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Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches vs Cisco Catalyst Switches comparison

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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

Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch E...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
23rd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Cisco Catalyst Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
196
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches is 1.4%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 4.5%, up from 3.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Catalyst Switches4.5%
Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches1.4%
Other94.1%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

MK
Operational Manager at Astrah Technologies
Has enabled reliable access control with good scalability
The primary use case is access control and normal LAN usage, including internet and email. For example, I have deployed the solution in airport scenarios where there are many users The most valuable feature for me is the stability of the switches. They do not hang often and are very reliable,…
Md Rafique - PeerSpot reviewer
Desktop support Engineer at a outsourcing company with 51-200 employees
Reliable switching has improved segmentation and reduces downtime with faster troubleshooting
One area I would like to see improvement is making configuration and troubleshooting more straightforward, especially for engineers managing a large number of switches. Some tasks can require multiple CLI commands and checking different outputs to identify an issue. Better centralized visibility, more intuitive automation tools, and clearer troubleshooting information would make day-to-day operations more efficient. That said, the CLI gives experienced network engineers a lot of control, so I would see these improvements as making the existing capabilities easier and faster to use rather than replacing them. For on-premises deployment, I would like to see easier centralized management and more automation for larger switch environments. Firmware upgrades, configuration changes, and troubleshooting can take significant time when they have to be handled across many physical devices. Better zero-touch provisioning, simplifying firmware management solutions, stronger integration with monitoring and IT management platforms, and more proactive hardware health alerts would make operations easier. I would also like better visibility into hardware capabilities and lifecycle status from a single dashboard so we can identify potential issues before they affect users.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"All of the features in these switches are good."
"We are able to customize this solution based on the customer's requirements."
"As someone with long-term experience with the product, I can say that you can trust the Alcatel switches."
"OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches' best features are it's easy to deploy, manage, and maintain, with services coming through one vendor."
"The solution doesn't have many proprietary protocols like Cisco's. It mainly uses standard protocols like VRRP (similar to Cisco's HSRP), Spanning Tree, and Rapid Spanning Tree, which can sometimes cause integration issues."
"The product is stable. It does have only one power supply. They don't have a redundant power supply."
"The fibre ports that are 10 Gb capacity helped with the travel of a lot of regular as well as video data. Fibre can handle a lot more virtual data than copper twisted-pair, so we got a lot more data and a lot more traffic signals back through the fibre ports, faster, than with copper."
"The product's initial setup phase is not complex. It is easy to install the tool."
"I would advise going with Cisco because they have an outstanding support team."
"The solution is very easy to set up."
"The most valuable feature is how easy it is to use."
"The product is easy to use, very user friendly and simple to navigate, offers very good stability, is quite flexible, integrates well with other solutions, and we've found the technical support to be quite helpful."
"The equipment for networking is the best for an organization."
"It is very scalable; you can almost do any new thing that is coming."
"I have found that the protocols that Cisco Catalyst Switches support are beneficial for my customers."
"Technical support is very good."
 

Cons

"I find the CLI hard to use. I wish we could do more in the GUI interface."
"In future versions, I would like to see improvements in networking speed."
"OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches would be improved if cloud-based technology was provided in the Gulf region."
"The product would be better if it were completely compatible with other switching products."
"I could see them possibly creating a more intuitive software. It's very user-friendly, but there are some things that aren't very intuitive when programming the switches."
"The solution could be more user friendly and there are issues with technical support where the response time is sometimes very slow."
"The commands for the switches could be easier as I find them more complex compared to those of Cisco."
"The price should be lowered so that we can capture more of the market for Ethernet switches."
"The product could be cheaper."
"The price could be improved."
"The solution was stable 10 years ago, there is room for improvement in this area."
"Cisco switches are expensive."
"The price of this solution could be reduced, it is expensive and I am using an annual license."
"An area for improvement would be the documentation and training on configuring this product."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches' pricing can be cheaper."
"The customer service and support need a bit more improvement and a faster response. So, there is an area of improvement."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Pricing is cheap compared to other vendors. When we benchmark the tool against Meraki, Cisco, and others, it is usually more affordable."
"The pricing is reasonable compared to Aruba and HPE."
"It is an expensive solution."
"The licensing for OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches is a one-time purchase with no additional costs."
"Cisco products are not that cheap."
"The pricing of Cisco Catalyst Switches could be better in general. There is an annual license required."
"Try to buy everything you need in bulk purchases and ask Cisco for volume discounts."
"We are a large company and the price is reasonable because we have received a discount. However, the full price is expensive."
"It is worth the money. The product is expensive, but the service they provide is very good, which makes it worth it."
"I would rate the features-to-pricing ratio at six out of 10. My advice about licensing is that you should have a perpetual license, not one that is subscription-based."
"The price of this solution could be reduced, it is expensive and I am using an annual license."
"The price of a Cisco Catalyst Switches license is expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Outsourcing Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Construction Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Outsourcing Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Construction Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business5
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise3
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business85
Midsize Enterprise30
Large Enterprise91
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches?
In terms of pricing, Alcatel is cheaper than Cisco, however, MikroTik is the cheapest. I cannot comment on the pricing reasonability as I am a technical person, and decisions are made by those who ...
What needs improvement with Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches?
The commands for the switches could be easier as I find them more complex compared to those of Cisco.
What is your primary use case for Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches?
The primary use case is access control and normal LAN usage, including internet and email. For example, I have deployed the solution in airport scenarios where there are many users.
Would you recommend replacing a Cisco Catalyst Switch by a D-link one?
Hello Mesfin It depends on the real scenario, the cisco 2960 is a very good device and they usually have routing functions but there are many different models within the same 2960 line, and on the ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Catalyst Switches?
My experience is that Cisco Catalyst Switches can involve a relatively significant upfront investment, especially when you consider the hardware, support, and licensing requirements. The total cost...
What needs improvement with Cisco Catalyst Switches?
One area I would like to see improvement is making configuration and troubleshooting more straightforward, especially for engineers managing a large number of switches. Some tasks can require multi...
 

Also Known As

Alcatel-Lucent Ethernet Switches, OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches
Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Bayonette, California State University (CSU), Centre Hospitalier Carcassonne, Centro Universitšrio de Brasilia (UniCEUB), China Tianchen Engineering Corporation Co. LTD, Citta Della Speranza, City of Frankfurt, City of Ogden, City of Vila Franca de Xira
Afni, Anilana Hotels and Resorts, Baylor Scott & White Health, Beachbody, Bellevue, Del Papa Distributing, Explorer Pipeline, Mindtree, Omaha World Herald, Radio 538, Sony Corporation, Telecom Italia, Telenor Arena
Find out what your peers are saying about Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches vs. Cisco Catalyst Switches and other solutions. Updated: November 2026.
920,769 professionals have used our research since 2012.