Cisco 350X Series Stackable Managed Switches includes capabilities needed to support applications. Examples include strong security, advanced QoS, comprehensive IPv6 support, Layer 3 static routing, and true stacking.
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Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
Score 8.1 out of 10
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Dell PowerConnect were a series of managed and unmanaged ethernet switches for data centers, discontinued by Dell. They have been superseded by the PowerSwitch line of switches, from Dell.
The PowerConnect 5500 series stacks up pretty well with the Cisco 3500 services. But the main reason for going with the PowerConnect and not the Cisco is the price. They both provide solid layer 2 networking so the most cost effective option would be the PowerConnect.
Well Suited : For Medium to Large Organization networks where Scalability, Advanced features, efficient management of different network segments and robust security is required. Less Suited : For small offices where simple and unmanaged switch is enough and in temporary and frequently network setup reconfigured.
We work in the electric industry. These should not be used in a high-heat environment. We like to keep the temperature of the room in the low 60's so they are not suited for our Substation locations due to extreme heat and cold. However, they perform great in a server room.
The Dell PowerConnect switch is a great switch in certain use cases. It really works well when training users to set up their own vlans in a technology class. We have a lot of different scenarios happening at this company, with 8 different buildings and multiple different affiliate entities. For some of the departments, the budget is the most crucial element. That is where the Dell PowerConnect switches are a really great option.
Dell ProSupport is outstanding. Dell ProDeploy is likewise outstanding. I prefer them even over traditional Cisco support. I've had repeated cases where Dell immediately addressed or fixed an issue with US-based support, including firmware hotfixes. Not even Cisco can boast that.
It provide the best reliability and redundancy which is most important. We choose this product because of comprehensive feature set, Interoperability, scalability and quality of service.
I selected Dell mainly due to previous experience using them in a business environment. I've never had a unit fail on me and when my budget for equipment like network switches has been less than a training class on how to use those switches, it's incredible to be able to find quality equipment at the price point Dell offers and even more so when their enterprise support has been as excellent as I have been accustomed to dealing with. In all honesty, even if I had a larger budget, I would have bought these same switches since they were exactly what I needed to suit my needs. We looked into HPE/Aruba network switches, and while they would have performed everything we needed and more, they were almost four times the cost of these Dell network switches. That's a hard sell when it comes to planning a tight budget.