Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches vs Meraki MS 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

Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch E...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
17th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Meraki MS Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
8th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
97
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches is 0.8%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 3.0%, down from 4.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Meraki MS Switches3.0%
Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches0.8%
Other96.2%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

OusaidAbaz - PeerSpot reviewer
Doesn't have many proprietary protocols but some models have stability issues
We had stability issues with Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches 6250. One issue is with licensing. When migrating from TDM to VoIP/ToIP solutions integrated on the same architecture, Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches don't have the same skill level or follow the same development path as companies like Cisco. They started integrating these solutions later, which is why there's a noticeable difference in advancement. Their main focus has been IP PBX solutions like OXO and OXE. They developed their IP environment and switches later, but not as deeply as other vendors. For example, they use Aruba access points and controllers for wireless solutions rather than developing their own portfolio. A specific challenge I've faced is with access points. Due to country code restrictions, the model sold in one region (like Europe) may not work properly in another. This affects channels and features related to the electronic environment specific to each country. To resolve this issue, I've had to reconfigure access points with the correct country code. The solution uses basic protocols. It doesn't have proprietary features like Cisco's EIGRP or advanced BGP features; it's based on standard protocols.
MajidKhan - PeerSpot reviewer
Remote access enhances troubleshooting with potential for more intuitive interface
We are working with Citrix and router, but in Cisco for Cisco vendor only. We are taking from them since 2015.  The main use case involves some small business customers needing one router, one switch, and two to three access points. It is easy to handle the devices with just a small knowledge of…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The product is stable. It does have only one power supply. They don't have a redundant power supply."
"The most valuable feature for me is the stability of the switches."
"OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches' best features are it's easy to deploy, manage, and maintain, with services coming through one vendor."
"The solution has a very good web interface. It makes it easy to manage everything."
"Enables direct access to clusters."
"This is a dependable switch which will help you sleep at night."
"We are able to customize this solution based on the customer's requirements."
"The new web graphical interface is much better than before. We now have easy access to the command lines. They're all functional."
"Easy to set up, stable switches with good accessibility that makes it quicker to identify problems, find solutions, and fix problems."
"Meraki's site-to-site VPN function is phenomenal, and the VLAN is simple to use and set up. If you need the VLAN to sort the networks out, that works very well. The performance is also excellent."
"You can access a single pane of glass and configure all the devices via the same access."
"I like the portal, it's really interesting."
"The performance is pretty good."
"The most valuable features are the cloud management, the monitoring, and the visibility available on the report's facts on the cloud controller."
"The switch supports various automation testing tools, and it's quite helpful for network troubleshooting as well."
"The solution is scalable."
 

Cons

"The commands for the switches could be easier as I find them more complex compared to those of Cisco."
"There needs to be better integration with the interface."
"In future versions, I would like to see improvements in networking speed."
"I find the CLI hard to use. I wish we could do more in the GUI interface."
"technical support response time is sometimes very slow."
"We had stability issues with Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches 6250. One issue is with licensing. When migrating from TDM to VoIP/ToIP solutions integrated on the same architecture, Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches don't have the same skill level or follow the same development path as companies like Cisco. They started integrating these solutions later, which is why there's a noticeable difference in advancement."
"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 product would be better if it were completely compatible with other switching products."
"Meraki MS Switches do not offer as many features as their competitors, so we are quite limited in what we can configure on the switches and firewalls."
"They need to work on prioritizing different types of data on the network, whether it's voice, data, video, et cetera. Video needs to be prioritized in a much better way, for example."
"This product depends on a cloud connection in order to function. If you have an unstable internet connection or other connectivity issues the product will not function as expected."
"We had some dashboard licensing issues, maybe because their method of collecting data from the user needs to be more streamlined."
"The price of the solution has room for improvement."
"On the switches, I don't know a whole lot that I would change. Different levels of switches have different layer 2 and layer 3 functionality. It's always nice to have layer 3 functionality across the board if you can, but that drives up the cost. They've got different lines for different amounts of layer 3 functionality. However, on their models that do include full layer 3 access, when you choose to use layer 3 on a switch, it doesn't have the full functioning routing capabilities of an MX firewall. It can be limiting in some of those aspects."
"It can have better security. It needs more security enhancements, and in particular, a zero-trust element. If we could have external and internal users vetted in the same way as a zero-trust network, that will be handy."
"The pricing needs to be more competitive with other products on the market."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is an expensive solution."
"The licensing for OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches is a one-time purchase with no additional costs."
"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."
"This product is more than the competition, but you get what you pay for."
"We paid for our switches outright, at a cost of between $15,000 USD and $18,000 USD."
"The solution is a bit on the pricey side."
"Meraki is not an expensive switch, like Cisco."
"My company pays for Meraki MS Switches yearly. Pricing-wise, the product is relatively inexpensive."
"One key challenge often encountered is the perception that strategic products like Cisco and Meraki tend to be more expensive than alternatives like Aruba."
"It is very expensive so I want it to be cheaper."
"The pricing is overvalued in relation to the product's performance."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
868,787 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
University
9%
Retailer
8%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Wholesaler/Distributor
5%
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Educational Organization
6%
 

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 Business51
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise23
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches?
The new web graphical interface is much better than before. We now have easy access to the command lines. They're all functional.
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 do you like most about Meraki MS Switches?
The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are their reliability and simplicity.
What needs improvement with Meraki MS Switches?
From my perspective, I don't have any indication for improvement regarding Meraki MS Switches, as our usage is quite basic and we don't need very sophisticated features. For core sites, we are stil...
 

Also Known As

Alcatel-Lucent Ethernet Switches, OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches
MS220, MS320, MS420
 

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
Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
Find out what your peers are saying about Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
868,787 professionals have used our research since 2012.