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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: August 2025).
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LAN Switching
August 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 (7th), 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

"Dell PowerConnect Switches are very easy to configure with the GUI. Dell supports the solution even though it has been discontinued."
"Dell offers very good support."
"The solution’s technical support is good."
"The most valuable feature is its ability to multitask."
"We have these switches installed in an environment with hardware from many other vendors, and so far, so good."
"The features I've found most valuable are that the product is very easy to configure and inexpensive."
"The product is cheap."
"The most valuable feature is stability."
More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pros
"ExtremeSwitching switches are highly reliable."
"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 price is low compared to the competition."
"The solution can scale."
"The solution has inspection firewalls that can do a deep packet inspection on a port basis."
"It is meeting our expectations in terms of performance as well as cost-effectiveness."
"The unique ring topology is actually a handy innovation."
"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."
More ExtremeSwitching pros
 

Cons

"The product price is an area of concern where improvements are required."
"You have to build the stackable interface by yourself in Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL], making it an area that can be considered for improvement."
"The product's infrastructure and connectivity features need improvement."
"Scalability, especially with the power connect series is something that you have to take into account before starting the project because any changes to an ongoing project can be difficult."
"I can't think of what we would want in the next release."
"The solution could provide more integration to focus on targeting the network as a whole rather than a unified environment. It is meant for a built environment, so integration with other third-party vendors will likely be necessary."
"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 solution's ROI for generic networking is not extraordinary."
More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] cons
"It could be cheaper in general."
"The solution lacks a cyber asset attack capability."
"Their pricing could be a bit cheaper, as Huawei switches offer better pricing."
"ExtremeSwitching has many features but having come from Cisco environments, there is a steep learning curve to learning all the functionality."
"ExtremeSwitching is scalable to a certain extent for SME-segmented IP."
"ExtremeSwitching should come out with simpler but lower-cost switches that are more suited to the Asian market."
"ExtremeSwitching switches are not prevalent in the industry, so it's harder to go online and research how to deploy their APs or switches. There is a broader user community for Cisco and Juniper because they've been around for a while and everybody has a bit of knowledge they can publish online."
"ExtremeSwitching should provide command lines more readily without needing in-depth searching on their support portal, especially for unique configurations."
More ExtremeSwitching cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution is less expensive and more cost-efficient."
"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 product is cheaper than Cisco and licensing is yearly. We have to pay additional costs for support."
"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."
"PowerConnect Switches are priced well."
"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."
"The product has a low price for the features it provides."
"This solution is much cheaper than comparable products by Cisco."
More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pricing and cost advice
"On pricing, ExtremeSwitches are going to beat most of the major competition."
"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."
"The pricing and licensing are good with the cloud."
"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."
"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."
"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."
More ExtremeSwitching pricing and cost advice
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
10%
University
8%
Educational Organization
8%
Manufacturing Company
21%
Computer Software Company
12%
Construction Company
7%
Government
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.
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

Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Logo
Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]
Compared 84% of the time
Cisco Nexus vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Logo
Cisco Nexus vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]
Compared 16% of the time
More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Competitors
Cisco Catalyst Switches vs ExtremeSwitching Logo
Cisco Catalyst Switches vs ExtremeSwitching
Compared 61% 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 14% of the time
Arista Networks Platform vs ExtremeSwitching Logo
Arista Networks Platform vs ExtremeSwitching
Compared 8% of the time
More ExtremeSwitching Competitors
 

Product Reports

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