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Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Cisco Ethernet Switches

    Score9.1 out of 10
    N/ACisco offers Ethernet switches.N/A

    Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)

    Score8 out of 10
    N/ADell PowerConnect were a series of managed and unmanaged ethernet switches for data centers, discontinued by Dell. They have been superseded by the PowerSwitch line of switches, from Dell.N/A
    Pricing
    Cisco Ethernet SwitchesDell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Cisco Ethernet SwitchesDell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Cisco Ethernet SwitchesDell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
    Considered Both Products
    Cisco
    Chose Cisco Ethernet Switches
    Leagues ahead of the competition. May not have some of the ON features that competitors have, but scripting and automating make up the difference.
    Incentivized
    Discontinued Products
    Chose Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
    (1) Cisco Small Business switches are a similar price point to PowerConnect, often with fewer features but with easier management. (2) Cisco traditional switches are more expensive than PowerConnect. They are of a similar level of complexity. These compare similarly in …
    Incentivized
    Chose Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
    They stack up very well against Cisco products. I feel you pay a lot for the Cisco name. Dell has most of the same functions for a lot less.
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    100%
    Would buy again
    5 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Delivers good value for the price
    80%
    Delivers good value for the price
    4 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Happy with the feature set
    100%
    Happy with the feature set
    5 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    100%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    5 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation went as expected
    100%
    Implementation went as expected
    5 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Best Alternatives
    Cisco Ethernet SwitchesDell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
    Small Businesses
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Medium-sized Companies
    RUCKUS Ethernet Switches
    Score10 out of 10
    RUCKUS Ethernet Switches
    Score10 out of 10
    Enterprises
    HPE Aruba Networking Switches
    Score8.7 out of 10
    Cisco Ethernet Switches
    Score9.1 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Cisco Ethernet SwitchesDell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.2
    (12 ratings)
    8.0
    (14 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Usability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    Support Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.1
    (2 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Cisco Ethernet SwitchesDell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Cisco
    Cisco is a name well known in the IT field. The technology is tried and true and they have built a reputation on a solid platform. Though many people do not like the cost of the devices and the continued fees associated with long term ownership, you get what you pay for. I dont hesitate to recommend Cisco because I know people will get a solid product that will last a long time.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Discontinued Products
    We work in the electric industry. These should not be used in a high-heat environment. We like to keep the temperature of the room in the low 60's so they are not suited for our Substation locations due to extreme heat and cold. However, they perform great in a server room.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Cisco
    • Easy setup and configuration. While the web UI has its quirks, setting up VLANs and other tasks which can be exceedingly complicated on other switches, are much easier on Cisco SG switches. You also have the ability to upload an existing configuration to switches, which can speed up the task of deploying many identical switches.
    • Features for the price. Getting a 48 port L3 switch with PoE+ for less than $2,000 is a great value.
    • Reliability. We have hundreds of the SG switches in dozens of client sites, many in harsh conditions, and they just keep going.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Discontinued Products
    • Reliable.
    • Excellent hardware support from Dell including 4 hour parts/replacement.
    • Excellent technical support from Dell on software, troubleshooting, and configuration.
    • More affordable than its main enterprise competitors.
    • Easy to use CLI.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Cisco
    • The web UI has taken a turn for the worse with the latest firmware on the SGx50 models -- the bifurcation between basic and advanced modes and the changes to the way VLANs are modified is a step backward in my opinion.
    • The power bricks on smaller models are enormous. I'm sure, however, keeping this circuitry external to the switch is what keeps my switches running year after year in hot environments.
    • Fans can be a bit loud on larger switches -- this is true of pretty much any 1U device though.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Discontinued Products
    • Precarious graphical (GUI) mode, needing to be updated for more efficient technologies such as HTML5
    • Short support time, given how much these devices support in terms of use. I have owned the devices for years, but no longer have a warranty
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Cisco
    for their relialiabilty
    Read full review
    Discontinued Products
    No answers on this topic
    Usability
    Cisco
    No answers on this topic
    Discontinued Products
    The Dell PowerConnect switch is a great switch in certain use cases. It really works well when training users to set up their own vlans in a technology class. We have a lot of different scenarios happening at this company, with 8 different buildings and multiple different affiliate entities. For some of the departments, the budget is the most crucial element. That is where the Dell PowerConnect switches are a really great option.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Cisco
    No answers on this topic
    Discontinued Products
    Dell ProSupport is outstanding. Dell ProDeploy is likewise outstanding. I prefer them even over traditional Cisco support. I've had repeated cases where Dell immediately addressed or fixed an issue with US-based support, including firmware hotfixes. Not even Cisco can boast that.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Cisco
    Cisco is more enterprise level, more reliable, and generally more feature rich but also very expensive. That being said old or refurbished Cisco switches are much more affordable and in comparison to even new switches from the competitor they are still a great value even though they are used. I like Ubiquiti switches as well but Cisco is usually better overall.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Discontinued Products
    I selected Dell mainly due to previous experience using them in a business environment. I've never had a unit fail on me and when my budget for equipment like network switches has been less than a training class on how to use those switches, it's incredible to be able to find quality equipment at the price point Dell offers and even more so when their enterprise support has been as excellent as I have been accustomed to dealing with. In all honesty, even if I had a larger budget, I would have bought these same switches since they were exactly what I needed to suit my needs. We looked into HPE/Aruba network switches, and while they would have performed everything we needed and more, they were almost four times the cost of these Dell network switches. That's a hard sell when it comes to planning a tight budget.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    Cisco
    • Failure on Cisco Switches, from my experience, is rare in the first 5 years the device is up.
    • I have see the Cisco 6500 switches go 5 years without a reboot, which is nothing short of amazing.
    • The service that you get is top notch and available 24/7, and you really cannot put a price on that.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Discontinued Products
    • Reports are easily created and very useful.
    • Quick creation of different network connections.
    • Excellent and secure channels for multiple data management.
    • Great data visualization options offered by Dell PowerConnect Switches.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots