Cisco Ethernet Switches Reviews

I used Cisco Ethernet Switches primarily for campus networks, specifically in hospitals, to provide endpoint connectivity for users, including doctors, and to support wireless access points for devices like iPads.

The most valuable features of Cisco Ethernet Switches for our network are speed, latency, and reliability. We rely on fast data transfer and minimal downtime, especially for handling large image files. Additionally, the MTBF and unit-level failover capabilities have been crucial for maintaining uptime. The switches seamlessly integrate with our dual-band wireless network, providing efficient connectivity for both public and partner users across the hospital campus.

While Cisco Ethernet Switches are already quite advanced, one area for improvement could be integrating a single dashboard for both wired and wireless networks. Additionally, enhancing cyber protection features directly within the switches could be beneficial to prevent network vulnerabilities and downtime caused by malicious activity.

I have been working with Cisco Ethernet Switches for almost 15 years.

I would rate the stability of the product as a nine out of ten.

I would rate the scalability of the product as an eight out of ten. About 3,000 users are currently using Cisco Ethernet Switches, and there are plans to increase usage as the hospital expands.

Technical support from Cisco is generally good, with knowledgeable core technical staff. However, there can be issues with overpromising in marketing, leading to discrepancies between promises and the capabilities of the actual support team. I would rate the support as a nine out of ten.

Positive

I would rate the easiness of the initial setup of Cisco Ethernet Switches as a nine out of ten. The setup process itself was fantastic, but it heavily relies on capable partners for proper installation. If the partners aren't well-trained or capable, it could lead to setbacks, but generally, Cisco works with good partners.

Deploying Cisco Ethernet Switches involved two main phases. The passive network setup, including cable laying and rack installation, took about eight to nine months due to various challenges. However, mounting and configuring the switches only required around one month. Overall, the deployment involved a team of three people.

For maintenance, at least two people are typically available around the clock to monitor the network, address calls, and handle any issues that arise. So far, there haven't been any failures, but if one occurs, they address it.

I would rate the pricing of the product as a seven out of ten in terms of costliness. While Cisco Ethernet Switches are expensive, they were chosen for their quality and worth the investment. Additional costs beyond standard licensing fees were fixed for two years, but afterward, negotiations depended on market fluctuations.

In a big hospital project covering 20 acres and 51 buildings, Cisco Ethernet Switches played a crucial role. We set up connections for the entire campus, including the data center, all the devices people use, and equipment, making sure everything could communicate smoothly.

The scalability of Cisco Ethernet Switches has supported our organization's growth by allowing us to easily expand our network architecture. We have implemented a scalable design with core, distribution, and endpoint switches, connected via fiber optic cables. This setup enables us to add new switches or networks without disrupting the existing infrastructure. We can seamlessly plug in additional switches to the core switches, facilitating expansion wherever needed.

When considering Cisco Ethernet Switches, users should assess their specific needs and whether they require higher speeds or prioritize stability and reliability. It is crucial to ensure that the switches perform as advertised, especially for critical applications. Reliability is crucial, so users should prioritize switches that can operate without downtime, particularly for mission-critical functions.

Overall, I would rate Cisco Ethernet Switches as an eight out of ten.

I use Cisco Ethernet Switches as a core product in the infrastructure that serves as the backbone of my network.

The most valuable feature of the solution is the performance of the product.

I don't like the fact that the product is very expensive. There are a lot of software subscriptions to which a user needs to subscribe other than the support and services offered by Cisco. In general, Cisco is a very good product but expensive.

There should not be different licenses for subscriptions, Cisco SMARTnet Service, or support, and they should all be made available under one single license. If you want to use the support offered by Cisco, you may not have access to the support services. The support services may be offered as a part of a subscription that needs to be purchased while getting users to space separately for Cisco SMARTnet Service, while in general, everything should be available in a single license.

Cisco always announces the end of life support, which is really great, but Cisco should also offer the buyback option for existing customers instead of getting them to make new investments to use Cisco products.

I have experience with Cisco Ethernet Switches.

The solution's stability is very high. The benefit a user experiences with Cisco is that it is easy to find a lot of knowledgeable people in the market. Many people understand Microsoft, but it doesn't mean that Windows is the best compared to Linux, which is more stable but they are used less in the market.

Regarding the product's scalability, the scalability option will be available as long as the product or the hardware does not reach the end of life or support.

All the people working in my company use the solution, which comes to more than 8000 people.

My company plans to increase the number of users who use the solution.

I have experience with the technical support offered by Cisco's support team, and I feel that they were a bit slow in their response.

The product's initial setup phase was easy because our company got help from an engineer associated with Cisco. If you don't get any help from an engineer from Cisco, then the setup phase will be difficult. In my company, we have a Cisco-certified engineer on our team.

The time period required to deploy the product is something that depends on the project, but if you have the right people with the right skills, then it doesn't take too much time to deploy the solution.

The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.

For the deployment process, you designed the network and built the infrastructure before testing the product with the help of PoC. The deployment phase may seem like a long process, and it is not something that is applicable only to Cisco since the same process is followed for the switches from other brands like Huawei and HPE.

In my company, we need more than three people, consisting of a system engineer, network, and technical support, to not just take care of the deployment part of the solution but also to monitor it twenty-four hours, seven days a week.

My company takes care of the product's installation process with the help of our in-house team.

If a person plans to buy a new switch or a new product launched by Cisco recently, then there is a guarantee that it will last for seven to ten years, meaning the return on investment is high.

It is an expensive product.

Considering the present products in the market, Cisco is a leader in the networking world, but price-wise, products from Cisco are priced crazily.

To those who plan to buy the solution, I would suggest that they speak directly to the vendor and not to a consultant so that they can secure a better deal. Dealing with the vendor always fractures positive responses, especially in terms of the costs attached to the solution.

I rate the overall product a nine out of ten.

I use Cisco Ethernet Switches to provide end-user connectivity in an optimized, balanced, and stable way. Before being a security engineer, I was a network architect or network manager. In that case, Cisco Ethernet Switches were mostly related to the classic set of data centers.

Cisco Ethernet Switches are more stable than other products.

The solution's pricing could be improved. Cisco is one of those market leaders who always try to benefit from having a market-leading position. Cisco gradually increased prices for the same products they delivered over the decade.

I have been using Cisco Ethernet Switches for 17 years.

I rate Cisco Ethernet Switches a nine out of ten for stability.

Around 3,000 users use the solution in our organization.

I rate Cisco Ethernet Switches a nine out of ten for scalability.

The solution's first-line technical support is terrible. The second-line support is always adequate. I always tend to skip the first-line support because most of these people just run by a script book, and they start to panic when they don't see a solution in the script. So, I tend to always ask for second-level agents.

The solution’s initial setup is straightforward.

The solution's deployment time depends on the company's size and client requirements. For the solution's deployment, we start with the analysis phase, the financial aspect, the implementation phase, the operational phase, and hypercare.

Users have to pay an annual licensing fee for Cisco Ethernet Switches, which is expensive.

Cisco asks for an additional fee for the support part, whereby you become eligible to download firmware updates.

In the case of Cisco, users should not limit their knowledge about the hardware from Cisco but should also deep dive into general network services and topologies. Users should not consider Cisco a specific and unique brand but should understand the services that run under Cisco appliances.

Overall, I rate Cisco Ethernet Switches an eight out of ten.

I am using Cisco Ethernet Switches in my company.

The solutions meet my sign and safety requirements, integrate easily with my firewall device, and ensure the stability of our network.

The IP routing is the most important feature. It has saved my devices and PC printers and it is a very important feature.

AI technology must be involved in the future. Also, it would be better to have a little bit lower price or another licensing model.

I have been working with Cisco Ethernet Switches for about 14 years.

Till now, I have not placed any maintenance requests because this device is stable all the time.

Cisco Ethernet Switches are scalable.

I haven't needed technical support because the device is stable all the time.

Positive

Before Cisco Switches, I worked with 3Com devices, but only a few. I switched because Cisco is the most popular company.

The integration was easy.

Cisco is more expensive in my country. It is usually just one payment, and I do not need to pay for maintenance or support.

I strongly recommend Cisco Ethernet Switches.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

Cisco Ethernet system serves our needs primarily for user integration and connectivity, providing access to the Internet and services. One scenario where Cisco switches significantly improved our network performance was when we faced challenges with traditional network setups. The features that proved highly effective for network management include comprehensive visibility, an all-in-one solution for management, stability, connectivity, and troubleshooting capabilities.

We use Cisco Ethernet system for user connectivity, with multicast being an advanced feature that helps alleviate some of our work challenges. In terms of scalability, we utilize stacks which have proven to be reliable and easy to manage. As for security functionalities, we rely on Palo Alto for our network's safety. I would prefer to discuss detailed information via email for a comprehensive review.

Improvement as per customer requirements. 

I have been using Cisco Ethernet Switches for the past 4 years. 

As for stability, I have found the feature to be highly stable with minimal issues.

Although we also use HPE switches in other departments, I lean towards Cisco due to its reliability and performance.

Installing Cisco Ethernet system is relatively straightforward, especially since we are familiar with the process. However the installation may require some technical expertise.The deployment process for Cisco Ethernet system typically takes about a day with our team's support. For more complex configurations, it may require additional time depending on the customer's requirements. One major challenge we face is with licensing, especially for Cisco's wireless features. Understanding and managing license changes over time, such as moving to new licenses for VPN support, can be challenging for customers. We often need support from Cisco to navigate these licensing challenges.

While Cisco's pricing can be a concern, particularly with support fees, its overall features and support community make it a solid choice.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate Cisco Ethernet system as a 9 for its overall functionality and support, with the caveat of considering pricing and support options carefully before making a decision

Cisco Ethernet Switches can be used for any particular application. We have many customers like IDBI and State Bank of India using Cisco switches, Cisco routers, and Cisco SD-WAN. My organization provides some Cisco switches and AMCs of Cisco switches.

Cisco Ethernet Switches is a very stable product. Cisco products are extremely rugged and stable. I have faced very few complaints about Cisco products supplied to my customers.

From a system integrator's perspective, Cisco must train system integrators, partners, and customers about their services. Cisco has many products like switches, routers, and now SD-WAN, and they need to educate the partners and customers about these services.

I've been dealing with Cisco Ethernet Switches for about 25 years.

I rate Cisco Ethernet Switches ten out of ten for stability.

Since Cisco Ethernet Switches can be integrated with different modules, we can have one switch to scale up to 10, 15, or 20 switches. The solution is enterprise scalable and telecom scalable. I've got about 12 to 14 customers using Cisco products.

In my previous organization, my service engineer used Cisco's technical support, and their response was quite good.

Setting up a Cisco switch or router is very user-friendly as far as the service team is concerned.

Cisco L2 switches hardly take a couple of hours or less than an hour to deploy. It all depends on whether the customer requires VLAN and what type of setup they require. LC switches would take a couple of days to deploy, depending on the SoW the customer provides. The solution's tech support is also quite good. Most of their employees have done the Cisco certification, and installing Cisco Ethernet Switches doesn't take any time.

The deployment model is quite simple. It's fit-and-play if it's an L2 switch. However, if it is an L3 switch, some configurations are required, which takes time.

There are certain modules for L3 switches. Customers have to pay for some of the L3 switches licenses, which are expensive.

Overall, I rate Cisco Ethernet Switches ten out of ten.

We use the solution for everything. We primarily use the solution in our office and for our data center. We're using older versions. 

The main issue is that the company did grow way too fast. We have issues with merging companies and installing a network device, and it's hard to manage them. Everything is still manual around here. Nothing is centralized. 

Small business devices most of the controls have been very good.

The community is very helpful.

Catalyst switches are the same quality as Dell switches. The quality is identical. 

The solution is extremely stable. The performance is excellent.

The more expensive versions can be more expensive, and the switches cannot take the heat. Some of the rooms they are in are too hot for the switch.

We need more management tools for the solution. 

I don't have any notes for new features. 

There should be fiber switches that could be capable of doing more things. 

I've used the solution for a very long time. I've used them for probably 25 years - since Cisco first offered them.

It's very stable. I'd rate it ten out of ten. 

I do not like the way the stack feature is done on Cisco. I mostly prefer Fortinet or ESL from Brocade. It's way more flexible and straightforward, and you just need to understand the logic. With Cisco, it's a black box. It's hard to understand. 

It is possible to scale. However, you do reach a limitation with eight switches placed together. We have four switches in the data center, so we've never hit a scalability threshold. 

We have five admins on the solution, and across the company, we have 30 people that have access to the solution. 

I've never had to use technical support. I've only had a small issue on the firewall, and I reached out to the community to troubleshoot. 

I've also used Palo Alto and Fortinet. I used Brocade switches six to ten years ago. It is now Extreme Networks, and I am interested in trying Extreme. I have two Extreme switches right now. 

Fortinet is really user-friendly and easy for even non-technical people to understand. However, the information from Fortinet is really specific. With Cisco, you just have to press the questions mark, and you have a description of every menu. Extreme is like Juniper. You have to create the VLAN, which can be difficult to read if you have a lot of VLAN, although the scalability is great. 

If you are familiar with the technology, it is straightforward. You do need knowledge. It's not extremely simple. For me, since I am knowledgeable, I'd rate the ease of implementation eight out of ten.

We have an ongoing deployment. Deployments of us are never-ending. We are always working on new sites. 

Even level-one support can do a copy-paste and deploy the switches, so our process at this point is very fast.

The pricing depends on the model. The C-1000's are okay. They are not cheap yet not expensive. I'd rate the pricing seven out of ten.  

All the devices we order from Cisco come from Germany. We simply buy devices. We don't have a relationship with Cisco. 

The big thing with Cisco is the great community. It's really easy to find whatever you need online.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. It's not quite user-friendly. They do get it right with Meraki, however, that isn't for the type of company we have. If you have an internet issue and can't reach the switch from the cloud, Meraki will give you issues. 

Our company uses the solution to set up local access networks for users and route applications. We work with several models including 9300 and 9500. We plan to increase usage in the future. 

The solution effectively provides a stable connection for users. 

There is a lot of knowledge in terms of Cisco networking, so you can very quickly find technical support. 

To keep up with the market, the solution should have better evolution and innovation. 

More security features should be added. 

I have been using the solution for five years. 

The solution is stable so I rate stability a nine out of ten. 

The solution is scalable so I rate scalability an eight out of ten. 

Technical support is good so I rate it a nine out of ten. 

Positive

The setup is very simple. 

The pricing is reasonable so I rate it a six out of ten. 

Be sure you have an understanding of how many appliances you need and how many users you have to cover, so that you have a good and proper design for the solution. 

I rate the solution an eight out of ten.