Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches Report From PeerSpot 2023-05-07 Mud

Cisco Ethernet Switches
vs
Meraki MS Switches
Buyer's Guide &

Reviews
May 2023
Cisco Ethernet Switches and Meraki MS Switches
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2
Contents
Advice From Real Users 4-9
Top Review by Topic of Cisco Ethernet Switches and Meraki MS Switches 10-11
Overview 12
Reviews From Real Users 13-18
Reviews By Users Who Have Researched Both Solutions 20-25
Vendor Directory 26
Top Ethernet Switches Vendors 27-28
Top Ethernet Switches 5 Solutions by Ranking Factor 29
About This Report and PeerSpot 30
© 2023 PeerSpot
To read more reviews please visit https://www.peerspot.com/products/comparisons/cisco-ethernet-switches_vs_meraki-ms-switches?tid=pdf_comp_19597-29747
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Advice From Real Users
PROS
"The solution is extremely stable." [Full Review]
Julien
Wattebled
"It is a scalable solution, and we have more than 35 customers who use it." [Full Review]
Kalyan
Chowdhury
"The solution can scale." [Full Review]
Dinesh
Upadhyay
"The most valuable feature is that we create a network as a villain." [Full Review]
Ankar Aung
"Remote access is a valuable feature." [Full Review]
ERICK
KAGWEZA
"Cisco Ethernet Switches have good performance." [Full Review]
Toni
Choroski
"We can expect Cisco Ethernet Switches to last for years without issue." [Full Review]
Olajide
Olusegun
© 2023 PeerSpot
4
CONS
"We need more management tools for the solution." [Full Review]
Julien
Wattebled
"We have experienced some issues with Cisco SG350 switches." "We have not been able to use this switch at normal
temperatures as it automatically reboots." [Full Review]
Kalyan
Chowdhury
"They need to offer free replacements until the end of life for devices." [Full Review]
Dinesh
Upadhyay
"The technical support has room for improvement." [Full Review]
Ankar Aung
"Currently, we have to wait up to eight months for a switch." [Full Review]
ERICK
KAGWEZA
"The price of the solution has room for improvement." [Full Review]
Toni
Choroski
"Cisco should strive to improve the software for its switches." [Full Review]
Olajide
Olusegun
© 2023 PeerSpot
5
PRICING AND LICENSING ADVICE
"The price is very high though it is priced right for the level of quality." [Full Review]
Kalyan
Chowdhury
"Cisco offers annual and three-year license options." [Full Review]
Toni
Choroski
"The price of Cisco Ethernet Switches is expensive." [Full Review]
Richard
Hermogeno
"The pricing is reasonable so I rate it a six out of ten." [Full Review]
Jose-Rivera
"The solution is highly expensive compared to other solutions." "The prices get tripled when they arrived in my country of
Angola." [Full Review]
Vladmir
Fortes
"Cisco Ethernet Switches are expensive, and you have to pay for a warranty and technical support." [Full Review]
JEGAN N
"The solution has different prices depending on the features that you want to have." [Full Review]
Atea Alinani
© 2023 PeerSpot
6
Meraki MS Switches
PROS
"The solution is scalable and can accommodate as many devices as needed." [Full Review]
Prasanth
Kailasam
"The most beneficial features of Meraki MS Switches are the visibility and convenience they provide." [Full Review]
reviewer125
8163
"The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are the GUI mode which is helpful for access and good dashboards." [Full
Review]
reviewer202
9143
"I like the portal, it's really interesting." [Full Review]
Christophe
ANDRIEU
"Easy access to the solution is the most valuable feature." [Full Review]
Tshepo
Phuthego
"Meraki MS Switches are amazing." "Whoever built it is a genius." "I like that it's a plug-and-play solution." [Full Review]
SyedImran
"I found the cloud-managed dashboard most valuable in Meraki MS Switches." [Full Review]
Subhashis
Sahoo
© 2023 PeerSpot
7
Meraki MS Switches
CONS
"The lead time for delivery can be a challenge, and there is room for improvement in this area." [Full Review]
Prasanth
Kailasam
"Meraki MS Switches do not offer as many features as their competitors, so we are quite limited in what we can configure on
the switches and firewalls." [Full Review]
reviewer125
8163
"When we do any changes to the core switch it causes the devices to reboot." [Full Review]
reviewer202
9143
"The pricing can be made cheaper." [Full Review]
Christophe
ANDRIEU
Tshepo
Phuthego
"It could be more advanced and secure." "Meraki MS Switches are ideal for a mid-sized enterprise." "But you can't work with
this appliance if you need more security or want to do complex or advanced things." "Technical support could be better." [Full
Review]
SyedImran
"Management from a single dashboard is what I want to see from Meraki MS Switches." [Full Review]
Subhashis
Sahoo
© 2023 PeerSpot
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Meraki MS Switches
PRICING AND LICENSING ADVICE
reviewer125
8163
"I rate the price of Meraki MS Switches a two out of ten." [Full Review]
reviewer202
9143
"It is very expensive so I want it to be cheaper." [Full Review]
Christophe
ANDRIEU
"We have an annual subscription for licensing and it is expensive." [Full Review]
Tshepo
Phuthego
"My company pays for Meraki MS Switches yearly." "Pricing-wise, the product is relatively inexpensive." [Full Review]
Subhashis
Sahoo
"Extreme switches are more cost-effective than Cisco Meraki Switches." [Full Review]
AnkurKumar
"It's $150 per year for licensing on each 250 switch." "The 425 switches are about $500 a year for the enhanced enterprise
licenses." [Full Review]
Corey Taub
© 2023 PeerSpot
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Top Reviews by Topic

Cisco Ethernet Switches Meraki MS Switches
VALUABLE
FEATURES Ken Simiyu Jóhann G. Thorarensen
Being able to deal with multiple VLANs to Accessibility is what I find most valuable in Meraki
segment the network logically is the biggest MS Switches, because I'm able to check things
feature for us. The management of these switches and see if they're working, without being on-site at
is okay for us. These switches work very well, and all times. I can, for example, travel across the
they meet our needs. [Full Review] country, yet I can still check on how things are
working, or what's not working. I can figure out
what's the problem, what's the solution, and I can
fix the problem, even when I'm not on-site. Easy
access to these switches has been a great help.
accountm237963 [Full Review]
The Cisco software does everything under one

umbrella better than the competition. HP kind of reviewer1218795
has the capability. I'm not sure if they still have it,
however, they used to license Cisco's iOS
software for their own switches, which were
decent switches as well. Now, there's Aruba, The top feature of Meraki MS switches for me is
however, they've been through a bunch of Layer 7 application visibility. Another positive in
different changes over the years. ThreeCom was general is that you don't need to set up a console
part of HP for a while. In any case, Cisco offers to the switch itself; it dials in to a single dashboard
sort of a one-stop-shop of options. It's all- where you can completely manage all your
encompassing and can help you in all... [Full network devices. [Full Review]
Review]
JohnMonroe
supervis809292
I like the flexibility of the Meraki firewall. It gives

The CLI is very valuable as it allows network you the ability to lock things down. Having
professionals to work fast and customize the multiple VLANs is helpful for the switching
configuration however they need. Cisco Ethernet infrastructure and firewall. It's crucial when you
Switches have great enterprise features like Cisco have a public-facing VLAN, a private-facing VLAN,
DNA Assurance. Cisco DNA Assurance features and a secure VLAN. [Full Review]
advanced artificial intelligence and machine
learning. Cisco AI Network Analytics, a capability
within Cisco DNA Assurance, allows easy
management of all devices and services,
prioritizes and resolves network issues, and
ensures a better user experience across the n...
[Full Review]
© 2023 PeerSpot
10
Top Reviews by Topic

Cisco Ethernet Switches Meraki MS Switches
ROOM FOR
IMPROVEMENT Ken Simiyu Jóhann G. Thorarensen
The pricing can be improved to make them more What could be improved in this product is the
suitable for SMBs. In terms of features, they tick all price. It could be cheaper. Gaining a deeper
the boxes as of now. That could be because we access or deeper understanding of certain things,
tailor the solution around the product. I have not and being able to look further into the workings of
seen anything that pulls me back or is not working Meraki MS Switches, is something I'd like in the
well for me. However, there could be better next release. Having bundles in relation to price
integration with the network monitoring systems. It would also work perfectly for us. [Full Review]
doesn't mean it is currently not there, but there
could be better discoverability with some of the
network monitoring systems to be able to have
more visib... [Full Review]
reviewer1218795
accountm237963 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
The thing that people usually complain about is license. But if you analyze the costs involved,
that they're a little bit more expensive than other there are huge expenses incurred as far as the
options. That said, you get what you pay for and licensing is concerned. It's very costly. When you
it's such a good solution. You do have to buy into see the cost of the device and the cost of the
the Cisco architecture to be able to use them. You license, they're almost the same. So let's say, for
have to make sure you size appropriately at the example, a device costs $4,200 and you go for a
outset. They're for the smaller markets usually, three or four ... [Full Review]
and you just want to make sure you don't
purchase something under what you might grow
to. Users should try to think a little bit bigger than
what they w... [Full Review]
JohnMonroe
supervis809292 The documentation could be more extensive. For

example, it could describe more scenarios. It
would be great if they could incorporate AI
engines into the switching infrastructure and
The typical areas of concern for Cisco Ethernet firewall so you can configure it to prevent
Switches are not technical but cost including intrusion. They have intrusion prevention and
support costs. I’ve never liked the fact that end detection, but they could enhance it by
users cannot download security patches without a incorporating AI into their firewall. The switching
support contract. I’ve had trouble getting approval infrastructure doesn't need AI so much, but it
to renew Cisco support contracts due to the cost. would undoubtedly benefit their firewalls. That
The additional charges for the DNA capabilities of would be enormously helpful in creating ... [Full
the switches further prices the switches are out of Review]
contention for a lot of IT shops. I understand the
development of this technology is expensive but
cos... [Full Review]
© 2023 PeerSpot
11
Overview
SOLUTION Cisco Ethernet Switches Meraki MS Switches
OVERVIEW Cisco Ethernet Switches scale to meet the needs Meraki MS Switches are first-line cloud-managed
of networks of all sizes. They are Secure, Reliable access and aggregation switches that combine
and Seamless. the benefits of cloud-based centralized
management with a reliable access platform. With
cloud management, thousands of switch ports can
be configured and monitored instantly over the
web.
Meraki MS Switches Features
Meraki MS Switches have many valuable key

features. Some of the most useful ones include:
True zero-touch configuration
Integrated troubleshooting tools, logging, and

alerting...
SAMPLE Linz AG Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt

CUSTOMERS
TOP NETGEAR Switches vs. Cisco Ethernet Switches Aruba Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches
COMPARISONS Compared 17% of the time Compared 22% of the time
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches vs. Cisco HPE Ethernet Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches
Ethernet Switches Compared 11% of the time
Compared 15% of the time
NETGEAR Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs. Cisco Compared 8% of the time
Ethernet Switches
Compared 12% of the time
TOP INDUSTRIES, University ... 9% Manufacturing Company ... 6%

BASED ON Financial Services Firm ... 9% Financial Services Firm ... 9%
REVIEWERS*
Educational Organization ... 9% Construction Company ... 12%
Computer Software Company ... 12% Computer Software Company ... 18%
TOP INDUSTRIES, Manufacturing Company ... 7% Government ... 7%
BASED ON Comms Service Provider ... 10% Comms Service Provider ... 8%
COMPANIES
READING REVIEWS* Government ... 10% Retailer ... 8%
Computer Software Company ... 15% Computer Software Company ... 18%
COMPANY SIZE, 201-1000 Employees ... 26% 1001+ Employees ... 21%
BASED ON 1001+ Employees ... 33% 201-1000 Employees ... 23%
REVIEWERS*
1-200 Employees ... 41% 1-200 Employees ... 56%
COMPANY SIZE, 1-200 Employees ... 27% 1-200 Employees ... 34%
BASED ON 201-1000 Employees ... 18% 201-1000 Employees ... 19%
COMPANIES
READING REVIEWS* 1001+ Employees ... 55% 1001+ Employees ... 47%
* Data is based on the aggregate profiles of PeerSpot Users researching this solution.
© 2023 PeerSpot
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Cisco Ethernet Switches review by a real user
It can be scaled as required and has good support
Senior Manager - SBR Technical Services at

Reliance Industries Ltd
Parimal Sardar
WHAT IS OUR PRIMARY USE CASE?
If I have to make some connections, I use Cisco products and protocols, but if I have to multitask or have other requirements,
that's where I use Cisco Ethernet Switches. I also use Cisco Ethernet Switches for my storage use case, particularly for FCIP.
WHAT IS MOST VALUABLE?
I like that Cisco has a wide range of solutions, and you get good support for Cisco Ethernet Switches versus other products in
the market.
WHAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT?
An area for improvement in Cisco Ethernet Switches is its command-line interface, for example, for Juniper, because it's not
working if you want to do some implementation. Still, for any system integrator or simple integration, it works.
Generally, an issue arises if you miss a semicolon or a space, for example, or if you add one word. It can be tricky because
people usually forget minor details in a configuration. What could make Cisco Ethernet Switches better is a rollback feature. If
you can quickly roll back the changes you made and revert to your old configuration, that would be helpful.
Another area for improvement is the response time of the technical support team. It could be faster.
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Continued from previous page
FOR HOW LONG HAVE I USED THE SOLUTION?
I've worked with most Cisco switches for over twenty years, including Cisco Ethernet Switches. I still deal with Cisco Ethernet
Switches.
WHAT DO I THINK ABOUT THE STABILITY OF THE SOLUTION?
Cisco Ethernet Switches are fine most of the time in terms of stability. However, for any significant number of machines, in
some cases, systems fail, and that's normal.
WHAT DO I THINK ABOUT THE SCALABILITY OF THE SOLUTION?
I can scale Cisco Ethernet Switches when required. For example, when I'm running out of port, I need a new switch, but that
only happens sometimes.
HOW ARE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUPPORT?
I'm not directly involved in contacting the Cisco Ethernet Switches technical support team. My company is a large service
provider, and when you go out of scale, there'll be some limitations in the product, and that's when technical support comes
in. Support takes a bit of time, though.
HOW WAS THE INITIAL SETUP?
The initial setup for Cisco Ethernet Switches could have been more straightforward and user-friendly. If the setup were easier,
then more people would love the product.
Deploying Cisco Ethernet Switches requires checking with the project coordinator on requirements, such as the network type,
the bandwidth, etc., to determine the type of switch to use. I'll then figure out whether to input single-tier, dual-tier, or multi-tier
on the Cisco Ethernet Switches.
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WHAT'S MY EXPERIENCE WITH PRICING, SETUP COST, AND LICENSING?
I cannot comment on pricing for Cisco Ethernet Switches because customers use the product continuously, which also
depends on the requirement. If I need to multitask or use up 40 GB, I need to change the switches or use a new solution. It
depends on the customer's requirements.
WHAT OTHER ADVICE DO I HAVE?
I'm currently working with Cisco Ethernet Switches.
I'm not an end-user of Cisco Ethernet Switches, but I help the network team implement the product.
My company is huge because it's a telecom service provider, so it has a significant number of users of Cisco Ethernet
Switches, but the number would not reach millions.
I recommend Cisco Ethernet Switches as long as your solution is correctly designed and your requirement is okay. You can
implement the product or any other Cisco technology based on the two points I mentioned.
I'm rating Cisco Ethernet Switches as eight on a scale of one to ten.
© 2023 PeerSpot
15
Meraki MS Switches review by a real user
Reliable and easily accessible switches with a plug and play setup
IT Manager at Sund Upper Secondary School
Jóhann G.
Thorarensen
We have computers around the school, but we've been cutting down on desktop computers and moving more towards Wi-Fi
and laptops. In the dorms, we still have a docking station which is wired, so it's a mixture. The plan is to run everything through
the Meraki system, so we can access it and we can control it, whether we are inside the school or outside the school.
HOW HAS IT HELPED MY ORGANIZATION?
As Meraki MS Switches are accessible, we benefit from them as it's quicker for us to identify problems and find solutions,
which means the downtime is reduced.
Accessibility is what I find most valuable in Meraki MS Switches, because I'm able to check things and see if they're
working, without being on-site at all times. I can, for example, travel across the country, yet I can still check on how things are
working, or what's not working. I can figure out what's the problem, what's the solution, and I can fix the problem, even when
I'm not on-site. Easy access to these switches has been a great help.
What could be improved in this product is the price. It could be cheaper.
Gaining a deeper access or deeper understanding of certain things, and being able to look further into the workings of Meraki
MS Switches, is something I'd like in the next release.
Having bundles in relation to price would also work perfectly for us.
16
We've been using Meraki MS Switches for three years.
I find this product stable. It's very reliable. We've only had two or three instances when one of the two Wi-Fi systems in our
school fluctuated, but I'm not certain what really caused it. It has been relatively easy to fix that, and it could just be
a configuration problem.
I don't see any problems with scaling Meraki MS Switches at the moment, but I will know more about it once we have replaced
our old switches with this product. It's only then that I'll have a better understanding of its scalability in terms of it being
a whole system, rather than individually.
WHICH SOLUTION DID I USE PREVIOUSLY AND WHY DID I SWITCH?
We used Cisco switches, then we decided to go with Meraki MS Switches for several reasons. One reason was that the Cisco
switches were originally set up by a company that was in charge of the whole system, which was run from a company outside
the school. Then, we had someone come in to take charge here in our school, then we transferred that responsibility to an
outsider. I then came in, and I started learning the system, so the outsider became the backup plan.
It turned out, once we started digging into things, that the system was set up in a cumbersome and closed way, much like a
banking system, rather than a setup that would be good for a school, that can rely on switches rather than closing the
school into units.
Another reason was that our switches were getting outdated, so we had to do something. We started looking at various
solutions, and we had to decided whether to continue the way we were doing things, which we did not like because it was
cumbersome and it had to be done on-site, or if we could do it in a way that would be more accessible both inside and outside
the school, while having the level of security and stability we need.
For example, we looked at Ubiquiti UniFi which was a cheaper system, but it was less stable, though I know that some schools
were using that system. It was really just a question of stability and accessibility, and these were deciding factors in the system
that we chose. Even though Meraki MS Switches were more expensive than the other solutions, we ended up with Meraki.
17
Product setup wasn't complex. I was very surprised about how easy it was to set up.
WHAT ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION TEAM?
We implemented this product in-house, with the help of the head of our IT team.
This product is pricey. We are a relatively low-budget school, and for a low-budget school to have a system like this, which is a
great help, it means that instead of being able to move faster towards implementing everything, we need to take very small
steps. What we should be able to do in two or three years, would take us five to seven years, so the price is a drawback.
Not only do we have to buy the product, we also have to get a license for each annually. For a school that doesn't have a lot of
money, that is a problem, but we still decided to go with Meraki MS Switches.
WHICH OTHER SOLUTIONS DID I EVALUATE?
We evaluated Cisco, Fortinet, and Ubiquiti UniFi switches.
We ended up with Meraki Wireless, so we never got to use Fortinet, but we are happy with what we have. As of last summer,
the state has taken charge of security issues, so we just follow them.
We set up a new firewall three years ago, and we went with Cisco Meraki firewall. We used to have Cisco and after having
looked at various options, we decided on Meraki. The head of school made that decision, because he was advised that even
though Meraki's a bit pricey, it's still secure and offers a high level of accessibility to us who are looking after the system, and
making sure that everything's working fine. That has turned out to be rather true, because Cisco Meraki firewall has the level
of security we are looking for, with the accessibility to implement all the changes we needed to do, and the access to the end
points as we needed them.
Since we have a Meraki firewall, it goes through the Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN, and the rest of the school really just has
18
switches that will be replaced with Meraki MS Switches as time goes by.
I'm unsure about what version of Meraki MS Switches we're using, but it could be the most up-to-date version. It's deployed in
the Cloud, so we access the website and control everything through there. The hardware is in the building, but there isn't any
specific need to access the hardware, except for the old Cisco switches that we still have which need to be accessed locally.
Once we've replaced all the old switches with Meraki MS Switches, which will take us a few years, then we should be able to
access everything through the cloud.
The deployment of this product took less than a day, particularly a few hours. The head of our IT team helped set it up, and it
was plug and play. We plugged it in, set up the ports, and made sure that everything was working. The product worked
fine. There were a few issues to begin with, but those had to do with conflicts between Cisco switches and Meraki switches,
because even if they were from the same company, they were still different sets of products. That was really the only thing
that took a little time to figure out.
We have 850 users of Meraki MS Switches in our school. We only have two people for its deployment and maintenance. I'm
the one who handles it full time, and when I run into problems, I talk to the other guy, then he jumps in. That's all we need to
maintain this product. It's being used everyday, e.g. we open up at 8 a.m. and we close at 4 p.m. We use these
switches constantly, throughout the whole day. I also use this product when I'm working from home, as I'm also connected to
the Meraki system.
We didn't have the need to contact technical support for Meraki MS Switches, so I can't evaluate their support.
My advice to people thinking about implementing this product is to look at the price tag, because in the end, the price will
always be a big factor, especially when you have a system, then you buy the hardware, then you need to pay the license for
each product annually, as the costs will mount up the more machinery you add in.
I would also tell them the same thing I always advise people when they're buying a computer, and that is to ask themselves
what they need. Do you need a secure system, but is not very stable? This is highly unlikely, in my opinion. Do you need a
stable system that is very accessible, both inside and outside of a school or a building? What is it you need?
I would tell them from that point, look at accessibility, reliability, stability, security, and look at all the systems that are available.
There are at least four or five big names all around. Have a look at them all, and don't just jump on the first one. We all have
our preferences, so just keep an open mind, have a look at the different options. For example, I commented about Fortinet this
one time, that I like that system, and I think it's a very interesting system, but we decided on Meraki MS Switches and I'm
happy with this product.
There's a return on investment because this product is worth it. It's so accessible, stable, and secure, and because it's so
accessible, it's quicker for us to find solutions. Meraki MS Switches make things run more smoothly, making these switches
almost priceless.
I'm rating Meraki MS Switches a nine, because I'm very happy with them, but I'm very skeptical about giving a ten out of ten.
Nothing is perfect.
WHICH DEPLOYMENT MODEL ARE YOU USING FOR THIS SOLUTION?
Public Cloud
IF PUBLIC CLOUD, PRIVATE CLOUD, OR HYBRID CLOUD, WHICH CLOUD PROVIDER DO YOU USE?
Other
© 2023 PeerSpot
19
Researched Cisco But Chose Cisco

Review by a real user:
Senior Client Manager at GBM
Prasanth Kailasam
Meraki is a cloud-based solution that can be accelerated to clients and compensate for the entire gamut of networking,
switching, wireless, and gateway security. Everything can be managed and monitored from the cloud. It's a multidimensional
scenario where clients might have many locations and need infrastructure to be deployed quickly and remotely. If there's no
local manpower available at those sites, then these are the ideal use cases for Meraki.
For me, management and security is the most valuable feature. Moreover, Meraki has a beautiful management console from
where you can manage the entire solution.
From an enterprise level, too, their pricing is reasonable. Being the Cisco umbrella, they are on the higher end but pretty okay.
The challenge we face, not only with Meraki but maybe with all vendors, is the delivery timeline because of our global issues.
There is a lead time issue that we are facing, specifically on the Cisco or Meraki. If Cisco can work on something with better
lead times, they could regain the edge they lost due to delivery delays that have happened for the last two years.
If it's a greenfield kind of opportunity, Meraki does make sense. But, if they can look at opening up a bit of their management
portfolio to other vendors, too, maybe it will be more useful because many clients might already have some solutions as part
of their environment. In case they have a few switches of some other brand, Fortinet, or they could have switches from HP. If
Meraki can also address this point of managing those components as part of their cloud offering, that will help the future
upgrade.
There is definitely room for improvement in the delivery lead time. In case someone wants to procure something new,
inherently, Cisco was having a challenge even for Cisco hardware to get all the components. Even now, as we see, the
delivery lead time is close to four to five months. Clients are not ready to wait for five months for a business to start. They want
it immediately. They placed the order today, and in another two to three weeks, they need the hardware.
20
I have been using this solution for eight years.
Stability had some issues early on, but now it's more or less stable. I have not received many complaints from clients using the
Meraki MS Switches. It's pretty okay now and has reached that level of stability.
It is a scalable solution. It's a cloud-based solution, so you can add as many devices as you want.
Initially, there were some challenges related to dependencies. However, since Cisco TAC has taken over, I have noticed a
significant improvement in the speed at which issues are resolved. The call is now diverted to the same tag, which has made
the process faster and more efficient.
The initial setup is fine. The device is manageable console-wise and has a user-friendly GUI.
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WHAT ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION TEAM?
When it comes to implementation, it's just a matter of plug-in and start working. A branch could be up and running in half an
hour, provided the necessary parameters are set and available.
Meraki MS Switches is neither too expensive nor too cheap, but yes, opex-wise, Meraki is not too cheap. Again, if you want me
to rate it on a scale of zero to ten, with ten being the most expensive, I would rate Meraki around six and a half.
Price can be better because if there are other offerings in the market, they are also scaling up, gearing up, and giving most of
the functionality similar to what Meraki is able to give. To be competitive in the market, it's better that some pre-thinking can
be done from the pricing front too.
The pricing model is based on a yearly renewal because everybody is in the subscription world. But we generally ask clients
to go for a three-year upfront purchase. Then, after every three years, they need to renew.
Depending on the customer's overall solution, we also work with other networking components, such as Fortinet and other
cybersecurity solutions.
If it's a single-location kind of environment, definitely, you have got other options to look at. But if you have a multi-site kind of
environment and you need all inherent functionalities starting off from the basic networking, going on to security, and going
on to your SD-WAN and other functionalities to be part of the same solution, then it's the right solution that you can look at
because it has all these as part of the inherent OS itself. And the biggest benefit that you get is that it is manageable. It's a
cloud-based offering, and you can very well manage the entire setup without even being at the site, provided that the
environment is on the network.
Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten.
© 2023 PeerSpot
22
Researched Cisco But Chose Cisco

Review by a real user:
Global Network Architect at a manufacturing

company with 51-200 employees
reviewer1258163
We use the solution for our networking.
The most beneficial features of Meraki MS Switches are the visibility and convenience they provide. We have a single-pane-of-
glass and a cloud-based management dashboard, so we do not need to manually configure each device. This is the greatest
advantage. Additionally, they are easy to deploy with zero-touch provisioning, meaning that even those with limited technical
knowledge can connect the devices.
Meraki MS Switches do not offer as many features as their competitors, so we are quite limited in what we can configure on
the switches and firewalls. They are meant to be simple, but perhaps they should offer advanced features for more
experienced users who would like to opt for them. I would suggest improving the price as well, as Meraki MS Switches are
quite expensive due to their Cisco branding.
Perhaps in a future release, we could implement security technologies that are not yet available, such as SAC. To do this, we
may need to purchase different types of switches; for example, Cisco has an access switch for data centers that allows for
virtual port channeling, which cannot be done with a regular switch. However, this is a different market and use case.
The price of the solution has room for improvement.
23
I have been using the solution for almost four years.
The solution is stable and we have not encountered any issues. Meraki MS Switches have a familiar life cycle, so we are not
required to upgrade. Everything can be done automatically as long as we adhere to the most common scenarios; we should
be good. We have 150 locations where we use them and we have not experienced any stability issues.
The solution is scalable. The solution is suitable for all organization sizes, except for those that are very large and require a
service provider or data center, footage. Meraki should be a good fit as long as a reasonable price can be negotiated and the
technology is compatible.
Technical support is quite satisfactory. It may not be as great as Cisco support, but it is much better than other vendors I have
had to work with. Response times are still quite fast and we can call someone if we have an urgent problem, with reasonable
waiting times. Whenever I have needed help, I either get the answer or am being pointed in the right direction. Overall, it is
quite satisfactory.
HOW WOULD YOU RATE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUPPORT?
Neutral
24
The pricing varies. If we start with this small eight-plus switch, it is quite inexpensive. However, if we need some ten gig
switches, it can be very expensive, ranging up to $10,000 or $18,000. Additionally, we also need to purchase the license,
making it more costly than the regular Cisco Catellis.
I evaluated Ubiquiti UniFi.
I give the solution an eight out of ten.
It makes sense to purchase Meraki MS Switches if we already have other Meraki devices, such as IPs. Getting the switches is a
good choice, or if we plan to use the full Meraki stack, including the firewall, switch, and AP, then we will benefit from visibility
in the dashboard. If we mix and match equipment, then it is not ideal as support may not be as good, and we may have
difficulty identifying the source of any issues. If we use Meraki, then they will take responsibility for any issues on the network.
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches are the main competitor to Meraki MS Switches because they offer a range of products, including
switches, access points, security appliances, cameras, and more. However, Ubiquiti is primarily focused on small-to-middle-
sized businesses, and their prices are lower than Meraki's. However, they do not provide the same level of support or
documentation as Meraki, and their warranty is much shorter - only one year compared to Meraki's lifetime warranty on data
devices.
WHICH DEPLOYMENT MODEL ARE YOU USING FOR THIS SOLUTION?
On-premises
© 2023 PeerSpot
25
Vendor Directory For Ethernet Switches

ADTRAN ADTRAN NetVanta Routers and Switches Extreme Extreme VDX
Alaxala Alaxala Ethernet Switches Fortinet Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center
Alcatel-Lucent Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Fortinet Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access

Enterprise Switches
H3C H3C Ethernet Switches
Arista Arista Networks Platform
Hewlett Packard HPE Ethernet Switches
Aruba Networks Aruba Switches Enterprise
Avaya Avaya Ethernet Switches [EOL] Hewlett Packard 3Com H3C Switches
Enterprise
Broadcom Brocade Ethernet Switches
Hitachi Vantara Hitachi Cable Apresia [EOL]
Broadcom Broadcom RoboSwitch
Huawei Huawei Ethernet Switches
Broadcom Broadcom StrataConnect
IBM IBM Blade Ethernet Switches [EOL]
Broadcom Broadcom StrataDNX
Juniper Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches
Broadcom Broadcom StrataXGS
Lenovo Lenovo Ethernet Switches
Cisco Cisco Ethernet Switches
Lenovo Lenovo CE Series Campus Switches
Cisco Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches
Luxul Luxul Switches
Cisco Meraki MS Switches
Mellanox Technologies Mellanox Switches
D-Link D-Link Ethernet Switches
MikroTik MikroTik Routers and Switches
datto Datto Networking Switches
MikroTik MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
Dell Technologies Force10 Ethernet Switches [EOL]
Netgear NETGEAR Switches
Dell Technologies Dell PowerSwitch Campus and Branch
Switches Nokia Nokia Ethernet Service Switch
Ericsson-LG Ericsson-LG Ethernet Switches NoviFlow NoviFlow NoviSwitch
Extreme Enterasys Ethernet Switches Ubiquiti Networks Ubiquiti UniFi Switches
26
Top Ethernet Switches Vendors

Over professionals have used PeerSpot research. Here are the top vendors based on product reviews, ratings, and comparisons. All
reviews and ratings are from real users, validated by our triple authentication process.
Chart Key
Views Comparisons Reviews Words/Review Average Rating
Number of views Number of times compared Total number of reviews on Average words per review Average rating based on
to another product PeerSpot on PeerSpot reviews
Bar length
The total ranking of a product, represented by the bar length, is based on a weighted aggregate score. The score is calculated as follows:
For each ranking factor of Reviews, Views, and Comparisons, the product with the highest count in each ranking factor gets a maximum 18
points. Every other product gets assigned points based on its total in proportion to the #1 product in that ranking factor. For example, if a
product has 80% of the number of reviews compared to the product with the most reviews then the product's points for reviews would be 18
* 80% = 14.4.
Both Rating and Words/Review are awarded on a fixed linear scale. For Rating, the maximum score is 28 points awarded linearly between 6-
10 (e.g. 6 or below=0 points; 7.5=10.5 points; 9.0=21 points; 10=28 points). For Words/Review, the maximum score is 18 points awarded
linearly between 0-900 words (e.g. 600 words = 12 points; 750 words = 15 points; 900 or more words = 18 points). If a product has fewer than
ten reviews, the point contribution for Rating and Words/Review is reduced: 1/3 reduction in points for products with 5-9 reviews, two-thirds
reduction for products with fewer than five reviews.
Reviews that are more than 24 months old, as well as those written by resellers, are completely excluded from the ranking algorithm.
All products with 50+ points are designated as a Leader in their category.
1 Cisco Ethernet Switches
34,120 views 30,295 comparisons 44 reviews 373 words/review 8.5 average rating
2 Aruba Switches
3 MikroTik Routers and Switches
© 2023 PeerSpot
27
4 Meraki MS Switches
5 Ubiquiti UniFi Switches
6 Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches
7 Arista Networks Platform
8 NETGEAR Switches
9 Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches
10 Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access
© 2023 PeerSpot
28
Top Ethernet Switches 5 Solutions by Ranking Factor

Views
VIEWS
1 Cisco Ethernet Switches 34,120
2 NETGEAR Switches 23,863
3 Ubiquiti UniFi Switches 23,086
4 MikroTik Routers and Switches 22,957
5 Aruba Switches 22,137
Reviews
REVIEWS
1 Cisco Ethernet Switches 44
2 Meraki MS Switches 43
3 Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches 32
4 Aruba Switches 31
5 Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches 28
Words / Review
WORDS /
REVIEW
1 Broadcom StrataConnect 935
2 NETGEAR Switches 602
3 Ubiquiti UniFi Switches 529
4 Arista Networks Platform 510
5 Meraki MS Switches 472
© 2023 PeerSpot
29
About this report

This report is comprised of a list of enterprise level Ethernet Switches vendors. We have also included several real user reviews posted on
peerspot.com. The reviewers of these products have been validated as real users based on their LinkedIn profiles to ensure that they
provide reliable opinions and not those of product vendors.
About PeerSpot
The Internet has completely changed the way we make buying decisions. We now use ratings and review sites to see what other real users
think before we buy electronics, book a hotel, visit a doctor or choose a restaurant. But in the world of enterprise technology, most of the
information online and in your inbox comes from vendors but what you really want is objective information from other users.
We created PeerSpot to provide technology professionals like you with a community platform to share information about enterprise software,
applications, hardware and services.
We commit to offering user-contributed information that is valuable, objective and relevant. We protect your privacy by providing an
environment where you can post anonymously and freely express your views. As a result, the community becomes a valuable resource,
ensuring you get access to the right information and connect to the right people, whenever you need it.
PeerSpot helps tech professionals by providing:
• A list of enterprise level Ethernet Switches vendors

• A sample of real user reviews from tech professionals
• Speciﬁc information to help you choose the best vendor for your needs
Use PeerSpot to:
• Read and post reviews of vendors and products

• Request or share information about functionality, quality, and pricing
• Contact real users with relevant product experience
• Get immediate answers to questions
• Validate vendor claims
• Exchange tips for getting the best deals with vendors
PeerSpot
244 5th Avenue, Suite R-230 • New York, NY 10001
www.peerspot.com
reports@peerspot.com
+1 646.328.1944
© 2023 PeerSpot
30

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Cisco Ethernet Switches

Buyer's Guide &

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Advice From Real Users 4-9

Reviews From Real Users 13-18

Reviews By Users Who Have Researched Both Solutions 20-25

Top Ethernet Switches Vendors 27-28

Top Ethernet Switches 5 Solutions by Ranking Factor 29

About This Report and PeerSpot 30

Advice From Real Users