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Brocade Ethernet Switches vs Cisco Catalyst 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

Brocade Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
24th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
11
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Cisco Catalyst Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
7th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
177
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Brocade Ethernet Switches is 1.0%, down from 1.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 2.5%, up from 2.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Youssef Ezzerouali - PeerSpot reviewer
Effective range, scalable, and simple implmentation
The most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions. I have been using Brocade Ethernet Switches for approximately three years. The solution is…
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

"It is easy to configure and provides good technical support."
"The switches last for a very long time."
"The technical support is good."
"The most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides."
"I have not had any issues with our Brocade switches."
"There's a zone for each server and services in the storage."
"It has good integration with HPE Primera. They have smart zoning in which the administration is very easy. You don't have to do anything. Zoning and other things are done automatically if you just enable the smart zoning. That's one very good thing in HP."
"The initial setup was really straightforward and easy."
"These are a proven technology and I haven't had any problem with them."
"It is a very scalable solution. Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"VLAN gives us segregation."
"The solution is easy to use."
"We haven't needed to contact technical support because we haven't had any issues so far."
"A good feature of Cisco Catalyst is that it records crash log files which can be used to literally identify the cause of a crash because there is a lot of information. And Cisco Catalyst supports the use of external flash disks for storing of images and file systems."
"I never had downtime with Cisco Catalyst Switches in the last eight years, and I'm pretty impressed with its reliability."
"The most valuable feature is the ease of configuring a switch."
 

Cons

"Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions."
"There are some performance issues."
"It should be simpler. There are still some things that can be simpler in the Brocade switches."
"No graphical interface."
"Brocade Ethernet Switches need a better interface and centralized management."
"It could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface."
"The solution could be more secure."
"These switches are no longer supported."
"With most of the Cisco devices and models, we faced a slight decrease in speed during the initial setup and while restarting the system"
"Its price can be improved. It is currently expensive."
"Currently, Catalyst is completely proprietary with Cisco. They should have programmability options, through open-source controllers."
"The solution was stable 10 years ago, there is room for improvement in this area."
"It is kind of expensive."
"Cisco should provide customers with a more advantageous licensing model included with the purchase of the equipment."
"We would like the solution to be more stable."
"Facilitating and adapting the security updates would be a good improvement, because usually it requires to reboot the router to get them"
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of Brocade Ethernet Switches is expensive."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is a very expensive solution."
"Pricing of Cisco equipment is high, but I think these switches are worth the price."
"The product is quite expensive."
"They are a little bit expensive. We are a public institution, so we go through other traders, and sometimes, they put in their own surplus price because it is a government contract. Cisco products are expensive, especially when you compare them to Huawei."
"This is expensive, even when compared to competitors' products."
"The price is too high for this market."
"Catalyst is very expensive."
"We must pay a high price for the product."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Brocade Ethernet Switches?
To improve, it could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface.
What is your primary use case for Brocade Ethernet Switches?
I use Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are scalable. I recommend them since they are easy to configure. They are connected and used every day in our operations.
What advice do you have for others considering Brocade Ethernet Switches?
I would recommend Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are easy to configure and have good technical support. I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
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

Ajubeo, Akquinet AG, Big Data Analytics Provider Boligkontoret Danmark Bristol is Open, CDE Lightband, Cicero School District 99, City and County of San Francisco, Department of Emergency, City of Chattanooga, Cloudscale.sh
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 Brocade Ethernet Switches vs. Cisco Catalyst Switches and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
865,295 professionals have used our research since 2012.