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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Extreme VDX [EOL] comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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

Cisco Catalyst Switches
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
176
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Ethernet Switches (7th), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Extreme VDX [EOL]
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Featured Reviews

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.
Osama Ahmed LUBBAD - PeerSpot reviewer
A stable, scalable, and problem-free solution
Software needs to be updated regularly in order to maintain security and performance. However, in some cases, it is necessary to stack switches in order to meet the needs of the network. Although Cisco switches are able to stack, other switches are not as simple to stack. I would like the ability to stack with different switch brands.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution is stable."
"The product is reliable."
"VLAN gives us segregation."
"As there are many who are knowledgeable of this technology, this translates into extensive support for it."
"The solution is beneficial for interconnecting POE telephones, computers, printers, and buffering networks."
"Mostly the LAN switching is the most valuable aspect of the solution."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is communication."
"Catalyst Switches are efficient and swift, which is valuable for my organization."
"Its simplicity and web interface were most valuable. I also liked the two-factor authentication."
"The most valuable feature of Extreme VDX is that we have had no problems and the solution's performance is excellent."
"The fabric of the solution and the management aspect are the solution's most valuable features."
 

Cons

"Its price should be improved. It is very pricey."
"They need to simplify the Web GUI and make it easier to use, and more intuitive for the users."
"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."
"Their price should be cheaper. We lose a lot of work because of the price that they have."
"Cisco should work to lower its costs. It's quite expensive right now."
"I would like to see support for one-touch provisioning."
"Pricing for this product is on the higher end, and is something that could be improved. Security could also be increased."
"With most of the Cisco devices and models, we faced a slight decrease in speed during the initial setup and while restarting the system"
"I would like the ability to stack with different switch brands."
"Its scalability can be better. If possible, it can have Hyper POE. I am not sure if there is a fiber version."
"The only problem is that at the moment it's an Extreme product and Extreme is not really pushing it. They have to make up for weak innovation and I'm not sure if they want to do that."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Cisco Catalyst Switches is a very expensive solution."
"Pricing is an issue I have been facing, in comparison with HPE or Juniper. The Nexus series is out of the question right now. Scalability is more an issue on the pricing side and less on the technology side."
"The solution is probably the most expensive, but users who want the best need to pay the premium."
"The price could always be lower."
"The price of the solution is expensive compared to other products from America or Europe. They should have more competitive pricing."
"The cost could be reduced."
"The pricing of Cisco Catalyst Switches could be better in general. There is an annual license required."
"The price is on the higher side."
"It was around $1500 a year. It is cheaper than Cisco but more expensive than Ruckus."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
24%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
6%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

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.
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Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
VDX, Brocade VDX
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

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
Niagra Falls Bridge Commission, Medien System Partner, CDE Lightband, MaximumASP
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Ubiquiti Networks and others in Ethernet Switches. Updated: June 2025.
861,390 professionals have used our research since 2012.