Short review on Cisco 9200 Series
Updated October 14, 2022
Short review on Cisco 9200 Series
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with Cisco Catalyst Switches
- Catalyst 2960-L Series
- Catalyst 9200 Series
We use them as core and edge switches. They give us the option to manage VLANs and take advantage of access lists. With advanced VLAN and routing capabilities, we separate our access control, iPhones, regular traffic, and also guest network. Integration is seamless and switches play well with other branded network products as well.
- Vlan.
- Access control.
- Network integration.
- Installing GUI should be easier.
- For edge switches, surge protection should be standard and components should be more durable.
- Console cable should be USB.
- For the system room, ROI is high because you plug them and forget them maintenance wise.
- For edge locations, you need frequent maintenance and control or set an SNMP server to check switch health.
- seamless integration with multiple devices and brands has a great impact on ROI and justifies price.
We have multiple VLANs and access ports all over our campus. Without advanced access-list options, anyone can plug a device into one of those ports. Also, advanced VLAN capabilities help us to manage VLAN traffic and priorities crucial data provides uninterrupted data flow. Able to connect different vendors and make them work without any drops on same switches gives great availability and reduces need of maintenance and troubleshoot.
Cisco and Huawei has similar features and OS commands, but has better command structure but Huawei has faster command executable switches and boot times are significantly lower due to hardware has more up to date components inside. Cisco has more comprehensive command and configure options but Huawei getting better. If you use Cisco and familiar with commands you can easily switch to Huawei just don't expect it to be more functional than Cisco. Overall Cisco has is more reliable and comprehensive products.
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
Cisco Hybrid Work
- Webex Meetings
- Working from anywhere (e.g., coffee shop, airport)
- Working from an office or other company space
- Working from home
We were already using cisco network devices as well as wireless solutions and ip telephony systems. It seemed to have good idea to use webex software and hardware to expand our cisco collaboration. Webex intergration to our cisco ip telephony system helped us to complete the project quickly and achieve seamsless integration.
Planning phase was easy since we use Cisco products widely on our organisation and integrating Cisco Hybrid solution to our current IT system was not a big challenge. But installating software to remote users required more work and had more challenges to install and operate the system itself also teaching and informing users how to use system was required time.
Implementing hybrid solutions hardware/software was easy part on most cases but remote users had issues to install and access to software and hardware but main challenge was encouraging users to use hybrid work solutions and get them adjust to new environment and resources. Some users embraced the change some resist to use resources and wanted to revert more traditional organizational solutions.
For younger and more tech savvy employees transition was easier and less challenging but people who do not need computers or not familiar with technology had trouble to adjust hybrid solutions and that impact productivity. Interaction with customers also created some challenges as well not every company or organization uses the same collaboration apps or solutions and that required need of using more than one solution.
The reason why we choose Cisco solution over other solutions is seamless integration with our cisco network solutions and ip telephony system. Our internal system integrated with webex quick and easy so arranging meetings and making calls was easier and required less hardware investment. Cisco webex devices had ability to integrate with ip telephony devices and helped us the create a truly hybrid work environment.
- Microsoft Teams
We also have Microsoft 365 services in our organization that offers teams and it is widely used amongst people who uses their company phones as main communication device because teams has better options than webex on mobile. And customer experience/usability is better than webex on mobile phones and tablets.
Cisco Catalyst Addtional Questions
- core networking
- edge networking
- vlan applications
- Product Features
- Product Reputation
- Prior Experience with the Product
Reliability, Cisco product are always reliable and perform well even under heavy data traffic and complex scenarios. Configuration is always easy and most of time you don't need to reboot the device for changes you made to be applied. Once you configured you can made changes remotely and get results instantly.
Never forget to change device names and set security up and running, setting telnet and even better ssh will give you remote access to your switches. Also with etherchannel option you can reduce the change of failing your links. QOS and vlan application gives to best performance especially with crowded networks and complex applications.
We did not contact Cisco directly but worked with Distributor. told them our needs and gave them network topology and they offered us comprehensive services not just devices and configurations also the helped us to come up with network layout.