectors, Cisco ACI facilitates tasks such as virtual networking and multi-site connectivity with application-centric and network-centric designs.

What are the key features of Cisco ACI?

Seamless Integration with VMware: Ensures smooth operation with existing virtualized environments.
Programmability via APIs: Offers flexibility in network configuration and management through APIs.
Centralized Management: Provides a unified view of the network, simplifying oversight.
Automation: Reduces manual configuration workload, speeding up deployment.
Scalability: Adapts to growing network demands with ease.
Robust Security: Enhances protection against threats with comprehensive security measures.
Efficient Micro-Segmentation: Improves network segmentation for security and efficiency.

What benefits or ROI should users look for when evaluating Cisco ACI?

Streamlined Operation: Reduced complexity in network management.
Enhanced Performance: Improved network and application efficiency.
Cost Efficiency: Better resource allocation reduces operational costs.
Improved Security: Advanced features for increased protection.
Scalability: Allows growth without significant redesigns.

In the healthcare industry, Cisco ACI supports secure and efficient data management, accommodating regulatory needs and enhancing patient data handling. Financial institutions benefit from robust security and seamless integration with existing infrastructures, facilitating smooth transaction processing. In the public sector, it's utilized for reliable network management and servicing a diverse range of applications.

Cisco

Sample Customers

A10 Networks, Edge-Core Networks, Blue Coat Systems, BlueData, Broadcom Corporation, Canonical, Check Point Software Technologies, Citrix, Dell, FireEye, Garland, Hortonworks, Mirantis, Nexenta, Riverbed

Bowling Green State University, du, Qatar University

Buyer's Guide

Software Defined Networking (SDN)

May 2026

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