Brocade Ethernet Switches vs Meraki MS Switches comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Brocade Ethernet Switches and Meraki MS Switches based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Ethernet Switches solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed Brocade Ethernet Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches Report (Updated: March 2024).
765,386 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The reliability of Brocade is the most valuable feature. The solution has been up and running for over ten years without any fail, fixes required, or breakdowns. It is a very strong piece of equipment.""The initial setup was really straightforward and easy.""The most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides.""The technical support is good.""I have not had any issues with our Brocade switches.""The switches last for a very long time.""It has good integration with HPE Primera. They have smart zoning in which the administration is very easy. You don't have to do anything. Zoning and other things are done automatically if you just enable the smart zoning. That's one very good thing in HP.""There's a zone for each server and services in the storage."

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"To me, this is a product that meets all of the needs that anyone could possibly have for a networking device.""The solution is stable.""The most valuable feature is the ability to orchestrate the network from the cloud.""The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are their reliability and simplicity.""The product is very straightforward.""The features are great.""Meraki MS Switches are amazing. Whoever built it is a genius. I like that it's a plug-and-play solution.""I like the portal, it's really interesting."

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Cons
"These switches are no longer supported.""Brocade Ethernet Switches need a better interface and centralized management.""No graphical interface.""The solution could be more secure.""It should be simpler. There are still some things that can be simpler in the Brocade switches.""There are some performance issues.""Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions."

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"Meraki MS Switches could improve the process of installing firmware.""The product's high price is an area of concern where improvements are required.""The scalability and integrative abilities with on-premises systems could stand improvement.""The biggest area that they fall short on is comparing the performance.""I don't like some of the mobile device management options. They're a little bit hard to find in the system.""They need to work on prioritizing different types of data on the network, whether it's voice, data, video, et cetera. Video needs to be prioritized in a much better way, for example.""On the switches, I don't know a whole lot that I would change. Different levels of switches have different layer 2 and layer 3 functionality. It's always nice to have layer 3 functionality across the board if you can, but that drives up the cost. They've got different lines for different amounts of layer 3 functionality. However, on their models that do include full layer 3 access, when you choose to use layer 3 on a switch, it doesn't have the full functioning routing capabilities of an MX firewall. It can be limiting in some of those aspects.""Technical support hold times seem to be getting longer."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The price of Brocade Ethernet Switches is expensive."
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  • "This product is more than the competition, but you get what you pay for."
  • "With the solution that we currently have, I think it costs about 1,200 pounds a year. They bill on a yearly basis."
  • "This is not a cheap solution."
  • "The DNA subscription is a three-year minimum term."
  • "The pricing is high and it is where we get the most pushback from customers."
  • "We paid for our switches outright, at a cost of between $15,000 USD and $18,000 USD."
  • "Its price is definitely competitive."
  • "Meraki is a little bit expensive, but when you compare the pricing with others, Meraki is a good option."
  • More Meraki MS Switches Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:The most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides.
    Top Answer:Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions.
    Top Answer:Our organization has almost all of the financial institutions in Puerto Rico connected simultaneously to our system. We have a firewall first, and then the Brocade system. All of our switches are… more »
    Top Answer:The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are their reliability and simplicity.
    Top Answer:I would rate the costliness of Meraki MS Switches at around seven out of ten. They are not cheap, but I find them to be a good value for the money. However, I would prefer if the prices were a bit… more »
    Top Answer:One area where Meraki MS switches could improve is offering smaller switch sizes for distribution switches, as not all networks require the standard 24 or 48 ports. Having more compact options with… more »
    Ranking
    19th
    out of 34 in Ethernet Switches
    Views
    2,729
    Comparisons
    2,072
    Reviews
    3
    Average Words per Review
    434
    Rating
    8.7
    5th
    out of 34 in Ethernet Switches
    Views
    9,521
    Comparisons
    6,159
    Reviews
    35
    Average Words per Review
    467
    Rating
    8.4
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    MS220, MS320, MS420
    Learn More
    Broadcom
    Video Not Available
    Cisco
    Video Not Available
    Overview
    From the world's first Ethernet fabric technology, to an open controller that eliminates vendor lock-in, to a switch stack that you can distribute throughout your campus, Brocade Ethernet Switches give you choices. Whether that means functionality, vendors, or even locations beyond the wiring closet, every option is secure, economical, and easily manageable.

    Meraki MS Switches are first-line cloud-managed access and aggregation switches that combine the benefits of cloud-based centralized management with a reliable access platform. With cloud management, thousands of switch ports can be configured and monitored instantly over the web.

    Meraki MS Switches Features

    Meraki MS Switches have many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

    • True zero-touch configuration
    • Integrated troubleshooting tools, logging, and alerting
    • Energy-efficient design
    • Low acoustics and fanless options
    • Flexible stacking
    • Cloud management
    • Simple integration into existing and mixed infrastructures
    • Role-based administration
    • Automatic, secure firmware updates
    • Stack power
    • Multigigabit ports
    • Voice VLAN support
    • Link aggregation control protocol (LACP)

    Meraki MS Switches Benefits

    There are many benefits to implementing Meraki MS Switches. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

    • Automatic email alerts: If email alerts are enabled, you will receive automatic alerts via email when device or port changes occur. This makes Meraki MS Switches a convenient solution.
    • Identify issues ahead of time: With the solution’s proactive and on-demand cable testing tools, you are notified about any cable problems before anyone else.
    • Detailed client device views: The solution includes a helpful detailed view per client device, including port, VLAN, device fingerprinting, and connectivity data.
    • Lifetime warranty: Meraki MS Switches include a limited lifetime hardware warranty that provides next-day advance hardware replacement.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Meraki MS Switches is a solution that stands out when compared to many of its competitors. Some of its major advantages are its accessibility, application visibility, and flexibility features.

    Jóhann T., IT Manager at Sund Upper Secondary School, says, “Accessibility is what I find most valuable in Meraki MS Switches, because I'm able to check things and see if they're working, without being on-site at all times.”

    A Senior Network Engineer at a tech services company mentions, "The top feature of Meraki MS switches for me is Layer 7 application visibility. Another positive in general is that you don't need to set up a console to the switch itself; it dials into a single dashboard where you can completely manage all your network devices."

    John M., user at Baseline Consulting, LLC, comments, "I like the flexibility of the Meraki firewall. It gives you the ability to lock things down. Having multiple VLANs is helpful for the switching infrastructure and firewall. It's crucial when you have a public-facing VLAN, a private-facing VLAN, and a secure VLAN."

    PeerSpot user William M., Consulting Engineer at IV4, expresses, "It is easy to deploy, maintain, and update. It has been trouble-free so far. I am still a Cisco command-line bigot, but the web interface makes it a lot easier for our help desk to interact with a client. When the clients call in and say that they aren't able to connect, it takes the help desk 10 minutes or less to look at everything in the enterprise or location. They can look at the firewall, switches, or access points in the dashboard. That's why I like the dashboard."

    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
    Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
    Top Industries
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company17%
    Financial Services Firm10%
    Government9%
    Manufacturing Company7%
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company16%
    Comms Service Provider16%
    Construction Company9%
    Financial Services Firm7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company19%
    Retailer8%
    Manufacturing Company7%
    Government7%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business30%
    Midsize Enterprise30%
    Large Enterprise40%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business30%
    Midsize Enterprise14%
    Large Enterprise56%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business55%
    Midsize Enterprise20%
    Large Enterprise24%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business34%
    Midsize Enterprise20%
    Large Enterprise46%
    Buyer's Guide
    Brocade Ethernet Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Brocade Ethernet Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    765,386 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Brocade Ethernet Switches is ranked 19th in Ethernet Switches with 10 reviews while Meraki MS Switches is ranked 5th in Ethernet Switches with 87 reviews. Brocade Ethernet Switches is rated 8.2, while Meraki MS Switches is rated 8.4. The top reviewer of Brocade Ethernet Switches writes "This solution has been up and running for over ten years without any fail". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Meraki MS Switches writes "They're not expensive and configuration is very easy". Brocade Ethernet Switches is most compared with Cisco Ethernet Switches, Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches, Aruba Switches, HPE Ethernet Switches and Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center, whereas Meraki MS Switches is most compared with Aruba Switches, Cisco Ethernet Switches, Ubiquiti UniFi Switches, Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access and NETGEAR Switches. See our Brocade Ethernet Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches report.

    See our list of best Ethernet Switches vendors.

    We monitor all Ethernet Switches reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.