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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
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
176
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Huawei Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
12th
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 August 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 2.5%, up from 2.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Huawei Ethernet Switches is 3.3%, up from 2.4% 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.
Muhammad Kabir Salihu - PeerSpot reviewer
Cost-effective performance enhanced by security features with easy configurations
I mainly use Huawei Switches and also work with Huawei Wireless. I deal with both Huawei and Cisco Switches, and I find Huawei to be more cost-effective Huawei has helped to save costs and is cost-effective, which also helps save time for the company. The performance of Huawei is good, and it…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Cisco Catalyst Switches are very stable."
"They are stable. We haven't had any particular problem with them."
"Technical support is always very helpful and fast to respond."
"Catalyst switches are easy to use and simple to work with."
"The product is reliable."
"Catalyst switches are highly reliable. They have a good product life, they are balanced overall compared to others."
"The solution works well with analytics."
"Stability. We have many Catalyst switches now, and they work without any downtime."
"The solution is scalable."
"They last quite a while."
"The required functionalities align with telecom requirements and have improved from a capacity perspective."
"The solution is very flexible with many different options."
"Pricing-wise, Huawei is quite good."
"The most valuable features are the ease of configuration, availability of a GUI apart from the command line, and basic features such as VLAN configuration and routing between VLANs."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches also have effective network switching features."
"The initial setup is straightforward."
 

Cons

"The only drawback I saw with Cisco Catalyst Switches is that it's not cloud-managed."
"The licensing process should be back to how it was before. Now, you have to register online, and it makes staging a bit trickier."
"The solution could improve by adding a user-friendly GUI. We use third-party applications for log monitoring that are expensive and if Cisco could provide log monitoring as part of this solution it would be beneficial."
"The product is expensive."
"It should have better security and the prices can always be lower. The cheaper the price, the better but if the quality is good, it's worth it. They also have to improve the firewalling."
"It is kind of expensive."
"Its initial setup can be simpler, and it would be great if we can work with a reference architecture. Cisco has the capability to provide a very integrated solution. They have DNA Center, Cisco ISE, Cisco Prime, FMC, and AMP. We are looking at all the products, but it is rather complex to pick out the right licenses that you need. The license structure is a bit complex. Sometimes, there is an overlap in products, which does not really make sense. For example, you have DNA Center and Cisco Prime, and it is not really clear what you would use for what exactly. There is a lot of information on the Cisco website, but it takes a while to go through all this and look at the presentations that are available from Cisco Live. These presentations are appreciated, but sometimes, they are a bit too much like bullet points. You don't exactly know what's behind it, so you have to do a second guess. Overall, there is a lot of information but not always to the point."
"An area for improvement would be the documentation and training on configuring this product."
"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."
"The licensing cost attached to the solution is atrocious, so from an improvement perspective, it should be made cheaper."
"The company needs to provide more on hand training on the product."
"I had issues with patching the IOS. But right now I think Huawei has improved very much in the advanced technology and is more stable now. I think patch and bug fixes should be announced on a scheduled basis."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches have not automated its firmware."
"Huawei should focus more on security. They need more products on the security side to improve the security portion."
"The tool is not very robust in harsh environments. Issues with cooling and power can cause these switches to fail, which concerns customers. They work well in data centers but might be problematic in places without cooling or heat."
"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."
 

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."
"Cisco products are not that cheap."
"The pricing of Cisco Catalyst Switches could be better in general. There is an annual license required."
"The cost of this solution could be less expensive, and we are on an annual license."
"We had to pay for the product’s licenses."
"It's expensive."
"Try to buy everything you need in bulk purchases and ask Cisco for volume discounts."
"There are no licensing fees required."
"A cost-effective product"
"It is cheaper than Cisco."
"Huawei has the same licensing model as Cisco, so both are working on the subscription model."
"The licensing costs depend on the negotiations that a user has with Huawei...There is a need to make some additional payments apart from the licensing costs attached to the solution."
"The pricing is good. Still, I can choose a cheaper solution that offers a good value."
"The initial setup is straightforward."
"The price is one of the only issues I have regarding this solution."
"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."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Government
6%
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Educational Organization
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
 

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?
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.
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: July 2025.
864,155 professionals have used our research since 2012.