Fair and honest
Updated January 08, 2019

Fair and honest

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

Overall Satisfaction with Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series Switches

  • Catalyst 3650 Series
  • Catalyst 3850 Series
  • Catalyst 9300 Series
They are our primary access layer switch. We use them in our distribution centers and our office buildings. We have anywhere from a single switch in some locations to stacks of up to 6 in a single node. They very effectively give us the ports needed to get our users on the network and operating.
  • They are port dense enough to allow us to deploy an easy to manage number of devices while still meeting the needs of the building.
  • Easy to manage. The Catalyst switch and the IOS software inside have been great. We have hit a few small bugs and issues in the software but a quick update later they are running strong.
  • The hardware is very stable. I have only had one or two switches that had hardware issues in the 17+ years of using all kinds of different models. I cannot say that about all networking gear.
  • Power supplies, I have had many power supplies go bad over the years. They are hot swap-able (if you have the redundant power or power stack) and easily replaced but there have been a lot of bad ones.
  • Power over ethernet has been an issue a couple of times. Since I use these as access layer I have lots of utilization via phones, laptops, cameras, other devices. I have ran into power issues where I was consuming more POE than the switch could handle several times.
  • They have provided a very stable platform for the users and the decreased outage time has paid dividends over the years.
  • We are approaching a time where Catalyst may not be the right choice any longer as Meraki switches and Cisco are further integrated.
I have not been able to utilize the automation features yet. We are still maturing that direction but I have not been able to partake just yet. Its on the road map for the next year or two.
Like the automation features I have not been able to utilize this yet.
I would call this a tie. If you only need a port for a user to plug in and nothing else on the switch then I think Meraki wins. If you need a port for a user but run a few other things on the switch like maybe EIGRP, or you want automation in the background, then Catalyst wins. On a purely cost basis Meraki wins as the cheaper option although the new 9300's are going to be a lot more comparable and may take this out of the concerns.
If you are a Cisco shop and have the full stack of Cisco gear then Catalyst makes sense. Even if you're a multi-vendor shop these could still be the right choice depending on your specific need. I would say that if all you need is ports and nothing else then I would actually start looking at Meraki switches. They are more cost-effective for just a port but you lose many additional features that may be needed.

Cisco Catalyst Addtional Questions

  • I like these for port density
  • I like these for simplicity while still being feature rich
  • The price point on the 9300's has made these an easy choice and are now our standard platform.
  • Price
  • Product Usability
  • Prior Experience with the Product
  • Positive Sales Experience with the Vendor
I don't thin there a single most important item. It's the collection of all of them to make the most effective choice possible.
I'm a CLI junkie and actually enjoy hand jamming configurations. If you do not like that look into the automation tools in conjunction with the switches to automate and streamline these. They integrate very well.
I use the same vendor for almost everything network related and they have treated me very well over the years.
I always get response from emails and always get an answer to my questions.

Using Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series Switches

1500 - They are our access layer switches so every desk plugs into one.
2 - Beginners to advanced network engineers, they are very user friendly.
  • We are boring. They are just access switches
  • Probably just keep them as access layer switches.
I have no intention or reason to change from this standard platform.

Evaluating Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series Switches and Competitors

Not Sure - They were in the enterprise when I started here and it's only expanded since.
I wouldn't, I would test features again and come out to the same decision.

Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series Switches Support

ProsCons
Quick Resolution
Good followup
Knowledgeable team
Problems get solved
Kept well informed
No escalation required
Immediate help available
Support understands my problem
Support cares about my success
Slow Initial Response
Yes
I am a team of one sometimes two. I don't have time to dig and search for possible answers. The support is very good for the price and I'll happily pay it.
Yes - Yes, an update was pushed a few days later.
I cannot think of any exceptional interactions but they are generally very easy to work with.
The only negative I ever have with Cisco tac is regional accents can be difficult at times.

Using Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series Switches

ProsCons
Like to use
Relatively simple
Easy to use
Well integrated
Consistent
Convenient
Feel confident using
Requires technical support
Lots to learn
  • I like how easy software updates and upgrade are to execute.
  • The job is a learning curve. I have not found anything that I would call cumbersome.
I love them