Security, Network & Hosting Operations Manager, Information Technology at cmog
Real User
Top 10
Jun 2, 2026
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing is that licensing is always a pain, as everything involves levels of licensing, so when there are specific features I am looking for, they are usually bundled with a more expensive license that includes features I do not need, and trying to determine which license is needed can sometimes be difficult.
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Cisco Catalyst Center was not too bad, but with supply chain issues, it has become significantly more expensive. Our main core switch is a 9300 48-port switch, and the cost increased from 8,000-9,000 to almost 14,000. Because of this price increase, I have considered not using Cisco everywhere and instead switching to Cisco for just firewall and routing while using another vendor for switching.
Network Engineer at a university with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Top 20
Jun 2, 2026
My experience with pricing, setup costs, and licensing is that the hardware is probably a good price, but it feels like the license is always too expensive.
Regarding pricing, setup cost, and licensing, my boss would know those details. I do not have that information as it does not really apply to me. I am simply the person he tells to go ahead and configure it. I do not know the details on the price.
Network Engineer at Edmonton Catholic School Board
Real User
Top 5
Nov 13, 2025
During license renewal, the pricing for Catalyst licensing increased significantly. For a hardware refresh, the site switched to Fortinet switching because the cost difference was approximately six thousand dollars per device compared to other solutions.
The cost is relative and depends on the market and one's budget provision. While Cisco provides a good return on investment, they are also facing competitive pricing challenges from Huawei.
Analyst at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Top 10
Feb 28, 2025
I find Cisco Catalyst Center is priced normally compared to other solutions. The cost is reflective of their good hardware and the level of service provided. While there might be cheaper hardware, Cisco's strength justifies the cost.
Cisco Catalyst Center offers a comprehensive platform for network management, providing scalable solutions and advanced analytics for enterprise-level operations. Focusing on efficient network management, Cisco Catalyst Center effectively addresses dynamic enterprise environments, ensuring operational scalability and actionable insights through its robust feature set. It emphasizes seamless management with an intuitive interface tailored for professional use, facilitating enhanced network...
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing is that licensing is always a pain, as everything involves levels of licensing, so when there are specific features I am looking for, they are usually bundled with a more expensive license that includes features I do not need, and trying to determine which license is needed can sometimes be difficult.
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Cisco Catalyst Center was not too bad, but with supply chain issues, it has become significantly more expensive. Our main core switch is a 9300 48-port switch, and the cost increased from 8,000-9,000 to almost 14,000. Because of this price increase, I have considered not using Cisco everywhere and instead switching to Cisco for just firewall and routing while using another vendor for switching.
My experience with pricing, setup costs, and licensing is that the hardware is probably a good price, but it feels like the license is always too expensive.
Regarding pricing, setup cost, and licensing, my boss would know those details. I do not have that information as it does not really apply to me. I am simply the person he tells to go ahead and configure it. I do not know the details on the price.
My experience with setup, pricing, licensing, and cost is that I am not part of the licensing and pricing decisions.
I am totally satisfied with the functionality, but we cannot discuss prices with Cisco.
During license renewal, the pricing for Catalyst licensing increased significantly. For a hardware refresh, the site switched to Fortinet switching because the cost difference was approximately six thousand dollars per device compared to other solutions.
The cost is relative and depends on the market and one's budget provision. While Cisco provides a good return on investment, they are also facing competitive pricing challenges from Huawei.
I find Cisco Catalyst Center is priced normally compared to other solutions. The cost is reflective of their good hardware and the level of service provided. While there might be cheaper hardware, Cisco's strength justifies the cost.
The setup can be somewhat expensive.
Cisco is average in pricing, neither too costly nor too cheap. It's like the iPhone of the networking industry.
It is the most expensive when you compare it with other OEMs.