Cisco Optical Networking is a suite of products supporting data center networking, including the NCS 1000, 2000, 4000, 4200, and the Cisco Evolved Programmable Network Manager (Cisco EPN Manager), as well as Cisco ONS 15000 series platforms and devices.
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HPE Networking Comware / FlexFabric Switches
Score 9.2 out of 10
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Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) offers the FlexFabric and Comware product line of data center networking equipment.
Based on my experience, I think it's a goldmine for the experienced professional and a hectic job for newbies. I recommend newbies to have some experience and then jump to Cisco Optical Networking so that they can easily understand what they paid for and take the best out of it. It's best for network scalability so I highly recommend it to those who intend to scale their network in the near future however, if you know that your network will remain the same and you don't require it, there are cheaper options within Cisco.
The switch is intuitive and very simple to configure so I would recommend it to anyone for their data center. It allows for someone who might just be a server expert and not a switching expert to have a far simpler time than would normally be expected.
A simplified management platform that provides services without having to invest In multiple products, each with an additional cost. The product should just come with the services and features.
Simplifying the BOM selection process. There are to many hidden part numbers you need to know.
We will renew our use of Cisco Optical Networking due to its reliability in maintaining high-performance, low-latency connections, its scalability in supporting growing bandwidth demands, and its integration with existing Cisco infrastructure, which simplifies management and reduces operational complexity. Additionally, its robust security features and automation capabilities have enhanced network resilience, making it a valuable long-term solution for our expanding needs.
It just works depending on what your requirement is. Cisco also provides a well formed cheat sheet on which gear to use for which scenario. Very convenient. It makes my job as a Sales Engineer easier when I have a short timeline to get a solution designed. It is also build well enough to be used in austere environments.
I would rate the overall support for Cisco Optical Networking at 9/10. The support team is highly responsive, knowledgeable, and effective in resolving issues quickly. Cisco’s comprehensive online resources, documentation, and community forums also make it easy to find solutions. However, there is always room for improvement in terms of response time during peak periods.
We selected Cisco Optical Networking after evaluating alternatives such as Ciena, Nokia, and Infinera. Cisco stood out for its seamless integration with our existing network infrastructure, which already relied heavily on Cisco solutions. This made deployment and management significantly easier. The Cisco NCS 2000 series offered flexible ROADM capabilities, allowing us to scale bandwidth dynamically without extensive infrastructure changes. Additionally, Cisco’s Evolved Programmable Network Manager (EPNM) provided intuitive management and automation, streamlining provisioning and monitoring tasks. While Ciena’s WaveLogic Ai impressed us with its adaptive modulation and Nokia’s 1830 PSS offered strong scalability, both required more complex configurations that didn’t align as well with our existing setup. Infinera’s GX Series excelled in long-haul capacity, but Cisco’s modular design better suited our evolving bandwidth needs. Ultimately, Cisco Optical Networking provided the best combination of scalability, integration ease, and operational efficiency, making it the ideal choice for our organization.
The best impact it had was to lower my network maintenance cost by the time span of more than a year
It might look a bit pricey at the beginning, but along with time, you'll feel that you're actually saving a lot of your time and money in terms of network management
