Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] vs ExtremeSwitching comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Dell Technologies and Extreme Networks are both solutions in the LAN Switching category. Additionally, 90% of Dell Technologies users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of Extreme Networks users who would recommend it.

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

Read 34 Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] reviews

90% willing to recommend

ExtremeSwitching

Read 26 ExtremeSwitching reviews

3,047 Views
1,950 Comparison Views

94% willing to recommend

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

ExtremeSwitching

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] and ExtremeSwitching based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Extreme Networks and others in LAN Switching.

To learn more, read our detailed LAN Switching Report (Updated: October 2026).

Buyer's Guide

LAN Switching

October 2026

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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

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

8.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

ExtremeSwitching

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

LAN Switching (6th), Data Center Networking (11th), AV Over IP Switching (4th)

Featured Reviews

LarsEvans

Chief Technology Officer / Chief Information Security Officer at Lorton Data, Inc.

Reliable and useful for network segmentation

The solution's most valuable feature stands up well. The tool is reliable, and it stands up well. The solution works fine and lasts a long time. I think if you speak about the features that have a flow and you can measure, it is hard to say. I don't spend a lot of my time with the tool, but I know that Dell APEX is the solution's cloud. I would say the VLAN features are important. The VLAN features are really useful because network segmentation is important. I would say the tool is easy to program. I don't know if the tool has any security features that I am aware of other than the fact that the solution is for networking. The VLAN and the ability to segment your networks are easy, which is its security feature.

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Meric-Dinc

Director, Solutions at TopTel

Automated fabric networking has simplified large deployments and now streamlines complex operations

The best features in ExtremeSwitching that I appreciate include the technology known as Extreme Fabric, which our customers find miraculous because it enables automated networks. With fabric technology, customers are very happy since they don't need to perform new configurations in the core, distribution, or access site, but only some configuration in access switch ports, as the network automatically knows where services start and end. It is definitely secure and very easy to install. We are utilizing ExtremeSwitching's automated network management feature, and when we sell our products to clients, we always offer Extreme Site Engine or now Platform One for cloud. Having this automated network management helps streamline operations by requiring less manpower, as infrastructure is hard to manage, but with the visualization provided by network management systems, clients only need to use a few clicks to deploy new services. There is no need to create multiple ports or VLANs, allowing even one or two individuals to operate very large networks. ExtremeSwitching's intuitive management interface has improved network performance significantly. For instance, Extreme Networks currently utilizes a very good AI system. When users need to perform configurations like MLAG, they can simply log in, ask for the configuration, and receive recommendations. This capability makes clients very happy because the management software inspects the entire network and provides valuable recommendations that lead to significant improvements.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The functionality is very good."

"This is a stable product and I have not experienced any bugs."

"The tool is reliable, and it stands up well. The solution works fine and lasts a long time."

"The most valuable feature of Dell PowerConnect Switches for me is the throughput. I also like that the product has more compatibility with Dell infrastructure, especially with EMC and new generation Dell servers. Dell PowerConnect Switches can also easily integrate with Dell servers, and this is another pro."

"Their support has been excellent, and it has been quite stable and easy to set up."

"The solution’s technical support is good."

"PowerConnect Switches' stability is satisfactory."

"This is a very reliable solution."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pros

"Advice that I would give to people considering switches is that I think Extreme products are pretty feature-rich and they are definitely worth considering alongside the competition."

"The price is low compared to the competition."

"It's easy to configure, and the commands are intuitive."

"It is meeting our expectations in terms of performance as well as cost-effectiveness."

"The unique ring topology is actually a handy innovation."

"Extreme has become more aggressive with its pricing, the cost per switch per port has come down quite a bit, making it very competitive in the small and medium-size market, and it has made the solution more favorable."

"The switches are fast."

"The solution can scale."

More ExtremeSwitching pros

Cons

"I expect Dell PowerConnect switches to be a zero-touch or a plug-and-play device, but it is not so easy to implement and it is still not a plug-and-play or zero-touch device."

"However, we are now having a problem where it does not integrate well with SDN."

"The network features are not good."

"I can't think of what we would want in the next release."

"It would be great to have modules that integrate with SDN solutions such as Cisco ACI, Arista SDN, Huawei Agile, and IBM."

"The configuration should be improved."

"The one issue you face in the industry there is always some planned obsolescence in these switches."

"The CLI for Dell PowerConnect Switches is sometimes confusing, especially with the LAN, but for the GUI it is simple."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] cons

"All the solutions in this market are lacking cyber asset attack, surface management."

"From a marketing perspective, I would like to see Extreme Networks expand its product line to include small and medium business (SMB) solutions, as many customers do not have large budgets."

"Their pricing could be a bit cheaper, as Huawei switches offer better pricing."

"When comparing ExtremeSwitching with products from other vendors, I find that Extreme is suitable for our needs, particularly regarding cost and configuration. When comparing Extreme with other products, after Cisco, I find that this product is somewhat costlier."

"ExtremeSwitching should come out with simpler but lower-cost switches that are more suited to the Asian market."

"The pricing of the universal switches is an area of concern that needs to be improved."

"The solution as a whole has hardware quality issues."

"ExtremeSwitching has many features but having come from Cisco environments, there is a steep learning curve to learning all the functionality."

More ExtremeSwitching cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"If you want to purchase a new Dell PowerConnect Switch, you will pay up to $1,600, but I bought them used. I bought the four Dell PowerConnect Switches that I used for $1,000."

"Its price is okay. Sometimes, it is lower than a Cisco solution."

"On a scale of one to ten, if one means it is a cheap solution, and ten means it is a very expensive tool, I rate the product's price as seven. The tool is a bit pricey."

"If one is the cheapest price and ten is the most expensive, I rate the product price as an eight or nine. The tool is not cheap."

"Inexpensive"

"Pricing for Dell PowerConnect Switches is quite competitive compared to Cisco and HP pricing. Dell has cheaper pricing and the company is trying to push for sales for its switching infrastructure because right now, the current market is dominated by Cisco. In the US market, there's Cisco, HP, Juniper, and Arista which you can buy for data center switching meant for different kinds of enterprises and ISPs. Dell PowerConnect Switches, on the other hand, is a product for people who need smaller setups or individual switches, especially those looking for a cheaper product and basic switching, though you can also buy a complete suite packaged with the switches."

"In my opinion, it is a product that is priced somewhere in the middle, making it a well-priced solution in the middle. It is not a very cheap product."

"The price of these switches is okay."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pricing and cost advice

"The pricing and licensing are good with the cloud."

"It is not a subscription-based model, and there is no licensing concept. We have to pay for hardware AMC. We have hardware on our premises and for the hardware support, we have to go for the annual maintenance contract with the partner."

"There is no license required to use the solution. The hardware controller is expensive, and this is why I prefer controlling ExtremeSwitching on the cloud."

"The product is expensive."

"On pricing, ExtremeSwitches are going to beat most of the major competition."

"We paid 25,000 to 30,000 INR."

"ExtremeSwitching offers very good pricing plans for their licenses. Compared to their rivals, ExtremeSwitching's prices are very affordable and reasonable. This is why our customers are happy to pay for their service critical support. ExtremeSwitching also offers a great portal to track clients, further satisfying our customers. They are always happy to pay for the service every month. The pricing is very reasonable."

"There is a cost for ExtremeSwitching and if you want the support and maintenance, there are additional costs. My clients typically pay for the support and maintenance annually."

More ExtremeSwitching pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Construction Company

25%

Outsourcing Company

12%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Comms Service Provider

12%

Outsourcing Company

10%

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	21
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	6

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	12
Midsize Enterprise	8
Large Enterprise	8

Questions from the Community

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ExtremeSwitching?

Regarding pricing, I find it very competitive, especially in Turkey, where markets in the Middle East and Africa tend to be price-sensitive. Our prices are very competitive when compared to Cisco a...

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What needs improvement with ExtremeSwitching?

From a marketing perspective, I would like to see Extreme Networks expand its product line to include small and medium business (SMB) solutions, as many customers do not have large budgets. Unlike ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for ExtremeSwitching?

We are utilizing Extreme products in many cases, including a significant project in Antalya, Turkey, involving five five-star hotels, as well as several municipality projects around a million. Most...

See all answers

Comparisons

Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 25% of the time

HPE ProCurve vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 15% of the time

Arista Networks Platform vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 11% of the time

Dell PowerSwitch N-Series vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 11% of the time

Cisco Nexus vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 6% of the time

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Competitors

Cisco Catalyst Switches vs ExtremeSwitching

Compared 22% of the time

Cisco Networking Platform vs ExtremeSwitching

Compared 12% of the time

NETGEAR Switches vs ExtremeSwitching

Compared 11% of the time

Cisco Nexus vs ExtremeSwitching

Compared 11% of the time

Ixia Bypass Switches vs ExtremeSwitching

Compared 8% of the time

More ExtremeSwitching Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

November 2026

Download Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] product report

Buyer's Guide

ExtremeSwitching

November 2026

Download ExtremeSwitching product report

Also Known As

PowerConnect Switches

No data available

Overview

PowerConnect Switches family offers a set of flexible, manageable and comprehensive switch solutions supporting up to 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) and optimized Internet iSCSI (iSCSI) performance with Dell Storage solutions, ideal for enterprise and campus LAN environments alike.

Dell Technologies

ExtremeSwitching delivers robust security and scalability, valued for deep packet inspection and cost-effectiveness. It simplifies deployment and enhances network management with innovative features, despite requiring improvements in cyber attack management and 5G capabilities.

ExtremeSwitching is designed for seamless performance in networking environments. Its ease of configuration, coupled with advanced fabric technology, simplifies deployment. However, challenges include software inconsistencies and pricing issues. The intuitive interface provides enhanced visibility and control, yet could benefit from simplification. Reliability and innovative functionalities contribute to high satisfaction, although support resources require enhancement. Integration of AI features could benefit usability for less skilled administrators, and improvements in entry-level options are needed.

What are the key features of ExtremeSwitching?

Robust Security: Offers advanced security features to protect network infrastructure.
Scalability: Easily scales to accommodate growth within networking environments.
Deep Packet Inspection: Provides detailed analysis of data passing through the network.
Cost-Effective Pricing: Offers competitive pricing that maximizes value for users.
Ring Topology Protocol: Utilizes a unique protocol for efficient network architecture.
Fabric Technology: Simplifies deployment with minimal manpower needed.

What benefits and ROI should users look for when evaluating ExtremeSwitching?

Reliability and Performance: Ensures robust network connectivity in demanding environments.
Cost Efficiency: Offers low-cost solutions that provide significant value.
Innovative Functionalities: Provides features that enhance network management and visibility.
Seamless Operation: Delivers smooth functionality without complex configurations.

ExtremeSwitching assists sectors like education, hospitality, IT, and manufacturing. It supports networking infrastructure, Wi-Fi, and enterprise core functionalities, ideal for projects such as smart city development and government networks. Its deployment aids connectivity in LANs, campuses, and data centers, ensuring reliable system and user networking.

Extreme Networks

Sample Customers

Amerijet Holdings Inc., CGD Securities, MavenWire, Tulane University

Blue Waters

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Extreme Networks and others in LAN Switching. Updated: October 2026.

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