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Brocade Ethernet Switches 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

Brocade Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
23rd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
11
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Cisco Catalyst Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
3rd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
187
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Brocade Ethernet Switches is 1.5%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 4.5%, up from 2.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Catalyst Switches4.5%
Brocade Ethernet Switches1.5%
Other94.0%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

PB
Data Center Admin at Sysnet Global Technologies
Experience seamless configuration with secure and adaptable network solutions
I use Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are scalable. I recommend them since they are easy to configure. They are connected and used every day in our operations It is good and scalable. It is easy to configure and provides good technical support. Brocade Ethernet Switches are good to…
MS
Electrical control system engineer at Dangote petroleum refinery and petrol chemicals
Reliable switching has delivered long‑term uptime, strong PoE support, and predictable performance
Cisco Systems Catalyst Switches are highly regarded for their performance, reliability, and enterprise-grade capabilities. My main reservation, however, is the pricing. The cost of Cisco Catalyst Switches—and Cisco products in general—is relatively high, especially in many African markets where organizations often need to balance budget constraints with required functionality. There are alternative vendors that offer comparable features at a lower price point. While they may not always match Cisco’s ecosystem, stability, or full feature depth, many businesses still choose them because of the significant cost savings. Another consideration is licensing, which can add to the overall total cost of ownership depending on the deployment model and required features. Overall, Cisco Catalyst Switches remain premium enterprise solutions, but when compared with other OEMs, their higher acquisition and licensing costs can be a major deciding factor for cost-conscious organizations.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I have not had any issues with our Brocade switches."
"The most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides."
"The initial setup was really straightforward and easy."
"The switches are very flexible and easy to deploy and manage, are energy-saving and help to effectively reduce costs, perform at great speeds, protect the topology using root guard, and can handle redundancy and failovers automatically."
"One of the valuable features of this solution is that it works with the concept of zoning, where there's a zone for each server and services in the storage, and when the link of a full port is failing, it automatically switches to another port so you don't lose the connection, which is pretty important for the high level of availability of the applications and the access to the storage data."
"The technical support is good."
"The switches last for a very long time."
"CLI and supported technologies are very close to Cisco."
"We use the VLANs to separate library, office, and individual apartments. With some of the reporting that receive, we're able to take and track down where people like to put in their own wireless routers. Sometimes they will take a DSL modem from AT&T that they brought from home, hook it in backward, and it will give rogue addresses causing issues."
"We are satisfied with the solution's performance so far; the stability has been perfect, the solution can scale, it is very easy to use, the installation process is very simple, and the pricing is quite good."
"The solution has high performance and we do not have to troubleshoot the network."
"The solution is very easy to set up."
"The main valuable features for me are the ease of configuration, the CLI, and the GUI."
"As far as technology is concerned, Cisco improves the client-to-client business."
"The warranty and continued firmware support are most valuable."
"The installation process is very straightforward."
 

Cons

"Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions."
"It should be simpler. There are still some things that can be simpler in the Brocade switches."
"This solution doesn't have a graphical interface and that's an issue."
"It could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface."
"Technically the product is always improving the software part, but the hardware needs to be more reliable."
"You need skills and knowledge to configure brocade switches."
"Brocade Ethernet Switches need a better interface and centralized management."
"The solution could be more secure."
"The product is expensive."
"The configuration process is hard."
"The only drawback I saw with Cisco Catalyst Switches is that it's not cloud-managed."
"There are multiple operating systems across Cisco's portfolio, which is problematic."
"They need to implement sFlow, other than that, I can't think of anything else that needs to be improved — I am happy."
"The solution could improve by allowing administrators to create scripts to help automate processes to make tasks easier."
"We would like the solution to be more stable."
"I have had a little hiccup working with Catalyst switches. They used a few power integration features but I'm not sure they really resulted in much power saving. But, it caused cross-vendor equipment trouble."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of Brocade Ethernet Switches is expensive."
"They are expensive."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches are very expensive."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is an affordable solution."
"It's very pricey. Compared to competitors, it's a lot more expensive."
"The general price of the solution could be cheaper."
"The price of the solution is expensive compared to other products from America or Europe. They should have more competitive pricing."
"The price of a Cisco Catalyst Switches license is expensive."
"Cisco's prices are not cheap, but the stability is worth it."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
902,417 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Government
9%
Computer Software Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
9%
Computer Software Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business3
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business83
Midsize Enterprise29
Large Enterprise85
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Brocade Ethernet Switches?
To improve, it could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface.
What is your primary use case for Brocade Ethernet Switches?
I use Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are scalable. I recommend them since they are easy to configure. They are connected and used every day in our operations.
What advice do you have for others considering Brocade Ethernet Switches?
I would recommend Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are easy to configure and have good technical support. I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
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 is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Catalyst Switches?
Those aspects regarding pricing, setup, cost, and licensing are managed by management, so I am not directly involved.
What needs improvement with Cisco Catalyst Switches?
I believe that Cisco Catalyst Switches could be improved by being given AI capability and advanced licensing, which would be beneficial.
 

Also Known As

No data available
Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Ajubeo, Akquinet AG, Big Data Analytics Provider Boligkontoret Danmark Bristol is Open, CDE Lightband, Cicero School District 99, City and County of San Francisco, Department of Emergency, City of Chattanooga, Cloudscale.sh
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 Brocade Ethernet Switches vs. Cisco Catalyst Switches and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
902,417 professionals have used our research since 2012.