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Broadcom StrataDNX vs Cisco Catalyst Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

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

Broadcom StrataDNX
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
26th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Cisco Catalyst Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
7th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
177
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Broadcom StrataDNX is 0.9%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 2.5%, up from 2.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

WILLIAM SANITATE - PeerSpot reviewer
Highly stable product and auto-updates the software
Customer service support depends on money. If you're a white box manufacturer and we're selling thousands of these, you're going to get awesome support, a ten, amazing support. But if you're starting and need only one or two chips, the support is just access to online stuff or whatever's been done. The better support comes with more units bought. Initially, I would probably rate the support a five out of ten. But then we paid more money, and suddenly, it became a ten, awesome. We had people showing up in the office and walking us through it. But there are also different support models. You can work with them directly or with distributors like Avnet or Arrow, who can provide support. And then there's higher level support with the team in Los Angeles who can provide even more support. It just depends on how many units you're going to buy. The more you buy, the more support you get in the queue.
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

"The good thing about the StrataDNX is that the Broadcom family is very interchangeable, so they work well with different optical transceivers."
"Easy to integrate with any of the other hardware platforms."
"Its implementation is quite simple as there's good documentation you can reference."
"These are a proven technology and I haven't had any problem with them."
"Configuring the solution is very easy. It's quite a straightforward process, and it's not difficult at all."
"It is a stable and good product. It is also easy to install."
"The solution is extremely flexible."
"Mostly the LAN switching is the most valuable aspect of the solution."
"The product is also flexible."
"It enables fast data transfer rates, while offering stable and consistent network performance."
 

Cons

"The number of surfaces that can be handled by the chipset could be increased."
"There is room for improvement in the pricing model."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches do not have an open architecture and you have to buy into the Cisco architecture to be able to use them."
"The solution is expensive."
"I would like to see support for one-touch provisioning."
"This product could be improved with cheaper pricing."
"The general price of the solution could be cheaper."
"My company would prefer that the price was more cost-effective."
"Cisco has to lower the price of its products to make them more cost-effective."
"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."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"There is a one-time license, but we pay for the smart net license every three years for support."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches are very expensive."
"The solution is probably the most expensive, but users who want the best need to pay the premium."
"The licenses are definitely expensive. There is a need to make annual payments towards the subscription or licensing costs attached to the solution."
"It would be great for the user if Cisco lowered the prices for their routers and switches."
"The cost of a license before COVID and before the lockdown was approximately three lakh 70,000 in Indian Rupees. After this COVID situation, the cost has gone down to two lakh 46,000 rupees."
"The cost of Cisco switches is a little more expensive than the competition. However, as the saying goes, "you get what you pay for." If you want a reliable solution and other benefits, Cisco Catalyst Switches are worth the money."
"The price could always be lower."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
23%
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

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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

StrataDNX
Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Hill International, Coty, Banese, Algar Tech
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 Broadcom StrataDNX vs. Cisco Catalyst Switches and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
865,384 professionals have used our research since 2012.