Cisco Catalyst Switches and Dell PowerEdge R-Series both compete in the networking category. Cisco Catalyst Switches have an upper hand in security offerings, while Dell PowerEdge R-Series excels in performance and flexibility.
Features: Cisco Catalyst Switches offer robust network security through features like Port Security, VLANs, and PoE which enhance scalability and stability. On the other hand, Dell PowerEdge R-Series delivers exceptional performance for data-intensive tasks with remote management capabilities and hardware expandability.
Room for Improvement: Cisco Catalyst Switches could improve by reducing pricing and simplifying licensing options. Additionally, better third-party integration and cloud adaptability are recommended. Dell PowerEdge R-Series could focus on enhancing documentation, cooling solutions, and configurability to boost processing capabilities.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Catalyst Switches are typically deployed on-premises, whereas Dell PowerEdge R-Series provides deployment flexibility across hybrid and private cloud environments. Both have strong customer service, with Dell's technical support receiving higher praise for efficiency.
Pricing and ROI: Cisco Catalyst Switches are seen as more expensive with complex licensing, whereas Dell PowerEdge R-Series offers competitive pricing with transparent licensing, providing better value for money. Both ensure long-term ROI, with Dell offering more affordable options at scale.
From an investment standpoint, deploying Cisco Catalyst Switches offers tangible benefits, including cost reductions.
By not having to worry about it, I would estimate we save two to four hours a week, depending on what's happening, such as if we need to spin up a new server, which would contribute to more time if done the old way.
In my immediate case for antenna analysis, Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers offer a reduction from days of computing to half a day or hours.
The value of uptime to us is critical.
On a scale from one to 10, I would rate the technical support of Cisco at 10 out of 10.
Cisco's support is good, one of the best supports that you will get.
Cisco support is very good and responsive.
It has always been scheduled maintenance, which says a lot for a production environment, as we haven't had to call in a trouble ticket for the actual hardware during its entire run.
Typically, the contacts we have on-site are very knowledgeable, they come in within a day and usually have it fixed and taken care of if there are issues.
When we had a power supply failure out of the box, we called support, and they delivered the replacement within four hours as promised.
The scalability of Cisco Catalyst Switches is very much scalable, as it supports the stacking feature and growth; for instance, with 94K modular switches, based on the requirement, we can even increase modules for more bandwidth.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are scalable, and I would rate them eight to nine out of ten for scalability.
The scalability of Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers is excellent.
Any outages or blackouts are limited to particular servers, not affecting the whole chassis or enclosures.
We bought our product with scaling involved, and we've been scaling it up anytime we've needed more storage.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are stable.
Over four years, we've had less than 1 percent downtime.
There is a feature to update the server while it is running, so there is no need to restart.
We have truly not had any downtime on the infrastructure at all.
Currently, I don't see much AI integration with Cisco Catalyst Switches; though they've started, it still needs improvement.
Cisco Catalyst Switches could be a little bit cheaper as they are very costly.
There could be improvements in the repeat configuration with some file integration that is currently missing.
We need to know about any upcoming updates so that we can plan accordingly.
The beneficial aspect of that feature was that we could skip the PowerStore and just have the Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers alone, as they also served as storage, which helped us save money.
This forces you to go up to a larger server to get the desired processor, which increases the cost.
Cisco provides unique features that justify their pricing.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are quite pricey.
Cisco usually is costly compared to other vendors.
They have been stable and running for years without performance downtime or significant disc failures.
Some customers find it cheaper due to contractual agreements, while others find it expensive, especially when scaling up.
The software associated with servers, like VMware subscription licenses, drives costs.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are valuable for their reliability and performance.
The most beneficial features for our network management are their stability and good customer support.
Catalyst Switches are efficient and swift, which is valuable for my organization.
They keep running for at least five to seven years without any issues.
With PowerEdge Servers, I don't need a one-to-one ratio redundancy, which leads to about eighty percent downtime reduction.
One of the valuable features is Active Directory, which helps in managing the network.
| Product | Market Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Cisco Catalyst Switches | 22.2% |
| Dell PowerEdge R-Series | 1.4% |
| Other | 76.4% |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 78 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 29 |
| Large Enterprise | 78 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 78 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 52 |
| Large Enterprise | 89 |
Cisco Catalyst Switches are a reliable and scalable network switching and routing solution, focusing on VLANs and VLAN switching. They are used as access switches, distribution switches, and core switches in various environments, deployed on-premises, and used for long connections. The switches are easy to configure, install, and upgrade and offer good pricing.
The most valuable features include warranty and firmware support, stability, security, good performance, flexibility, etc. The Cisco Catalyst Switches have provided a stable solution for the organizations and are widely used, trusted, and well-known in the networking industry.
PowerEdge R-Series delivers high performance, flexibility, and scalability for data centers. It supports demanding tasks with robust management tools and advanced cooling, providing reliability and efficiency across various workloads.
Engineered for large deployments, PowerEdge R-Series supports extensive configurations optimizing performance in data centers. With features like advanced cooling and energy-efficient architecture, it empowers organizations to manage heavy workloads while facilitating seamless scalability. It offers remote management, robust security, and integration with VMware ensuring operational excellence and high availability for business-critical applications.
What are the key features of Dell PowerEdge R-Series?PowerEdge R-Series is deployed across industries for virtualization, database hosting, and application servers. It supports environments like VMware and Hyper-V for AI, cloud infrastructure, and computing tasks. Widely used by finance, healthcare, and academia, it enhances reliability and efficiency of IT infrastructure.
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