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HPE Ethernet Switches vs Meraki MS 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

HPE Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
9th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
103
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Meraki MS Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
8th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
96
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of HPE Ethernet Switches is 2.6%, up from 2.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 3.6%, down from 4.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Ashley Magee - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable and long-lasting network equipment with good customer support
Our primary use case for the switches is for a small business we run. It's mostly in the office, but we also have a plant where we run a lot of monitoring equipment There have been no significant improvements to our network performance as the switches we are using are quite old and we have not…
MajidKhan - PeerSpot reviewer
Remote access enhances troubleshooting with potential for more intuitive interface
We are working with Citrix and router, but in Cisco for Cisco vendor only. We are taking from them since 2015.  The main use case involves some small business customers needing one router, one switch, and two to three access points. It is easy to handle the devices with just a small knowledge of…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"You can scale the product as needed."
"We get a lifetime warranty for the solution so whenever the switches get faulty, you can get a replacement."
"The best feature of this solution is the lifetime warranty."
"What I like the most is the management system integrated with the HP system."
"It's straightforward to set up."
"I value that there is a clear place to find a MAC table with HPE Ethernet Switches."
"It's stable. We never have any issues."
"I have found the most valuable feature is stability."
"The management is cloud-based so you do not have to be on-premises to work with it."
"We found the initial setup to be easy."
"It is easy to configure and claim the switches by their serial number directly from the portal."
"The most beneficial features of Meraki MS Switches are the visibility and convenience they provide."
"Meraki MS Switches is easy to use and implement."
"Easy to set up, stable switches with good accessibility that makes it quicker to identify problems, find solutions, and fix problems."
"The most valuable features are ease of use and configuration. It has a cloud-based configuration that makes it easy."
"The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are ease of use, and we can find technical knowledge easily."
 

Cons

"HPE Ethernet Switches must ensure that the updates and patching are done regularly. When we have new software updates, we can resolve issues quickly."
"There have been no significant improvements to our network performance as the switches we are using are quite old and we have not been able to take advantage of any new features."
"They could provide platform integration with other management tools for better reporting."
"The solution is a bit expensive."
"Technical support needs improvement, as the response time could be better."
"The solution could be more stable."
"The cost could be better. HPE has to study it carefully with other vendors in the market, like Cisco or Juniper."
"There could be features for ransomware attack detection and enhanced anomaly detection to identify and mitigate anonymous traffic."
"The solution needs to improve its scalability."
"The documentation could be more extensive. For example, it could describe more scenarios. It would be great if they could incorporate AI engines into the switching infrastructure and firewall so you can configure it to prevent intrusion. They have intrusion prevention and detection, but they could enhance it by incorporating AI into their firewall."
"The switch capacity needs to be improved."
"Sometimes there's a problem with the pricing model they use. They should work to fix this."
"The solution could be simplified a bit."
"In my opinion, there's room for improvement cost-wise. With Meraki's licensing terms, you're required to pay an annual licensing fee, which can be for a one-year license or perhaps a five-year license. But if you analyze the costs involved, there are huge expenses incurred as far as the licensing is concerned."
"Licensing is the only thing I can complain about. It's expensive, but everything is these days."
"Tracking native ports with IP addresses is not currently possible in Meraki. This is a potential area of improvement."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"They are affordable and less expensive than Cisco. Their price was the decider at the time."
"The license cost is yearly."
"HPE costs almost the same as Cisco."
"HPE Ethernet Switches is a fairly cheap solution."
"The cost is a bit high."
"It would be great if certain features, like licensing, were included in the base price of the switches."
"The licensing cost is yearly, and there aren't any additional costs on top of the standard fee."
"We have to see only the security part when considering licenses because the licenses upgrade."
"The DNA subscription is a three-year minimum term."
"Extreme switches are more cost-effective than Cisco Meraki Switches."
"The product's licensing cost is about 30% to 40% of the hardware cost."
"When you compare it to other switches like HP, Juniper, and Ruckus, Meraki MS Switches are cheaper."
"We have an annual subscription for licensing and it is expensive."
"With the solution that we currently have, I think it costs about 1,200 pounds a year. They bill on a yearly basis."
"The pricing is overvalued in relation to the product's performance."
"The solution is a bit on the pricey side."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Educational Organization
9%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
17%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Educational Organization
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about HPE Ethernet Switches?
The solution is very stable and easy to use.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE Ethernet Switches?
When compared to Cisco, Aruba is about 40% cheaper. However, Huawei would be even cheaper than Aruba. We can't compare HPE Ethernet Switches with Huawei directly because of different price ranges.
What needs improvement with HPE Ethernet Switches?
HPE Ethernet Switches have room for improvement in the initial setup and integration process, especially when incorporating them into an existing infrastructure with competitor products. It's a cha...
What do you like most about Meraki MS Switches?
The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are their reliability and simplicity.
What needs improvement with Meraki MS Switches?
What could be improved is that when a switch disconnects from the internet, you can't make any changes to that switch. Sometimes the switches lose internet connectivity, and we can't do anything to...
 

Also Known As

HP Ethernet Switches
MS220, MS320, MS420
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Emirates Palace Hotel
Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
Find out what your peers are saying about HPE Ethernet Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.