Wireless and Network support at BT - British Telecom
MSP
Top 5
Oct 5, 2026
Regarding the disadvantages of Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches and improvements, I see that in Cisco there are some bugs. That's the main concern. Every version of the software has some types of bugs. For one bug, you update or change the software. For that software, also, some bugs will begin. That's the main design and services issue. Cisco is good on memory and everything is good, but that's the main concern about Cisco. It's critical to understand which bugs can affect you before the update. I actually got many bugs over the years, including volatile and nonvolatile types with multiple bugs. Recent bugs include one fourth channel wise bug, though I forgot those bug IDs. That's a bug related to router routing. I am not getting lost on any routing-related bugs, but there are more normal switch-related bugs as well. I got a few parts affected.
There is not much disadvantage in Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches. Cisco has been one of the leaders, and it has kept its standard for years now. That is why we continue to use it here. Speaking hypothetically, in the future I would like to see some more integrations and some more features. An AI component would be nice. If you can start learning your network and then auto configure it for something, if you find something that is vulnerable, it can just isolate it somewhere and it will not affect your system. That automation would be something valuable. For improvements, an AI component would be nice to have for some automation and also the price. The price is not super friendly. The market is not that static, so the price is a bit high currently.
Regarding improvements for Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches, I think the only issue that could prevent users from using these devices is the smart licensing, as the license model could be much simpler and more cost-effective. Managing Cisco licensing and tiered subscriptions involves unnecessary operational overhead for deployment and renewal. Also, if you are planning to use ACI mode, most of the concepts such as VRF, EPG, and tenant will change. When deploying in ACI mode, the architecture has a steep learning curve, as the policy-driven model requires expensive and specialized training, and many concepts will change for traditional network engineers, requiring them to adapt and learn. Additionally, most of the issues I faced are related to hardware cost specifically, so if we could get a model that is less costly and more cost-effective with simpler licensing, it would be much better. Regarding further improvements, I remember something about the upgrade process. When we did the upgrade for the N9300, changing the image took us around 12 to 15 minutes, which was really a long time. This happened for more than one switch, so I do not know if it is a bug or if this is something normal, but I think they need to address it.
As for any negative points, I think there is nothing significant. The only thing that Cisco may focus on commercially is the SmartNet. From my experience, I have worked with many MNCs where SmartNet would not have been a challenge because that is the standard for my earlier organizations. However, in my current organization, if I go with SmartNet, it would require real justification that I have to build in. When various customers go for enterprise and SMBs, Cisco needs to look at the balance between the commercials and the product. My expectation is that if Cisco can consider a more discounted price for SmartNet products, then we can really consider SmartNet to be inbuilt for any of our Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches to procure it. That is the only thing I would say. Otherwise, there is no negative. As far as the technology is concerned, there is nothing there to shortfall. Performance-wise, Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches is a great machine to work with.
Cisco ACI is not integrated with Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches. I have done the spine-leaf configuration, but ACI is not integrated. SDN was not there, but other features were. I have not configured the analytics part. For analytics, it is required for IoT, but if not for that purpose, then I think it is not required. I have not seen this configured on Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches.
Learn what your peers think about Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2026.
Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches provide robust networking solutions designed to address demanding network requirements. Known for their high performance and scalability, these switches are ideal for data center environments and enterprise networks requiring reliable and efficient connectivity.The Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches stand out due to their advanced capabilities and integration features. They are equipped with state-of-the-art Cisco DNA and Cloud Scale technologies, offering...
Regarding the disadvantages of Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches and improvements, I see that in Cisco there are some bugs. That's the main concern. Every version of the software has some types of bugs. For one bug, you update or change the software. For that software, also, some bugs will begin. That's the main design and services issue. Cisco is good on memory and everything is good, but that's the main concern about Cisco. It's critical to understand which bugs can affect you before the update. I actually got many bugs over the years, including volatile and nonvolatile types with multiple bugs. Recent bugs include one fourth channel wise bug, though I forgot those bug IDs. That's a bug related to router routing. I am not getting lost on any routing-related bugs, but there are more normal switch-related bugs as well. I got a few parts affected.
There is not much disadvantage in Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches. Cisco has been one of the leaders, and it has kept its standard for years now. That is why we continue to use it here. Speaking hypothetically, in the future I would like to see some more integrations and some more features. An AI component would be nice. If you can start learning your network and then auto configure it for something, if you find something that is vulnerable, it can just isolate it somewhere and it will not affect your system. That automation would be something valuable. For improvements, an AI component would be nice to have for some automation and also the price. The price is not super friendly. The market is not that static, so the price is a bit high currently.
Regarding improvements for Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches, I think the only issue that could prevent users from using these devices is the smart licensing, as the license model could be much simpler and more cost-effective. Managing Cisco licensing and tiered subscriptions involves unnecessary operational overhead for deployment and renewal. Also, if you are planning to use ACI mode, most of the concepts such as VRF, EPG, and tenant will change. When deploying in ACI mode, the architecture has a steep learning curve, as the policy-driven model requires expensive and specialized training, and many concepts will change for traditional network engineers, requiring them to adapt and learn. Additionally, most of the issues I faced are related to hardware cost specifically, so if we could get a model that is less costly and more cost-effective with simpler licensing, it would be much better. Regarding further improvements, I remember something about the upgrade process. When we did the upgrade for the N9300, changing the image took us around 12 to 15 minutes, which was really a long time. This happened for more than one switch, so I do not know if it is a bug or if this is something normal, but I think they need to address it.
As for any negative points, I think there is nothing significant. The only thing that Cisco may focus on commercially is the SmartNet. From my experience, I have worked with many MNCs where SmartNet would not have been a challenge because that is the standard for my earlier organizations. However, in my current organization, if I go with SmartNet, it would require real justification that I have to build in. When various customers go for enterprise and SMBs, Cisco needs to look at the balance between the commercials and the product. My expectation is that if Cisco can consider a more discounted price for SmartNet products, then we can really consider SmartNet to be inbuilt for any of our Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches to procure it. That is the only thing I would say. Otherwise, there is no negative. As far as the technology is concerned, there is nothing there to shortfall. Performance-wise, Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches is a great machine to work with.
Cisco ACI is not integrated with Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches. I have done the spine-leaf configuration, but ACI is not integrated. SDN was not there, but other features were. I have not configured the analytics part. For analytics, it is required for IoT, but if not for that purpose, then I think it is not required. I have not seen this configured on Cisco N9300 Series Smart Switches.