Cisco Catalyst IE3300 Rugged Series Switches vs. Cisco Ethernet Switches

Cisco Catalyst IE3300 Rugged Series Switches are what I would say a primary option if you are already a Cisco house that has software such as DNA Centre (they are compatible with it) or the future Catalyst Centre. This is great as it can be integrated into your existing infrastructure without compromising manageability or having to retrain staff to work on new equipment. Managing the switches is effectively the exact same. In my opinion, it is also more suited to small industrial needs in certain climate zones that are not extremes, as there are bespoke vendors that may be better hardware-wise than Cisco, but of course software wise Cisco does take some beating.

Incentivized

Cisco is a name well known in the IT field. The technology is tried and true and they have built a reputation on a solid platform. Though many people do not like the cost of the devices and the continued fees associated with long term ownership, you get what you pay for. I dont hesitate to recommend Cisco because I know people will get a solid product that will last a long time.

Incentivized

• small form
• switching
• Climate control

Incentivized

• Easy setup and configuration. While the web UI has its quirks, setting up VLANs and other tasks which can be exceedingly complicated on other switches, are much easier on Cisco SG switches. You also have the ability to upload an existing configuration to switches, which can speed up the task of deploying many identical switches.
• Features for the price. Getting a 48 port L3 switch with PoE+ for less than $2,000 is a great value.
• Reliability. We have hundreds of the SG switches in dozens of client sites, many in harsh conditions, and they just keep going.

Incentivized

• Mounting unit kit provided at sale
• Better DC power connection cabling
• More aesthetically pleasing to look at

Incentivized

• The web UI has taken a turn for the worse with the latest firmware on the SGx50 models -- the bifurcation between basic and advanced modes and the changes to the way VLANs are modified is a step backward in my opinion.
• The power bricks on smaller models are enormous. I'm sure, however, keeping this circuitry external to the switch is what keeps my switches running year after year in hot environments.
• Fans can be a bit loud on larger switches -- this is true of pretty much any 1U device though.

Incentivized

for their relialiabilty

Overall, a few vendors like Siemens, Moxa, Versitron. We were only after a simple solution, so Moxa could have seemed a good option but overall being a Cisco house is a no brainer for the organisation and teams. Comparisons weren't really in the decision. But these Cisco Catalyst IE3300 Rugged Series Switches are working great.

Incentivized

Cisco is more enterprise level, more reliable, and generally more feature rich but also very expensive. That being said old or refurbished Cisco switches are much more affordable and in comparison to even new switches from the competitor they are still a great value even though they are used. I like Ubiquiti switches as well but Cisco is usually better overall.

Incentivized

Easy to add additional modules.

Incentivized

• over priced
• Tac support is horrible
• Cisco has given up on hardware

Incentivized

• Failure on Cisco Switches, from my experience, is rare in the first 5 years the device is up.
• I have see the Cisco 6500 switches go 5 years without a reboot, which is nothing short of amazing.
• The service that you get is top notch and available 24/7, and you really cannot put a price on that.

Incentivized