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Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued) vs. HPE Aruba Networking Switches

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    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 They have been superseded by the PowerSwitch line of switches, from Dell.N/A

    HPE Aruba Networking Switches

    Score8.7 out of 10
    N/AFor campus, branch, and data centers, HPE's Aruba CX switches are presented as a flexible, programmable, and cloud-native ASIC design solution, boasting the power, precision, and versatility of a microservices-based wired architecture.

    $503.63

    one-time fee

    Pricing
    Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)HPE Aruba Networking Switches
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    HPE Aruba Networking CX 6000 Switch Series
    Starting at $503.63
    one-time fee
    HPE Aruba Networking CX 6100 Switch Series
    Starting at $935.20
    one-time fee
    HPE Aruba Networking CX 6200 Switch Series
    Starting at $1,054.12
    one-time fee
    HPE Aruba Networking CX 6300 Switch Series
    Starting at $4,483.55
    one-time fee
    HPE Aruba Networking CX 5420 Switch Series
    Starting at $3,158.76
    one-time fee
    HPE Aruba Networking 2930F Switch Series
    Starting at $574.72
    one-time fee
    HPE Aruba Networking CX 6400 Switch Series
    Starting at $7,394.82
    one-time fee
    HPE Aruba Networking CX 8100 Switch Series
    Starting at $19,102.26
    one-time fee
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)HPE Aruba Networking Switches
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional DetailsHPE Aruba Ethernet Switch prices vary significantly based on features, model, and quantity purchased.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)HPE Aruba Networking Switches
    Considered Both Products
    Discontinued Products
    Chose Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
    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 …
    Incentivized
    Chose Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)
    I replaced all Alcatel on my network with Dell, they were gone and had neither accessible documentation nor technicians with enough knowledge to manage them or even provide support. However, I still use some of these brands, such as Cisco and HPE, but not as my network's …
    Incentivized
    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
    Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
    Chose HPE Aruba Networking Switches
    HPE switches are much more cost-effective than Cisco and others with a much more gentle learning curve. Aruba switches can be implemented by users with very little networking experience.
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Delivers good value for the price
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Happy with the feature set
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation went as expected
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Best Alternatives
    Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)HPE Aruba Networking Switches
    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
    Cisco Ethernet Switches
    Score9.1 out of 10
    Cisco Ethernet Switches
    Score9.1 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)HPE Aruba Networking Switches
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.0
    (14 ratings)
    9.0
    (13 ratings)
    Usability
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    8.7
    (3 ratings)
    Support Rating
    9.1
    (2 ratings)
    10.0
    (6 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)HPE Aruba Networking Switches
    Likelihood to Recommend
    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
    Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
    These devices are rock solid, you will se them up once and not have to mess with them for years. They are work horses that don't die. We use them in an office environment and have only ever had 1 fail due to a PSU issue, we got a replacement next day and it's been working great.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    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
    Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
    • REST API capability
    • Wired & Wireless 802.1x configuration easiness
    • Wireless Access Points (APs) zero touch provisioning
    • Its high-end family (running the AOS-CX firmware) supports a virtualization technology called VSX (Virtual Switching Extension) which allows 2 switches to present itself as one virtualized switch under Layer 2, and as 2 separate routers under Layer 3; thereby providing high availability.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    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
    Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
    • I have had issues finding monitoring software that natively supports Provision/Aruba OS. Most are designed primarily with Cisco in mind.
    • HPE/Aruba switches have historically had issues with corrupt flash. This seems to be less common in more recent models.
    • HPE/Aruba's switching portfolio can be confusing. Some models run on the Aruba OS while some others run on Comware. There is some overlap in these model lines so at times is can be tough to tell which switch is right.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    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
    Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
    I have not had that many issues with these products. Aruba Central has been really helpful. The Integration Capabilities allows us to use Clearpass . For individuals new to enterprise-grade networking, there can still be a learning curve associated with understanding the concepts and the specifics of the Aruba configuration.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    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
    Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
    HPE Support is very easy to reach. A knowledgable rep can be reached in a few minutes. After some basic troubleshooting if the failure is due to hardware I can receive a replacement within a day or even in a few hours.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    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
    Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
    We used to have a lot of Cisco switches which are great, but
    the support contracts and other expenses mount up quickly; one of the main
    reasons for switching to HP for networking was the cost, but the hardware and
    software have gotten so much better over the years.

    I can’t see us changing network hardware unless the price increases dramatically.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    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
    Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
    • I really like the idea of paying for the switches one time and just pay for support going forward. The prices are on the high end but I think it is worth it. I wish they would include all the features in one go so we would not have to pay for every new feature.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
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