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HPE Ethernet Switches vs Meraki MS 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

HPE Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
9th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
103
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Meraki MS Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
8th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
95
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of HPE Ethernet Switches is 2.4%, down from 2.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 3.9%, down from 4.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

LuisSilva6 - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides ease of management and has an easy initial setup process
Primarily, we use the product for network and VLAN segmentation across our hospitality property. It forms the backbone of our network, providing connectivity to devices like TVs, phones, access points, and even electrical switches within guest rooms The product's most valuable feature is the ease…
MajidKhan - PeerSpot reviewer
Remote access enhances troubleshooting with potential for more intuitive interface
We are working with Citrix and router, but in Cisco for Cisco vendor only. We are taking from them since 2015.  The main use case involves some small business customers needing one router, one switch, and two to three access points. It is easy to handle the devices with just a small knowledge of…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The HPE Ethernet switches have very low latency."
"The best feature of this solution is the lifetime warranty."
"You can scale the product as needed."
"These switches have been in use for easily 11 years."
"We get a lifetime warranty for the solution so whenever the switches get faulty, you can get a replacement."
"These are the basic access layer switches used for connectivity among users, and they are cost-effective."
"It is a stable product."
"The product's stacking technology is stable and works well."
"Meraki's site-to-site VPN function is phenomenal, and the VLAN is simple to use and set up. If you need the VLAN to sort the networks out, that works very well. The performance is also excellent."
"Meraki MS Switches have a very user-friendly dashboard and the policies are straightforward for sending them to the devices and blocking sites."
"Quality of Service is easy to deploy. The ease of deployment, in general, is valuable. It is easy to do port configuration and VLAN assignments."
"The features are great."
"The switches are very stable."
"I like the portal, it's really interesting."
"It is easy to configure and claim the switches by their serial number directly from the portal."
"This is a sophisticated product with easy configuration that can save time and effort."
 

Cons

"The technical support does not match up to the standard of Cisco."
"This solution needs to support software-defined networking."
"It's gone up in price in the last 12 months."
"They could provide platform integration with other management tools for better reporting."
"HPE Ethernet Switches have room for improvement in the initial setup and integration process, especially when incorporating them into an existing infrastructure with competitor products."
"They should continue to work on new features."
"There is a limitation of capability."
"The only improvement I can think of is that it could be better with less updates."
"It might be perceived as more of a niche product, partly due to its name, as it's still not entirely recognized by the market."
"Sometimes the controller in the cloud that controls the access points does not have the most accurate information. There is sometimes a glitch in keeping the management controller that is in the cloud up to date."
"In my opinion, there's room for improvement cost-wise. With Meraki's licensing terms, you're required to pay an annual licensing fee, which can be for a one-year license or perhaps a five-year license. But if you analyze the costs involved, there are huge expenses incurred as far as the licensing is concerned."
"I don't like some of the mobile device management options. They're a little bit hard to find in the system."
"It can have better security. It needs more security enhancements, and in particular, a zero-trust element. If we could have external and internal users vetted in the same way as a zero-trust network, that will be handy."
"We prefer Meeraki to be installed only on a local network rather than in a cloud-managed network. Meraki MS Switches are one of our largest categories, with over thirty-five deployed."
"The solution needs to improve its ability to back up the auto-configuration."
"In this solution, you are lacking a feature that Cisco Classic has that allows you to save your configuration with a serial cable."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It would be great if certain features, like licensing, were included in the base price of the switches."
"This is an expensive product."
"All the solutions have a license for the QSFP. Additionally, there is a one-time license fee to increase the interface speed."
"I like HPE switches because you get a perpetual license with the hardware. The initial cost is about the same as other switches, but it starts beating the competitors after three or four years because you don't have to pay for additional annual licensing costs."
"The cost is a bit high."
"Licensing fees are on a yearly basis."
"There are no licensing costs for this solution."
"There are free software updates and there is a lifetime warranty for a few of the switch series."
"The Layer 3 switch is the most expensive switch."
"The price of Meraki MS Switches is high."
"The pricing is very expensive."
"The yearly maintenance fee is $100 and you can purchase the switches used for about $200 each."
"This is not a cheap solution."
"When you compare it to other switches like HP, Juniper, and Ruckus, Meraki MS Switches are cheaper."
"I rate the price of Meraki MS Switches a two out of ten."
"This product is more than the competition, but you get what you pay for."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Government
8%
Educational Organization
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
18%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
6%
Educational Organization
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about HPE Ethernet Switches?
The solution is very stable and easy to use.
What needs improvement with HPE Ethernet Switches?
Based on my experience, I am quite happy with the switches at the moment and do not see any immediate room for improvement.
What do you like most about Meraki MS Switches?
The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are their reliability and simplicity.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Meraki MS Switches?
Meraki MS Switches, including their licensing, are somewhat expensive, particularly when compared with competitor solutions like HP.
What needs improvement with Meraki MS Switches?
The prices are a little higher than other vendors. However, within the Cisco customer segment, customers mostly recommend it because they are existing users, and they are satisfied with their curre...
 

Also Known As

HP Ethernet Switches
MS220, MS320, MS420
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Emirates Palace Hotel
Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
Find out what your peers are saying about HPE Ethernet Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.