Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] vs ExtremeSwitching comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
8.2
Number of Reviews
34
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
ExtremeSwitching
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
23
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (7th), Data Center Networking (6th), AV Over IP Switching (3rd)
 

Featured Reviews

LarsEvans - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable and useful for network segmentation
The solution's most valuable feature stands up well. The tool is reliable, and it stands up well. The solution works fine and lasts a long time. I think if you speak about the features that have a flow and you can measure, it is hard to say. I don't spend a lot of my time with the tool, but I know that Dell APEX is the solution's cloud. I would say the VLAN features are important. The VLAN features are really useful because network segmentation is important. I would say the tool is easy to program. I don't know if the tool has any security features that I am aware of other than the fact that the solution is for networking. The VLAN and the ability to segment your networks are easy, which is its security feature.
MURALI NIDAMANURI - PeerSpot reviewer
Outstanding performance with minimal maintenance and intuitive configuration
Our primary use case for ExtremeSwitching is for costing, access networking, routing, and meeting network requirements. We have sold it in defense, government, and IT industries ExtremeSwitching significantly adds value to customers because maintenance is minimal. Once the network is set up,…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable feature of this solution is simplicity."
"Dell offers very good support."
"The technology is good and the interface is simple. We haven't had any bugs, disconnections or delays."
"The most valuable feature is stability."
"The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that it is a stable and reliable product covered with good warranties and prices that ensure deep discounts for partners."
"PowerConnect Switches' stability is satisfactory."
"The tool is very user-friendly, with features catering to beginners and advanced users. For beginners, there are models with interactive and easy-to-navigate GUIs that aid in initial deployment and updates. For advanced users, there is the option to use the CLI."
"The security is the most valuable aspect of this solution. It also has good storage and resource handling."
"Setup was easy. It only took a couple of hours to set up."
"The solution excels in configuration and other aspects. It offers reliability and performance."
"The solution can scale."
"Some of the most valuable features of ExtremeSwitching are Fabric Attach and BGP, as well as the price point, which are superior in the market."
"Performance is good."
"It is very reliable because one of the reasons is the non-blocking architecture of Extreme Networks."
"It is meeting our expectations in terms of performance as well as cost-effectiveness."
"The stability has been largely pretty good."
 

Cons

"Because of the stackings you lose some boards and switches."
"The product price is an area of concern where improvements are required."
"A user can take care of the product's installation part, but it may not seem to be an easy process."
"Not a ten because I have to do a lot of testing on it. The correlation is okay."
"The product needs to improve in terms of reports and backups."
"An area for improvement would be that it's very hard to configure if you're not familiar with the UI or CLI of the product. The UI itself could also be improved."
"More stable firmware releases would be an improvement because we have had them randomly power on and off."
"We've only been using the solution for half a year. We haven't run into any issues, but maybe over time, that may change. It's too soon to tell. Offhand, there aren't any features that are lacking."
"The interface could be improved."
"The pricing of the universal switches is an area of concern that needs to be improved."
"Their pricing could be a bit cheaper, as Huawei switches offer better pricing."
"ExtremeSwitching should provide command lines more readily without needing in-depth searching on their support portal, especially for unique configurations."
"The solution as a whole has hardware quality issues."
"Their support could definitely be better."
"Improving product awareness and possibly enhancing technical documentation or training resources could be beneficial."
"I believe they should be more aggressive in terms of pricing."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of these switches is okay."
"This solution is much cheaper than comparable products by Cisco."
"If you want to purchase a new Dell PowerConnect Switch, you will pay up to $1,600, but I bought them used. I bought the four Dell PowerConnect Switches that I used for $1,000."
"The solution is less expensive and more cost-efficient."
"If one is the cheapest price and ten is the most expensive, I rate the product price as an eight or nine. The tool is not cheap."
"On a scale of one to ten, if one means it is a cheap solution, and ten means it is a very expensive tool, I rate the product's price as seven. The tool is a bit pricey."
"The product has a low price for the features it provides."
"I would rate the pricing as a seven or eight."
"It is not a subscription-based model, and there is no licensing concept. We have to pay for hardware AMC. We have hardware on our premises and for the hardware support, we have to go for the annual maintenance contract with the partner."
"The price is expensive. We pay for a license, but you have to pay more if you want to increase the number."
"We paid 25,000 to 30,000 INR."
"The product is expensive."
"ExtremeSwitching offers very good pricing plans for their licenses. Compared to their rivals, ExtremeSwitching's prices are very affordable and reasonable. This is why our customers are happy to pay for their service critical support. ExtremeSwitching also offers a great portal to track clients, further satisfying our customers. They are always happy to pay for the service every month. The pricing is very reasonable."
"There is no license required to use the solution. The hardware controller is expensive, and this is why I prefer controlling ExtremeSwitching on the cloud."
"There is a cost for ExtremeSwitching and if you want the support and maintenance, there are additional costs. My clients typically pay for the support and maintenance annually."
"On pricing, ExtremeSwitches are going to beat most of the major competition."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which LAN Switching solutions are best for your needs.
860,632 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
7%
University
7%
Manufacturing Company
18%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
7%
Construction Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Dell PowerConnect Switches?
Dell PowerConnect Switches have a VTL feature similar to Cisco's VSS. With VTL, using this technology, you can cluster two switches together to increase redundancy in the environment.
What needs improvement with Dell PowerConnect Switches?
Some proprietary commands available in Cisco are preferred by users accustomed to Cisco systems. These users might hesitate to switch because they want to continue using familiar commands and see t...
What do you like most about ExtremeSwitching?
The product offers a single management platform for multiple models of switches. The tool also allows users to manage multiple sites from a single dashboard.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ExtremeSwitching?
ExtremeSwitching is priced in the mid-range, not too expensive nor too cheap.
What needs improvement with ExtremeSwitching?
ExtremeSwitching's software stability could be improved, as it sometimes crashes.
 

Also Known As

PowerConnect Switches
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Amerijet Holdings Inc., CGD Securities, MavenWire, Tulane University
Blue Waters
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Netgear and others in LAN Switching. Updated: June 2025.
860,632 professionals have used our research since 2012.