Item: Cisco Catalyst Switches
Rating: 9
Author: Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with Cisco Catalyst Switches

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Access Switches and Core Switches in traditional networks. EdgeNodes and BorderNodes , Intermediate Nodes in our companies SDA fabric. We have a complete overview of our network central site and also branches. We have control software updates and a whole view of the connected clients. With Cisco ISE we have a strong security model, using NAC for Wirless and Wired Endpoints to prevent network access for unknown devices.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Switching
Different POE profiles up to 60W
Easy sw upgrade
Virtualization by using stackwise virtual technologie
Switching
dot1x Network Access Control
QoS
Management via CCC
Routing

Cons

Flexibility in different line speeds on same switch
Software being more constant when doing an upgrade (features are working different, e.g. port profiles which haven’t been there in version before)
Issu
complexity in configuring policy maps
scheduled events

Return on Investment

Because of a lot of functions and continuous sw updates the ROI is fine
because of the features the switches can be used in nearly every environment

Cisco Products Used for Hybrid Work

Webex Meetings
Webex Webinars
Slido
Cisco Webex Room Series

Organizational Challenges Faced

main organizational changes are the integastion into the security policy of the organization and the integration with other productivty tools. Also the parallel usage of ms tams and interaction with the two tools. The planning of the right boards for meeting rooms and whole integration in the companies portfolio of productivity tools.

Hybrid Work Experience

Hybrid work is very helpful to bring all together, personal interests, work-live balance, business needs and the ability to bring an optimal solution to fulfill all the expectations.

Alternatives Considered

Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches and Cisco Catalyst Center

We used catalyst switches because they fit optimal in the customers needs.

Key Insights

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

Other Software Used

Cisco 1000 Series Aggregation Services Routers (ASR 1000), Extreme Networks Wired Access - Switches, Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch, Arista 7000 series

Likelihood to Recommend

Well suited for enterprise and medium size customers, less appropriate for price sensitive customers. A negative point is the whole theme about licensing and smart account registration. The whole process of the online licensing is a mess. The opportunity to use catalyst for switching and routing, also for complex routing protocols as IS-IS, OSPF,BGP make them ideal for a fabric enabled network.

Cisco Catalyst Switches fits almost everything

Modules Used