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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Nokia Ethernet Service Switch 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
176
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Nokia Ethernet Service Switch
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
24th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.6
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 2.1%, down from 2.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Nokia Ethernet Service Switch is 0.8%, up from 0.5% 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.
Teuku Maiyasya - PeerSpot reviewer
A stable solution which is competitively priced and offers good support
We would like to have an unified monitoring system, while Nokia have different monitoring system for different product, we find it to be quite troublesome. I also would prefer that all the licenses be open for our use. This would obviate the need to purchase individual licenses for each feature.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It enables fast data transfer rates, while offering stable and consistent network performance."
"The most beneficial features for our network management are their stability and good customer support."
"The most valuable feature of Cisco equipment is reliability."
"I find their system throughput and Cisco support very useful."
"The solution is already at the cutting edge in terms of innovation."
"The most valuable features of Cisco Catalyst Switches are that they are very common. If you talk to someone most likely they will have a Cisco Catalyst Switch, they will not mention other names, such as Juniper, ProCurve, Dell, or anything else. The most common product in networking in my country is Cisco. Everywhere you go they talk about Cisco."
"We have to use the QoS (CBWFQ) function... and it is easy to use."
"The network is secure."
"The most valuable feature is the product's availability."
"The most valuable features are user functionality and interoperability."
"The highest value lies in aggregating the data to improve both traffic management and device utilization, emphasizing the importance of engagement and liability."
"On several occasions we encountered major issues with the solution and have found the Nokia technical support to be quite supportive."
"The performance and reliability are the solution's most valuable features."
"Despite initial hindrances, once understood, these differences help in forming a good career foundation."
 

Cons

"Dell switching is coming up with a solution where you can put your own OS inside their switching infra. That is where they are talking about open networking. We can show that our Cisco is also an open-source. We are open to different switching operating systems if the customer is willing to put it in. We can support multiple operating systems inside the switching infrastructure. It removes the hardware and software dependency on each other. That is where I think there can be room for improvement. Then we can talk about open networking and that is where Cisco can also come up with open networking access."
"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."
"I would like to see better efficiency. They are powering all the PoE ports 100% of the time instead of powering only when there is a draw on them. It has too many options. Therefore, there is a reasonably high barrier to entry in terms of learning about this stuff. A lot of times, you need to be a CCNA, which is like your ticket into the industry, but it is not the easiest thing to get."
"An area for improvement would be the documentation and training on configuring this product."
"Cisco is a bit complex."
"The configuration process is hard."
"Cisco forces end-users to accept billing for some capabilities or services that they may not want."
"Cisco can definitely improve the training part. They can provide more training related to configuration."
"I would like to see more collaboration with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) vendors, such as Itron."
"I would suggest improvements regarding enhancing support response times and implementing user interface modifications for quicker and more user-friendly interactions."
"I would prefer that all the licenses be open for our use."
"The segment routing could be improved, and they could also transfer a lot of legacy to the cloud domain."
"The solution needs more monitoring tools."
"The documentation needs improvement for better accessibility, as there isn't proper documentation currently available."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Not one of the cheapest switches in the market. There are a lot of other cheaper switches, but in terms of availability and reliability, Cisco Catalyst Switches meet all requirements."
"It is worth the money. The product is expensive, but the service they provide is very good, which makes it worth it."
"There is a one-time license, but we pay for the smart net license every three years for support."
"Cisco's prices are not cheap, but the stability is worth it."
"If you consider Cisco's price with the Dell, you will definitely lose with Cisco. But Cisco has a major area of equipment in general. Cisco has routers, firewalls, NAC, certain video conferencing, Apple phones, and different security solutions. But Dell doesn't have such areas, Dell only has switching architecture."
"The new products from Cisco in the market are expensive. My company cannot import Cisco products, so they are mostly unavailable."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is a very expensive solution."
"There is no licensing fee. All of the features are available on the switch from day one."
"It is quite expensive compared to alternative technologies."
"The price of the solution is very competitive in comparison with that of the competition."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
53%
Computer Software Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
4%
Financial Services Firm
4%
Computer Software Company
14%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Government
8%
Educational Organization
7%
 

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.
What do you like most about Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?
The highest value lies in aggregating the data to improve both traffic management and device utilization, emphasizing the importance of engagement and liability.
What needs improvement with Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?
In my opinion, Nokia has to improve its documentation, offering step-by-step configuration guides and examples of what outputs look like on Windows. There should also be a comparison of commands be...
What is your primary use case for Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?
I have been working with Nokia switches for six months. Before that, I was using Cisco devices. I am involved in configuring Nokia Internet Service Switches in our network.
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
Nokia ESS, Nokia 7450 Ethernet Service Switch, Nokia 7450 ESS
 

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
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Nokia Ethernet Service Switch and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.