Likelihood to Recommend 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.
Read full review 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.
Read full review Pros 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. Read full review 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. Read full review Cons 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. Read full review 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 Read full review Likelihood to Renew for their relialiabilty
Read full review Support Rating 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.
Read full review Alternatives Considered 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.
Read full review 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.
Read full review Return on Investment 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. Read full review 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. Read full review ScreenShots