Cisco Enterprise Routers Reviews

Cisco is awesome. Honestly. It's a trusted brand. If you want to set up your network and you have a good night's sleep, you buy Cisco. You know that you set up and go to sleep. That's how awesome it is.

I'm biased since I am Cisco certified. I enjoy working with them since it's easy to use them.

There are moments when the configuration gets to be a bit complex, and then you need to look for an expert that helps you troubleshoot or maybe set up things where you might not have the proper knowledge.

The resilience is great. The equipment is so stable. It will not freeze. When you set up Cisco, you can forget you have a router. Everything just works. Only maybe once in a year, you might think of rebooting it. However, that thing works no matter what.

It only breaks if you're not using an up-to-date version of the iOS or are not doing upgrades. Also you are not refreshing your hardware. With Cisco, when you buy it, you know that for about five to ten years, you will not have issues. These assets, you refresh them and every five to ten years, you should be getting new equipment that is supported.

For me, I’ve used the solution for years. I worked in the past few years in only two different organizations. However, in both, I've been using Cisco. Personally, in total, I’ve used it for 13 to 14 years.

The solution is very stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn’t crash or freeze. It’s reliable. You set it up and forget about it. It lasts forever.

I haven't interacted with Cisco technical support directly. Many colleagues where I live, and maybe across the country, use Cisco, so when I have an issue I'll just use forums. If I have this issue, I will check on the forum and find a solution without struggling much. That's how it is. I do hear that their support is okay. However, I haven't experienced it directly myself.

I can maybe compare the FortiGate Firewall versus Cisco. Cisco, you need to really understand. You'd have command lines to enter. You can create a rule there and it's very, very easy to use if you know the command line.

I'm trying to buy a firewall and I'm looking to buy a FortiGate 200 series. I had to choose between Cisco and FortiGate, however, on the routing and switching, I like Cisco. On the firewall, Cisco is great, I understand, however, maybe it's myself understanding how to do the rules on the Cisco Firepower device better than most.

With Cisco, depending on what you want, you need to be certified to be able to set up. It's not as easy for newcomers. IT’s only when you know what you're doing, and you understand the Cisco commands that you can set up. I'm Cisco certified, so I find it easy to set up. However, the person who is not certified won't set it up.

Cisco is good in terms of pricing. You get good value for money.

They've got different models which come at different prices. If you have a Cisco 3800 router, you may find you are buying it at maybe $4,000 or maybe $3,000. It depends on who's selling. Obviously, the markup is a low code. Sometimes a company exaggerates import duties. If I had to buy directly, it looks cheaper than if I tried to go through a reseller that messes with the costs.

I’m an end-user.

We are using Cisco 800 switches, Cisco 9300 switches, and Cisco 4400 series routers.

These are enterprise routers on-premises.

Using Cisco is the way to go. The peace of mind you get from having a solution that's reliable is invaluable. You are buying reliability, and around it is the value for your money. As a reliable solution, that's what you want, so that you focus on innovation. You configure it, forget it, and focus on other business activities.

I’d rate the solution ten out of ten.

I am the head of enterprise and business, leading the presales, system and network architecture teams. 

We use this tool as an IP VPN connecting 50 to 60 branch networks.

Cisco has many features, however, we configure only OSPF and other QoS functions. There are three functions like that, but the routing protocol is OSPF through IP VPNs.

Cisco launched the 8000 series routers, including the SD-WAN features and Viptela, plus the cloud connectivity. They continuously improve and add so many features to the new IOS, mainly in the cloud, the microservice's architecture and  Kubernetes. 

There are no new features required. Cisco has a huge amount of configurations and features built in, however, we use less than 10% of those features. The 4000 series that I am using does not have routing and cloud connectivity, but it is my understanding that this is now included in the 8000 series.

Cisco has acquired other companies, and due to this, there are many API-based integrations. There should be one platform that will enable a smooth integration. For example, Cisco acquired ThousandEyes, AppDynamics and Viptela. These are ideal solutions for big companies in terms of WAN connectivity. Cisco needs to ensure that there is a smooth integration mechanism in order to ease this process or point of integration.

Cisco should also ensure it remains on par with the world technology roadmap as it has been to this point.

I have been using Cisco Enterprise Routers for twelve years. Our organization has forty to fifty users.

Cisco Enterprise Routers are stable. This is one of the best products I have worked with.

Scalability is limited for Cisco Routers. Interface scalability has additional slots to plug the card in and increased the required interfaces and required media, like fiber or copper band. The performance of the router is limited. Cisco Router is a hardware platform with IOS, which is limited for every hardware-based plan. However, whatever limitations there have been, we have not felt any bottlenecks.

The challenge is when the customer wants to have a complete technology change, for example, IP VPN to SD-WAN, they will need to also have a hardware refresh and replace all of the hardware.  

Technical support is good, however, after COVID, some engineers didn't have up-to-date knowledge. This is the case for approximately 10% of the engineers. This also could have something to do with Cisco outsourcing to third parties.

As far as maintenance, Cisco provides top-level support to us here in Sri Lanka. This includes after-sales support. They have the RMA depot located here for Sri Lankan services. 

Positive

I have experience with HPE Routers and Aruba, but that was over five years ago. As far as WAN connectivity, I have used Fortinet. Fortinet does not have browsers, but I used the firewall. For SD-WAN functions, I have used Meraki.

The initial setup is not complex. Cisco has acquired many other companies, so there are many API-based integrations, and sometimes those are not smooth. 

We have in-house engineers that did all the configurations. In some circumstances, we had open tech cases and received help from tech engineers at Cisco.

Cisco is more expensive than other architecture solutions. They have different licensing and subscriptions.

I recommend Cisco Routers because of its stability, support, and availability. Cisco gives premium support, and they offer a solid product. Availability is a challenge right now for everyone because of the worldwide silicon shortage. So, my advice is to get one year ahead.

I would rate Cisco Enterprise Routers a nine out of ten.

Cisco Enterprise Routers are used when you have networks with multiple branch offices connecting to a single point. 

Cisco support is the most valuable aspect because most technicians in the industry understand how to interface with a Cisco product. When we contact support, we know we'll probably get the answer whether we have to escalate the request to a new engineer or not. 

The cost is the biggest drawback of Cisco products. They say you'll never get fired for buying Cisco, but it's going to cost you. 

Cisco Enterprise Routers are highly stable. You can usually set them up and forget about them. 

Cisco Enterprise Routers are highly scalable. We can upgrade to a higher appliance depending on our needs and bandwidth. 

I rate Cisco Enterprise Routers nine out of 10 overall. They're reliable, scalable, and have the background support any enterprise solution requires.

I use Cisco routers in my company to provide internet connectivity to all our devices, such as computers and WiFi. Essentially, I use these servers to facilitate internet access for the entire company. HPE is the server we are using in our company.

I am satisfied with the tool overall. Although I haven't used all of its features yet, it's been great for providing internet access to both customers, and employees within the company. I'm looking forward to learning more about the other features and using them in the future.

I don't think I can improve the tool. For that, I would need to learn all of its features and how to use them. But for now, I am satisfied with the tool because it provides me with what I need. In short, I don't have any idea if I want any improvements in the solution.

Sometimes, I find it hard to learn how some features of the router work. So, these are the issues that may arise when a user might not have knowledge about the product.

I have been working with HPE servers since 2019, which adds up to about three to four years. As for Cisco, I have been working with them for two years now, and with Cisco routers specifically, for about one year. I am also working with Cisco Enterprise Routers.

I love all Cisco devices since it has a lot of features, including the ones that are essential to me. Stability-wise, I rate this solution a ten out of ten.

The router I am using right now is enough for my needs. There are many features that I would like to use, and I am learning about them. The tool is sufficient for me at present.

The router is the main device in my company. So, everyone who wants to access the internet will go through it. However, I am the only one with access to the router and its features. Thus, all other people have to access the internet through the router as a user without access to its features, and they may not even be aware of the process. They only have access to the internet without the knowledge of how it works. Since I am in the IT section, I have access to all the necessary details.

I have experience with Cisco UCS C-Series, HPE ProLiant DL, and Linux, specifically Cisco and HPE.

I haven't worked with routers from vendors other than Cisco. Even at home, I have a small Cisco router. Nowadays, some people use TP-Link and D-Link, but I feel that Cisco is the best for me. For small companies or small houses, Cisco routers are very good.

I had someone help me with the setup process, which wasn't a complicated process. Although it may seem complicated the first time you go through it, doing it a second time, you may not feel that it is a complicated process.

It was not just the router but the whole network, which means there were other devices also. So, the deployment process took just one month.

I received help from a consultant.

The pricing of Cisco routers is reasonable at times. But, here in my country, it is expensive because we get the product from outside our country, which involves a lot of processes. But, outside my country also, I don't think it is reasonable. Only owing to the features it provides, it is reasonable.

I don't know the amount paid by the ones who purchased the solution a few years ago, but I know that they bought the license.

My advice for the people who want Cisco routers is that I think they have to learn how to use them because there are a lot of features that they can use in the solution. But if they don't know how to use it, then they shouldn't buy it. They have to learn everything about the router so that they can use the very good features of the router. So, they need to get knowledge about the router and its features. Once you know how to use it, it's satisfying.

To understand the router and its features, I usually rely on Google, Cisco's website, and occasionally other websites. I find the documentation on the Cisco website to be great since they know how to explain the features well since the routers are their products. I rate this solution a ten out of ten, at times a nine out of ten, but not lower than that.

We mainly use the solution for a branch router, and it works very efficiently. We use it for data centers and servers. 

The after-sales service and support Cisco offers are great. It's a great differentiating feature that sets them apart from the competition.

The features are good. They are robust and well-made, unlike other competitors, like Huawei, where the products are not made of good materials. 

The performance is quite good.  

It's scalable.

For the most part, it is straightforward to set up. 

We need more cloud functionality and more intelligent routing features.

They need to improve cost efficiency. It's an expensive product.

I've been using the solution for 15 years. 

This is a stable, robust product. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It is reliable. The performance is excellent.

There are different sizes for the routers. You need to get the right sizing base don your needs. 

The solution is scalable. You can have one router per premises and multiple branches and it will work well in an enterprise any size.

They have data sheets online that are easy to access so that you can see the capacity of various routers. You just need to choose the right one for your business.

Support is great. The operator can open a case, and a Cisco support engineer can directly interact with the case to troubleshoot. They have a quick turnaround as well.

Cisco offers quality support. They are excellent. 

I'm also familiar with Huawei, and I find them to be not quite as well-made as Cisco. However, they both have similar functionality and serve the same purpose. 

The initial setup is straightforward. The setup doesn't take a long period of time. 

The deployment is very similar to what you would expect from other vendors. You do need to do some architectural design before implementing. You need to have a good understanding of the layout of the network and what you will need. 

Cisco does provide training online that is available readily from anywhere. Most people are quite familiar with Cisco, and those who are not can learn a lot online. 

How much technical staff you will need will depend on how big of a deployment you are planning. Typically, two to three engineers are sufficient. However, it can vary from project to project. 

The solution is a bit expensive. They should consider better pricing.

They have turned to subscription-based licensing. However, it may not be as cost-effective. 

Prices vary. There are different license models to choose from. 

I use various versions of the solution, from legacy routers to the latest version. It can be deployed on-premises and also has cloud solutions as well. 

Cisco is dominating the market in my region. 

I'd recommend Cisco Routers to others. 

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten based on the cost of the product, which is expensive. 

We primarily use the solution for connectivity and routing. It offers secure panel access. 

Enterprise routers help us to build a secure panel between our data center going to our other remote sites. It also helps with routing and is the main point of entry for our infrastructure.

The routing features are quite useful.

It is a stable solution.

The product can scale.

It's easy to set up.

Technical support ie very helpful. 

We haven't really had any issues. They have recently upgraded the technology and have recently improved many things. Most of what we needed they recently updated. We aren't missing any features. 

The solution is expensive.

I've been using the solution for ten years. 

The stability is excellent. I would rate it nine out of ten. There are no bugs or glitches. It is reliable. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

The scalability is good. I would rate it around eight out of ten. 

We have ten people who use it directly right now. 

Technical support has been quite good, and we are quite satisfied with the level of support on offer. 

Positive

We previously used Juniper and Extreme routers. Since I am mostly exposed to Cisco products, I do find Juniper routers to be a bit difficult to manage. 

The solution offers a pretty simple implementation. For the basic setup, it's really easy. The complexity comes to them when it comes to deploying the routing for the whole solution based on the company's requirements.

It usually requires four people to deploy and maintain the solution. That said, it depends on the data center and the size of the environment.

We have witnessed an ROI while using the product. 

I'd rate the solution two out of ten in terms of affordability. It's an expensive product. 

We're using version 15 or thereabouts. We updated it less than a year ago. 

Depending on the budget, I'd advise new users to go with Cisco. 

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten. 

The primary use case depends on the customer's kind of business. From my experience, I'm serving clients with the enterprise internet gateway, BGP router, and internal enterprise campus network for our enterprise networks, et cetera.

Cisco is the industry standard. I tend to use it a lot. 

The resilience of the devices is very good.

It's good for internet-based networking.

The documentation is very good.

The solution is stable. 

It's scalable. 

For the Enterprise Router, especially for Cisco, we want Cisco to have a less simple product and a more scalable product, so we don't have to choose from so many series. We'd like one device fit for many use cases. The scalability must be simplified.

The lead time is pretty bad. It's worse than other products. We'd like them to speed up their speed of delivery. It can take almost 300 days at this point in order to get the devices. 

They are pretty expensive devices. 

I've been dealing with the solution for ten years or so.

The is a very stable product. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. I'd rate the product eight out of ten.

The solution can scale, however, it is complicated. there are so many different series to choose from. 

I'd rate the ability to scale nine out of ten.

Their support is perfect. They are very helpful and responsive. 

Positive

We deliver many various solutions and many services. We're bundling with our connectivity products, such as routers, switches, wireless, SD-WAN, and Zephyr.

We are exploring Cisco SD-WAN, Viptela, and Meraki, and then we're in the progress of exploring HPE and Aruba.

I'm very familiar with various Cisco solutions.

The main competitor is Huawei, and they have a bit of an advantage as they are less expensive than Cisco. 

In terms of the initial setup, Cisco is the leading technology here, so the users are also the biggest in the world. We can easily find any necessary documentation about the configuration, the use cases, and best practices. For me, the setup of Cisco is okay. It depends on our documentation.

I'd rate the ease of setup based on the available documentation eight out of ten. 

We are implementors. We can set up the solution for clients. 

The solution is more expensive than other options. I'd rate it six out of ten in terms of affordability.

We are a service provider. I implement the solution for clients. 

I'd rate the product eight out of ten. The product quality is very good. They are, however, a bit expensive. 

We use Cisco Enterprise Routers or WAN connectivity and switching in multiple areas, such as data centers and branch offices.

The most valuable feature of Cisco Enterprise Routers is that they are robust and resilient. 

The overall price of Cisco Enterprise Routers should be reduced, it is expensive.

I have been using Cisco Enterprise Routers for approximately 10 years.

Cisco Enterprise Routers are stable.

The scalability of Cisco Enterprise Routers is good.

We have approximately 250,000 users using this solution in my organization. We have an additional 10,000-20,000 contractors and a couple of partners who use the solution.

The support from Cisco Enterprise Routers is good.

Cisco Enterprise Routers has a simple implementation. The timeframe it tale for the implementation depends on the solution we are deploying. It varies up to ten hours. We use Cisco's wireless, routers, switches, and a few firewalls.

We used an integrator to do the implementation.

We have approximately 20 engineers that do the deployment and maintenance.

The license of Cisco Enterprise Routers is too expensive compared to other solutions. As we try to increase the bandwidth, it gets even more expensive. There is an annual license needed to use the solution.

I would recommend Cisco Enterprise Routers to others who need an enterprise solution.

I rate Cisco Enterprise Routers an eight out of ten.