Cisco 5000 Series Network Convergence System (NCS 5000) vs. Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Cisco 5000 Series Network Convergence System (NCS 5000)
Score 10.0 out of 10
N/A
The Cisco 5000 Series Network Convergence System (NCS 5000) is a high-density, small-form-factor MPLS aggregation router for metro aggregation and MPLS-enabled data center networks. The Network Convergence System 5000 Series is designed to economically scale large enterprise, over-the-top (OTT), and service provider data center networking architectures.N/A
Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
Score 8.1 out of 10
N/A
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 They have been superseded by the PowerSwitch line of switches, from Dell.N/A
Pricing
Cisco 5000 Series Network Convergence System (NCS 5000)Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Cisco 5000 Series Network Convergence System (NCS 5000)Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Cisco 5000 Series Network Convergence System (NCS 5000)Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
Best Alternatives
Cisco 5000 Series Network Convergence System (NCS 5000)Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
Small Businesses

No answers on this topic

No answers on this topic

Medium-sized Companies
Cisco Routers
Cisco Routers
Score 9.1 out of 10
Extreme Networks Wired Access - Switches
Extreme Networks Wired Access - Switches
Score 9.0 out of 10
Enterprises
Cisco Routers
Cisco Routers
Score 9.1 out of 10
Cisco Ethernet Switches
Cisco Ethernet Switches
Score 9.1 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Cisco 5000 Series Network Convergence System (NCS 5000)Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
Likelihood to Recommend
9.1
(4 ratings)
8.0
(14 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.1
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(1 ratings)
Support Rating
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(2 ratings)
User Testimonials
Cisco 5000 Series Network Convergence System (NCS 5000)Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
Likelihood to Recommend
Cisco
The best scenario for us was to use the NCS 5000 for video conferencing. With several remote branches, we required reliable bandwidth for remotely connecting with employees. The NCS 5000 delivered the bandwidth we needed and provided the quality even with some low bandwidth sites.
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Discontinued Products
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.
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Pros
Cisco
  • Higher port density allows for both higher bandwidth ports to the customer network as well as sufficient uplink capacity to the core.
  • Small rack space, smarter design, smaller footprint allows for more hardware the fit in the same amount of rack space.
  • Lower power consumption, less heat output results in savings within the data center environment.
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Discontinued Products
  • Reliable.
  • Excellent hardware support from Dell including 4 hour parts/replacement.
  • Excellent technical support from Dell on software, troubleshooting, and configuration.
  • More affordable than its main enterprise competitors.
  • Easy to use CLI.
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Cons
Cisco
  • Bugs
  • Transport components stability
  • Tac response time in some xases
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Discontinued Products
  • Precarious graphical (GUI) mode, needing to be updated for more efficient technologies such as HTML5
  • Short support time, given how much these devices support in terms of use. I have owned the devices for years, but no longer have a warranty
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Usability
Cisco
No answers on this topic
Discontinued Products
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.
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Support Rating
Cisco
No answers on this topic
Discontinued Products
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.
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Alternatives Considered
Cisco
CAPEX and OPEX are less for NCS routers.
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Discontinued Products
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.
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Return on Investment
Cisco
  • Communication among remote employees and branches has increased.
  • Quality of service from cloud and video applications.
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Discontinued Products
  • Reports are easily created and very useful.
  • Quick creation of different network connections.
  • Excellent and secure channels for multiple data management.
  • Great data visualization options offered by Dell PowerConnect Switches.
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ScreenShots

Cisco 5000 Series Network Convergence System (NCS 5000) Screenshots

Screenshot of Product Description: MPLS aggregation router for metro aggregation, MPLS Enabled TOR/Leaf Architectures
Target Deployments: Enterprise, Over-The-Top (OTT), and Service Provider data center networking architectures