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Arista Campus LAN Switches vs Cisco Catalyst Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 6, 2025

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

Arista Campus LAN Switches
Ranking in LAN Switching
9th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
7
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Cisco Catalyst Switches
Ranking in LAN Switching
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
177
Ranking in other categories
Ethernet Switches (6th), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the LAN Switching category, the mindshare of Arista Campus LAN Switches is 3.7%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 26.4%, down from 30.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
LAN Switching Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco Catalyst Switches26.4%
Arista Campus LAN Switches3.7%
Other69.9%
LAN Switching
 

Featured Reviews

Moshiur-Rahman Khan - PeerSpot reviewer
A switching solution that provides seamless connectivity but has a high renewal cost
We have numerous implementations of Arista switches. Cisco has a significant issue. It cannot maintain its service commitment regarding daily LAN returns, leading to client dissatisfaction. There are substantial delivery delays. Furthermore, Cisco currently charges double for the same product, which impacts cost-effectiveness. We found an issue with Arista Campus LAN Switches regarding license renewals. We have to renew the license every three years, which can be a challenge for customers. Arista, like other vendors, now follows a license-based system. In the past, we could purchase a Cisco system that would run without needing continuous license renewals. However, the current model requires regular license renewals, typically every three years, similar to Arista's approach. The renewal cost for Arista licenses is quite high. For instance, Cisco's renewal cost is about 22% of the total system cost, and Aroware also has a 22% renewal cost. In contrast, Arista's renewal cost is almost 55% or more, presenting a significant challenge for customers.
Joshua Odunsi - PeerSpot reviewer
Ensures efficient performance and supports network growth with optimal speed
Catalyst Switches are efficient and swift, which is valuable for my organization. I experience optimal speed and effective configuration, making them stand out compared to other switches. The PoE switches offer more ports on SFP, and it is efficient in use. Overall, the switches provide me with the value I expect in terms of speed and efficiency.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution's most valuable feature is its stability because Arista falls in an industry that is very similar to Cisco."
"The feature sets are pretty cool. They've got almost everything that the competition offers."
"The CloudVision Portal allows us to centrally manage all of our Arista products."
"QoS is the most valuable feature because our clients work with VOIP and Critical applications."
"I use the solution for connectivity in data centers and LANs, providing Layer 2 and Layer 3 connectivity based on network needs."
"The technology is scalable as much as you want."
"The quality of a Cisco switch is very high. They are extremely stable."
"The operating system is great."
"Catalyst switches are our dedicated solution for connecting everything into one big domain."
"The solution is beneficial for interconnecting POE telephones, computers, printers, and buffering networks."
"We heavily use the SmartPort features. It has really helped us. The U.S. policies are handled by the auto SmartPort feature"
"The stability and performance are extremely good."
"Overall top of the line solution."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches are the best overall."
 

Cons

"We have to renew the license every three years, which can be a challenge for customers. Arista, like other vendors, now follows a license-based system."
"I think there's still room for improvement. Arista Campus LAN Switches are not highly scalable as they are hardware-based. If hardware requirements exceed capacity, the product needs to be changed, which can impact service."
"I would like to see a version available with eight or sixteen ports."
"The complex setup phase is an area of concern where improvements are required."
"It would be ideal if the solution was less expensive."
"One of the issues that we have been faced with here in Brazil is that we don't have any list times for delivery."
"The current catalyst is probably outdated so we will most likely move to the newer version of the solution soon."
"If we have a major problem, fixing it takes two or three days and six to eight engineers from Cisco. When they escalate a ticket, it goes through too many levels. Every time the issue is passed along to a new person at Cisco support, they ask the same questions repeatedly."
"Facilitating and adapting the security updates would be a good improvement, because usually it requires to reboot the router to get them"
"When users put Cisco Catalyst Switches in the same environment or infrastructure where other devices or products exist, like HPE, Aruba, and Ubiquiti, it doesn't work properly."
"The only drawback I saw with Cisco Catalyst Switches is that it's not cloud-managed."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches could improve by having more integration with third-party products."
"Cisco is weird about their pricing models, so that's one problem. Their operating system is also a little outdated."
"An area for improvement would be the documentation and training on configuring this product."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price is not that good, but our clients value the solution despite the price."
"The only licensing costs are for CloudVision, although the upfront price of the device is not cheap."
"We love Cisco, but the price is very prohibitive."
"Pricing is an issue I have been facing, in comparison with HPE or Juniper. The Nexus series is out of the question right now. Scalability is more an issue on the pricing side and less on the technology side."
"The product is quite expensive."
"The pricing should be improved."
"If you compare Cisco to other products, Cisco is more expensive. If you choose a 7000 series switch it will be a very pricy system. The support from Cisco is an additional service."
"The price of Cisco equipment is very expensive and you have to pay extra for support."
"It is very pricey. You have to pay for support."
"The price for Cisco Catalyst Switches is not cheaper than other solutions."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
No data available
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Financial Services Firm
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise1
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business78
Midsize Enterprise29
Large Enterprise78
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Arista Campus LAN Switches?
I have cross-checked because this network is a ten-gig network. We are using the multigig switches, which Cisco also has. We found that Cisco's cost is 100%, while the cost of the multi-gig switche...
What needs improvement with Arista Campus LAN Switches?
I think there's still room for improvement. Arista Campus LAN Switches are not highly scalable as they are hardware-based. If hardware requirements exceed capacity, the product needs to be changed,...
What is your primary use case for Arista Campus LAN Switches?
I use the solution for connectivity in data centers and LANs, providing Layer 2 and Layer 3 connectivity based on network needs.
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 do you like most about Cisco Catalyst Switches?
We are a vendor for the healthcare sector, especially hospitals, and normally, we use a full Cisco solution for stability, especially for the stability of the Access Points and the security of swit...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Catalyst Switches?
For pricing satisfaction, I'd say it will be six to seven because Cisco usually is costly compared to other vendors. Regarding pricing, there is indeed room for improvement.
 

Also Known As

No data available
Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

University of Winchester, AWE, picturemaxx, Medical Mutual, Leonix, CloudEra, National Physical Laboratory, Tri-State G&T, AIS, Morph, SingTel, SDSC, BBC
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 Arista Campus LAN Switches vs. Cisco Catalyst Switches and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
868,787 professionals have used our research since 2012.