Arista Networks Platform vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] comparison

Arista and Dell Technologies are both solutions in the Data Center Networking category. Additionally, 100% of Arista users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Dell Technologies users who would recommend it.

Arista Networks Platform

Read 36 Arista Networks Platform reviews

5,947 Views
2,438 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

Read 34 Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] reviews

90% willing to recommend

Arista Networks Platform

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Arista Networks Platform and Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Arista, Dell Technologies and others in Data Center Networking.

To learn more, read our detailed Data Center Networking Report (Updated: August 2026).

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Data Center Networking

August 2026

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Helped 908,858 peers since 2012

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 Networks Platform

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Ethernet Switches (4th), Data Center Networking (3rd)

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

8.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Featured Reviews

Dibyendu Das

Director at a tech company with 11-50 employees

Ultra-low latency networking has delivered reliable video workflows and critical operations

The support of Arista Networks Platform is quite complex; it is not very easy to configure. It needs a lot of network expertise for token sheddings and different kinds of configurations. It is very difficult to configure because Arista Networks Platform does not have a flexible GUI like Huawei or Netgear; everything is a very CLI kind of mainframe architecture. Scalability at every single step has a huge upgrade cost which is required for port mapping, connectivity, and transceivers certified by Arista Networks Platform, then the fabric upgrades from a software firmware level. Arista Networks Platform should improve commercial aspects to be affordable. There is no path for growth with a perfect score because the focus is more on reducing costs globally.

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LarsEvans

Chief Technology Officer / Chief Information Security Officer at Lorton Data, Inc.

Reliable and useful for network segmentation

The solution's most valuable feature stands up well. The tool is reliable, and it stands up well. The solution works fine and lasts a long time. I think if you speak about the features that have a flow and you can measure, it is hard to say. I don't spend a lot of my time with the tool, but I know that Dell APEX is the solution's cloud. I would say the VLAN features are important. The VLAN features are really useful because network segmentation is important. I would say the tool is easy to program. I don't know if the tool has any security features that I am aware of other than the fact that the solution is for networking. The VLAN and the ability to segment your networks are easy, which is its security feature.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"They support open standard features."

"The product's implementation phase was easy."

"The most valuable aspect of Arista Networks products is their ease of configuration, especially when compared to Cisco products. When we implement advanced features for data centers such as BGP EVPN and VXLAN, Arista's configuration process is similar to that of Cisco's process, but at the same time it is simply much easier, clearer, and more understandable."

"I would tell potential users that if they are supporting a media or trading kind of business, they should go for Arista because it is a low-latency switch that will meet the expectation of the business."

"The most valuable feature is the Linux shell, which is useful for troubleshooting or capturing traffic."

"Arista Networks Platform has impacted my organization positively by reducing the time taken to deploy a wireless solution in any organization or in any projects we have been on so far."

"The user-friendly policy manager lets us apply different controls for various user groups easily."

"As a reseller and partner of Arista, the biggest advantages of Arista Networks Platform are ease of use, ease of configuration, and excellent support from Arista in terms of configuration."

More Arista Networks Platform pros

"We have these switches installed in an environment with hardware from many other vendors, and so far, so good."

"The technology is good and the interface is simple. We haven't had any bugs, disconnections or delays."

"When the price is competitive the customers tend to choose the cheaper brand and then look at the features. So having a competitive price is a plus."

"The functionality is very good."

"PowerConnect Switches' stability is satisfactory."

"Dell seems to accommodate everyone when it comes to managing these switches."

"The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that it is a stable and reliable product covered with good warranties and prices that ensure deep discounts for partners."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is simplicity."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pros

Cons

"For my particular use, the only potential improvement I see is in power consumption."

"A smoother transition between ISPs during failover would improve the user experience by reducing unnecessary notifications and interruptions."

"The transition from a Cisco engineering environment to Arista was challenging because I needed to learn Linux commands."

"They need to enhance their code and their EOS. They need to improve some security features, and there are quite a number of bugs in their system."

"In my opinion, the solution for network monitoring is quite expensive."

"We have decided not to expand the Arista Networks Platform because of some of the issues we have had."

"The support of Arista Networks Platform is quite complex; it is not very easy to configure. It needs a lot of network expertise for token sheddings and different kinds of configurations."

"The cost of Arista Networks Platform is high; it is more expensive than other networking solutions."

More Arista Networks Platform cons

"However, we are now having a problem where it does not integrate well with SDN."

"A big issue with this product is that when our customer migrated the data center, one cluster blocked the whole network and because we had a new approach, some commands were not compatible with the new version."

"An area for improvement would be that it's very hard to configure if you're not familiar with the UI or CLI of the product. The UI itself could also be improved."

"I do not like this solution. It runs ok but we have had problems."

"The solution's ROI for generic networking is not extraordinary."

"Scalability can be a problem with these switches."

"I would like to see better scalability and more features on these switches in the future."

"I expect it to be a zero-touch or a plug-and-play device. To some extent, it is, but we need to know the architecture, and we need to know what exactly we are doing. It is not so easy to implement. It depends on what exactly we are doing and it is still not a plug-and-play or zero-touch device. In the upcoming version, they can make it zero-touch, where we can just power it on and start using it. They can have some templates for different scenarios, such as when you are using it for the data center or adding it to your existing infrastructure."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I remember that when our customers were offered the Arista Networks Platform, they used a checklist to compare the prices between Arista and Cisco for their requirements, and found that the prices were almost the same."

"The customer price for an Arista router is approximately $7,000 USD, while Cisco's is around $18,000."

"I rate the product price a seven on a scale of one to ten where ten is high price and one is low price."

"The price of the Arista Networks Platform could be less expensive for the hardware and license."

"Cost wise, Arista Networks Platform is more expensive than other networking solutions."

"It is pretty pricey for a networking platform. It is on par with Cisco."

"Arista Networks Platform was cheaper than Cisco. I have heard that the product is affordable for enterprise-sized companies."

"Network devices are generally expensive. However, during the evaluation, Arista was the most inexpensive vendor."

More Arista Networks Platform pricing and cost advice

"If you want to purchase a new Dell PowerConnect Switch, you will pay up to $1,600, but I bought them used. I bought the four Dell PowerConnect Switches that I used for $1,000."

"PowerConnect Switches are priced well."

"The product is cheaper than Cisco and licensing is yearly. We have to pay additional costs for support."

"I would rate the pricing as a seven or eight."

"Inexpensive"

"Pricing for Dell PowerConnect Switches is quite competitive compared to Cisco and HP pricing. Dell has cheaper pricing and the company is trying to push for sales for its switching infrastructure because right now, the current market is dominated by Cisco. In the US market, there's Cisco, HP, Juniper, and Arista which you can buy for data center switching meant for different kinds of enterprises and ISPs. Dell PowerConnect Switches, on the other hand, is a product for people who need smaller setups or individual switches, especially those looking for a cheaper product and basic switching, though you can also buy a complete suite packaged with the switches."

"On a scale of one to ten, if one means it is a cheap solution, and ten means it is a very expensive tool, I rate the product's price as seven. The tool is a bit pricey."

"Its price is okay. Sometimes, it is lower than a Cisco solution."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

27%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Outsourcing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	18
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	12

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	21
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	6

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Arista Networks Platform?

The initial setup cost is high compared to others, and I find the initial setup cost to be very high.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Arista Networks Platform?

Arista Networks Platform could improve its command line management. Coming from a Cisco background, the adjustment period was challenging. While similar in some areas, the AOS concept, especially a...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Arista Networks Platform?

I have worked with deploying Arista Networks Platform in data center environments, particularly for spine and leaf architectures. The configurations involved Zero Touch Provisioning, which went ver...

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Comparisons

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Compared 22% of the time

Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches vs Arista Networks Platform

Compared 7% of the time

Cisco Ethernet Switches vs Arista Networks Platform

Compared 6% of the time

Nokia Ethernet Service Switch vs Arista Networks Platform

Compared 4% of the time

Cisco Nexus vs Arista Networks Platform

Compared 4% of the time

More Arista Networks Platform Competitors

Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 23% of the time

HPE ProCurve vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 17% of the time

NETGEAR Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 16% of the time

Dell PowerSwitch N-Series vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 13% of the time

ExtremeSwitching vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 8% of the time

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Arista Networks Platform

August 2026

Download Arista Networks Platform product report

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

August 2026

Download Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] product report

Also Known As

7000 Series

PowerConnect Switches

Overview

Arista Networks Platform offers ultra-low latency and scalability with high bandwidth while simplifying network management through its intuitive dashboard. It enables robust support for EVPN and VXLAN, making it a top choice for modern data centers requiring efficient and effective networking solutions.

Designed to minimize complexity, Arista Networks Platform integrates seamlessly with a single operating system, providing streamlined operations. With automation capabilities via EOS and CloudVision, it enhances visibility and provisioning. Platinum and titanium power supplies contribute to reduced carbon footprints, aligning with sustainability goals. While configuration complexity and high pricing pose challenges, it remains a preferred choice for data center networking, offering premium performance and cost-effectiveness. It excels in environments like smart cities and finance, providing stability and scalability essential for demanding applications.

What are the key features of Arista Networks Platform?

Ultra-Low Latency: Ensures prompt data transmission and network responsiveness.
Scalability: Easily adapts to growing network demands and data loads.
High Bandwidth: Supports increased data transfer rates for efficient network operations.
Intuitive Dashboard: Enhances manageability and monitoring with streamlined interfaces.
EVPN and VXLAN Support: Provides flexible and robust networking options.
Platinum and Titanium Power Supplies: Reduce carbon footprint while ensuring reliable performance.
EOS and CloudVision Automation: Improves visibility, provisioning, and network operation efficiency.

What benefits should users look for in Arista Networks Platform?

Cost-Effectiveness: Balances premium performance with investment value.
Reduced Complexity: Streamlined integration simplifies network management.
Improved Visibility: Enhanced automation capabilities offer better monitoring and control.
High Throughput: Supports demanding applications with reliable data handling.
Sustainability: Eco-friendly power options align with environmental goals.

Arista Networks Platform is widely implemented across industries such as finance and smart cities, supporting critical applications in network security and scalable infrastructure. It is instrumental in data center networking, video production workflows, and robotic automation. Users benefit from its spine-leaf architectures and wireless connectivity, particularly in sectors requiring high throughput and reliability.

Arista

PowerConnect Switches family offers a set of flexible, manageable and comprehensive switch solutions supporting up to 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) and optimized Internet iSCSI (iSCSI) performance with Dell Storage solutions, ideal for enterprise and campus LAN environments alike.

Dell Technologies

Sample Customers

American Internet Services

Amerijet Holdings Inc., CGD Securities, MavenWire, Tulane University

Buyer's Guide

Data Center Networking

August 2026

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