Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. HPE Aruba Ethernet Switches

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Cisco Ethernet Switches
Score 9.1 out of 10
N/A
Cisco offers Ethernet switches.N/A
HPE Aruba Ethernet Switches
Score 8.5 out of 10
N/A
HPE offers Ethernet switches under the Aruba Networks product line.N/A
Pricing
Cisco Ethernet SwitchesHPE Aruba Ethernet Switches
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Cisco Ethernet SwitchesHPE Aruba Ethernet Switches
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsHPE Aruba Ethernet Switch prices vary significantly based on features, model, and quantity purchased.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Cisco Ethernet SwitchesHPE Aruba Ethernet Switches
Considered Both Products
Cisco Ethernet Switches
Chose Cisco Ethernet Switches
Cisco is by far the superior of all switches I have used. I would recommend them as the learning curve is very low and dependability is extremely high.
HPE Aruba Ethernet Switches
Chose HPE Aruba Ethernet Switches
Cisco Switches are build to last forever however they are more expensive to purchase. HP Switches work well the fans do go out from time to time which will cause the switch to fail. Aruba Switches are priced right and have software and hardware improvements over HP.
Best Alternatives
Cisco Ethernet SwitchesHPE Aruba Ethernet Switches
Small Businesses

No answers on this topic

No answers on this topic

Medium-sized Companies
Extreme Networks Wired Access - Switches
Extreme Networks Wired Access - Switches
Score 9.1 out of 10
Extreme Networks Wired Access - Switches
Extreme Networks Wired Access - Switches
Score 9.1 out of 10
Enterprises
Cisco Meraki MS
Cisco Meraki MS
Score 9.2 out of 10
Cisco Ethernet Switches
Cisco Ethernet Switches
Score 9.1 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Cisco Ethernet SwitchesHPE Aruba Ethernet Switches
Likelihood to Recommend
9.2
(12 ratings)
9.0
(13 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
-
(0 ratings)
8.7
(3 ratings)
Support Rating
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(6 ratings)
User Testimonials
Cisco Ethernet SwitchesHPE Aruba Ethernet Switches
Likelihood to Recommend
Cisco
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.
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Hewlett Packard Enterprise
These devices are rock solid, you will se them up once and not have to mess with them for years. They are work horses that don't die. We use them in an office environment and have only ever had 1 fail due to a PSU issue, we got a replacement next day and it's been working great.
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Pros
Cisco
  • 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.
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Hewlett Packard Enterprise
  • 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.
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Cons
Cisco
  • 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.
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Hewlett Packard Enterprise
  • 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.
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Likelihood to Renew
Cisco
for their relialiabilty
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Hewlett Packard Enterprise
No answers on this topic
Usability
Cisco
No answers on this topic
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
I preferred the OS running on the 2530 series switches, but the ArubaOS is very usable. It's similar to the Cisco OS command line interface, but somehow more understandable. It takes a bit of getting used to, but the documentation is great and it makes sense after a while of using it.
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Support Rating
Cisco
No answers on this topic
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
HPE Support is very easy to reach. A knowledgable rep can be reached in a few minutes. After some basic troubleshooting if the failure is due to hardware I can receive a replacement within a day or even in a few hours.
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Alternatives Considered
Cisco
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.
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Hewlett Packard Enterprise
We used to have a lot of Cisco switches which are great, but
the support contracts and other expenses mount up quickly; one of the main
reasons for switching to HP for networking was the cost, but the hardware and
software have gotten so much better over the years.

I can’t see us changing network hardware unless the price increases dramatically.
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Return on Investment
Cisco
  • 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.
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Hewlett Packard Enterprise
  • When comparing Aruba to Cisco and Dell there is no comparison in cost. Aruba is a better value and will not require additional licensing like it often the case with Cisco.
  • The Aruba OS is very simple to use and understand. A user with very little networking experience can understand the config of an Aruba switch.
  • Aruba's hardware warranty assures me that even my oldest switches are covered due to hardware failure.
  • In the 11 years I have worked with HPE/Aruba and with over 55 switches I have had a hardware failure less than a handful of times.
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