Cisco Catalyst Center Reviews

I use Cisco Catalyst Center for network connectivity for customers who either have limited IT staff and need a simple solution to administrate or want to build a complex architecture and platform. It is user-friendly and often used with Wi-Fi solutions.

The analytics feature is quite good, and the hardware is very performant. The integration with third-party software is useful, especially when paired with Cisco solutions such as ICE and ICI. This level of integration proves to be both useful and performant for users.

My customers often complain about numerous software bugs requiring frequent software patches and updates to resolve these issues. Furthermore, the complexity of the solution can be challenging for some customers as they often require extensive training to fully understand and utilize the product. They have concerns about the high number of software bugs and the need for regular updates to address these bugs.

I have been working with Cisco Catalyst Center for two years.

There are some software bugs and patch management needs, so I would rate the stability as a five out of ten.

I would give the scalability an eight out of ten.

The customer service is very good. They are excellent and efficient. I had a situation where they were present with us overnight to fix an issue for a customer, demonstrating their dedication.

The price is high, but they offer significant discounts, depending on the deal and the number of switches involved.

I would advise users not to skip the training sessions. 

Overall, I would rate Cisco Catalyst Center a seven out of ten.

Public Cloud

I primarily use Cisco Catalyst Center for monitoring large enterprises. It offers an additional option to tools like SolarWinds to monitor the Cisco estate specifically. It provides features like observability and management of the network.

The most valuable feature of Cisco Catalyst Center is its dual functionality of observability and management. Unlike SolarWinds, which provides only network observability, Cisco Catalyst Center offers both management and monitoring capabilities. This dual functionality is crucial for monitoring large enterprises, providing a robust solution for IT teams.

There is room for improvement in introducing auto-heal AI capabilities. In the current setup, incidents are always reactionary, and it would be beneficial if Cisco Catalyst Center could proactively handle issues such as bandwidth crunches and packet drops. Additionally, the initial setup, especially when loading the software on new devices, is time-consuming and can be further improved by reducing the time required.

I've been working with Catalyst since 2020.

When setting up Cisco Catalyst Center, loading the software onto the hardware is time-consuming, taking at least 30 minutes. This time delay can lead to increased costs when hiring external technicians for installation.

Cisco Catalyst switches are reliable and stable. They provide a robust and secure solution for critical workloads.

The support from Cisco is good. When purchasing a device, I get a specific type of support and credit backs. I have no issues with their support.

Neutral

The initial setup is seamless for using and managing Cisco Catalyst Center. However, the initial process of loading the iOS software on new devices is time-consuming. Reducing this time would lower installation costs, especially when most companies outsource this task and pay technicians by the hour.

Most companies hire external vendors to install these devices, as few have in-house network engineers for such tasks. To reduce costs, it is better to have pre-staged hardware.

Although there are other solutions in the market, none are as stable and cost-effective as Cisco Catalyst switches for critical workloads.

There are other market solutions, but none as stable and robust as Cisco Catalyst switches.

One improvement that could be made is offering preloaded iOS to reduce setup time, especially in remote locations such as oil rigs, where sending a technician just to load iOS is difficult. Overall, I rate Cisco Catalyst Center an eight out of ten. The cost, while stable and robust, could always improve.

Other

Our primary use case for Cisco Catalyst Center involves deploying different models of Catalyst switches, particularly for user connectivity. Some models are used for extra switching, some for distribution, and others for core applications. We extensively deploy various types of Catalyst switches.

Some of the most common and valuable use cases for the Catalyst switches include network segmentation, VLAN implementation, and access level security integration. There are lots of features in the Catalyst switches, and some of the basic, important features are crucial for deployment. Cisco tech support is one of the best in the industry, which is a strong feature available across their products.

One area of improvement for Cisco is cost-effectiveness, as Cisco products are relatively expensive compared to other US-based solutions like Juniper. Advanced hardware replacement services have seen a degradation in quality, with delays in replacement parts. Cisco could also improve by ensuring that all switches can be managed through Cisco Catalyst Center.

I have been in this field for more than ten years.

There are two parts to Cisco's customer service: online tech support and advanced hardware replacement. Online tech support is very good, and I would rate it around eight to nine. However, advanced hardware replacement has seen a decline in quality, with delays in part replacements.

Neutral

As a US product, Cisco is a bit expensive compared to other solutions like Juniper. Cost is a major factor when any company is buying, and Cisco's products are pricier even compared to other US-based solutions.

Regarding Cisco's overall solution, from a performance point of view, as a product, I would rate it nine or ten. However, for support, due to issues with the RMA and hardware replacement, I would rate it six to seven. 

The online tech support is good, but the advanced hardware replacement needs improvement. The overall rating is nine or ten for performance but six to seven for support due to the hardware replacement issue.

We use Cisco Catalyst Center for managing switches in our IT infrastructure. Our primary focus has been on utilizing Catalyst switches for configuration and management purposes.

Cisco Catalyst Center has greatly enhanced the user-friendliness of configuring Catalyst switches. The integration of SDM makes switch configuration much simpler than before. Additionally, the virtual LANs provide some security features, helping us manage our network more efficiently. The integration with Cisco firewalls further enhances our network security.

If they can add a layer of portable hotspots with some licensing flexibility for 20 to 50 users, it would be a great feature.

I have been working with Cisco switches for the past fifteen to sixteen years.

There are no difficulties in integrating the switches with the firewalls; the process is very straightforward.

Cisco support is good, especially for those who have gone through Networking Academy. The support often comes in the form of chat boxes and preconditioned questions, making it easy to find solutions.

Positive

In terms of performance, the return on investment is good.

The cost is relative and depends on the market and one's budget provision. While Cisco provides a good return on investment, they are also facing competitive pricing challenges from Huawei.

Huawei has been a significant competitor to Cisco, especially regarding cost and return on investment. The increased features and enhancements have affected Huawei's pricing.

Overall, I give Cisco Catalyst Center an eight out of ten. While Huawei provides strong competition, Cisco's continuous enhancements make their products valuable.

On-premises

I use Cisco Catalyst Center mainly to manage the fabric SD Access. I check MAC addresses for end users who are not connected for a certain period. The MAC address is stored in the database for seven days. This allows me to track where users were previously connected.

Cisco Catalyst Center allows me to manage all the fabric SD Access from one location. I can upgrade multiple switches or routers at once by selecting them and scheduling the updates. This capability enables efficient management and troubleshooting. The system also provides significant help with troubleshooting.

The retention period of data could be improved from seven days to 30 days. This change would help in cases where users are on leave for extended periods. 

Additionally, a faster GUI interface would be beneficial. Sometimes, it does not provide expected results, requiring adjustments.

I have been using ThousandEyes for one year.

I would rate the stability of the solution as eight out of ten.

The solution is very scalable, and I would rate it as ten out of ten.

Cisco's technical support has been pretty good, and I would rate them as eight out of ten.

Positive

The setup is part of SD Access Fabric. It is a bit complex initially, but once set up, it is very easy to use. On a scale of one to ten, where one is the most difficult, I would rate it as a six out of ten.

I would rate the overall solution as eight out of ten.

Other

I use them for pretty much my entire switching platform.

The best feature of Cisco is its industry-standard nature. Cisco is often the example used, with hundreds of code examples. There is a very wide user base providing support, so I almost never have to contact Cisco support due to the vast accessible knowledge base.

There should be tighter cohesion between the web-based GUI and the command line configuration. Cisco is always complex, however, there is such a wide user base that I'm almost never the first person to try something out.

I have probably used it for six or seven years.

I've got units that haven't rebooted in over two and a half years. They are very stable, not power cycling, and basically maintaining their stability.

The scalability is quite good. They have a feature that allows stacking switches together. It is very robust. As far as the backplane and power stacking, it's quite remarkable.

I had to deal with them once, and I would give it a seven out of ten.

Neutral

It was just me, unfortunately. It is very easy to maintain. I have units that have not rebooted in almost two and a half years.

The price to get in the door is quite high. However, as long as I manage my rotation of them as I refresh it, it's not so bad. They have a long life. I did have a small Cisco deployment prior to that, and it was running for 15 years.

Absolutely, Cisco is industry baseline standard equipment that has known solutions for almost every problem I encounter. It is widely recognized and allows me to quickly and easily configure them for various situations. 

I'd rate it an eight and a half out of ten overall.

I am involved in implementing and maintaining switches, routers, firewalls, and load balancers at Cisco Catalyst Center. I support clients who have been using Cisco solutions due to various factors, possibly including cost, system integration, and market availability.

Throughput, scalability, sustainability, and device stability are the features of Cisco Catalyst Center that my customers value. These aspects encourage them to opt for Cisco solutions, as they look for scalability, good throughput, and stable devices that function well.

Cisco Catalyst Center could improve its graphical user interface. Currently, it is CLI-based, which makes it challenging for those without Cisco training. Other devices now offer graphical user interface features that ease maintenance, operation, and configuration.

I have been working with Cisco Catalyst Center for more than three years.

Cisco Catalyst Center is stable, and I would rate it a nine out of ten for stability.

The scalability of Cisco Catalyst Center is good. It ranks highly, between eight and ten out of ten.

Cisco's technical support is excellent. It is comparable to Oracle and IBM, provided I purchase the technical support separately.

Neutral

The initial setup of Cisco Catalyst Center is not complex, but it requires knowledge. The complexity depends on the architecture size; if properly understood, it can be configured within a few hours.

My clients must have seen a positive return on investment, which is why they continue to choose Cisco solutions. If there was no return on investment, they wouldn't select these solutions.

The pricing of Cisco Catalyst Center moderates based on requirements. Overall, the price is considered moderate.

I have experience working with Juniper and HP access points, alongside other switches like Cisco, D-Link, and Broadcom.

I would recommend Cisco Catalyst Center to others. The overall rating I give this solution is eight out of ten.

On-premises

Other

Cisco Catalyst Center is used for network management applications. I have it installed in one location, but I use it to manage devices in multiple locations.

Some valuable features I have observed with Cisco Catalyst Center include software management, license management, and troubleshooting for both wired and wireless networks. These features are some of the main reasons I use it. Additionally, the assurance feature helps bring all different devices to the same configuration, which is vital for managing multiple device types in my environment.

I just started using Cisco Catalyst Center and am in the process of adding devices to it. I have not gone through it much yet. It takes a while to get used to, even though documentation is available. However, for someone new, the documentation is not very clear. The different types of deployment were okay, but the specific deployment I chose took a bit of time to understand.

I have had experience with Cisco Catalyst Center for just a couple of months.

There have been no issues with stability.

Cisco Catalyst Center offers good scalability. It effectively manages all the devices I have, demonstrating its capability to scale.

Customer service has been excellent. I have an engineer assigned to me due to the service agreement I purchased, and their support has been good. I would rate technical support nine to nine and a half out of ten.

Positive

I did not have a previous solution for network management. I switched to Cisco Catalyst Center because I am a Cisco shop.

The initial setup takes some getting used to, especially since the documentation is not very clear for someone new.

The implementation involved a Cisco engineer assigned to me through a service agreement. The engineer has been working closely with me.

I would recommend Cisco Catalyst Center to others, especially if they have Cisco products because it is vendor-specific and built especially for Cisco devices. On a scale of one to ten, I would currently rate it a nine.

On-premises

I am more into sales, and my role was to sell Cisco Catalyst Center switches to end customers. Our clients were from different verticals that needed high-speed connectivity for large enterprise networks, and we used to position Cisco Catalyst Center switches for them.

Cisco Catalyst Center was flexible in terms of scalability, offering advanced security features and reliable performance. We used to position it during our sales cycle due to its scalability, advanced security features, and reliability. Additionally, it provided centralized management and ease of management through Cisco DNA center, aiding in the overall monitoring and configuration, which was beneficial for managing the entire network environment.

Some features in terms of security should be there, especially in threat detection. Cisco Catalyst Center lacked intelligence in this area and required reliance on third-party appliances like firewalls or threat protection devices. There should be some improvements in security features to enhance threat detection capabilities.

I worked with Cisco Catalyst Center for almost four to five years.

Cisco Catalyst Center is scalable and quite flexible, allowing for specific model choices like the 9,000 or 2,000 series based on the clients' performance requirements and bottlenecks.

I contacted Cisco's support team almost four to five years ago, and their support was excellent.

Positive

We assessed customers’ environments, identified performance demands and pain points, and positioned the appropriate Cisco Catalyst Center model to fit, potentially leading to performance improvements and better return on investment.

I rate Cisco Catalyst Center nine out of ten.

On-premises

I am working with some product lines from Cisco, focusing on routing platforms, Catalyst, and firewalls. I also work with access points and wireless controllers. I can work with any product from Cisco's networking lines. With the Catalyst, I work in enterprise environments and educational institutions like universities and colleges.

I can work with the typical configuration involving VLANs and authentication with RADIUS. I can utilize the most popular features in Catalyst. Prox platform is a universal platform. 

There is a lot of documentation for the platform, which is an advantage. The best feature is its availability, easy deployment, and the good support for the solution.

Regarding the cons of Catalyst, it is a little more expensive. With other vendors, you have one license for all features. In the case of Catalyst, there are many licensing options.

I have twenty years of experience with Cisco.

It is a very stable solution.

Support is very well rated. I would rate it eight out of ten. The software platform is very easy to use.

Positive

The setup is very easy. It can be done in one day, and it is very straightforward.

The deployment is very straightforward. One person handles it. I am the deployer and the consultant, so implementing the solution is my job.

The voice capabilities are used for the solution, however, I do not know how to quantify this system. The best feature is its availability, easy deployment, and good support for the solution.

The setup can be somewhat expensive.

The overall product rating is nine out of ten.