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 31 Arista Networks Platform reviews

3,893 Views
1,363 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, Dell Technologies, Juniper and others in Data Center Networking.

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

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Data Center Networking

March 2026

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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

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Ethernet Switches (13th), Data Center Networking (5th)

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

Nimit Puvar

A VP Enterprise Sales at Ashtech Infotech (India) Pvt.Ltd.

Automation and visibility have simplified data center operations and improved network control

I see some areas for improvement, particularly with pricing. I think that not all features that are needed are already in Arista. AI power is required nowadays. AI would be needed for understanding data traffic flowing in my network. Sometimes I have a vision of what data traffic is flowing in my network and I want to capture that data. Using AI, I can understand how my entire organization operates and what kind of applications are being used, what the peak times are, where there is a bottleneck if any exists. This kind of report should automatically generate and provide clear-cut visibility.

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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

"I like the spine as a leaf model and low latency. The hardware is robust and meets expected latency in all environments, mainly if you belong to the media or trading industry. For multicast-based solutions, Arista is number one."

"Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."

"We find the CloudVision switching feature of this solution really useful."

"It provides telemetry and visibility for many metrics that are not supported by most of the other vendors. Out of the box, no third party solutions are needed."

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

"It's an extremely reliable platform for the network switches we use."

"The most valuable features of the Arista Networks Platform are the EVPN and VXLAN. It has comprehensive features."

"We are always surprised about the proficiency of the speed of the technical support."

More Arista Networks Platform pros

"This is a stable product and I have not experienced any bugs."

"This is a very reliable solution."

"The most valuable feature of this product is its reliability."

"The most valuable feature is stability."

"Dell PowerConnect Switches are easy to configure and fully integrate into our Cisco switches without any problem."

"The functionality is very good."

"Their support has been excellent, and it has been quite stable and easy to set up."

"The most valuable feature of Dell PowerConnect Switches for me is the throughput. I also like that the product has more compatibility with Dell infrastructure, especially with EMC and new generation Dell servers. Dell PowerConnect Switches can also easily integrate with Dell servers, and this is another pro."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pros

Cons

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

"Something that you will often hear about Arista products is that the price is a bit too high and, like with Cisco, we sometimes have problems with our customers because of its pricing."

"My company does face issues in terms of interoperability when it comes to the product, making it an area that needs to be fixed."

"The intent-based networking management, together with the provider of these solutions that are already free, would be beneficial."

"They should have a more stable code."

"They should expand further into campus networks."

"The solution is quite expensive. One of the negative aspects of it is the pricing."

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

More Arista Networks Platform cons

"The product price is an area of concern where improvements are required."

"Because of the stackings you lose some boards and switches."

"The one issue you face in the industry there is always some planned obsolescence in these switches."

"When it comes to the configuration, there should be documentation and interactive help available to assist people who have experience with products from other vendors."

"It would be great to have modules that integrate with SDN solutions such as Cisco ACI, Arista SDN, Huawei Agile, and IBM."

"The configuration should be improved."

"The network features are not good."

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

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Arista is very expensive. Not everybody is in a position to spend $70,000 to $80,000 for one switch."

"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."

"Specific tools definitely require a license for the subscription. But we are not using these tools in our environment. In terms of licensing, you need to spend approximately $10,000 per month."

"There is an annual license required to use the Arista Networks Platform."

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

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

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

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

More Arista Networks Platform pricing and cost advice

"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."

"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."

"Dell PowerConnect switches are cheaper than Cisco switches. Cisco's higher capacity switches (100 or 200 gigs) are super-expensive. With the higher capacity, the price of the switches and the price of the architecture go high. Dell is cheaper and modular. So, I don't need to invest 100% upfront. I can invest as I progress. That is an option because the chassis will not be populated with all the pluggables. I have a choice because it is modular. I can go for 25 gigs today, and after four months, I can go for 100 gigs, and after that, I can go for 200 gigs. I have a choice when it is not a fixed switch."

"Cheaper than its competitors"

"This solution is much cheaper than comparable products by Cisco."

"The initial cost was high but since they have lasted for over ten or twenty years they are worth it."

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

"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."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Computer Software Company

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Energy/Utilities Company

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	15
Midsize Enterprise	5
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?

I do not handle the pricing for Arista Networks Platform as other departments handle the costing. I am a network engineer in my company.

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What needs improvement with Arista Networks Platform?

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What is your primary use case for Arista Networks Platform?

We are still using Arista Networks Platform as system integrators. We sold the product and my customer is using this product. Mostly we sold Arista Networks Platform in data centers where customer ...

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What do you like most about Dell PowerConnect Switches?

Dell PowerConnect Switches have a VTL feature similar to Cisco's VSS. With VTL, using this technology, you can cluster two switches together to increase redundancy in the environment.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerConnect Switches?

The solution is cheaper than Cisco.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Dell PowerConnect Switches?

Some proprietary commands available in Cisco are preferred by users accustomed to Cisco systems. These users might hesitate to switch because they want to continue using familiar commands and see t...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 17% of the time

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Compared 9% of the time

Cisco Ethernet Switches vs Arista Networks Platform

Compared 8% of the time

Aruba Switches vs Arista Networks Platform

Compared 6% of the time

Cisco Nexus vs Arista Networks Platform

Compared 5% of the time

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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 35% of the time

HPE ProCurve vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 18% 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 10% of the time

Cisco Nexus vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 10% of the time

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Arista Networks Platform

March 2026

Download Arista Networks Platform product report

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

March 2026

Download Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] product report

Also Known As

7000 Series

PowerConnect Switches

Overview

Arista Networks Platform is a stable and reliable solution for data center features, specifically for non-blocking switches used for spine-leaf connectivity with servers hooked to these switches. It also provides multi-layer switches for client networks, particularly in the banking sector.

Arista products are preferred for their stability, good hardware, ease of adoption and configuration, responsive and helpful support, and high throughput ratings. The solution has helped prevent screen loss and business outages in the media industry and is designed for next-generation data centers.

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

March 2026

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