Cisco Catalyst IE3100 Rugged Series Switches vs. Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)

The Cisco Catalyst IE3100 Rugged Series Switches are well suited for harsh environments where the environment is really cold or really hot. These switches have been running for years with no issues even with degrees above 100 degrees and temperatures below 0 degrees. Outside environments are also well suited for the Cisco Catalyst IE3100 Rugged Series Switches.

Incentivized

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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• Copper Ethernet device aggregation
• Footprint is small
• Upgrade firmware is easier than IE-2000

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• 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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• Could be cheaper in POE version

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• 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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The new IE-3100/Stratix 5200 WEBUI platform and the new IOX-XE firmware platform is a great improvement on the switch performance in the field.

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Fits our needs

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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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Albert Mitchell's team is great!!

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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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These switches are suitable for small but weather intensive situations. Compared to the Cisco 9000 series these do perfect if you do not need a big amount of ports. We used the 9000 series in certain substations, but they are overkill. I have also seen a better performance compared to the 9000 series with the weather.

Incentivized

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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• They last years
• End of life is really short lived
• Really reliable

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• 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.

Incentivized