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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] comparison

Cisco and Dell Technologies are both solutions in the LAN Switching category. Additionally, 95% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Dell Technologies users who would recommend it.

Cisco Catalyst Switches

Read 196 Cisco Catalyst Switches reviews

16,189 Views
5,504 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

Read 34 Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] reviews

90% willing to recommend

Cisco Catalyst Switches

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 2, 2025

Cisco Catalyst Switches and Dell PowerConnect Switches are competitors in the network equipment market. Cisco has an edge due to its robust feature set, superior reliability, and advanced security, whereas Dell stands out for affordability and ease of configuration.

Features: Cisco Catalyst Switches offer advanced security features such as Port Security, VLAN support, and Power over Ethernet (PoE), ensuring high reliability for enterprise environments. Their stacking capabilities allow for enhanced stability and uptime. In contrast, Dell PowerConnect Switches are appreciated for their value, offering essential features like PoE and VLAN at a more accessible price point. They are straightforward to configure and integrate well into existing infrastructures.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Catalyst Switches are often criticized for their high cost and complex licensing structure, leading calls for better pricing models and simpler configurations. Users also desire faster technology updates and improved third-party solution integration. Dell PowerConnect Switches face challenges in scalability and stability over longer periods, and they lack advanced features required for high-demand environments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Deploying Cisco Catalyst Switches usually demands technical expertise and they are primarily used in on-premises setups with limited cloud options. While customer service is well-regarded, it can be slow and costly. Dell PowerConnect Switches are generally easier to deploy due to simpler configurations, being used commonly in on-premises and hybrid cloud environments. Dell's customer service is reliable, albeit occasionally slow in response.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Catalyst Switches are considered expensive, justified by some users due to the product’s quality and stability. Licensing and subscription fees add to the costs, positioning Cisco as a premium option. Meanwhile, Dell PowerConnect Switches are noted for their economic pricing, offering a cost-effective solution for smaller setups with quicker returns on investment, though they offer fewer features and limited scalability compared to Cisco.

To learn more, read our detailed LAN Switching Report (Updated: October 2026).

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LAN Switching

October 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

Cisco Catalyst Switches

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.4

Number of Reviews

196

Ranking in other categories

LAN Switching (1st), Ethernet Switches (2nd), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)

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

Md Rafique

Desktop support Engineer at a outsourcing company with 51-200 employees

Reliable switching has improved segmentation and reduces downtime with faster troubleshooting

One area I would like to see improvement is making configuration and troubleshooting more straightforward, especially for engineers managing a large number of switches. Some tasks can require multiple CLI commands and checking different outputs to identify an issue. Better centralized visibility, more intuitive automation tools, and clearer troubleshooting information would make day-to-day operations more efficient. That said, the CLI gives experienced network engineers a lot of control, so I would see these improvements as making the existing capabilities easier and faster to use rather than replacing them. For on-premises deployment, I would like to see easier centralized management and more automation for larger switch environments. Firmware upgrades, configuration changes, and troubleshooting can take significant time when they have to be handled across many physical devices. Better zero-touch provisioning, simplifying firmware management solutions, stronger integration with monitoring and IT management platforms, and more proactive hardware health alerts would make operations easier. I would also like better visibility into hardware capabilities and lifecycle status from a single dashboard so we can identify potential issues before they affect users.

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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

"We can have multiple Cisco switches, like seven or eight, on a stack for 300 users. So it is highly scalable and easy to manage."

"The most valuable features are the Stacking and the capacity of the switches because they have more throughput. Layer 2 is also part of its rich feature set."

"They are extremely stable; we've been running them for 12 years, and we lost the uptime only due to power loss."

"I would recommend this solution; it is a good product and there are a lot of users of Cisco solutions in Pakistan."

"Technical support is good."

"Cisco Catalyst Switches scale with the growing needs of my organization very well."

"I like the management of streaming both audio and video."

"This solution has been good to us, it's very solid."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches pros

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

"The solution's most valuable feature is its good integration with solutions from other vendors."

"This is a very reliable solution."

"The platform's most valuable features are network switch functionality and fiber switch capabilities."

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

"The tool is reliable, and it stands up well. The solution works fine and lasts a long time."

"The most valuable features are the jumbo frames and the stacking."

"The product is cheap."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pros

Cons

"It is not easy for everyone to configure the product's initial setup part, making it an area where improvements are required."

"The licensing process could be a bit less complex."

"There are multiple operating systems across Cisco's portfolio, which is problematic."

"In the future, I would like to see better security for this product."

"The solution is expensive."

"The pricing could be cheaper. There is a one-time license, but we pay for the smart net license every three years for support."

"Cisco Catalyst Switches is an expensive solution and its price could be improved."

"Personal automatization is a feature that should be addressed."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches cons

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

"Dell is sometimes slow to provide updates to firmware."

"The solution could provide more integration to focus on targeting the network as a whole rather than a unified environment. It is meant for a built environment, so integration with other third-party vendors will likely be necessary."

"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."

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

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

"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."

"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."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Pricing could be better."

"Cisco switches are expensive. Their price range is based not only on what the product does but also the name in the industry. They are good at what they do. If you need a better product, there are other lineups available."

"The general price of the solution could be cheaper."

"I would rate the features-to-pricing ratio at six out of 10. My advice about licensing is that you should have a perpetual license, not one that is subscription-based."

"I rate the overall product a six out of ten from a price perspective since it is an expensive tool."

"The price can definitely be lower."

"Cisco Catalyst Switches is a very expensive solution."

"The price is on the higher side."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches pricing and cost advice

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

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

"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."

"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."

"The product has a low price for the features it provides."

"The solution is less expensive and more cost-efficient."

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

"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

Outsourcing Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Construction Company

25%

Outsourcing Company

12%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	85
Midsize Enterprise	30
Large Enterprise	91

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

Questions from the Community

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 ...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Catalyst Switches?

My experience is that Cisco Catalyst Switches can involve a relatively significant upfront investment, especially when you consider the hardware, support, and licensing requirements. The total cost...

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What needs improvement with Cisco Catalyst Switches?

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Comparisons

Arista Networks Platform vs Cisco Catalyst Switches

Compared 18% of the time

ExtremeSwitching vs Cisco Catalyst Switches

Compared 5% of the time

NETGEAR Switches vs Cisco Catalyst Switches

Compared 5% of the time

Ubiquiti UniFi Switches vs Cisco Catalyst Switches

Compared 4% of the time

Cisco Nexus vs Cisco Catalyst Switches

Compared 4% of the time

More Cisco Catalyst Switches Competitors

HPE ProCurve vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 15% of the time

Arista Networks Platform vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 11% of the time

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

Compared 11% of the time

NETGEAR Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 11% of the time

Enterasys Campus LAN Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 10% of the time

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Catalyst Switches

November 2026

Download Cisco Catalyst Switches product report

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

November 2026

Download Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] product report

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst

PowerConnect Switches

Overview

Cisco Catalyst Switches are renowned for their Power over Ethernet capabilities, performance stability, and dependable security. They support features like DHCP, stacking, and dynamic routing, offering ease of management, scalability, and reliability across different sectors.

Cisco Catalyst Switches are valued for their robust architecture and global reputation, supported by numerous trained professionals. They ensure consistent performance and adaptability across industries such as finance, education, and hospitality. With features like CLI and software integration, these switches offer ease of management, scalability, and strong technical support. Users appreciate modularity, speed, and network segmentation versatility. There is room for improvement in cost reduction, licensing simplification, usability, third-party integration, and security enhancements. Calls for improved configuration, product compatibility, faster support, and advanced training are noted.

What are the key features of Cisco Catalyst Switches?

PoE Capability: Ensures efficient power delivery with network connectivity.
Stable Performance: Maintains network reliability under various conditions.
Dependable Security: Offers robust security features to safeguard networks.
Ease of Management: Provides management simplicity through CLI and software integration.
Modularity: Allows scalable and flexible network configurations.

Why should users consider Cisco Catalyst in their reviews?

Scalability: Enables network growth with seamless integration.
Reliability: Consistent and dependable network performance.
Technical Support: Access to strong, professional technical support services.
Versatility in Network Segmentation: Efficiently organizes and manages network traffic.

Organizations utilize Cisco Catalyst Switches for diverse applications, including data centers, campuses, and WAN connectivity. Supporting enterprise networking, VLAN configurations, and user access, they integrate smoothly with existing infrastructure. These switches enhance connectivity for access layers, core components, and edge networking, catering to industries like finance, education, and hospitality for reliable and scalable performance.

Cisco

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

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

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

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Extreme Networks and others in LAN Switching. Updated: October 2026.

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