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Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] vs ExtremeSwitching comparison

Dell Technologies and Extreme Networks are both solutions in the LAN Switching category. Additionally, 90% of Dell Technologies users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of Extreme Networks users who would recommend it.
ExtremeSwitching
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94% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary
We performed a comparison between Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] and ExtremeSwitching based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Netgear and others in LAN Switching.

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To learn more, read our detailed LAN Switching Report (Updated: September 2025).
Buyer's Guide
LAN Switching
September 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

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
6.7
Number of Reviews
25
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (7th), Data Center Networking (8th), AV Over IP Switching (4th)
 

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.
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Shrikant Teggi - PeerSpot reviewer
Excellent support and reliable performance drive positive experiences
We have been working with wireless for the last seven to eight years. At the moment, the customer has decided to go with a different brand. We are only dealing with the wired switches, not the wireless ones. We use ExtremeSwitching only, not Enterasys. Enterasys was the old one. I am not a networking person, so at this point in time I do not have much working experience on the switches. We have a separate team here who are working on these products. We have not reached that stage yet, but definitely in the near future we may use this kind of feature. Recently they have introduced platform one, which is an AI-based automation tool. That is definitely on the cards. Maybe in one year, we may start using that option as well. First of all, the product is robust and they are also coming up with new features. The second part is the support is excellent from ExtremeSwitching. They maintain delivery time and follow through on their commitments properly. The performance we expected, we are getting from ExtremeSwitching. All these requirements we have are being met with the product, features, and support. It is cost effective. I rate ExtremeSwitching a nine out of ten.
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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The technology is good and the interface is simple. We haven't had any bugs, disconnections or delays."
"The features I've found most valuable are that the product is very easy to configure and inexpensive."
"The security is the most valuable aspect of this solution. It also has good storage and resource handling."
"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."
"The setup is straightforward. It takes minimum time for deployment."
"The most valuable feature of Dell PowerConnect Switches for me is the throughput. I also like that the product has more compatibility with Dell infrastructure, especially with EMC and new generation Dell servers. Dell PowerConnect Switches can also easily integrate with Dell servers, and this is another pro."
"This is a very reliable solution."
"The product is cheap."
More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pros
"They are good. We have been using them for about two years, and we are satisfied with their performance. For our network environment, these switches are working fine."
"The price is low compared to the competition."
"The unique ring topology is actually a handy innovation."
"Performance is good."
"The solution excels in configuration and other aspects. It offers reliability and performance."
"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."
"The stability has been largely pretty good."
"The return on investment is high."
More ExtremeSwitching pros
 

Cons

"A big issue with this product is that when our customer migrated the data center, one cluster blocked the whole network and because we had a new approach, some commands were not compatible with the new version."
"Not a ten because I have to do a lot of testing on it. The correlation is okay."
"What's lacking in Dell PowerConnect Switches is SD-WAN integration, and this is what needs to be improved in it. All enterprises now move towards SD-WAN infrastructure, and because Dell PowerConnect Switches don't currently support SD-WAN, the product would be replaced, considered a secondary switch, or linked up to a different switch. Integration or support for SD-WAN is what I'd like to see in the next version of Dell PowerConnect Switches."
"More stable firmware releases would be an improvement because we have had them randomly power on and off."
"Accessibility and management could be improved."
"The solution's ROI for generic networking is not extraordinary."
"The CLI for Dell PowerConnect Switches is sometimes confusing, especially with the LAN, but for the GUI it is simple."
"It would be great to have modules that integrate with SDN solutions such as Cisco ACI, Arista SDN, Huawei Agile, and IBM."
More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] cons
"The pricing of the universal switches is an area of concern that needs to be improved."
"The training and resources for learning are lacking."
"ExtremeSwitching has many features but having come from Cisco environments, there is a steep learning curve to learning all the functionality."
"It could be cheaper in general."
"ExtremeSwitching hardware lacks flexibility compared to some other options."
"ExtremeSwitching is scalable to a certain extent for SME-segmented IP."
"Improving product awareness and possibly enhancing technical documentation or training resources could be beneficial."
"Their pricing could be a bit cheaper, as Huawei switches offer better pricing."
More ExtremeSwitching cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This solution is much cheaper than comparable products by Cisco."
"PowerConnect Switches are priced well."
"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."
"Its price is okay. Sometimes, it is lower than a Cisco solution."
"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."
"I would rate the pricing as a seven or eight."
"Dell PowerConnect switches are cheaper than Cisco switches. Cisco's higher capacity switches (100 or 200 gigs) are super-expensive. With the higher capacity, the price of the switches and the price of the architecture go high. Dell is cheaper and modular. So, I don't need to invest 100% upfront. I can invest as I progress. That is an option because the chassis will not be populated with all the pluggables. I have a choice because it is modular. I can go for 25 gigs today, and after four months, I can go for 100 gigs, and after that, I can go for 200 gigs. I have a choice when it is not a fixed switch."
"Cheaper than its competitors"
More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pricing and cost advice
"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."
"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."
"On pricing, ExtremeSwitches are going to beat most of the major competition."
"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."
"We paid 25,000 to 30,000 INR."
"The price is expensive. We pay for a license, but you have to pay more if you want to increase the number."
"The product is expensive."
"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."
More ExtremeSwitching pricing and cost advice
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Government
8%
Energy/Utilities Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
24%
Government
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Healthcare Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business21
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise6
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business11
Midsize Enterprise8
Large Enterprise7
 

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.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerConnect Switches?
The solution is cheaper than Cisco.
See all answers
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...
See all answers
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.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ExtremeSwitching?
I would rate the pricing for ExtremeSwitching six to seven out of ten.
See all answers
What needs improvement with ExtremeSwitching?
Regarding what could be better with the product, I am not aware of how much AI functionality is provided in ExtremeSwitching. Everyone is talking about AI, so there should be AI facilities provided...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]
Compared 100% of the time
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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs ExtremeSwitching Logo
Cisco Catalyst Switches vs ExtremeSwitching
Compared 57% of the time
NETGEAR Switches vs ExtremeSwitching Logo
NETGEAR Switches vs ExtremeSwitching
Compared 17% of the time
Cisco Nexus vs ExtremeSwitching Logo
Cisco Nexus vs ExtremeSwitching
Compared 12% of the time
Enterasys Campus LAN Switches vs ExtremeSwitching Logo
Enterasys Campus LAN Switches vs ExtremeSwitching
Compared 8% of the time
Arista Networks Platform vs ExtremeSwitching Logo
Arista Networks Platform vs ExtremeSwitching
Compared 7% of the time
More ExtremeSwitching Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]
October 2025
Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] reportDownload Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] product report
Buyer's Guide
ExtremeSwitching
October 2025
ExtremeSwitching reportDownload ExtremeSwitching product report
 

Also Known As

PowerConnect Switches
No data available
 

Overview

PowerConnect Switches family offers a set of flexible, manageable and comprehensive switch solutions supporting up to 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) and optimized Internet iSCSI (iSCSI) performance with Dell Storage solutions, ideal for enterprise and campus LAN environments alike.

Dell Technologies
ExtremeSwitching is the family of products comprising different switch types: Modular (X8 and 8000 series [formerly BlackDiamond] and S and K series switches); Stackable (X-series and A, B, C, and 7100 series switches); Standalone (SSA, X430, and D, 200, 800, and ISW series); and Mobile Backhaul (E4G). ExtremeSwitching work from Edge Switching that ensures the performance and reliable operation of end-user devices and applications including port density, bandwidth, and network services to Aggregation / Core Switches is designed for the demanding needs of aggregation, top-of-rack and campus core environments, these switches deliver 10Gb, 40Gb and even 100Gb bandwidth with maximum throughput and reliability.
Extreme Networks
 

Sample Customers

Amerijet Holdings Inc., CGD Securities, MavenWire, Tulane University
Blue Waters
Buyer's Guide
LAN Switching
September 2025
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