Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Extreme VDX [EOL] comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Cisco and Extreme Networks are both solutions in the Ethernet Switches category. Additionally, 95% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Extreme Networks users who would recommend it.

Cisco Catalyst Switches

Read 196 Cisco Catalyst Switches reviews

16,189 Views
10,199 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Extreme VDX [EOL]

Read 3 Extreme VDX [EOL] reviews

100% willing to recommend

Cisco Catalyst Switches

Extreme VDX [EOL]

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cisco Catalyst Switches and Extreme VDX [EOL] based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Arista and others in Ethernet Switches.

To learn more, read our detailed Ethernet Switches Report (Updated: October 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Ethernet Switches

October 2026

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Helped 920,769 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

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)

Extreme VDX [EOL]

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

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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Osama Ahmed LUBBAD

Systems Support Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

A stable, scalable, and problem-free solution

Software needs to be updated regularly in order to maintain security and performance. However, in some cases, it is necessary to stack switches in order to meet the needs of the network. Although Cisco switches are able to stack, other switches are not as simple to stack. I would like the ability to stack with different switch brands.

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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

"Catalyst switches are easy to use and simple to work with."

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

"These switches are stable. They work well and are easy to use."

"Rather than spending one or two hours configuring a switch, I can easily do that in one minute on the cloud."

"The new series has lots of great features, it's really lovely. From a management perspective, or a policy creation perspective, which we are seeing in the Catalyst 9000 series it is great."

"We have dealt with Cisco's technical support in the past. They were especially helpful and very polite. They are always there if we need them and their insights are always excellent. I would say that we have been satisfied with the level of support we've gotten so far."

"The solution has been very stable."

"These switches are very stable, we haven't had any problems, and we also have some old switches that are working for almost ten years."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches pros

"The most valuable feature of Extreme VDX is that we have had no problems and the solution's performance is excellent."

"Its simplicity and web interface were most valuable. I also liked the two-factor authentication."

"The fabric of the solution and the management aspect are the solution's most valuable features."

Cons

"The configuration process is hard."

"The solution could be easier to use, you need a certificate to use it."

"Its initial setup can be simpler, and it would be great if we can work with a reference architecture."

"The only thing that has been an issue with not just Cisco Catalyst Switches, but Cisco devices in general, is the price point and the cost."

"Cisco Catalyst Switches could be improved because they are far too deep. The design is excessively deep, so when I put them in racks, they sometimes sag in a cabinet."

"Pricing for Cisco Catalyst Switches is on the higher end, compared to its competitors, and is something that could be improved."

"You have to have someone with extensive knowledge to do the implementation of the Cisco Catalyst Switches."

"The tool is not user-friendly."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches cons

"I would like the ability to stack with different switch brands."

"The only problem is that at the moment it's an Extreme product and Extreme is not really pushing it. They have to make up for weak innovation and I'm not sure if they want to do that."

"I don't know if the solution has a future because the company doesn't seem to be investing in updates or improvements."

"Its scalability is quite limited. We had four buildings merging into one building, and scalability was probably the reason why they didn't proceed with buying more Brocade switches and routers."

"Its scalability can be better. If possible, it can have Hyper POE. I am not sure if there is a fiber version."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is overpriced. Some devices can be very expensive. Most of the clients have a contract with Cisco for two or three years."

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

"Could always be cheaper."

"Generally, Cisco Catalyst would be relatively expensive compared to the competition, it would be on the expensive side."

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

"It is expensive."

"Compared to the price of other solutions such as Huawei and HP, Cisco Catalyst Switches is a cheaper solution."

"I cannot say that the pricing is reasonable because it's a little above our expectations. If we consider the recent price increases, it is not acceptable anymore."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches pricing and cost advice

"It was around $1500 a year. It is cheaper than Cisco but more expensive than Ruckus."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Outsourcing Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Construction Company

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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

No data available

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 4% 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

ExtremeSwitching vs Extreme VDX [EOL]

Compared 17% of the time

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs Extreme VDX [EOL]

Compared 14% of the time

Cisco Nexus vs Extreme VDX [EOL]

Compared 11% of the time

Ubiquiti UniFi Switches vs Extreme VDX [EOL]

Compared 11% of the time

VMware NSX vs Extreme VDX [EOL]

Compared 10% of the time

More Extreme VDX [EOL] Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Catalyst Switches

October 2026

Download Cisco Catalyst Switches product report

Buyer's Guide

Ethernet Switches

October 2026

Download Extreme VDX [EOL] product report

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst

VDX, Brocade VDX

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

Brocade VDX Switches support Layer 2 and Layer 3 fabrics with open standards and extensive scalability to deliver high performance, capacity, and reliability for data center spine and leaf deployments. It includes the following products: Brocade VDX 6740 SWITCHES, Brocade VDX 6940 SWITCH and Brocade VDX 8770 SWITCH.

Extreme Networks

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

Niagra Falls Bridge Commission, Medien System Partner, CDE Lightband, MaximumASP

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Arista and others in Ethernet Switches. Updated: October 2026.

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We monitor all Ethernet Switches reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.