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Cisco Nexus vs HPE ProCurve comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 6, 2025

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 Nexus
Ranking in LAN Switching
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
105
Ranking in other categories
Data Center Networking (3rd)
HPE ProCurve
Ranking in LAN Switching
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
38
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the LAN Switching category, the mindshare of Cisco Nexus is 8.9%, down from 11.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HPE ProCurve is 12.5%, down from 13.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
LAN Switching
 

Featured Reviews

Joe Benítez - PeerSpot reviewer
Offer high performance capabilities and enables efficient data transmission and processing
Before Nexus, I used to have Catalyst 6500 switches. Those 6500 series chassis gave us a lot of problems. Too many problems, actually. And we had a Cisco ASA firewall blade within those chassis. And they were running outdated software. So, in fact, it was the firewall blade that caused us too many problems instead of the chassis. The chassis itself was working well and performing fine, but the firewall card was not suitable for our needs. That was one aspect. Additionally, those chassis had been in operation for more than five years. As we are a local government, we have a policy to renew hardware every five years. That's because we need to maintain all the hardware and software in the latest versions and keep up with the technology lifecycle of the technology we use.
Sandeep Rajguru - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers reliability and helps with vulnerability assessment
I use HPE ProCurve network in our organization. I can say that the product has improved the network flexibility in our company since I haven't seen any challenges from the last seven to eight years. The most valuable product for network management revolves around the area of VSB, also known as virtual switch bonding, which can quickly attach two or three switches or make them come together to quickly form a single switch. From a security perspective, my company does vulnerability assessment. From a security perspective, my company does vulnerability assessment. Following the hardening guidelines, the switches are configured according to the hardening parameters. The tool's reliability and uptime match our company's needs. My company enjoyed configuring the switches a lot, especially since we saw similarities between Cisco's and HPS's configuration processes. HPE ProCurve is user-friendly. We have a different product for network management, so my company doesn't use HPE ProCurve since we have already collaborated with some third-party products. I recommend the product to those who plan to use it. I recommend the product to those who plan to use it, especially since I have been using it without any issues for many years. I rate the tool a nine out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The scalability of the solution is well beyond anything I would ever need."
"The most valuable features of this solution are scalability and reliability."
"The most valuable features are the access layer security, OpenConfig, and OpenFlow."
"The most valuable feature of Cisco Nexus is modularity. It's like the Swiss Army knife of switches."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is that it scales well. It supports a lot of servers. We don't have to come up with different designs for anything. That's the best part about it."
"The most valuable feature is its reliability."
"The initial setup is easy."
"From a data center implementation, with respect to competition from your data, there isn't really a product recovery for the different tests other than Cisco Nexus. For example, if you take Multi-tenancy for the data center, it's something which, I think, only Cisco has. There are some implementation from HP, but I think it's limited there."
"One of the biggest things in HPE ProCurve that I like, though not necessarily a feature, is the HPE warranty because it's probably better than any of the other vendors that we deal with, as it has a lifetime replacement. Feature-wise, the web interface of HPE ProCurve is typically pretty good and I like that as well."
"ProCurve is easy to configure and to know how to create each connection and configuration."
"The product is robust."
"The network management solutions that they have is great."
"HPE ProCurve is used to connect servers and storage in the data center."
"The LAN features give us exactly what we need."
"HPE ProCurve has plenty of features."
"The pricing is quite competitive."
 

Cons

"I don't really deal with the pricing but I know that it's not cheap."
"There is room for improvement in the pricing. The solution is expensive. Compared to other vendors, it's costly for similar products."
"Standardization across iOS and Nexus operating systems would be an improvement."
"I would love to see Active/Active FEX connectivity, which is enhanced vPC, where we could also do a vPC from a server in that type of configuration."
"Overall, I wish it was a more intuitive OS."
"My only complaint is that not all of the ports on it are enabled from the start."
"Cisco Nexus is just a platform. You just set it up, give it an IP, and then start configuring it. But there are a million features to configure."
"One of the biggest challenges, which I see is that there's a constant evolution in the product. For example, our configuration is based on what is known as traditional data center implementation. Today there is the ACI deployment and to implement, to migrate from one technology to another, that's challenging both from a configuration perspective and also from a cost perspective."
"If you make a change and you disconnect yourself from the switch, you will create an issue."
"The pricing model could be improved in HPE ProCurve."
"They should learn from other vendors, such as Cisco. They all have a few specific routing features. HPE doesn't have any cheap BGP solution."
"The solution's pricing could be made cheaper."
"If we're aiming for an improvement, focus on enhancing security features in HPE ProCurve, particularly in terms of filtering."
"A few areas included in the network performance managers can be integrated into the solution's dashboard since it is the only area with a few concerns."
"The product could improve scalability and support for advanced networking features."
"HPE ProCurve is very complex for junior engineers and beginners. You need a lot of experience in managing switches in order to use this switch."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Our licensing fees are paid annually."
"The price of this solution is good when compared to others in the market."
"Cisco Nexus is not cheap compared to Fortinet, Palo Alto, and Check Point."
"We consider Juniper switches to be more affordable."
"The subscription model and price could be better."
"The solution is expensive."
"Licensing is annual or every three years. We were one of the big customers, and we used to get good prices, but the cost of the support can be improved."
"We only have a yearly support contract, as we do not use any of the subscription-based functions at this time."
"The price of this product is cheap."
"You buy the switch and that's it."
"The cost of HPE ProCurve is good."
"It provides quite good value for money."
"The licensing for HPE ProCurve is a one-time cost, though it's varied somewhat. What my company purchased was usually between $3,500 and $5,000 one-time cost."
"The solution is more expensive than other vendors. There is hardware and software that needs to be purchased in some circumstance. The software can sometimes be expensive."
"There is no need to pay for the solution's license."
"HPE ProCurve price could improve. We have a three-year warranty."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
24%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
6%
Educational Organization
12%
Computer Software Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco Nexus?
The product's initial setup phase is very easy.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Nexus?
The price of Cisco Nexus is on the higher side due to the premium services Cisco offers. Despite the cost, it offers valuable features and services.
What needs improvement with Cisco Nexus?
When I talk about data centers, which are critical infrastructure and centralized application hubs, the Nexus platforms should be highly stable. Initially, the codes I received through ACI were qui...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE ProCurve?
HPE ProCurve is competitively priced, with a difference of approximately 30 to 35% compared to other vendors like Cisco. This makes it a viable option for businesses with limited budgets, particula...
What needs improvement with HPE ProCurve?
The product could improve scalability and support for advanced networking features. Including advanced interfaces like QSFP and enhanced support for AI-driven network solutions would make it more c...
 

Also Known As

No data available
ProCurve, HP ProCurve
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Advanced Medical Transport, Banco de Guayaquil, Baylor Scott & White Health, BH Telecom, Bowling Green State University, Calligaris, Children's Hospital Colorado, City of Biel, Del Papa Distributing, Department of Justice, Dimension Data, Dualtec Cloud Builders, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Grupo Industrial Saltillo (GIS), Hertz, K&L Gates , LightEdge, Lone Star College System, Management Science Associates, Mindtree, NBC Olympics, Quest, Sony Corporation, The Department of Education in Western Australia, Valley Proteins
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Cardinal Newman Catholic Secondary School, DY 4 Systems, EdgeWing, Edmonton Public Schools District, Halton Catholic District School Board, Hartwick College, Hatch Associates, Huntingdon College, Roseville Joint Union High School District, Saddleback Valley Unified School District, One Superior Place
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Nexus vs. HPE ProCurve and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
851,604 professionals have used our research since 2012.