Cisco Ethernet Switches vs Nokia Ethernet Service Switch comparison

Cisco and Nokia are both solutions in the Ethernet Switches category. Cisco is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.8, while Nokia is ranked #23 with an average rating of 8.3. Cisco holds a 11.2% mindshare in ES, compared to Nokia’s 0.9% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Nokia users who would recommend it.

Cisco Ethernet Switches

Read 136 Cisco Ethernet Switches reviews

11,920 Views
11,920 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Nokia Ethernet Service Switch

Read 7 Nokia Ethernet Service Switch reviews

768 Views
768 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Cisco Ethernet Switches

Nokia Ethernet Service Switch

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

Cisco Ethernet Switches and Nokia Ethernet Service Switch compete in the field of network switching technologies. Data indicates that while Cisco leads in pricing and support, Nokia offers advanced features and customization.

Features: Cisco Ethernet Switches provide robust performance, reliability, and extensive security options, making them suitable for large and small businesses. They ensure seamless compatibility with numerous network protocols. Nokia Ethernet Service Switch excels in high-capacity throughput and advanced traffic management, making it ideal for environments needing customization and scalability.

Room for Improvement: Cisco could benefit from enhancing its feature set to match the advanced functionalities offered by competitors. Improving customization tools and further reducing downtime during deployments might help. Nokia may look into expanding support networks to ensure prompt issue resolution and could work on making initial deployment costs more appealing to budget-conscious buyers.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco's deployment is straightforward, supported by a comprehensive network of certified professionals that ensures quick and efficient setup with minimal downtime. Nokia offers simplified deployment with flexible services beneficial for unique environments, though its support network is less extensive compared to Cisco's.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco offers competitive pricing with excellent ROI, credited to its reliable longevity. Although Nokia's initial setup is more costly, its robust customization and advanced functionalities provide significant long-term benefits. Cisco's pricing and long-term cost-effectiveness make it a compelling choice for budget-conscious buyers.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. Nokia Ethernet Service Switch Report (Updated: November 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. Nokia Ethernet Service Switch

November 2025

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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

1st

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

136

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Nokia Ethernet Service Switch

Ranking in Ethernet Switches

23rd

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

3.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Ethernet Switches is 11.2%, down from 18.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Nokia Ethernet Service Switch is 0.9%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Cisco Ethernet Switches	11.2%
Nokia Ethernet Service Switch	0.9%
Other	87.9%

Ethernet Switches

Featured Reviews

Myint Aung

Head of the Solutions Department at BIM Group of Companies

Exceptional network support and AI integration drive performance while suggesting enhancements for future use cases

I work with both HyperFlex and other Cisco products. I prefer to make online support available because I can utilize my CCIE architect, solution consultant, and engineer team along with our account manager and product sales team. We can clarify requirements and decide how to support you. We should arrange a conference call about Cisco Ethernet Switches where I can invite my architect and consultant to clarify more about the features that are most beneficial for improving network efficiency. Today is AI day, and all the new firmware includes AI to optimize the performance, traffic, and security of Cisco Ethernet Switches. It's performing very well. With many solutions and vendors available, you have to decide on one. I am extremely satisfied with the licensing cost for Cisco Ethernet Switches. For the price of Cisco Ethernet Switches, I would rate it a 7. My overall rating for Cisco Ethernet Switches is 10 out of 10.

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Montassar Turki

Tech Lead - R&D at Numeryx

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.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It is very scalable."

"The installation is very straightforward."

"The stability is 100%."

"Cisco Ethernet Switches are rugged, secure, and scalable. It provides smart devices and reliable switches."

"As I am Cisco certified, I like the way that I can program them."

"We like the stability and scalability of Cisco Ethernet Switches."

"The most valuable feature of Cisco Ethernet Switches is its hardware."

"I like that it's easy to use."

More Cisco Ethernet Switches pros

"The most valuable feature is the product's availability."

"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."

"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."

Cons

"Pricing could be lower."

"The technical support could improve, they are about average quality."

"If Cisco Ethernet Switches can work both on-prem and in the cloud, it would be an advantage."

"They can make the licensing model a little easier."

"One area for improvement could be integrating a single dashboard for both wired and wireless networks."

"We are less in the Cloud because the Cloud technologies didn't work so well. That happened in all of the companies where I've been engaged."

"Cisco needs to include new features to attract new customers."

"Cisco has a licensing procedure that is very complicated and it changes every six months."

More Cisco Ethernet Switches cons

"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."

"I would like to see more collaboration with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) vendors, such as Itron."

"The documentation needs improvement for better accessibility, as there isn't proper documentation currently available."

"The solution needs more monitoring tools."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution can be comparatively cheaper."

"These switches are expensive, but they are an excellent buy and definitely have value for the investment."

"Cisco now has more products that are priced for small businesses, so they do have some cheaper models."

"It's a little expensive."

"Cisco is quite expensive. In our market, a lot of customers are forced to go with something else because they cannot afford a brand-new Cisco even though they know a Cisco switch will be more reliable."

"It is an expensive product since it is used in a large network where you cannot rely on some cheaply priced solution."

"The pricing is reasonable so I rate it a six out of ten."

"Price is a pain point for us. We've lost a lot of bids, and the reason has been that we majorly quoted Cisco devices. Some of our competitors quoted other devices like Ubiquity or Microchip. Some even quoted this Chinese product TP-Link, and they won the bid over us because we quoted Cisco. Meanwhile, the major reason why we quoted Cisco is reliability and stability from day one. They also last longer. The prices could be worked on so that they become more affordable. We had to deploy a city-wide WiFi network, and we were working in conjunction with Google. Because of the price, even Google recommended a product called Ruckus, so we used Ruckus over Cisco. Its price and license were the main reasons. You have to pay to renew the license every year. Even though you also renew the licenses for Ruckus, but they are much cheaper than Cisco. So, while I would recommend Cisco any time, the trouble remains with the pricing."

More Cisco Ethernet Switches pricing and cost advice

"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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Comparison Review

it_user82779

Engineer at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees

Jan 29, 2014

Benefits of Juniper vs Cisco

Both are decent products. I prefer Juniper for the following reasons: 1) Cleaner separation of data plane from control plane. Higher end Cisco devices are better at this but most of the lower end products still seem to be more integrated than I like. 2) The Hierarchical config design means I can…

Read full review

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Comms Service Provider

11%

Performing Arts

10%

Educational Organization

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	59
Midsize Enterprise	36
Large Enterprise	53

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	2

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 ...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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.

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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November 2025

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October 2025

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Also Known As

Cisco Industrial Ethernet Switches

Nokia ESS, Nokia 7450 Ethernet Service Switch, Nokia 7450 ESS

Overview

Cisco Ethernet Switches scale to meet the needs of networks of all sizes. They are Secure, Reliable and Seamless.

Cisco

The Nokia 7450 Ethernet Service Switch (ESS) family of Carrier Ethernet switch routers is designed to deliver advanced Carrier Ethernet services. It also provides the ideal platform for the metro Ethernet aggregation of fixed and mobile networks.

Nokia

Sample Customers

Linz AG

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. Nokia Ethernet Service Switch

November 2025

Free Report: Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. Nokia Ethernet Service Switch

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