Cisco Enterprise Routers Reviews

I usually recommend Cisco Enterprise Routers for companies such as Ingram Micro and Redington. These are all the companies I worked with.

When it comes to Cisco Enterprise Routers, in terms of enterprise switching, it supports all the L3 and L2 protocols. It depends on different customer use cases, not the specific features. With respect to the product, they have started with entry-level SMB switches and they also have enterprise switches. In enterprise switches, there are multiple line items such as 92k, 93k, and 95k. It depends on the customer use case, such as campus deployment.

Feature-wise, when it comes to a network switch, it supports the basic L2 and L3 protocols. These are all excellent in Cisco Enterprise Routers. Cisco Enterprise Routers are user-friendly with respect to configuration, management, and everything. They have a next-gen product and support all the latest technology. The scalability and the inbuilt operating system support all future scaling and cloud-native features. Whenever we are designing the solution, it depends on the customer use case.

Integrated security is there by default with segmented products. From the L2 switch and the L3 switch, depending on the segment product, they have inbuilt security. They integrate with their security products, not on the networking product. They have a common platform to integrate the network and security products together.

For example, Cisco Meraki has a single platform to manage network and security products. They have NAC solutions, such as Cisco ICE (Identity Service Engine), which is a network access control system that controls complete user and device presence in the network. That is where they have multiple security integration compatibilities within the Cisco product.

For external security product integration, if customers use wired and wireless products in Cisco but want to integrate a NAC solution with vendors such as HP Aruba, Juniper, Extreme, or FortiNAC, they have cross-integrated platforms available. If they have an end-to-end same product portfolio, they have 100% visibility on the asset. With cross-platforms, there are some deviations in monitoring. They do not have 100% visibility when using multi-product, multi-platform products in the same corporate environment.

I'm not sure what improvements could be made on the configuration scale since I'm not involved in complete configuration. Currently, it works effectively and they are incorporating AI adoption.

Commercially and financially, the pricing is too high. Customers feel that Cisco Enterprise Routers will not offer the most competitive prices. If they can work on pricing, it would be easier for customers who are considering local products. In India, the government has implemented the Make in India initiative, and Cisco has established a manufacturing unit there.

Regarding security products, they need to improve market reach, marketing, and training. While Cisco Enterprise Routers are user-friendly for network and wireless platforms, security product configuration and integration are considered complex compared to FortiGate, Check Point, Sophos, and Palo Alto. They have introduced solutions such as Cloud Defense Orchestrator and Firewall Manager (FMC), but the reach of Cisco security products in India needs improvement.

I have been working with Cisco Enterprise Routers for almost seven years.

Regarding Cisco Enterprise Routers technical support, I don't have much knowledge on the hands-on configuration side. I only provide consulting on customer product fit and sizing. For technical features, I would need to investigate further.

Positive

When Cisco Enterprise Routers don't fit the budget, I consider all Cisco products, not only switches, routers, and security. Cisco started as a network product company with routers and switches, not as a security company. Though they have all security products in place, people perceive them primarily as a network background company.

This perception is changing as the Cisco team reaches out to all regions in India, conducting multiple webinars and technical sessions with partners and distributors. They are projecting their security products and features with the latest technology. This change will happen gradually.

For firewalls, people initially think of Palo Alto, Check Point, and FortiGate as security vendors. Though Cisco Enterprise Routers have better firewalling features, only those who know Cisco completely choose their security products. They are improving their market reach to address this perception.

I am a consultant and provide consulting services for customers rather than doing configurations.

The main areas for improvement are pricing and market reach for security products.

On a scale from one to ten, I rate Cisco Enterprise Routers a seven.

We are mostly using Cisco Enterprise Routers for routing and switching.

When it doesn't fit the budget, we sometimes use Ubiquiti, and mostly we use MikroTik because they are affordable for the lower-end products and market. For corporate clients and government institutions, we mainly implement Cisco Enterprise Routers or rarely implement Huawei and Juniper, though not very much.

The value of Cisco Enterprise Routers isn't about features, it's about stability. The features are comparable across products such as Huawei, as they compete in similar ways. However, regarding stability, Cisco Enterprise Routers performs much better.

Regarding throughput, being an ISP, we handle very high bandwidth. In the Kenyan local market, high bandwidth means one gig or 500 MB. Having one gig throughput that remains stable is excellent compared to competitors such as Huawei, which is Cisco Enterprise Routers' main competitor in our local market.

Regarding the Wi-Fi connection and setup, we need superior coverage because our market has extensive vegetation. When setting up Cisco Enterprise Routers Wi-Fi in institutions such as campuses, there are always challenges. People often opt for Ubiquiti, not because of their features, but because of the Wi-Fi signal stability.

Cisco Enterprise Routers has made improvements in making configurations more user-friendly with dashboards. However, they need to do more as many people prefer simpler configurations rather than using CMD or CLI.

The process of procuring Cisco Enterprise Routers equipment through channel partners needs improvement. The partners are limited compared to other products. It's cheaper to purchase Cisco Enterprise Routers equipment from the UK than from a local distributor. When purchased off-channel, the equipment is much cheaper than through the channel. This affects our ability to compete in government tenders where price is crucial, even when we can provide warranty, licenses, and renewability.

We have been using Cisco Enterprise Routers for over 10 years.

Technical support has been satisfactory overall. When you get a ticket and connect with the right person, the support is excellent, helping from beginning to end. However, connecting with the right person can be challenging, which is why I rate it at eight out of ten.

Positive

Cisco Enterprise Routers is the best option in the market for routers, though their prices are somewhat higher. The choice depends on the class of clients. Corporate clients and government institutions typically choose Cisco Enterprise Routers, while small business enterprises opt for cheaper alternatives.

The technology is currently performing well. I'm uncertain about their position in AI, but if they develop systems that can be auto-configured, it would make operations easier. I believe they are working on something in this space. I rate Cisco Enterprise Routers a nine out of ten.

The use case for Cisco Enterprise Routers is that this product is used as a gateway router towards the ISP.

This product will be used as an enterprise router at the branch level to connect one branch to another if we have the MPLS kind of connectivity.

The best features of Cisco Enterprise Routers are not just about the feature itself, but it's about the Cisco services and support.

The software and bug level addressing for the other features support and update, such as vulnerability and any new feature or if a customer faces an issue that requires a developed and customer-based image, that Cisco also provides.

Cisco Enterprise Routers are quite good in terms of performance based on the model and the placement of the router, and I have seen very good performance.

In terms of improvement, Cisco Enterprise Routers are already stable and that's quite good; however, I see an improvement that could be made in product availability where we face some challenges, such as raising a request and the product not being available locally.

During that time, they do offer some replacement model of similar features, but sometimes customers want to push the same configuration, and if we provide a different model of router, the interface name and everything will be different, leading to a reconfiguration. In that scenario, it becomes a rework situation that we face sometimes, but that is not constant.

It's difficult to specify what features I would want in future updates for Cisco Enterprise Routers because Cisco has a very broad portfolio including SD-WAN, and for SD-WAN routers, they have the capability to use an SD-WAN router or an edge router, so I don't see anything specifically lacking at this point.

I have been working with Cisco Enterprise Routers for three to four years.

When I deployed Cisco Enterprise Routers, it was straightforward, and I didn't face any issues.

The deployment of Cisco Enterprise Routers depends on the type of features a customer wants.

The deployment of Cisco Enterprise Routers may take just a few hours if the design is not complex; otherwise, if the device design is complex, then it will take one to two days.

These are stable products.

We rate the modular design for network expansion in Cisco Enterprise Routers highly.

The modular design is highly scalable.

Cisco Enterprise Routers are modular routers that are beneficial for scaling or expanding, allowing us to add additional modules to serve various purposes, such as additional ports or links, and they even provide additional switching modules for local connectivity.

The best features of Cisco Enterprise Routers are not just about the feature itself, but it's about the Cisco services and support.

Positive

I find licensing costs for Cisco Enterprise Routers to be expensive.

Financially speaking, if we are using the old licensing model, when you want to upgrade, they do offer some flexibility if you are running on an existing license.

I don't rate it higher because from a pricing level, they are very costly.

On a scale from one to ten, I rate Cisco Enterprise Routers an eight.

I work with most Cisco products, including Cisco routers, switches, access points, and servers. I have been working with Cisco Enterprise Routers for around eight years.

I am satisfied with Cisco. I have utilized Cisco's integrated security protocols.

We do not have any impact for Cisco exactly in protecting sensitive information. The only concern we have across all of the products is the price. Additionally, because it is not integrated with some other devices, such as monitoring platforms, we use other monitoring solutions, specifically SolarWinds.

When it comes to Cisco Enterprise Routers, I see room for improvement in that we do not find any other products better than Cisco for routing. However, for small or medium locations, we need smaller routers that have the same capabilities as the enterprise ones. We do not currently find this, so we go to other products instead of Cisco.

Everything is acceptable with the maintenance and support. The support is very perfect and they are very helpful. When we have any issue, they replace it within twenty-four hours.

Positive

I do not know exactly about Cisco's traffic prioritization because this is handled by the network operation team. We have used Cisco ISE and used Cisco Prime before, but now we use other devices for network monitoring.

We use SolarWinds for monitoring.

I would rate their support a ten from one to ten. This rating applies to all their products, including Cisco Enterprise Routers. However, right now I find the access points less favorable because we find Huawei appears comparable for access points. For Cisco industrial switches, they are too expensive compared to other products.

I assess the high-performance bandwidth of Cisco Enterprise Routers as acceptable, but we sometimes use what they call Riverbed for optimization. It may not be the best option for optimization, but regarding the same brand, they are the best compared to other brands such as Huawei and Nokia.

I do not know exactly if we use dynamic path optimization, but they may have used it since I am not deeply technical in that area.

I would rate the modular design for network expansion in Cisco Enterprise Routers a nine from one to ten.

I would rate Cisco Enterprise Routers overall as a nine from one to ten as a product.

I do not have any additional features I would like to see in the product in the next release.

I recommend it to other companies. I do not think that we have issues with the license. For the license, they are good. However, as I mentioned, they are expensive and anything you have to add requires additional payment. My overall rating for this product is nine.

I use Cisco Enterprise Routers for connectivity and network applications.

I have approximately 300 users for the Cisco Enterprise Routers.

The features of Cisco Enterprise Routers that I find most useful for my networking are the enterprise routing capabilities.

The solution is reliable.

In terms of network performance, the performance is actually very good.

They help with network safety and assist with network security.

Cisco Enterprise Routers are scalable only if using their brand.

Cisco Enterprise Routers can only integrate with standard equipment. If using something non-standard, it will not work. By non-standard, I mean the unknown brands that are not generally used.

There is still room for improvement in performance, quality of service, and security in general.

Cisco Enterprise Routers are not easy to set up. They require special skills and don't have plug-and-play capability.

I have been working with Cisco Enterprise Routers for the last 24 months.

They are stable. I don't have any issues.

For scalability, I would rate it a six. Cisco Enterprise Routers are scalable only when using their brand. When mixing them with other brands, there are issues.

The support for Cisco Enterprise Routers is good.

I would rate the support a seven. Standard support is fine, but for customer-specific issues, there are lead times which can frustrate customers, especially with unique problems.

Cisco Enterprise Routers are slightly expensive. If used as a service, it is affordable. But acquiring the actual equipment is more expensive.

I do not have experience using AI, as we are currently gearing ourselves towards using AI for managing or optimizing the performance of Cisco Enterprise Routers.

I would recommend Cisco Enterprise Routers, but with some qualification, as it is a pricey solution.

On a scale of 1-10, I rate this solution a 6.

I am working with HP rack server. The server is also part of my setup. I am just working with a rack server. Unfortunately, I haven't any other products by HP, just servers only.

I am working with Cisco FabricPath and switches. I have normal switches, back end switches, and the main switch. I am not dealing with Cisco FabricPath for LAN switching.

I am still working with Dell. I have one server, one rack server. I am dealing with other vendors such as Sophos firewall. I am using it myself at the central office.

I am using Sophos XG. I have six years of experience with Sophos. I am using an internet connection cable, leased line, and I have Cisco switches only and router.

I have a router by Cisco as well, but it's wired, not wireless. I am using Cisco Enterprise Routers, but I don't remember the version. I have been using them for two years only. I am very satisfied with Cisco Enterprise Routers.

I do not use Cisco's traffic prioritization. I have not used Cisco's integrated security protocols. It's normal. The bandwidth is limited, but I have a leased line bandwidth. I do not use dynamic path optimization.

I have worked with 3Com and Huawei before Cisco Enterprise Routers.

It has several features that make the network faster.

It's a very helpful machine and has helped me increase my performance in the network. It's very useful.

The software cannot be updated usually.

The price is very high here in Egypt. Cisco devices are the most expensive.

The AI technology must be included in the future to make it even better. They need to automate processes. The connection features must be improved by AI technology.

I have been using them for two years only.

All of them are needed for maintenance.

I just have one piece. I couldn't rate Cisco Enterprise Routers correctly; the accuracy is not right. I couldn't tell any fixed number, or rate it properly. I just have one piece only. I would rate them as an eight out of 10, approximately.

I didn't face any problems with technical support in my region. I didn't need technical support yet, until now.

Positive

I decided to switch because the quality of services is greater than any other brand. I didn't remember evaluating any other options.

My email address is a.salah@misrconsult-eng.com.

I would rate this solution 10 out of 10.

The main use cases for Cisco Enterprise Routers among our customers include typical routing, BGP peering, and SD-WAN usage in some cases.

Our customers using Cisco Enterprise Routers span across different industries, including typical enterprise environments and service provider environments.

The most useful features in Cisco Enterprise Routers are the security features related to the routers themselves and typical routing features.

Regarding security features, Cisco has a long history of security built into the routers themselves, including virtualization options on the routers, the ability to implement managed access lists, tagging on the access level, and using these tags on Cisco firewalls and so on. The VPN integrated within the routers and the ability to handle VPN connections, whether that be LAN to LAN or client-oriented VPN connections, are crucial for Cisco Enterprise Routers.

The Cisco traffic prioritization is definitely helpful, as it's one of the important features within the routers, especially in the enterprise environment. It guarantees bandwidth for business-critical applications.

The only complaint from customers about Cisco is price-wise; they tend to be on the higher side compared to some competition, making it hard to compete in today's market.

Although Cisco has made some movements towards something similar to Meraki products to target price-sensitive users, there is always room for improvement regarding cost.

I have been working with Cisco Enterprise Routers for more than 15 years.

There have been no issues with stability regarding Cisco Enterprise Routers at all.

I don't have any complaints regarding scalability; it's quite scalable.

Due to the years I have been working with Cisco, there have been some bugs and issues encountered with the devices, but the support has been satisfactory and they resolved it eventually. Operationally, there were some bugs and issues, but nothing major that would greatly influence the customer experience.

Cisco's support for routers, especially Cisco Enterprise Routers, is above the competition for sure.

Positive

It is easy to set up Cisco Enterprise Routers. You need some type of experience, but it's generally easy, especially now that everything can be software managed. Cisco is moving away from the command-line interface, making it much easier for general users, though we are power users here, so it should be quite easy for us.

The deployment of a typical Cisco Enterprise Router depends on the enterprise environment.

Our customers have seen return on investment and value for money since implementing Cisco Enterprise Routers. They have been using Cisco equipment for a long period and continue to return to Cisco for replacement technologies and everything else, so they are happy with Cisco equipment.

I don't have any general improvement recommendations for Cisco Enterprise Routers, as I consider Cisco to be performance-wise and quality-wise above the competition.

I would give a warm recommendation about Cisco products. I suggest they start with a validated design and architectural part rather than individual products to reap the benefits.

On a scale of one to ten, I rate Cisco Enterprise Routers a nine.

There are many use cases for Cisco Enterprise Routers. The space it is used in now focuses on IoT for edge computing. The heavyweight Cisco industrial solutions are used for manufacturing, automation, and similar applications. The lightweight solutions are used for retail locations, stores, banks, and other similar locations. For establishments with numerous locations, Merakis are utilized.

All of the features in the Cisco Enterprise Routers are excellent. Having everything on one pane of glass is excellent as users are able to monitor everything, bringing everything closer to the edge. Users are able to get good feedback to people within the organization who might be monitoring everything.

The security functionality of the Cisco Enterprise Routers is excellent. They are top-notch with security features.

Support can sometimes be overwhelmed, which is common with many service centers.

I still have experience with the Cisco products and recently completed some work with them.

I would recommend using Cisco Enterprise Routers. If you want the top or best solution, then you have to choose Cisco. We work with Junipers and various networking equipment, but nothing comes close to Cisco.

When comparing Juniper and Cisco, there are many components missing in Juniper. It takes more work to set them up. While their security is good, it does not match Cisco's capabilities. They all have their place, but for large companies with numerous locations and strict security measures, Cisco Enterprise Routers are the superior choice.

Merakis are extremely easy to set up, but most companies do not have the IT staff. Even when it comes to phone systems, companies prefer having someone else handle the setup. Our partners set everything in place. Once the licensing is set up, the systems learn from each other and adapt. Users can then see all connections from a single pane of glass and configure as needed.

For industrial routers, some command line control is still necessary, but most operations have moved to a program base.

Cisco Enterprise Routers require more complex setup. Organizations either need certified staff or must bring in external expertise because there are many components involved.

The pricing and licensing of Cisco Enterprise Routers is high, but the quality justifies the cost.

I recommend continuing to move forward with Cisco products as they have no significant flaws. Cisco Enterprise Routers are very sound. On a scale of 1-10, I rate this solution a 10.

I work in a medium company, focusing on VLAN and security. I use Cisco Enterprise Routers for the network and to implement VLANs.

The best feature regarding security is the shutdown port capability; the fact that you can shut down an unused port is great with Cisco Enterprise Routers.

I use Cisco's traffic prioritization.

I cannot assess the high-performance bandwidth of Cisco Enterprise Routers without knowing the purpose of the call.

I do not use Cisco's integrated security protocols.

I am unable to specify what areas could be improved with Cisco Enterprise Routers.

I have two years of experience with Cisco products.

I cannot provide extensive details, but it is working normally and satisfactorily for me.

I never call Cisco for support because we have everything we need.

Positive

I have experience with Omada Identity.

I have experience with other vendors, specifically TP-Link Omada.

I work with Cisco Enterprise Routers as part of my role.

It is expensive, but I am not the person purchasing the products; I just handle the configuration.

This implementation uses the router and switch, not Cisco Meraki Wireless.

The switch I use is the 2900 series.

The implementation includes Cisco 2900 series and 3500 series, which includes a switch and a router.

I also have experience with Cisco Enterprise Routers.

On a scale of 1-10, I rate Cisco Enterprise Routers a 10.

The clients are using Cisco Enterprise Routers for normal NATting purposes. The clients usually have it on-premises.

The advantage of Cisco Enterprise Routers is that it is very easy to use and has many options available. Users can utilize CME, data capabilities, IPsec, dual NATting, ISP load balancing, and ACLs for user restrictions.

Regarding VPN connectivity in the product, IPsec is available.

The Quality of Service capabilities in Cisco Enterprise Routers are far better than other products, and implementations depend on the customer's scope of work. When comparing with other routers, Cisco Enterprise Routers is the best solution I have experienced, and it performs its functions exceptionally.

The only disadvantage is that the router comes with specific interfaces, typically two or three, and adding another interface requires an additional card, which increases the cost. Otherwise, everything functions properly. Cisco Enterprise Routers are significantly better than any other router I have used, and we typically recommend Cisco routers to our clients rather than other options.

I have been selling Cisco Enterprise Routers for more than eight years.

Cisco Enterprise Routers are very easy to install. When compared with other products, Cisco Enterprise Routers are simple to install and configure.

Regarding stability, Cisco Enterprise Routers are stable and reliable, with no significant glitches in performance.

In terms of scalability, Cisco Enterprise Routers are easy to scale.

I have never opened a TAC case with Cisco because all documentation can be found easily on Google through the Cisco community. With other products such as FortiGate, I usually open a TAC case whenever I encounter a problem.

Negative

I am partnered with all the popular vendors, but we mostly prefer Cisco Enterprise Routers because it is a reliable product. Although it is expensive, the reliability and ease of use through CLI configuration make it superior to any other product. This is the primary reason we mostly deal with Cisco.

The pricing is not cheap. When we provide quotations to clients, they often comment on the expense. However, we recommend the solution, and after procurement, all clients are satisfied with Cisco Enterprise Routers.

I am comparing Cisco Enterprise Routers to Huawei, Aruba, H3C, and Ruckus.

The failover capability in Cisco Enterprise Routers helps minimize network downtime overall, taking only two to three seconds to switch for ISP failover capability.

The advanced routing features such as BGP are very easy to configure, including OSPF configuration.

In comparison with other vendors such as Aruba and Ruckus, Cisco Enterprise Routers are better due to increased reliability and ease of use, though they remain more expensive. This is the main difference compared to other vendors.

The performance and reliability of Cisco Enterprise Routers merit a rating of 10 out of 10. My overall experience with Cisco Enterprise Routers rates at 10 out of 10.