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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Huawei 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
3rd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
187
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Huawei Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
13th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
60
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 4.6%, up from 2.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Huawei Ethernet Switches is 3.1%, down from 3.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Catalyst Switches4.6%
Huawei Ethernet Switches3.1%
Other92.3%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

MS
Electrical control system engineer at Dangote petroleum refinery and petrol chemicals
Reliable switching has delivered long‑term uptime, strong PoE support, and predictable performance
Cisco Systems Catalyst Switches are highly regarded for their performance, reliability, and enterprise-grade capabilities. My main reservation, however, is the pricing. The cost of Cisco Catalyst Switches—and Cisco products in general—is relatively high, especially in many African markets where organizations often need to balance budget constraints with required functionality. There are alternative vendors that offer comparable features at a lower price point. While they may not always match Cisco’s ecosystem, stability, or full feature depth, many businesses still choose them because of the significant cost savings. Another consideration is licensing, which can add to the overall total cost of ownership depending on the deployment model and required features. Overall, Cisco Catalyst Switches remain premium enterprise solutions, but when compared with other OEMs, their higher acquisition and licensing costs can be a major deciding factor for cost-conscious organizations.
Muhammad Kabir Salihu - PeerSpot reviewer
Deputy Director at NITDA
Cost-effective performance enhanced by security features with easy configurations
I mainly use Huawei Switches and also work with Huawei Wireless. I deal with both Huawei and Cisco Switches, and I find Huawei to be more cost-effective Huawei has helped to save costs and is cost-effective, which also helps save time for the company. The performance of Huawei is good, and it…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The Cisco Catalyst is very stable and it can last for many years."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches are very stable."
"We heavily use the SmartPort features; it has really helped us, and the U.S. policies are handled by the auto SmartPort feature."
"The installation process is very straightforward."
"I would recommend this solution to others, it is very good."
"The CLI is pretty much the same across all switching and routing platforms from Cisco, making deployment of new switches, replacement of damaged equipment, or upgrades to newer platforms very easy."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is very stable, configurable, and durable, and it is also easy to manage."
"Stability. We have many Catalyst switches now, and they work without any downtime."
"The tool's valuable features are easy to deploy and troubleshoot with available documentation. They are cost-effective and can reduce operational expenses. Huawei Ethernet Switches have built-in AI features for monitoring and analytics. These are the tool's solutions, not third-party integrations."
"We use Huawei Ethernet Switches for business networks and connectivity."
"If you're a small one-on-one organization, then cost-effective-wise, I would recommend it."
"I was using Cisco Aruba HP Engine previously and switched because Huawei Ethernet Switches are user-friendly."
"It is also easy to implement in the first place."
"The solution is stable and the performance is good."
"Huawei switches come in small, medium, and large capacities and can be used for monitoring and switching."
"The CLI syntax."
 

Cons

"Their price should be improved. They are a little bit expensive."
"At first glance this switch looks exactly like an Ethernet switch, I would recommend that there be verbage in the documentation on exactly what gbit connectors are required."
"The product should work on its pricepoints. It's an expensive solution."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches' pricing can be cheaper."
"The price could be better. For Cisco, there is no need for improvement except for the price. It's expensive."
"Its initial setup can be simpler, and it would be great if we can work with a reference architecture."
"Services should be improved."
"I would like to see hosting multiple applications on the existing IOS."
"There could be improvements in Huawei, such as adding features that Cisco has and Huawei currently lacks."
"I am not satisfied with the current one involving the use of magnetic tape."
"The tech support is not very good. It's a bit hard to get tech support for Huawei products."
"The configuration is very difficult even for someone who is already familiar with the configuration process."
"Because of this situation, I searched for the products of other vendors. Aruba sent three quotes from its different partners and their quotes were similar, and also they were cheaper than Huawei."
"I have issues with the support's communication language. The tool's UI can be better."
"The configuration could be improved and deployment should be easier. It's also quite expensive."
"We would always prefer if the solution were cheaper."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I rate the overall product a six out of ten from a price perspective since it is an expensive tool."
"The price is in an affordable range and everything is included."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is an expensive solution."
"The price of this solution could be reduced, it is expensive and I am using an annual license."
"The product is quite expensive."
"This is expensive, even when compared to competitors' products."
"The price must be reduced."
"There are no licensing fees required."
"The exact pricing varies based on how many units you purchase."
"Compared to other brands, I think that the price is quite fair."
"We only pay one-off instead of paying recurring license fees."
"I would say that the product is cost-effective."
"It is cheaper than Cisco."
"The tool's price is affordable and I would rate it a five out of ten. The prices are fixed with no additional cost involved."
"It's a reasonable price, cheaper than some other vendors."
"The product is competitively priced in its market."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
908,858 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
9%
Outsourcing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Construction Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business83
Midsize Enterprise29
Large Enterprise85
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business30
Midsize Enterprise13
Large Enterprise20
 

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 is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Catalyst Switches?
My experience with pricing, setup costs, and licensing was not all good. Licensing is quite a nightmare in the Cisco world, and I wish we had simplified licensing.
What needs improvement with Cisco Catalyst Switches?
Regarding the impression of end-to-end visibility offered by Cisco, I would love to have more visibility. What I want to see in the future regarding Cisco Catalyst Switches is more integrations bet...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Huawei Ethernet Switches?
Huawei Ethernet Switches offer very competitive and aggressive product pricing compared to other brands.
What needs improvement with Huawei Ethernet Switches?
Huawei should focus more on security. They need more products on the security side to improve the security portion.
What is your primary use case for Huawei Ethernet Switches?
The primary use case for Huawei Ethernet Switches is for network purposes, including SaaS services.
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
No data available
 

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
Newcastle University, Jingyang District of Deyang City in Sichuan Province, Southwest China, Glasgow Rangers Soccer Team, RMIT, Insurance Industry Association of Zhejiang Province, China, APT Satellite Holdings Limited (APT)
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Huawei Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.
908,858 professionals have used our research since 2012.