No more typing reviews! Try our Samantha, our new voice AI agent.

Cisco Ethernet Switches vs H3C 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 Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
138
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
H3C Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
20th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
9
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Ethernet Switches is 9.1%, down from 12.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of H3C Ethernet Switches is 2.5%, down from 2.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Ethernet Switches9.1%
H3C Ethernet Switches2.5%
Other88.4%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Sachin-Yadav - PeerSpot reviewer
Network & Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Pvt Ltd
Network segmentation has improved security and performance across all departments
Cisco Ethernet Switches offer various features such as L3 capable models which help me with my routing requirements, OSPF, EIGRP, and VRF for segmentation, as well as policy-based routing. Additionally, it provides a high layer of enterprise security via 802.1X port-based authentication, DHCP snooping, ARP inspection, IP Guard, ACLs, and integration with Cisco ISE. I have been using Cisco Ethernet Switches for more than four years, and they have provided me stability, better connectivity, and higher speed. My organization values these switches greatly.
SHARIQ ALI SHAH - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager Sales at Megaplus
Enhanced network management and good performance with vital IMC features
The primary use case is about managing network infrastructure. The H3C Ethernet Switches are used internally as switches in the system H3C Ethernet Switches have improved network performance significantly when compared to middle-class networks. The solution has been cost-effective, being much…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It has 24 x gigabit SFP + 8 x SFP ports, MAC address table size 96k entries, routing protocol RIP-2, EIGRP, operates on DC -48/-60 V power, supports remote management protocols SNMP 1, SNMP 2, RMON, Telnet, SNMP 3, complies with multiple IEEE standards, has RAM of 768 MB (installed) / 2 GB (max) and a flash memory of 192 MB, and includes the Cisco IOS IP Base software."
"The features that I have found most valuable with Cisco switches are that once you get your configuration you can rest assured that it will work. The OS is not going to be failing intermittently or anything like that. Once you get your configuration end-goal right, the firmware and the OS are usually very stable enough to work a long time without support. Support is needed once in a while. My experience is that the Cisco switches are usually rocket."
"Cisco technical support on the backend, from the OEM, is very good."
"Cisco Ethernet Switches is a very stable product."
"It is easy to configure and troubleshoot."
"Cisco Ethernet Switches are stable."
"We can easily integrate the product with any OEM solutions."
"Technical support has always been helpful."
"H3C Ethernet Switches is a cheap solution."
"Offering a five-year warranty, compared to competitors' one-year warranties, is a unique advantage of H3C switches."
"We can configure the switch stack on the internet. Other vendors do not offer this facility. It is fast and easy to manage."
"H3C Ethernet Switches are priced at around $500 per unit, which is very cheap and one of the most competitive prices out there."
"H3C is a well-known brand product and a good high-performance solution."
"The IMC feature is valuable."
"To date, it has proven to be highly reliable. We have encountered no issues or challenges with it thus far."
"Network performance is very good, suggesting that stability has not been an issue."
 

Cons

"Pricing could be lower."
"Cisco needs to include new features to attract new customers."
"The cost is very prohibitive both for us as well as other organizations. It's very expensive to buy Cisco switches. Among our colleagues, we find that we're not alone in thinking it's too high. Everyone's complaining about this."
"Costly as compared to other brands, but with Cisco you definitely get reliability."
"Recently, I worked with them on an encryption issue and didn't receive a solution for three weeks."
"Cisco is now competing with companies that are putting out cheaper switches so the price could be something that could be improved upon."
"Could use additional programmability for the switches."
"The solution should offer a method for user-based load balancing."
"The product's aesthetic quality could be improved, specifically in the design and casing. Additionally, the cloud features need enhancement, as the current offerings are still adapting and could benefit from more development."
"There should be more public tools for configuration and comparing products."
"GUI needs to merge with CLI."
"Lacks decent cloud management."
"I'd like to see better cloud management."
"To enhance H3C switches for the next release, improving the user interface is crucial."
"The solution’s stability could be improved."
"There is room for improvement in Wi-Fi solutions, which are not optimized."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"While Cisco's pricing can be a concern, particularly with support fees, its overall features and support community make it a solid choice."
"Customers have to pay for some of the L3 switches licenses, which are expensive."
"It is an expensive product since it is used in a large network where you cannot rely on some cheaply priced solution."
"The cost of this solution is expensive."
"We get the SMARTnet and one of the switches has that Cisco ONE licensing. It's probably running about $12,000 a year right now."
"Users have to pay an annual licensing fee for Cisco Ethernet Switches, which is expensive."
"The price is on the higher side."
"There is a license required for this solution and the price could be better."
"H3C Ethernet Switches is targeted for SMBs because it's cheaper compared to Huawei switches."
"H3C Ethernet Switches are priced at around $500 per unit, which is very cheap and one of the most competitive prices out there."
"H3C Ethernet Switches are reasonably priced."
"The pricing is very affordable, making it a not-so-expensive choice. On a scale from one to ten, where one is expensive and ten is cheap, I would rate it a seven."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
909,725 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Construction Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Comms Service Provider
13%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Construction Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business60
Midsize Enterprise35
Large Enterprise55
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
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 ...
Which would you choose - Fortinet Fortiswitch secure access or Cisco Ethernet Switches?
We researched Cisco but ultimately chose Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access, mostly because of the price. Fortinet FortiSwitch is an ethernet switch solution that provides security and performance...
In terms of ethernet switches, would you go with Cisco or Juniper?
Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether Cisco or Juniper Ethernet switches were the better fit for us. We decided to go with Juniper. Juniper ethernet switches are a lesser-known...
What needs improvement with H3C Ethernet Switches?
There is room for improvement in Wi-Fi solutions, which are not optimized.
What is your primary use case for H3C Ethernet Switches?
The primary use case is about managing network infrastructure. The H3C Ethernet Switches are used internally as switches in the system.
What advice do you have for others considering H3C Ethernet Switches?
I would recommend H3C Ethernet Switches to others. I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
 

Also Known As

Cisco Industrial Ethernet Switches
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Linz AG
Ying Wa College, Centro Digital Pictures
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. H3C Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.
909,725 professionals have used our research since 2012.