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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
6th
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)
Huawei Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
11th
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 October 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 3.0%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Huawei Ethernet Switches is 3.5%, up from 2.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco Catalyst Switches3.0%
Huawei Ethernet Switches3.5%
Other93.5%
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.
Muhammad Kabir Salihu - PeerSpot reviewer
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

"Cisco Catalyst Switches are highly reliable and stable."
"The solution is highly reliable."
"The solution offers great scalability."
"It uses many protocols to ease operations, such as CDP and the interoperability of other Cisco products."
"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 switches."
"The solution is durable."
"The product is reliable."
"Technical support is very helpful, even during implementation."
"They have the ability, since they have a very big R&D team, to create an upgrade for any feature or patch very easily."
"It is pretty straightforward to set up."
"The most valuable feature is the audit systems. I also like that it can synchronize on the alternate configuration of products together at the same time."
"The functionality is basically the same as Cisco."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is its network monitoring system."
"Easy to use, flexible, stable, and offers great performance."
"They're straightforward to set up."
"The performance of Huawei is good, and it provides security capabilities."
 

Cons

"t is one of the most expensive solutions."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches do not have an open architecture and you have to buy into the Cisco architecture to be able to use them."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches' pricing can be cheaper."
"The solution could improve security."
"Needs to improve cloud services and mobile software."
"An area for improvement would be the documentation and training on configuring this product."
"It would be helpful to have the ability to load new IOS software without performing a reboot or to be able to perform the reboot without disrupting end-users."
"I would like to see the integration of the 2960 SX switched."
"Huawei should focus more on security."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches are scalable but can be improved."
"It’s hard to get technical support."
"Certain regulatory issues in a lot of countries cause limitations ."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches have not automated its firmware."
"Huawei Switch can make further advancements, as the current CLI lacks functionality. The majority of tasks are performed through the CLI, making it difficult for those without technical expertise to work with. They should enhance the CLI of the access switches to make them more user-friendly. The GUI of the Ethernet Switches should also be improved to allow non-technical users to perform technical tasks with ease. Additionally, the documentation of the solution could improve."
"The solution's marketing could be better. It spends money on marketing but doesn't highlight the most important features. Sometimes, it provides too much information, which can confuse customers."
"Integration could be improved. The price could also be lower."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price could always be lower."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches are a bit expensive."
"Catalyst is very expensive."
"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."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches are very expensive."
"It would be great for the user if Cisco lowered the prices for their routers and switches."
"We had to pay for the product’s licenses."
"If you compare Cisco to other products, Cisco is more expensive. If you choose a 7000 series switch it will be a very pricy system. The support from Cisco is an additional service."
"I rate the tool's pricing a five out of ten."
"We have a one-year license. There are no additional costs besides the licensing fee."
"The licensing costs depend on the negotiations that a user has with Huawei...There is a need to make some additional payments apart from the licensing costs attached to the solution."
"We only pay one-off instead of paying recurring license fees."
"From the initial purchase, you will pay for a license and you do not need to pay for a license again. The price depends on the size of the infrastructure."
"The pricing is good so is rated an eight out of ten."
"The initial setup is straightforward."
"The solution's price is reasonable compared to other products like Cisco."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Educational Organization
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business78
Midsize Enterprise29
Large Enterprise78
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 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 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.
 

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: September 2025.
868,759 professionals have used our research since 2012.