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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Huawei Ethernet 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

Cisco Catalyst Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
7th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
175
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Huawei Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
14th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
60
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 2.0%, down from 2.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Huawei Ethernet Switches is 3.2%, up from 2.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

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.
Mr. Qalat Khan - PeerSpot reviewer
The solution is power efficient, stable, and provides free-of-cost batch upgrades
The solution can improve by adding virtualized switch functionality. Huawei mentioned virtual switches in one of the product sheets, but when we got to the deployment phase, it turned out that they didn't actually include virtual switching functionality. Other than that, the switch and network are performing well and meeting our requirements.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The 802.1X port security and other security features work well and help keep the network secure."
"The solution is beneficial for interconnecting POE telephones, computers, printers, and buffering networks."
"With Cisco Catalyst Switches, everything is working perfectly. We have not had issues with this solution."
"Cisco provides very good support services."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is reliability."
"They don't ever fail and they have a long service life."
"The most valuable feature is load balancing."
"A good feature of Cisco Catalyst is that it records crash log files which can be used to literally identify the cause of a crash because there is a lot of information. And Cisco Catalyst supports the use of external flash disks for storing of images and file systems."
"It is easy to understand all the features of Huawei Switches."
"It integrates well."
"One scenario where Huawei Ethernet Switches improved network efficiency was last year when a customer needed switches with 10 gigabits, which are not very common in the market. Huawei provided this kind of switch, enabling the customer to upgrade their network from 1 gigabit to 10 gigabit speeds across all devices."
"The required functionalities align with telecom requirements and have improved from a capacity perspective."
"It is a stable product. I rate it a nine out of ten...It is a scalable solution."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches excel in compatibility with other brands, offering features to ensure seamless communication with existing protocols. This allows them to work alongside switches from different manufacturers, such as Cisco, by making adjustments on both ends for compatibility."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches support multiple vendors. You can integrate them according to the network scenario. Their power consumption is low."
"They have the ability, since they have a very big R&D team, to create an upgrade for any feature or patch very easily."
 

Cons

"The delivery dates need to be more expedient."
"The price is something we would definitely like improved. It would be nice if it was more economical."
"The solution is quite expensive for our clients. It's a pain point for some companies. They should work to reduce the price."
"There's a ban on my country and therefore I can't get Cisco support if I need it. It's not allowed."
"The addition of more security and privilege levels to Cisco Catalyst Switches is required as it is one of the areas with certain shortcomings."
"Their price should be cheaper. We lose a lot of work because of the price that they have."
"When you compare it with HPE and Aruba, it should be fancier."
"If they worked on lowering the price, they would be able to attract more customers."
"Deploying Huawei Ethernet Switches in an organization offers advantages, especially if the decision is made early in the process and the company opts for a single-vendor approach. This simplifies implementation and customization, often resulting in lower prices and tailored solutions from Huawei. However, excessive customization can lead to support issues and challenges in knowledge transfer during employee turnover."
"Certain regulatory issues in a lot of countries cause limitations ."
"There could be improvements in Huawei, such as adding features that Cisco has and Huawei currently lacks."
"The solution needs to be more user-friendly."
"The tool's support is not good, making it an area where improvements are required."
"There needs to be more documentation. If they opened up a bit and shared more information and maybe allowed for YouTube videos about their products and how to work them, it would benefit the users quite a bit."
"It’s hard to get technical support."
"There are some support issues."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We are a large company and the price is reasonable because we have received a discount. However, the full price is expensive."
"I rate the product price a nine on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price and ten is high price."
"We love Cisco, but the price is very prohibitive."
"Pricing could be better."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is an affordable solution."
"I cannot say that the pricing is reasonable because it's a little above our expectations. If we consider the recent price increases, it is not acceptable anymore."
"We have a contract for service with this partner, meaning we don't purchase the license or equipment directly."
"Catalyst is very expensive."
"The pricing is good so is rated an eight out of ten."
"The tool's price is affordable and I would rate it a five out of ten. The prices are fixed with no additional cost involved."
"This is an affordable solution."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches are very competitively priced, almost 4 out of 10.However, the low price point may sometimes raise concerns about quality for some companies."
"The switch came as part of a package bundle that includes internet service."
"I rate the tool's pricing a five out of ten."
"The exact pricing varies based on how many units you purchase."
"The product is competitively priced in its market."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
63%
Computer Software Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
3%
Financial Services Firm
3%
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Government
6%
University
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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?
Although Juniper is cheaper, Cisco provides unique features that justify their pricing.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Huawei Ethernet Switches?
Huawei Ethernet Switches offer very competitive and aggressive product pricing compared to other brands.
What needs improvement with Huawei Ethernet Switches?
Huawei should focus more on security. They need more products on the security side to improve the security portion.
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
No data available
 

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
Newcastle University, Jingyang District of Deyang City in Sichuan Province, Southwest China, Glasgow Rangers Soccer Team, RMIT, Insurance Industry Association of Zhejiang Province, China, APT Satellite Holdings Limited (APT)
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Huawei Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
850,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.