Cisco Catalyst IE3200 Rugged Series Switches vs. HPE Aruba Ethernet Switches

In areas with harsh temperatures like freezers they are an awesome fit, as I mentioned in the first part of this review. I would not recommend this switch in an area where it may be exposed to other elements like water. For example, in a washdown area like in our food production plants, we are constantly hosing down / steaming the area to sanitize. The only way I would recommend it in an area like that is if it is physically located inside of some sort of enclosure, but in that case you might as well purchase a less expensive non-ruggedized switch and do the same.

Incentivized

We manage a lot of public infrastructure and schools which
means we need reliable hardware that is easy to prep and install quickly due to
time constraints. The price is great as we must keep a close eye on our budget.


We use these switches in all types of situations and
configurations some are full SFP and others are ethernet but honestly the software
and hardware are great for our usage.

Incentivized

• Superior security.
• Extended switches.
• Extended voice services.

Incentivized

• REST API capability
• Wired & Wireless 802.1x configuration easiness
• Wireless Access Points (APs) zero touch provisioning
• Its high-end family (running the AOS-CX firmware) supports a virtualization technology called VSX (Virtual Switching Extension) which allows 2 switches to present itself as one virtualized switch under Layer 2, and as 2 separate routers under Layer 3; thereby providing high availability.

Incentivized

• A bit of speed improvement could help.
• The technology is quite new and more docs would help.
• Only 3 internet protocols are supported.

Incentivized

• I have had issues finding monitoring software that natively supports Provision/Aruba OS. Most are designed primarily with Cisco in mind.
• HPE/Aruba switches have historically had issues with corrupt flash. This seems to be less common in more recent models.
• HPE/Aruba's switching portfolio can be confusing. Some models run on the Aruba OS while some others run on Comware. There is some overlap in these model lines so at times is can be tough to tell which switch is right.

Incentivized

It is a very good product, has almost all the feature you can need to access switches, a simple web GUI management, but not all can be configured from the GUI interface.

Incentivized

When comparing the Cisco Catalyst IE3200 Rugged Series Switches to the IE3300 model, I selected the IE3200 due to its affordability and comparable performance. The IE3200 offers a cost-effective solution without compromising on durability or functionality. Additionally, the IE3200's compact size and easy integration into existing infrastructure were additional factors that influenced my choice. Overall, the Cisco Catalyst IE3200 Rugged Series Switches provide a reliable and budget-friendly solution for rugged industrial environments.

Incentivized

The HPE Aruba Switches are definitely easier to setup than Cisco Catalyst Switches. We prefer to have a managed interface, so the HPE Aruba Switches are a better option than most Netgear or D-Link switches. Compared to HPE Networking Switches, the Aruba models typically are cheaper and perform nearly as well

Incentivized

• Allows us to have network connectivity in our warehouses and yards
• Allows us to have phones in our warehouses and yards
• Allows us to have surveillance in our warehouses and yards

Incentivized

• Ease of deployment has cut back on labor hours.
• Ease of management has allowed us to be more proactive to other potential issues that may occur on the network.

Incentivized