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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs HPE Ethernet 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

Cisco Catalyst Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
7th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
176
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
HPE Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
8th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
104
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 2.3%, down from 2.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HPE Ethernet Switches is 2.6%, up from 2.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

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.
Dinesh Upadhyay - PeerSpot reviewer
Experience years of robust features and strong technical support
It is a nice and robust tool where we use HPE Ethernet Switches. It is a lower switch, and we have received good warranty support with HPE switches. The security features of the HPE Ethernet Switches are good. The UI mode is available, and we can easily configure the access list and SNMP. All these configurations can be done here. Users can enable the Layer 3 features.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The Cisco software ties all the hardware together better than the competition."
"The product is also flexible."
"Catalyst switches are highly stable and easy to use. It's a technology well known by most engineers."
"The product is stable, and it performs well."
"Catalyst switches are our dedicated solution for connecting everything into one big domain."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is communication."
"The network is secure."
"The most valuable feature is how easy it is to use."
"They are affordable and very stable. They also have good performance."
"We use HPE Ethernet Switches to provide solutions for the hotel, their guests, and IPTV."
"The solution is very stable and easy to use."
"We have scaled it without any issues."
"HPE is very reliable because it has a lifetime warranty, so the switches didn't give us any problems."
"The main features of the solution I have found to be the interface and unique features other solutions do not have. Additionally, they have a lifetime warranty on the hardware."
"The initial setup is straightforward. The steps are simple, and you can always contact support if needed. Overall, it's easy."
"The HPE Ethernet switches have very low latency."
 

Cons

"Reporting could be improved as well as integration possibilities with other platforms."
"The product should work on its pricepoints. It's an expensive solution."
"My company would prefer that the price was more cost-effective."
"t is one of the most expensive solutions."
"The solution could improve by adding a user-friendly GUI. We use third-party applications for log monitoring that are expensive and if Cisco could provide log monitoring as part of this solution it would be beneficial."
"Reducing the price would be an improvement."
"I use the Cisco Catalyst Switches command-line interface(CLI) a lot out in the field, but there are some web interfaces features that are available that I haven't used very much. I'm more comfortable with the CLI, but the web interfaces are very lacking."
"The management of Cisco Catalyst Switches could be improved."
"They should release more updates for the solution."
"Some users might look for high-speed switching like Cisco or Nexus switches, which can handle larger volumes. HPE's current offerings aren't as robust in that area, but they could improve."
"The product could always use better technical support."
"We haven't had any issues with this switch in the past 10 years. That's the reason we're still keeping them alive."
"If there is any fluctuation in power then we will face an outage with our POE switches, so this is something that should be improved."
"I would like to see the initial setup become easier."
"The next release would benefit from adding a central management that could be deployable on premise and allow you to see the layout of topology."
"It is not very stable."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I would say that the pricing of the solution falls within the moderate to higher range."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is an affordable solution."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches are a bit expensive."
"It's overpriced and should be cheaper."
"The pricing should be improved."
"We are on an annual license to use this solution and the price of the solution could be reduced. We have spent hundreds of thousands on our Wi-Fi network."
"I rate the overall product a six out of ten from a price perspective since it is an expensive tool."
"I don't see any price issue with Cisco. Whenever you buy a quality product, you always have a mindset of paying the premium amount. For any good product, you pay a premium amount, but that also means you are going to recover that premium over a period of time in terms of performance."
"There are free software updates and there is a lifetime warranty for a few of the switch series."
"I believe HPE is less expensive than Aruba's and UniFi and that is why certain clients have chosen them as their solution."
"The license cost is yearly."
"The tool's pricing is very cheap."
"The licensing cost is set up annually or every three years."
"I like HPE switches because you get a perpetual license with the hardware. The initial cost is about the same as other switches, but it starts beating the competitors after three or four years because you don't have to pay for additional annual licensing costs."
"We have to pay for a yearly license for HPE Ethernet Switches."
"There are no licensing costs for this solution."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
12%
Educational Organization
10%
Government
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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 ...
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.
What do you like most about HPE Ethernet Switches?
The solution is very stable and easy to use.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE Ethernet Switches?
The price of HPE Ethernet Switches is reasonable and less than other OEM brands.
What needs improvement with HPE Ethernet Switches?
The price should be reduced in comparison to Cisco, as sometimes we cannot use the HPE one at the core level, where generally public users are using Cisco. The price of HPE core switches and Cisco ...
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
HP Ethernet Switches
 

Overview

 

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
Emirates Palace Hotel
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. HPE Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
863,641 professionals have used our research since 2012.