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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
6th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
177
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Nokia Ethernet Service Switch
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
23rd
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
3.1
Number of Reviews
7
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 3.0%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Nokia Ethernet Service Switch is 0.9%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco Catalyst Switches3.0%
Nokia Ethernet Service Switch0.9%
Other96.1%
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.
Montassar Turki - PeerSpot reviewer
Empowering networks with enhanced scalability and reliability
It provides excellent scalability capabilities, as well as the flexibility to work with different cost structures. It supports a large number of switches very well and meets the specific requirements. In our enterprise, we currently have two hundred servers, and this technology accommodates our growing user base, which may reach millions of users.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I highly appreciate the durability and the availability"
"VLAN gives us segregation."
"The configuration and command set are user-friendly."
"When it comes to Cisco Catalyst Switches, one can say that the legacy switches are stable."
"The solution highly scalable."
"The product offers very good routing and ranking capabilities."
"The main valuable features for me are the ease of configuration, the CLI, and the GUI."
"The Cisco Catalyst is very stable and it can last for many years."
"Despite initial hindrances, once understood, these differences help in forming a good career foundation."
"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."
"The highest value lies in aggregating the data to improve both traffic management and device utilization, emphasizing the importance of engagement and liability."
"The most valuable feature is the product's availability."
"The most valuable features are user functionality and interoperability."
 

Cons

"Facilitating and adapting the security updates would be a good improvement, because usually it requires to reboot the router to get them"
"Cisco is dedicated to providing their customers with the latest technology, but it comes with a price. It's expensive when compared to competitors' products."
"The solution’s licensing could be improved."
"Out of the competition, Cisco switches are easily the most expensive."
"The licensing process should be back to how it was before. Now, you have to register online, and it makes staging a bit trickier."
"Cisco should provide customers with a more advantageous licensing model included with the purchase of the equipment."
"The GUI should be addressed."
"An area for improvement would be the documentation and training on configuring this product."
"The solution needs more monitoring tools."
"I would suggest improvements regarding enhancing support response times and implementing user interface modifications for quicker and more user-friendly interactions."
"I would like to see more collaboration with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) vendors, such as Itron."
"I would prefer that all the licenses be open for our use."
"The documentation needs improvement for better accessibility, as there isn't proper documentation currently available."
"The segment routing could be improved, and they could also transfer a lot of legacy to the cloud domain."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is worth the money. The product is expensive, but the service they provide is very good, which makes it worth it."
"We are on an annual license to use this solution and the price of the solution could be reduced. We have spent hundreds of thousands on our Wi-Fi network."
"The solutions are costly, considering that Cisco provides top-notch support and devices."
"We pay the licensing fees annually because we have an enterprise license agreement."
"Compared to the price of other solutions such as Huawei and HP, Cisco Catalyst Switches is a cheaper solution."
"The price of these switches is on the upper end. It is around $3,500 plus for a 24-Port switch. These switches are more expensive than Linksys and TP-Links, but you get what you pay for. If you look at the pros and cons per switch, you can justify the cost compared to a lesser and cheaper brand."
"Cisco's prices are not cheap, but the stability is worth it."
"These switches are expensive."
"The price of the solution is very competitive in comparison with that of the competition."
"It is quite expensive compared to alternative technologies."
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
872,778 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Performing Arts
10%
Educational Organization
9%
Financial Services Firm
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business78
Midsize Enterprise29
Large Enterprise78
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise2
 

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 needs improvement with Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?
We can understand the customer network better and propose products accordingly as areas for improvement. Engaging with customers directly would improve how that could be done easily. Many times the...
What is your primary use case for Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?
I am a system integrator working for different customers. My clients use this product for their network, either for network upgrade or new rollout.
What advice do you have for others considering Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?
This possibility could be provided by the vendor. I advise people looking to use Nokia Ethernet Service Switch to always look for reliability rather than going for cheaper Chinese products. On a sc...
 

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
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Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Nokia Ethernet Service Switch and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
872,778 professionals have used our research since 2012.