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Cisco Nexus Series Switches vs. Cisco Optical Networking

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Cisco Nexus Series Switches

    Score9.1 out of 10
    N/ACisco Nexus is a series of network switches.N/A

    Cisco Optical Networking

    Score8.8 out of 10
    N/ACisco Optical Networking is a suite of products supporting data center networking, including the NCS 1000, 2000, 4000, 4200, and the Cisco Evolved Programmable Network Manager (Cisco EPN Manager), as well as Cisco ONS 15000 series platforms and devices.N/A
    Pricing
    Cisco Nexus Series SwitchesCisco Optical Networking
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Cisco Nexus Series SwitchesCisco Optical Networking
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoYes
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Cisco Nexus Series SwitchesCisco Optical Networking
    Considered Both Products
    Cisco
    No answer on this topic
    Cisco
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    99%
    Would buy again
    112 Answers
    94%
    Would buy again
    15 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    95%
    Delivers good value for the price
    100 Answers
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    15 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    99%
    Happy with the feature set
    112 Answers
    94%
    Happy with the feature set
    15 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    95%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    87 Answers
    100%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    12 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    98%
    Implementation went as expected
    107 Answers
    100%
    Implementation went as expected
    14 Answers
    Best Alternatives
    Cisco Nexus Series SwitchesCisco Optical Networking
    Small Businesses
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Medium-sized Companies
    Cisco Nexus Dashboard
    Score8.2 out of 10
    Cisco Nexus Series Switches
    Score9.1 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Cisco Nexus Dashboard
    Score8.2 out of 10
    Cisco Nexus Series Switches
    Score9.1 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Cisco Nexus Series SwitchesCisco Optical Networking
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.9
    (107 ratings)
    8.2
    (14 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    9.9
    (8 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Usability
    9.0
    (36 ratings)
    7.9
    (6 ratings)
    Availability
    8.2
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Performance
    7.5
    (4 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    8.8
    (10 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    8.2
    (4 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Configurability
    7.0
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    7.5
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    8.2
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    7.5
    (4 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Professional Services
    7.5
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    7.5
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    7.5
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Cisco Nexus Series SwitchesCisco Optical Networking
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Cisco
    It fits perfectly in all our data centers where we are using it. For small companies or smaller racks or something. I don't think it fits there because Cisco Nexus Series Switches is a big one. It's the most advanced one.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    Based on my experience, I think it's a goldmine for the experienced professional and a hectic job for newbies. I recommend newbies to have some experience and then jump to Cisco Optical Networking so that they can easily understand what they paid for and take the best out of it. It's best for network scalability so I highly recommend it to those who intend to scale their network in the near future however, if you know that your network will remain the same and you don't require it, there are cheaper options within Cisco.
    Incentivized
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    Pros
    Cisco
    • Continuous system operation:
    • Maintenance, upgrades, and software certification can be performed without service interruptions because of the modular nature of NX-OS and features such as In-Service Software Upgrade (ISSU) and the capability for processes to restart dynamically
    • FabricPath:
    • Enables each device to build an overall view of the topology; this is similar to other link state routing protocols. Each device in the FabricPath topology is identified by a switch-id. The Layer 2 forwarding tables are built based on reachability to each switch-id, not by the MAC address. Eliminates spanning-tree to maximize network bandwidth and flexibility in topological configurations, as well as simplify operational support and configuration. This enables a tremendous amount of flexibility on the topology because you can now build FabricPath topologies for Layer 2-based networks the same as for Layer 3-based networks
    • Overlay Transport Virtualization (OTV): Enables the Layer 2 extension between distributed data centers over any transport Layer 3 network
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    • Makes use of limited fiber effectively.
    • Allows for the deployment of smart P2P MPLS links that automatically re-route around outages.
    • Simplifies the overhead of managing multiple technologies by converging the technologies.
    Incentivized
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    Cons
    Cisco
    • Implementing jumbo frames on interfaces of its fabric extender series (N2k, etc.) by editing the network QoS does not have to be a global configuration that would affect all its interfaces. It can be improved to become just an interface configuration.
    • Licensing on the NXOS is a bit complicated and expensive. I understand that the Nexus is made for core data center switching but it does not have to break the bank.
    • OTV technology is for Nexus only. Based on the advantage of the technology, it should be made vendor-neutral to accommodate other vendor devices.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    • A simplified management platform that provides services without having to invest In multiple products, each with an additional cost. The product should just come with the services and features.
    • Simplifying the BOM selection process. There are to many hidden part numbers you need to know.
    Incentivized
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    Likelihood to Renew
    Cisco
    Actually if we need to implement or develop our actual DC we will use Cisco Nexus Series Switches again. The solution is well known and we will be able to interconnect easily the switches, as we're not using all the possibilities of features we know what is solution is a long term solution.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    We will renew our use of Cisco Optical Networking due to its reliability in maintaining high-performance, low-latency connections, its scalability in supporting growing bandwidth demands, and its integration with existing Cisco infrastructure, which simplifies management and reduces operational complexity. Additionally, its robust security features and automation capabilities have enhanced network resilience, making it a valuable long-term solution for our expanding needs.
    Incentivized
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    Usability
    Cisco
    The platform has a good performance. The major issue is all the bugs you can discover across the operations, and it can be a big challenge depending on the number of Cisco Nexus Series Switches you have deployed. In our case, we own more than 200 Cisco Nexus Series Switches 9k, and we face an upgrade process, it could be a long time project to grant a new software deployment in all our switches platform.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    It just works depending on what your requirement is. Cisco also provides a well formed cheat sheet on which gear to use for which scenario. Very convenient. It makes my job as a Sales Engineer easier when I have a short timeline to get a solution designed. It is also build well enough to be used in austere environments.
    Incentivized
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    Reliability and Availability
    Cisco
    it is reliable and we seldom encounter outages for the switches
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    No answers on this topic
    Performance
    Cisco
    These switches are very fast. They've been designed to work within the data center. We connect them to Cisco UCS-B Mini servers with the storage being directly attached. They are able to handle the data traffic pretty easily. We can also move servers pretty fast from data center to data center without overloading them. This has allowed our company to stay running during any kind of conditional outage. We have come to really rely on them for business continuity.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    Cisco
    Overall, Cisco has great products and I believe that they believe in the philosophy of a great customer experience. Although there have been a few technical support issues that caused a lot of company anxiety, in most cases, Cisco has gone above and beyond in making a valiant effort to help the customer solve any issues.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    I would rate the overall support for Cisco Optical Networking at 9/10. The support team is highly responsive, knowledgeable, and effective in resolving issues quickly. Cisco’s comprehensive online resources, documentation, and community forums also make it easy to find solutions. However, there is always room for improvement in terms of response time during peak periods.
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    In-Person Training
    Cisco
    Trainer didn't has good handon experience.. he was bookish trainer.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    No answers on this topic
    Online Training
    Cisco
    Never had it
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation Rating
    Cisco
    Since we already have exposure to other Cisco switching products, the implementation of these switches is very seamless;
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    No answers on this topic
    Alternatives Considered
    Cisco
    The Cisco 9000 stacks up quite well against the Cisco Catalyst 3850 switches. The additional features available in the Nexus 9000, such as VPN, FCoE, 40 gigabits, give us the ability to support the future needs of the company in our data center. The Nexus 9000 allowed us to condense our core and aggregation environment that comprised of 2 Catalyst 6504 and 2 Catalyst 6509 to a port of Nexus 9000. Although the Catalyst 3850 would be sufficient to handle routing, those features in the Nexus 9000 made it the clear choice for us.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    We selected Cisco Optical Networking after evaluating alternatives such as Ciena, Nokia, and Infinera. Cisco stood out for its seamless integration with our existing network infrastructure, which already relied heavily on Cisco solutions. This made deployment and management significantly easier. The Cisco NCS 2000 series offered flexible ROADM capabilities, allowing us to scale bandwidth dynamically without extensive infrastructure changes. Additionally, Cisco’s Evolved Programmable Network Manager (EPNM) provided intuitive management and automation, streamlining provisioning and monitoring tasks. While Ciena’s WaveLogic Ai impressed us with its adaptive modulation and Nokia’s 1830 PSS offered strong scalability, both required more complex configurations that didn’t align as well with our existing setup. Infinera’s GX Series excelled in long-haul capacity, but Cisco’s modular design better suited our evolving bandwidth needs. Ultimately, Cisco Optical Networking provided the best combination of scalability, integration ease, and operational efficiency, making it the ideal choice for our organization.
    Incentivized
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    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    Cisco
    No, all good
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    No answers on this topic
    Scalability
    Cisco
    The Nexus 3000 series switches are data center switches, so I would say they have similar security ability to other switches in this segment. I don't have a lot of experience doing more than basic ACL security on switches, but I know these can be integrated into other security solutions like Cisco ISE and 802.1x authentication. It could also be integrated into an ACI solution to add micro segmentation, which would bring in other security functions.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    No answers on this topic
    Professional Services
    Cisco
    their professional services is ok and support provided is good
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    No answers on this topic
    Return on Investment
    Cisco
    • We expected the switches to provide ROI and they did as advertised.
    • NX-OS was pretty similar to IOS so the learning curve was pretty low.
    • Being a Non-Profit we need to be extremely cost conscience and buy gear that has a long shelf life. Nexus line of switches met this objective.
    Incentivized
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    Cisco
    • The best impact it had was to lower my network maintenance cost by the time span of more than a year
    • It might look a bit pricey at the beginning, but along with time, you'll feel that you're actually saving a lot of your time and money in terms of network management
    Incentivized
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    ScreenShots

    Cisco Nexus Series Switches Screenshots

    Screenshot of Cisco Nexus 9800 SeriesScreenshot of Cisco Nexus 3000 SeriesScreenshot of Cisco Nexus 6004 Extensible Fixed SwitchScreenshot of N3K-C3548P-10GX Switch

    Cisco Optical Networking Screenshots

    Screenshot of Cisco Network Convergence System 2006Screenshot of Cisco Network Convergence System 2006Screenshot of Cisco Network Convergence System 2006