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Channel System Engineer at a tech company with 501-1,000 employees
Reseller
Top 20Leaderboard
Jan 17, 2022
Poor performance, difficult to implement, but helpful support
Pros and Cons
  • "I have not opened up a ticket for Cisco Catalyst Switches. However, I have used the support from Cisco and they are very good and responsive."
  • "Cisco Catalyst Switches should have better performance and be easier to use. Additionally, they should add artificial intelligence features."

What is our primary use case?

The main use of Cisco Catalyst Switches is for enterprise networking.

What needs improvement?

Cisco Catalyst Switches should have better performance and be easier to use. Additionally, they should add artificial intelligence features.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used Cisco Catalyst Switches within the last 12 months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

My clients are not happy with the stability of the solution.

Buyer's Guide
Cisco Catalyst Switches
January 2026
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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable but the configuration to have it scale can be complex.

How are customer service and support?

I have not opened up a ticket for Cisco Catalyst Switches. However, I have used the support from Cisco and they are very good and responsive.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have used other solutions, such as Juniper, HP, Aruba, and Fortinet switches, and they are better than Cisco Catalyst Switches.

How was the initial setup?

The configuration of the solution is difficult. If you are not using the Cisco Prime or Cisco DNA for management then the solution will be complex.

What about the implementation team?

Three or five engineers are needed for the implementation of large projects.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Cisco Catalyst Switches are very expensive.

We have found that we need to purchase a DNA license to be able to use the Cisco Catalyst Switches but we never used it. There is an annual fee to use the solution. There are additional services that can be added at an extra cost.

They need to remove the DNA license.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I have evaluated other solutions, such as Juniper, HP, Aruba, and Fortinet switches

What other advice do I have?

I would not recommend Cisco for anyone, many of my customers have had bad experiences with them.

For the rest of the business for Catalyst customers, we replacing all of them for our customers. I saw the many cases the customers were replacing Cisco with another vendor. It is more expensive and it didn't meet their expectations. However, we are using another technology from Cisco but the security from Cisco is not good anymore.

I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a four out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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Network Security at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Top 5
Jan 13, 2022
User-friendly commands and configuration, good support, and feature-rich
Pros and Cons
  • "The configuration and command set are user-friendly."
  • "The initial setup can be easier in cases where the policy and ruleset are complex."

What is our primary use case?

These switches make up part of our network infrastructure.

What is most valuable?

The configuration and command set are user-friendly.

Cisco switches are feature-rich compared to other vendors.

Technical support is good, as they resolve any issues that we have.

What needs improvement?

The initial setup can be easier in cases where the policy and ruleset are complex.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for between five and six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This product is stable and our switches have been working fine. These switches are used extensively.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This is a scalable solution. We have 5,000 or more users.

We have several Catalyst switches in our environment. Most of them are running version 15.x of the operating system, although some of them are version 12.x and older. These may be upgraded in the future.

We may increase our usage although I don't know at present.

How are customer service and support?

We are not the team that is responsible for contacting support. However, the support from Cisco is good. They easily resolve any issues that we have.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have only worked with Cisco solutions.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup can be complex, depending on the policy and the rules.

Only a small staff is required for deployment and maintenance.

What other advice do I have?

Cisco is regularly updating this product.

I would rate this solution a ten out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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Buyer's Guide
Cisco Catalyst Switches
January 2026
Learn what your peers think about Cisco Catalyst Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2026.
881,114 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Supervisor at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Jan 10, 2022
It's useful for connecting everything into one big domain, but we've had problems since we upgraded
Pros and Cons
  • "Catalyst switches are our dedicated solution for connecting everything into one big domain."
  • "We have configurations for port channels between two facilities, and we cannot communicate between these two buildings. An SFP configuration uses one wire to send and receive the signal. It's opt-in. We cannot use it after the upgrade. What can we do in this situation? We already bought it."

What is our primary use case?

Catalyst switches are our dedicated solution for connecting everything into one big domain.

What needs improvement?

We have configurations for port channels between two facilities, and we cannot communicate between these two buildings. An SFP configuration uses one wire to send and receive the signal. It's opt-in. We cannot use it after the upgrade. What can we do in this situation? We already bought it. 

We have a lease between these buildings, so it's important for us. There are some other SFPs, but we cannot order them at the moment. It's a very slow project. We will order those and receive them after two or three months.

Cisco devices should support Cisco SFPs. Right now, I'm testing it on Cisco and some small devices, like Planets, and it worked. It has changed, but it's working. But it doesn't work using the original Cisco because inside of a Cisco Data Sheet it says they do not support this product on the device.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I thought Catalyst switches were stable, but now I'm not so sure. 

How was the initial setup?

Deploying Catalyst switches is complex. We had to add a second one for high availability. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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Coordinator of IT infrastructures at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Jan 5, 2022
Stable and scalable product
Pros and Cons
  • "I've had no problems with the stability of this solution."
  • "An area for improvement would be the documentation and training on configuring this product."

What is our primary use case?

My primary use case is to assign VLAN or a port for VLAN on the main network.

What needs improvement?

An area for improvement would be the documentation and training on configuring this product.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for four or five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I've had no problems with the stability of this solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is fine.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was complex because it was a common line.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Licenses are available on a three-yearly basis.

What other advice do I have?

I would give this solution a score of nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
reviewer938739 - PeerSpot reviewer
CEO at a consumer goods company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Nov 25, 2021
Easy to use, but could be cheaper
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is how easy it is to use."
  • "This product could be improved with cheaper pricing."

What is our primary use case?

My primary use case of this solution is for my company's network connection. 

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is how easy it is to use. 

What needs improvement?

This product could be improved with cheaper pricing. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for five to six years. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This solution may be scalable, but I don't have much knowledge on its scalability. It's used for my company's networking and there are about 500 users. 

How was the initial setup?

I installed this solution myself. 

What about the implementation team?

I implemented through an in-house team. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Cisco Catalyst Switches are a bit expensive. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate this solution a seven out of ten. I am satisfied with the performance of these switches and would recommend them to others. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1715952 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Consultant
Consultant
Nov 21, 2021
Useful analytics, stable, and highly scalable
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution works well with analytics."
  • "Cisco Catalyst Switches could improve by having more integration with third-party products."

What is our primary use case?

I use Cisco Catalyst Switches for an SD-Access solution.

What is most valuable?

The solution works well with analytics.

What needs improvement?

Cisco Catalyst Switches could improve by having more integration with third-party products.

In the next release, I would like the solution to be able to integrate easily with third-party WFi products.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for approximately five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Cisco Catalyst Switches have very good performance and are reliable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable.

How are customer service and support?

I have been satisfied with the technical support. They are very good.

How was the initial setup?

Cisco Catalyst Switches are complex to implement, it takes a lot of time. You need to take a lot of time to learn out to configure the solution.

What about the implementation team?

Cisco does the maintenance of the solution for us.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The price of the solution is expensive compared to other products from America or Europe. They should have more competitive pricing.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to others.

I rate Cisco Catalyst Switches an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
PeerSpot user
Region Head - S1@Dimension Data India at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Nov 14, 2021
Excellent technical support, stable, simple to install, and scales well
Pros and Cons
  • "The performance of Cisco Catalyst Switches is good."
  • "The only improvement I would like to see with Cisco Catalyst Switches is the pricing."

What is our primary use case?

We use Cisco Catalyst Switches for network connectivity.

What is most valuable?

The performance of Cisco Catalyst Switches is good.

What needs improvement?

The only improvement I would like to see with Cisco Catalyst Switches is the pricing.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for five years.

We use Cisco Catalyst, 9000 series.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of Cisco Catalyst Switches is good.

In our organization, we have more than 7,000 users.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Cisco Catalyst Switches are quite scalable.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is excellent.

If there is one area where Cisco excels, it is in technical support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We use Dropbox occasionally. OneDrive is mainly what we use. We also, use Teams.

How was the initial setup?

The installation is straightforward. It's plug-and-play.

To deploy and maintain Cisco Catalyst Switches, we have a team of four people, which includes one manager and three administrators.

What about the implementation team?

You can install Cisco Catalyst Switches yourself.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We pay the licensing fees annually because we have an enterprise license agreement.

What other advice do I have?

There are other products that I personally prefer, but from an organization's perspective, I would recommend this solution.

I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
it_user938022 - PeerSpot reviewer
Lead Presales at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Nov 6, 2021
Stable with good pricing and a straightforward setup
Pros and Cons
  • "Technical support is very helpful, even during implementation."
  • "The licensing process could be a bit less complex."

What is most valuable?

The solution has been issue-free.

The solution is scalable.

The stability of the product is good. We've had no problems whatsoever.

Overall, the pricing has been good.

Technical support is very helpful, even during implementation.

The initial setup is simple.

What needs improvement?

There are some models that can occasionally cause problems. If a particular switch is made for some specific use case or a particular environment, if you put that in other types of infrastructure or use cases, then you may face problems.

The licensing process could be a bit less complex.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have dealt with the solution for about three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability has been good overall. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. The performance has been reliable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability has been good. If a company needs to expand it, it can. However, you do need to have the right model, otherwise, you run into issues with scaling. 

We have 15 to 20 clients that use this product.

How are customer service and support?

We have good technical people and an experienced technical team who can install those switches, and do a level of troubleshooting and escalations.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

For five years, we've used Huawei. Three years ago we started with Cisco. This was mostly due to networking, as we don't have a team five years back. After that, we got the team specifically for networking and we started that with Huawei, and we got a very good response in the market. Unfortunately, due to the Chinese market, and all that stuff, that didn't last. That said, the customers who are using the technology, are still happy with the support as well as with the product.

We also occasionally use Aruba.

We didn't work with Juniper as an installation system integrator, however, we have with Cisco (including Nexus and Meraki) and Huawei, and we have had a very good experience. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is good. It is easy. If you know the commands, even basic commands, you can do the normal installation. If you want to go for V-LAN and other things, routing, et cetera, level three switches kind of installations, then you may need some time and knowledge. 

For deployment and maintenance, you need a minimum of two people. Three or four is also good if it is enterprise. There are some customers where we have to do installations at three or four sites simultaneously and we have to complete that within one or two days or within a specific downtime. If the network is down, everything is down. That is when you require multiple team members. Otherwise, if that is one site and one installation with one day's worth of downtime, with two people, you can do it easily.

What about the implementation team?

Support is helpful in regard to the implementation process. My team didn't find any issues with installation.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution's pricing is pretty good. As far as whatever else is available in the market, for example, if you compared it to Aruba, Juniper, or other enterprise solutions, the pricing is reasonable.  

You do require licenses. There are some licenses that you need to procure separately. By default, the licensing process is good.

Everyone has their own licensing structure. With Cisco, once you do a setup two or three times, the process gets easier and the licensing gets clearer. Until then, licensing is a little bit tricky.

What other advice do I have?

We do not use the solution in our office, however, as Test System Integrators, we have provided the solution.

I'd rate the solution at a ten out of ten. It's been quite good overall.

I would recommend the solution to other users and companies. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Integrator
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Cisco Catalyst Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: January 2026
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Cisco Catalyst Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.