IT Support and Network Admin at Escuela Carlos Pereyra
User
Top 20
Apr 28, 2021
Hello Mesfin
It depends on the real scenario, the cisco 2960 is a very good device and they usually have routing functions but there are many different models within the same 2960 line, and on the other hand, which model of the Dlink brand do you want to use?
1) is equivalent in functions? 2) are all the functions of the Cisco equipment used? 3) Do you already have the IT expert to install and configure it? 4) Will the new equipment suggested in Dlink use all the functions you need?
Most of the time, the consideration of changing the equipment is because its useful life has come to an end, the technology is no longer the best available, or it broke down due to some overload, in these cases the first criterion to decide is always the cost economic, but the ideal is to see the big picture and look at the overall cost-benefit
It does not matter that the Dlink equipment is more economical, in these times many brands have economic equipment and that rival in capabilities with the leading brands you can have confidence in it
As a result of this, the same Cisco brand already has a line (Catalyst 1000) that presents the same cost benefit as the equipment of the others with lower price ranges
finally my personal recommendation is any brand of the following
a) Ubiquiti Edge or ubiquiti Unifi b) Cisco Catalyst 1000 c) TPLink Omada d) Aruba instant on
Partner / Owner at Bimel Elektronik Mamuller Paz. Ltd.
Real User
Apr 28, 2021
I wholeheartedly agreee with everything Luis Apodaca has said. My additional comments are as follows:
What is the size of your network, and are you using any features of the Cisco switches?
How many switches are you trying to use and what is the total price difference between the two brands?
Most of the time, people are using cheap switches as plug-n-play equipment without any configuration and without any management. If that is also your case, you may use the cheapest alternative. After all, switch is a switch. And every brand will work with same performance values. Any switch will have most of the configurable/managerial features expected by a small to mid size network project.
However, Cisco support and Cisco durability is outstanding. Cisco didn't earn its reputation without these. Ofcourse, it comes with a slight price tag.
Hard to make a recommendation with zero details about your use case. But assuming your use case originally justified Cisco Catalyst switches (implying enterprise to medium-size business) I don’t recommend changing. The Cisco solution provides a greater feature set that can be very useful in larger environments. However, if the use case is a smaller/simple network there are more cost-effective options.
D-Link would not be at the top of my list though (Aruba, Netgear, Ubiquiti to name a few). I haven’t used a D-Link device in a long time though so I really can’t speak about their current product line which is why I wasn’t going to answer you until Evgeny Belenky called me out.
Ethernet Switches are essential for building reliable and scalable network infrastructure, allowing seamless connectivity and efficient data management within businesses. They help manage network traffic, connecting multiple devices to form a local area network. Ethernet Switches play a crucial role in enhancing network performance by ensuring rapid data transfers and reduced latency. These devices come in varying port densities and capabilities to meet diverse enterprise needs, from small...
Hello Mesfin
It depends on the real scenario, the cisco 2960 is a very good device and they usually have routing functions but there are many different models within the same 2960 line, and on the other hand, which model of the Dlink brand do you want to use?
1) is equivalent in functions?
2) are all the functions of the Cisco equipment used?
3) Do you already have the IT expert to install and configure it?
4) Will the new equipment suggested in Dlink use all the functions you need?
Most of the time, the consideration of changing the equipment is because its useful life has come to an end, the technology is no longer the best available, or it broke down due to some overload, in these cases the first criterion to decide is always the cost economic, but the ideal is to see the big picture and look at the overall cost-benefit
It does not matter that the Dlink equipment is more economical, in these times many brands have economic equipment and that rival in capabilities with the leading brands you can have confidence in it
As a result of this, the same Cisco brand already has a line (Catalyst 1000) that presents the same cost benefit as the equipment of the others with lower price ranges
finally my personal recommendation is any brand of the following
a) Ubiquiti Edge or ubiquiti Unifi
b) Cisco Catalyst 1000
c) TPLink Omada
d) Aruba instant on
Good luck.
I wholeheartedly agreee with everything Luis Apodaca has said. My additional comments are as follows:
What is the size of your network, and are you using any features of the Cisco switches?
How many switches are you trying to use and what is the total price difference between the two brands?
Most of the time, people are using cheap switches as plug-n-play equipment without any configuration and without any management. If that is also your case, you may use the cheapest alternative. After all, switch is a switch. And every brand will work with same performance values. Any switch will have most of the configurable/managerial features expected by a small to mid size network project.
However, Cisco support and Cisco durability is outstanding. Cisco didn't earn its reputation without these. Ofcourse, it comes with a slight price tag.
Hard to make a recommendation with zero details about your use case. But assuming your use case originally justified Cisco Catalyst switches (implying enterprise to medium-size business) I don’t recommend changing. The Cisco solution provides a greater feature set that can be very useful in larger environments. However, if the use case is a smaller/simple network there are more cost-effective options.
D-Link would not be at the top of my list though (Aruba, Netgear, Ubiquiti to name a few). I haven’t used a D-Link device in a long time though so I really can’t speak about their current product line which is why I wasn’t going to answer you until Evgeny Belenky called me out.
Hello Mesfin,
Luis has given good directions already.
Without much details, I could say that generally, I wouldn't recommend replacing a Cisco Switch with D-Link.
Thanks.
Hi @Manish Nalawade , @Phillip Peerman and @Devanand PR. Could you assist @Mesfin Workneh?