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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Nokia Ethernet Service Switch 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
175
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Nokia Ethernet Service Switch
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
26th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.6
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 1.8%, down from 3.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Nokia Ethernet Service Switch is 0.7%, up from 0.5% 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.
Teuku Maiyasya - PeerSpot reviewer
A stable solution which is competitively priced and offers good support
We would like to have an unified monitoring system, while Nokia have different monitoring system for different product, we find it to be quite troublesome. I also would prefer that all the licenses be open for our use. This would obviate the need to purchase individual licenses for each feature.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The performance of Cisco Catalyst Switches is good."
"The benefit of the tool is that it is a stable product."
"Catalyst Switches are efficient and swift, which is valuable for my organization."
"Cisco Switches are more stable in terms of hardware and firmware, rather than Juniper Switches."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is communication."
"The quality of a Cisco switch is very high. They are extremely stable."
"Stability. We have many Catalyst switches now, and they work without any downtime."
"The best feature is the technical support."
"The highest value lies in aggregating the data to improve both traffic management and device utilization, emphasizing the importance of engagement and liability."
"The most valuable features are user functionality and interoperability."
"On several occasions we encountered major issues with the solution and have found the Nokia technical support to be quite supportive."
"Despite initial hindrances, once understood, these differences help in forming a good career foundation."
"The performance and reliability are the solution's most valuable features."
"The most valuable feature is the product's availability."
 

Cons

"Cisco forces end-users to accept billing for some capabilities or services that they may not want."
"The solution’s pricing and stability could be improved."
"The solution is quite expensive for our clients. It's a pain point for some companies. They should work to reduce the price."
"The biggest barrier to buying Cisco or using Cisco is the price and also the competition with competitors and with Cisco partners."
"For the time being, Cisco Catalyst Switches are working well, but they are not PoE switches, which is why we would consider replacing them."
"The delivery of the product lead time should be improved."
"It would be good if they added some machine learning which would allow us to abandon the rigid rules for processing traffic priorities and, at the same time, save money, because equipment with similar logic (like DPI) is much more expensive."
"While it is scalable, it could be better."
"The solution needs more monitoring tools."
"I would prefer that all the licenses be open for our use."
"I would suggest improvements regarding enhancing support response times and implementing user interface modifications for quicker and more user-friendly interactions."
"The segment routing could be improved, and they could also transfer a lot of legacy to the cloud domain."
"I would like to see more collaboration with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) vendors, such as Itron."
"The documentation needs improvement for better accessibility, as there isn't proper documentation currently available."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is on the high end."
"Pricing could be better."
"It is overpriced. Some devices can be very expensive. Most of the clients have a contract with Cisco for two or three years."
"Cisco switches are expensive. Their price range is based not only on what the product does but also the name in the industry. They are good at what they do. If you need a better product, there are other lineups available."
"Pricing of Cisco equipment is high, but I think these switches are worth the price."
"Catalyst is very expensive."
"The pricing of these devices can be better."
"We have a contract for service with this partner, meaning we don't purchase the license or equipment directly."
"It is quite expensive compared to alternative technologies."
"The price of the solution is very competitive in comparison with that of the competition."
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
67%
Computer Software Company
6%
Government
3%
Manufacturing Company
3%
Computer Software Company
18%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
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 ...
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 do you like most about Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?
The highest value lies in aggregating the data to improve both traffic management and device utilization, emphasizing the importance of engagement and liability.
What needs improvement with Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?
In my opinion, Nokia has to improve its documentation, offering step-by-step configuration guides and examples of what outputs look like on Windows. There should also be a comparison of commands be...
What is your primary use case for Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?
I have been working with Nokia switches for six months. Before that, I was using Cisco devices. I am involved in configuring Nokia Internet Service Switches in our network.
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
Nokia ESS, Nokia 7450 Ethernet Service Switch, Nokia 7450 ESS
 

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
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Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Nokia Ethernet Service Switch and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.