Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary
Updated on Sep 4, 2022

We performed a comparison between Cisco Catalyst Switches and Dell PowerConnect Switches based on our users’ reviews in four categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.

  • Ease of Deployment: Cisco Catalysts Switches users say the setup can be very complex for the novice user; Cisco network experience or certification is advised. Dell PowerConnect users feel deployment is easy and straightforward.
  • Features: Cisco Catalyst Switches users like the spanning tree and redundancy features. The solution offers great PoE capabilities, load balancing, and DHCP functionalities. Some users feel that security and wireless functions could be improved, in addition to better compatibility with today’s software-defined technologies.

    Users say Dell PowerConnect Switches are very compatible and provide great throughput. They are very stable, easy to configure, and can easily multi-task. Many users tell us some newer versions are not compatible with older versions, which can cause latencies, network blockages, or even outages.
  • Pricing: Many users feel Cisco Catalyst Switches are a very expensive solution. Dell PowerConnect Switches users feel they are very moderately priced and very cost-effective.
  • Service and Support: Users of both solutions are happy with the level of service and support they have received.

Comparison Results: Users feel Cisco Catalyst Switches provide great stability, intuitive reliable analytics, seamless scalability, excellent PoE capabilities, and solid robust security. However, users are happier with the pricing of Dell PowerConnect Switches.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Dell PowerConnect Switches Report (Updated: March 2024).
765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"We have to use the QoS (CBWFQ) function... and it is easy to use.""We use a lot of security features available with Cisco Catalyst Switches.""Catalyst switches are highly reliable. They have a good product life, they are balanced overall compared to others.""Their technical support is good, one of the best in the industry.""I have found that the protocols that Cisco Catalyst Switches support are beneficial for my customers.""These switches are very stable. We haven't had any problems. We also have some old switches that are working for almost ten years.""The solution is stable.""The solution is very stable."

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"It's easy to set up. We can put it in production in a couple of minutes.""The most valuable features are the jumbo frames and the stacking.""The technology is good and the interface is simple. We haven't had any bugs, disconnections or delays.""Dell offers very good support.""Its throughout and compatibility are the most valuable.""The solution’s technical support is good.""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.""The features I've found most valuable are that the product is very easy to configure and inexpensive."

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Cons
"Cisco needs to improve compatibility with other solutions and other vendors like SolarWinds. We've had problems using Catalyst with SolarWinds. Some devices can't be put on SolarWinds due to some ID Values and so on.""The solution is expensive.""Cisco can definitely improve the training part. They can provide more training related to configuration.""The general price of the solution could be cheaper.""The solution could improve by allowing administrators to create scripts to help automate processes to make tasks easier.""Scaling can be quite costly.""The management of Cisco Catalyst Switches could be improved.""The addition of more security and privilege levels to Cisco Catalyst Switches is required as it is one of the areas with certain shortcomings."

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"Not a ten because I have to do a lot of testing on it. The correlation is okay.""I expect it to be a zero-touch or a plug-and-play device. To some extent, it is, but we need to know the architecture, and we need to know what exactly we are doing. It is not so easy to implement. It depends on what exactly we are doing and it is still not a plug-and-play or zero-touch device. In the upcoming version, they can make it zero-touch, where we can just power it on and start using it. They can have some templates for different scenarios, such as when you are using it for the data center or adding it to your existing infrastructure.""A big issue with this product is that when our customer migrated the data center, one cluster blocked the whole network and because we had a new approach, some commands were not compatible with the new version.""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.""There should be more port options in this switch. Currently, it has 24 or 48 ports. However, some of our customers require only 8 ports, but I have to put a switch with 24 ports. They should provide smaller solutions and complimentary access point for companies like ours with a low quantity of work. The main issue with this product is branding. They should improve their branding and promote their brand more in Mexico. Customers are more aware of brands like Cisco as compared to Dell.""The network features are not good.""The CLI for Dell PowerConnect Switches is sometimes confusing, especially with the LAN, but for the GUI it is simple."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "​The price should go down instead of up. ​"
  • "It has a very high cost, but understandably, due to its very good quality."
  • "Cisco's prices are not cheap, but the stability is worth it."
  • "Pricing could be better."
  • "If you consider Cisco's price with the Dell, you will definitely lose with Cisco. But Cisco has a major area of equipment in general. Cisco has routers, firewalls, NAC, certain video conferencing, Apple phones, and different security solutions. But Dell doesn't have such areas, Dell only has switching architecture."
  • "Generally, Cisco Catalyst would be relatively expensive compared to the competition, it would be on the expensive side."
  • "Pricing is an issue I have been facing, in comparison with HPE or Juniper. The Nexus series is out of the question right now. Scalability is more an issue on the pricing side and less on the technology side."
  • "Catalyst is very expensive."
  • More Cisco Catalyst Switches Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "This solution is much cheaper than comparable products by Cisco."
  • "The price of these switches is okay."
  • "Its price is okay. Sometimes, it is lower than a Cisco solution."
  • "Cheaper than its competitors"
  • "Inexpensive"
  • "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."
  • "Dell PowerConnect switches are cheaper than Cisco switches. Cisco's higher capacity switches (100 or 200 gigs) are super-expensive. With the higher capacity, the price of the switches and the price of the architecture go high. Dell is cheaper and modular. So, I don't need to invest 100% upfront. I can invest as I progress. That is an option because the chassis will not be populated with all the pluggables. I have a choice because it is modular. I can go for 25 gigs today, and after four months, I can go for 100 gigs, and after that, I can go for 200 gigs. I have a choice when it is not a fixed switch."
  • "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."
  • More Dell PowerConnect Switches Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:Hello Mesfin It depends on the real scenario, the cisco 2960 is a very good device and they usually have routing functions but there are many different models within the same 2960 line, and on the… more »
    Top Answer:The most valuable features of the solution are BGP, VPN, and spine-leaf architecture.
    Top Answer:The solution’s technical support is good.
    Top Answer:The IOS software that is used on the switches could be improved. The solution is a little cumbersome to configure and get them up in the environment.
    Ranking
    1st
    out of 16 in LAN Switching
    Views
    11,301
    Comparisons
    5,661
    Reviews
    20
    Average Words per Review
    449
    Rating
    8.8
    3rd
    out of 16 in LAN Switching
    Views
    3,354
    Comparisons
    2,548
    Reviews
    10
    Average Words per Review
    359
    Rating
    8.3
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
    PowerConnect Switches
    Learn More
    Overview

    Cisco Catalyst Switches are a reliable and scalable network switching and routing solution, focusing on VLANs and VLAN switching. They are used as access switches, distribution switches, and core switches in various environments, deployed on-premises, and used for long connections. The switches are easy to configure, install, and upgrade and offer good pricing. 

    The most valuable features include warranty and firmware support, stability, security, good performance, flexibility, etc. The Cisco Catalyst Switches have provided a stable solution for the organizations and are widely used, trusted, and well-known in the networking industry.

    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.
    Sample Customers
    Afni, Anilana Hotels and Resorts, Baylor Scott & White Health, Beachbody, Bellevue, Del Papa Distributing, Explorer Pipeline, Mindtree, Omaha World Herald, Radio 538, Sony Corporation, Telecom Italia, Telenor Arena
    Amerijet Holdings Inc., CGD Securities, MavenWire, Tulane University
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company13%
    Comms Service Provider11%
    University10%
    Manufacturing Company10%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization52%
    Computer Software Company9%
    Government4%
    Manufacturing Company4%
    REVIEWERS
    Media Company19%
    Financial Services Firm13%
    Computer Software Company13%
    Engineering Company6%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company18%
    Government9%
    Manufacturing Company7%
    Comms Service Provider7%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business41%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise42%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business11%
    Midsize Enterprise57%
    Large Enterprise31%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business63%
    Midsize Enterprise20%
    Large Enterprise17%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business30%
    Midsize Enterprise17%
    Large Enterprise54%
    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Dell PowerConnect Switches
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Dell PowerConnect Switches and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Cisco Catalyst Switches is ranked 1st in LAN Switching with 166 reviews while Dell PowerConnect Switches is ranked 3rd in LAN Switching with 29 reviews. Cisco Catalyst Switches is rated 8.6, while Dell PowerConnect Switches is rated 8.0. The top reviewer of Cisco Catalyst Switches writes "Reliable and stable catalyst switch; can be easily installed". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Dell PowerConnect Switches writes "Excellent support, good pricing, and easy setup". Cisco Catalyst Switches is most compared with Arista Networks Platform, HPE ProCurve, Cisco Nexus, ExtremeSwitching and Aruba Instant On Switches, whereas Dell PowerConnect Switches is most compared with Cisco Nexus, HPE ProCurve, NETGEAR Switches, Arista Networks Platform and Dell PowerSwitch N-Series. See our Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Dell PowerConnect Switches report.

    See our list of best LAN Switching vendors and best Data Center Networking vendors.

    We monitor all LAN Switching reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.