Cisco: Networking Portfolio Review

Cisco is one of the leading providers of flexible and secure networking solutions for enterprises and small businesses.

See below for a review of Cisco’s networking portfolio, including partners, a use case, reviews, recognition, and its standing in the market:

See more: The Networking Market

Cisco Networking Portfolio

Switches and Routers

Catalyst Compact LAN Switches

Cisco’s Compact LAN Switches are small-sized, multi-hop network bridges that connect devices to your primary network.

• Enterprise-efficient with branch deployments
• Built-in security with threat detection and mitigation
• Compatible with a variety of networked devices like access points and IP phones

Meraki Cloud-Managed Switches

The Meraki-Cisco Cloud-Managed Switches are one of the most powerful access switches that combine simplicity and power in managing networks.

• Easy to deploy, manage, and troubleshoot
• Resilient and reliable network connection
• Secure and scalable performance
• Intuitive management and orchestration

The Meraki-Cisco Cloud-Managed Switches use dashboard API to provision new sites and make bulk changes automatically using scripts.

Wireless

Wireless Access Points

Cisco’s collection of Wireless Access Points are strong, reliable, and secure networking hardware that provide Wi-Fi access to wired networks.

• Intelligent threat detection
• Compatible with IoT and low-energy Bluetooth devices
• Support for Wi-Fi 6

Meraki Cloud-Managed Wireless

The Meraki-Cisco Cloud-Managed Wireless solution is an efficient access point with wide network visibility and coverage.

• Provides regular deep network insights
• Faster connections and wider coverage
• Reduces the number and need to support calls
• Zero-touch automatic provisioning
• Multi-site management via the cloud

Network Management

Cisco DNA Center

Cisco DNA Center is the center of management and automation used for Cisco’s Digital Network Architecture (DNA). It can be used to manage and supervise both traditional network structures and SD-access and intent-based networks.

• Zero-trust network model
• AI-powered guidance and remediation
• Built-in statistics using packet capture
• Monitors the performance, interference, and application experience

Cisco Prime Infrastructure

Cisco Prime Infrastructure is a network management tool that simplifies governing of wireless and wired networks through a graphical interface.

• Intelligent WAN management
• Built-in mobile collaboration
• Consolidate product management

Cisco Prime Infrastructure Operations Center can be scaled to include up to 10 Prime Infrastructures and distribute the management by domain, region, or country.

Cisco Prime Collaboration

Cisco Prime Collaboration is an integrated tool for real-time network monitoring, proactive troubleshooting, automated provisioning, and long-term analytics. 

• Simplifies the management of network communication and video collaboration
• Ensures high-quality service and minimal downtime
• Fast and efficient network changes
• Speeds up site rollout processes

Several Cisco Prime Collaboration courses are available in both Standard and Advanced modes.

Network Security

Cisco Cloud Edge Platforms

Cisco Cloud Edge Platforms optimize the multi-cloud experience and deliver scalable, flexible, and secure cloud connectivity by combining SD-WAN, application visibility, and cloud security.

• Full application visibility across the internet, cloud, and SaaS
• Support for 5G network
• Support for automation and diverse microservices
• Built-in integration with Cisco ThousandEyes cloud security

Cisco Stealthwatch

Cisco Stealthwatch, also known as Cisco Secure Network Analytics, provides scalable visibility and security analytics that allow you to enhance threat defense.

• Faster and more reliable incident response
• Simplified network segmentation
• High-fidelity and context-rich alerts
• Regular visibility and analytics into network

Cisco TrustSec

Cisco TrustSec software provides independent and scalable access controls to improve security on Cisco network devices by allowing them to strongly identify users.

• 80% reduced operational costs
• Built-in security regulation compliance
• Fast scaling and policy application across networks
• Utilizes micro-segmentation to reduce threat mobility

Cisco Umbrella

Cisco Umbrella is a cloud-delivered cybersecurity and secure internet gateway (SIG) platform that protects your internal network from internet-based threats.

• Fast deployment within minutes
• Provides visibility into threats
• Intercepts threats before connection occur
• Leverages intelligence to detect attacks before they’re launched
• Integrates with firewall, DNS-layer security, and cloud access security broker

See more: The Network Mapping Market

Cisco Networking Partners

Cisco offers a partnership program that helps companies maintain performance levels in the long-term as innovation in networking accelerates. 

Partners in Cisco’s Global Partner Ecosystem are selected according to their potential and background in their industry and paired with Cisco’s latest solutions and innovations.

Cisco has many networking partners that operate in a mutually beneficial relationship, including OneNeck IT, AT&T, Black Box Network Services, and ABS Technology.

Cisco Networking Use Case

Cisco doesn’t only offer networking solutions to businesses and organizations, they also work with governments around the globe.

The CTTI, or Center for Telecommunications and Information Technologies, a division of the Government of Catalonia, used Cisco’s help to encourage business continuity and prompt a safe return to work.

Managing 2,600 users and millions of residents, Cisco worked alongside the IT administrator of the CTTI to transition three separate government divisions into a single IP network using Cisco DNA Center.

Through a Cisco SD-Access network, they created individual profiles for every job description and every endpoint and connected them through the Cisco DNA Center.

The goal was to forgo densely packed desks for open and communal workspaces.

“We are facilitating the adoption of new ways of working, where you need elements of mobility, transpersonal connections, and efficient management of common spaces,” says Ester Manzano Peláez, director general of digital administration, Government of Catalonia.

“We needed to evolve the model of provisioning and management of IT services.”

By switching users’ assigned accounts from a desk to a laptop and smartphone, users and employees are able to work a couple of days a week from home.

User Reviews of Cisco Networking

Reviews at multiple third-party websites on several networking solutions all favor the Cisco brand.

G2: 4.1 of out 5

Gartner: 4.6 out of 5

Capterra: 4.1 out of 5

TrustRadius: 9.2 out of 10

Some business owners comment about the limitation of some Cisco devices and how they’re ill-adjusted to working within a community network. 

Industry Recognition of Cisco Networking

Over the last few years, several of Cisco’s networking solutions gained prestigious awards and notable industry recognition.

In 2018, Cisco won the Telecom Asia Award for Cisco Network Assurance Engine and Cisco Network Services Orchestrator.

Additionally, TrustRadius recognized various Cisco solutions in network management and infrastructure as their Top Rated products of 2021. 

Cisco Networking in the Market

As of 2021, Cisco dominates around 50% of the global Ethernet switch market, alongside Huawei, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), and Nokia. Furthermore, 87% of fortune 500 companies use Cisco’s networking solutions to manage their infrastructure and internal communications.