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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
177
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Nokia Ethernet Service Switch
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
23rd
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
3.1
Number of Reviews
7
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 2.5%, up from 2.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Nokia Ethernet Service Switch is 0.9%, 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.
Montassar Turki - PeerSpot reviewer
Empowering networks with enhanced scalability and reliability
It provides excellent scalability capabilities, as well as the flexibility to work with different cost structures. It supports a large number of switches very well and meets the specific requirements. In our enterprise, we currently have two hundred servers, and this technology accommodates our growing user base, which may reach millions of users.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We find the product very easy to use."
"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 are the best overall."
"The solution is stable."
"Overall top of the line solution."
"This solution has a pretty good rate of not causing unexpected behavior or failing. We're using maybe 900 switches right now. And, rarely, if ever, something fails, it's dependable."
"These switches are stable."
"The product is convenient to deploy."
"Despite initial hindrances, once understood, these differences help in forming a good career foundation."
"The most valuable feature is the product's availability."
"On several occasions we encountered major issues with the solution and have found the Nokia technical support to be quite supportive."
"The performance and reliability are the solution's most valuable features."
"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."
 

Cons

"An area for improvement would be the documentation and training on configuring this product."
"The configuration process is hard."
"The price of the product is very expensive."
"It would be good if Cisco Catalyst Switches could align maintenance with one version."
"Soon, we plan to migrate to the cloud infrastructure. It would be good if the Cisco switches worked quickly in the cloud, like their hardware devices. Ideally, they would be like OVS-DPDK, but they would work out-of-the-box."
"t is one of the most expensive solutions."
"With most of the Cisco devices and models, we faced a slight decrease in speed during the initial setup and while restarting the system"
"It should have better security and the prices can always be lower. The cheaper the price, the better but if the quality is good, it's worth it. They also have to improve the firewalling."
"I would like to see more collaboration with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) vendors, such as Itron."
"The segment routing could be improved, and they could also transfer a lot of legacy to the cloud domain."
"I would suggest improvements regarding enhancing support response times and implementing user interface modifications for quicker and more user-friendly interactions."
"The solution needs more monitoring tools."
"I would prefer that all the licenses be open for our use."
"The documentation needs improvement for better accessibility, as there isn't proper documentation currently available."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Try to buy everything you need in bulk purchases and ask Cisco for volume discounts."
"Compared to the price of other solutions such as Huawei and HP, Cisco Catalyst Switches is a cheaper solution."
"It would be great for the user if Cisco lowered the prices for their routers and switches."
"The new products from Cisco in the market are expensive. My company cannot import Cisco products, so they are mostly unavailable."
"I would say that the pricing of the solution falls within the moderate to higher range."
"It's very pricey. Compared to competitors, it's a lot more expensive."
"Generally, Cisco Catalyst would be relatively expensive compared to the competition, it would be on the expensive side."
"The product is quite expensive."
"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.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Government
7%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Performing Arts
10%
Computer Software Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
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 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?
We can understand the customer network better and propose products accordingly as areas for improvement. Engaging with customers directly would improve how that could be done easily. Many times the...
What is your primary use case for Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?
I am a system integrator working for different customers. My clients use this product for their network, either for network upgrade or new rollout.
 

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: July 2025.
865,295 professionals have used our research since 2012.