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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
7th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
176
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 May 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 2.0%, down from 2.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Huawei Ethernet Switches is 3.2%, 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.
Mr. Qalat Khan - PeerSpot reviewer
The solution is power efficient, stable, and provides free-of-cost batch upgrades
The solution can improve by adding virtualized switch functionality. Huawei mentioned virtual switches in one of the product sheets, but when we got to the deployment phase, it turned out that they didn't actually include virtual switching functionality. Other than that, the switch and network are performing well and meeting our requirements.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It has become easier for us to troubleshoot and find issues faster in the management software for the switches. It saves us troubleshooting time because if the network is down it has a big impact on production."
"The solution is durable."
"We find the product very easy to use."
"The most beneficial features for our network management are their stability and good customer support."
"The most valuable feature is load balancing."
"The stability and Cisco's support are the most valuable features."
"This is a feature-rich product and the newer models have improved features that allow for many new possibilities."
"These switches are stable. They work well and are easy to use."
"The performance of Huawei is good, and it provides security capabilities."
"So far, so good when it comes to stability."
"It integrates well."
"They last quite a while."
"Pricing-wise, Huawei is quite good."
"They are very user-friendly. Handling Huawei is very easy."
"The solution is scalable."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches support multiple vendors. You can integrate them according to the network scenario. Their power consumption is low."
 

Cons

"Cisco Catalyst Switches do not have an open architecture and you have to buy into the Cisco architecture to be able to use them."
"The switches could be improved."
"The product could be more user-friendly."
"These switches should have better compatibility with software-defined technology."
"Dell switching is coming up with a solution where you can put your own OS inside their switching infra. That is where they are talking about open networking. We can show that our Cisco is also an open-source. We are open to different switching operating systems if the customer is willing to put it in. We can support multiple operating systems inside the switching infrastructure. It removes the hardware and software dependency on each other. That is where I think there can be room for improvement. Then we can talk about open networking and that is where Cisco can also come up with open networking access."
"When you compare it with HPE and Aruba, it should be fancier."
"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."
"The price of the product is very expensive."
"In the next release, I would like to see an increase in the performance of DDoS protection systems against all kinds of attack packets."
"The solution needs to be more user-friendly."
"Deploying Huawei Ethernet Switches in an organization offers advantages, especially if the decision is made early in the process and the company opts for a single-vendor approach. This simplifies implementation and customization, often resulting in lower prices and tailored solutions from Huawei. However, excessive customization can lead to support issues and challenges in knowledge transfer during employee turnover."
"Dashboard could be improved."
"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."
"The knowledge base needs to be improved and expanded."
"The interoperability of the devices, in general, on the Huawei switches is not good and is known to be not good. Maybe they can improve this a bit."
"It is not easy to use if you need to monitor, patch or update. It needs to be configured by a network specialist because it doesn't have an overall central monitoring tool or anything like that. I'd say no ease of use."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing of these devices can be better."
"Compared to the price of other solutions such as Huawei and HP, Cisco Catalyst Switches is a cheaper solution."
"The solution provides a good balance between the features and the cost structure"
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is a very expensive solution."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches are 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."
"The price of this solution is reasonable."
"The cost could be reduced."
"A cost-effective product"
"We only pay one-off instead of paying recurring license fees."
"The price of Huawei ethernet switches is cheap."
"We have a one-year license. There are no additional costs besides the licensing fee."
"Compared to other brands, I think that the price is quite fair."
"The initial setup is straightforward."
"The price is one of the only issues I have regarding this solution."
"I rate the tool's pricing a five out of ten."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
61%
Computer Software Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
3%
Financial Services Firm
3%
Computer Software Company
17%
Financial Services Firm
13%
University
6%
Educational Organization
6%
 

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?
Although Juniper is cheaper, Cisco provides unique features that justify their pricing.
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: April 2025.
851,604 professionals have used our research since 2012.