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3Com H3C Switches vs Aruba Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

3Com H3C Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
22nd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
5.4
Number of Reviews
8
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Aruba Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.2
Number of Reviews
87
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of 3Com H3C Switches is 1.0%, down from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Aruba Switches is 8.4%, down from 12.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Aruba Switches8.4%
3Com H3C Switches1.0%
Other90.6%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

AA
Manager at Necsol
Has improved operational response times and reduced downtime across departments
There is no negative impact, but to some extent their software side needs improvement because most people are familiar with iDRAC for the Dell product. Their software product is quite different and is new software. You have to take some time to learn their programming and other things such as installation of the media, Windows or office applications, or anything else. It is not complex. It is because it is a new thing and we had to face a little more problem for the installation at first. But now after some time, it has become easy for us because we have been working with Dell and listening about Dell for a long time, about decades. 3Com H3C Switches has occupied our market and has been working now for the last two to three years. 3Com H3C Switches has gained this much reputation and the brand is at its peak. It will be a matter of time and with the passage of time the learning stage will improve.
Aneesh K - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Solution Analyst II at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Has supported dynamic user segmentation and centralized management across campus networks
The best features of Aruba Switches are their stability and reliability. Hardware failures are rare because the switches have been running for years, and it is uncommon to encounter hardware issues or impacting bugs. From an operational perspective, Aruba Switches are stable and easy to configure through centralized management solutions. Initially managed through AirWave and now through Central, the configuration can be managed easily with audit records and visibility to switch health and other parameters. Another advantage is that Aruba Switches work seamlessly with ClearPass as a NAC server. This integration allows for dynamic policies, dynamic downloadable user roles, and enables seamless segmentation of users for network security. The real-time analytics provided by Aruba Switches for network efficiency are valuable when needed. All information visible in the analytics dashboard is truly helpful. With Aruba Central's migration to AI capability, additional value is being provided, offering more information and making troubleshooting easier with user-friendly features where you can search for anything and receive relevant results.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The user interface is upgraded to the latest GUI technology, allowing configurations like VLAN to be done through the interface rather than the command line, making it more efficient."
"Their customer service is instant with a tracking system and follow-ups for human access."
"They are easy to use, they are cheaper, and it's a trusted brand."
"The reliability of the solution has been the best feature."
"3Com H3C Switches products are available at a low price, and the second most important factor is their services, availability of parts, and warranty claims, with main service centers in all major cities of Pakistan."
"The installation is quite straightforward."
"The hardware side is a very big advantage. We use it 24/7 and we haven't had any problems so far with the switches."
"They're straightforward and stable."
"When it comes to basic L2 switching, we've found that Aruba switches are very user-friendly in terms of configuration and management. I haven't had the opportunity to utilize Aruba Central for managing the switches yet, so I can't speak to that aspect. However, overall, we've found the deployment process for Aruba switches to be very straightforward."
"The most valuable feature is the Aruba Smart Rate Port."
"The cloud configuration is the most valuable feature of this solution. Watching in the cloud, propagating the actual devices themselves and the management of devices that are remote."
"The features I find most valuable in Aruba Switches are their flexibility, reliability, and affordability."
"The technical support is fantastic!"
"One of the most valuable features of Aruba Switches is the security and cybersecurity features they have."
"The most valuable features are stability, ease of management, and the monitoring tool."
"The pricing of Aruba Switches is good compared to Cisco."
 

Cons

"I think there's nothing that needs to be improved because the company is no longer in existence."
"When we try to do configuration changes sometimes it malfunctions."
"The company should come up with new security features and new management and log recording systems, helping customers to analyze issues and prevent future incidents."
"The company should come up with new security features and new management and log recording systems, helping customers to analyze issues and prevent future incidents."
"The technical support services need improvement in terms of communication."
"To some extent their software side needs improvement because most people are familiar with iDRAC for the Dell product."
"The cost and the integration with other solutions could be better."
"The configuration of 3Com H3C Switches could be better."
"If we compare Aruba and Cisco at the data center layer, Cisco has its Nexus switch. Aruba provides the new 10000 series, but it does not compare with the Nexus switch."
"Aruba is still losing out to Cisco, which continues to dominate the space. Aruba needs to continue to improve its product range in order to compete with Cisco's dominance."
"The biggest issue right now is the delivery timeline. It takes too long to get the product."
"We have had problems with the cooling fans on these switches."
"They have limited CLI options in the UI and this is something that needs improvement."
"I'm not sure if they have the core switch series as well."
"I would like to see something like a Cisco Prime, an application controlling the entire system, switches, and access points."
"I would like to see them integrate a monitoring solution."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost could be improved, but it is cheaper than the others."
"3Com H3C Switches have a competitive cost. I rate the pricing a nine out of ten."
"Aruba Switches has a lifetime warranty on the solution and after five years the solution will be at its end of life."
"Aruba's switches are priced lower than Cisco's by about 30%."
"There is a license to use the solution."
"The product is a bit expensive."
"We pay for the clear pass and the controller."
"Comparing with Cisco, and some other solutions, it's a cheap product."
"The pricing was still affordable compared to Cisco, which is usually less affordable for most companies. We are using the solution in a school, we need the price to be affordable."
"The license is annual. If you purchase a switch, you get a one-year free subscription."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
University
7%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Educational Organization
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise4
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business49
Midsize Enterprise18
Large Enterprise22
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about 3Com H3C Switches?
The installation is quite straightforward.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for 3Com H3C Switches?
Price is the major factor. You cannot say it is much better because all servers and all products have a few things in common, which are the processor, storage, and RAM and other things. Mostly the ...
What needs improvement with 3Com H3C Switches?
There is no negative impact, but to some extent their software side needs improvement because most people are familiar with iDRAC for the Dell product. Their software product is quite different and...
What do you like most about Aruba Switches?
Aruba lives up to the expectations of the tech giant hewlett packard enterprise providing excellent networking capabilities at a very affordable price compared to the equivalent from another tech g...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Switches?
The cost of Aruba Switches is based on the price per device. The cost depends on the model. We have 24-port switches, PoE 12-port switches, and bigger switches, so the price varies depending on the...
What needs improvement with Aruba Switches?
Currently, the security integration with Aruba ClearPass is being used for NAC authentication only. Many ACLs and other security features are being managed, but the current security features being ...
 

Also Known As

No data available
8400 Series, 8320 Series, 5400R Series, 3810 Series, 2930M Series, 2930F Series, 2920 Series, 2540 Series, 2530 Series
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

British Columbia Assessment Authority, DreamWorks, DRV
Purdue University
Find out what your peers are saying about 3Com H3C Switches vs. Aruba Switches and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.