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2960's are great end user switches
December 05, 2020

2960's are great end user switches

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

Overall Satisfaction with Cisco Catalyst Switches

  • Catalyst 2960 X/XR Series
  • Catalyst 2960-L Series
  • Catalyst 9300 Series
We are using them currently for our DMZ and our end-user/closet type switches and we have them linking up to the Nexus Switches in the data center. The Catalyst Switches are great in this use case that we need them for and having them in many places allows for easy firmware upgrade testing.
  • VLAN
  • Access control lists
  • network segmentation
  • Config revisions
  • Rmon issues
  • Firmware upgrades
  • They are very stable with builds and upgrades when done right.
  • They last for ages.
  • If an upgrade is done wrong you can be down for a long time.
This is a hard one to answer. I say yes and no; we benefited from the customization because it helps with security and making it fit our needs better but it makes onboarding a new person a lot more complex when they need to deploy a new switch. Making sure it's done right and won't break your network.
I love them for end-user switches, however, I have also started replacing some of them in branch offices with Meraki switches for the easy GUI to train service desk members to configure ports and apply VLANs really easy with almost no training needed. BUT Meraki's are AWFUL if they drop internet connectivity and they have no CLI. Catalysts have a great CLI and can be configured as a stand-alone with no internet but do require a higher level of knowledge to use.

Do you think Cisco Catalyst Switches delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Cisco Catalyst Switches's feature set?

Yes

Did Cisco Catalyst Switches live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Cisco Catalyst Switches go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Cisco Catalyst Switches again?

Yes

These switches are very versatile and work well in almost any location across any work environment. I think the 2960's are less appropriate for routing and complex core environments but great for end-user and branch office type of things. 9300 Catalyst is a little better in small business situations but I prefer Nexus switches in core data center type application. With that said, Catalyst is just as good if you buy the correct model.