6800 Switches: Reliable and Resilient
November 06, 2019

6800 Switches: Reliable and Resilient

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Modules Used

  • Cisco Catalyst 6800 Series

Overall Satisfaction with Cisco Catalyst Switches

We use Cisco Catalyst Switches at both access and data center levels as a collapsed core.
  • High throughput
  • Very good scalability
  • High resilience
  • Programmability
  • Flow control and visibility of flows
  • Auto monitoring
  • Smart port in bigger switches
  • Positive: keeping budgeting under control since the equipment works smoothly with few extra costs.
  • Positive: easy integration with the old network. It permits partial changes and at the same time keeps old switches in the data center.
  • Negative: few cards as an option (which we need), so growing and updating are at risk.
I have not taken advantage of it because I have no automation modules.
Since our switches work with VSS, we have been working uninterrupted and can run maintenance tasks without interrupting our services.
Well suited where stability is more important than graphical interfaces. It is less appropriate when personnel is not well trained or at least network understanding is not clear since it lacks an easy to use graphic interface. The configuration mode does not help novice users.

Cisco Catalyst Addtional Questions

  • Collapse core
  • Server farm access
  • Edge services
  • Price
  • Product Features
  • Vendor Reputation
  • Positive Sales Experience with the Vendor
Cisco's reputation is very important. Its products have a very high MTBF and that has become the most important factor.
No. Even with a very basic configuration, it works well. For the connection with the rest of our network, we use VLANs weight and root blocking to prevent loops and network fails.
Many doubts we had were clarified and different configuration options were offered.
They were simple, reliable and very committed.
We worked with them while we were starting up and during initial configuration.

Using Cisco Catalyst Switches

2500 - 
  • Financial services
  • Credit Cards Authorization
  • Credit Cards Acquisition and Issuing
2 - 
  • Strong VLAN knowledge
  • CCNA with at least working knowledge
  • Data center working knowledge
  • Collapsed core
  • Inter data center connection
  • Nexus integration as a legacy network
  • DR site central switch
Highly likely, but we will also be moving to Nexus.

Cisco Catalyst Switches Support

They are easy to get a hold of and are very effective.