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Cisco Nexus 9000 Series vs ExtremeSwitching comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 1, 2026

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Nexus 9000 Series
Ranking in Data Center Networking
6th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
5.6
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
Ethernet Switches (9th)
ExtremeSwitching
Ranking in Data Center Networking
11th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
26
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (6th), AV Over IP Switching (4th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2026, in the Data Center Networking category, the mindshare of Cisco Nexus 9000 Series is 4.3%, up from 0.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ExtremeSwitching is 7.0%, up from 6.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Data Center Networking Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Nexus 9000 Series4.3%
ExtremeSwitching7.0%
Other88.7%
Data Center Networking
 

Featured Reviews

AS
Technical Marketing Engineer Hybrid Cloud Infrastructures at NetApp
Policy-driven data centers have delivered low-latency connectivity for critical applications
The most critical and important feature in Cisco Nexus 9000 Series is VPC. Apart from VPC, there are many other features in Cisco Nexus 9000 Series that stand out as advantages. You can apply access control lists on that. You can do Layer 3 capabilities. You can configure HSRP. You can implement VRFs. You can isolate the L3 network within your data center. It has a lot of features including network segmentation capabilities. You can apply a lot of security hardening and manage the access on the switches through auditing to see who is doing what and restrict access based on the network admin role. These are great features. The overlay technology support in Cisco Nexus 9000 Series is good for large-scale deployment where you are going to build something like a hyperscaler. You need more network segments, and with VXLAN, you can definitely build a large fabric with those Nexus switches.
Meric-Dinc - PeerSpot reviewer
Director, Solutions at TopTel
Automated fabric networking has simplified large deployments and now streamlines complex operations
The best features in ExtremeSwitching that I appreciate include the technology known as Extreme Fabric, which our customers find miraculous because it enables automated networks. With fabric technology, customers are very happy since they don't need to perform new configurations in the core, distribution, or access site, but only some configuration in access switch ports, as the network automatically knows where services start and end. It is definitely secure and very easy to install. We are utilizing ExtremeSwitching's automated network management feature, and when we sell our products to clients, we always offer Extreme Site Engine or now Platform One for cloud. Having this automated network management helps streamline operations by requiring less manpower, as infrastructure is hard to manage, but with the visualization provided by network management systems, clients only need to use a few clicks to deploy new services. There is no need to create multiple ports or VLANs, allowing even one or two individuals to operate very large networks. ExtremeSwitching's intuitive management interface has improved network performance significantly. For instance, Extreme Networks currently utilizes a very good AI system. When users need to perform configurations like MLAG, they can simply log in, ask for the configuration, and receive recommendations. This capability makes clients very happy because the management software inspects the entire network and provides valuable recommendations that lead to significant improvements.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"For one of the biggest European customers, they deployed Cisco Nexus for their core networking and it has been running for a few years without having a single downtime."
"The features for manageability and visibility are impressive."
"The stability and reliability of Cisco Nexus 9000 Series are robust, and once you put it on, it does not just fail; that takes a long time, maybe even years."
"Cisco Nexus 9000 Series is quite a complex machine, but we are using a very simple configuration with basic Nexus switching, and we don't have many issues with Cisco Nexus 9000 Series at the moment in our present infrastructure."
"Performance has been great with no abnormal behaviors detected, and the network remains stable even in failover scenarios, supporting vast environments with high availability."
"Cisco Nexus 9000 Series is easy to use, and the performance is exceptional."
"There has been improvement in our connectivity with Cisco Nexus 9000 Series, and there is less drag."
"Cisco Nexus 9000 Series is very durable and very reliable, and there has never been any issue with it."
"In the case of small businesses, the solution is budget-friendly and easy to configure."
"It is meeting our expectations in terms of performance as well as cost-effectiveness."
"Mostly the price and the performance have been very valuable aspects of the solution for us."
"Setup was easy. It only took a couple of hours to set up."
"The return on investment is high."
"Some of the most valuable features of ExtremeSwitching are Fabric Attach and BGP, as well as the price point, which are superior in the market."
"It is very reliable because one of the reasons is the non-blocking architecture of Extreme Networks."
"The performance of ExtremeSwitching is good."
 

Cons

"The SFP modules we are using have had issues. We have Cisco modules, but they frequently heat up or there are packet error issues."
"I would rate the technical support for Cisco Nexus 9000 Series an eight out of ten. This rating is not because of their lack of expertise, but just the assignment period."
"When trying to contact support, we had issues trying to get someone to help us."
"For Cisco Nexus 9000 Series switches, I think we need to work on the HSRP. Whenever it flaps or something happens, it creates an issue."
"In terms of automation with Cisco Nexus 9000 Series, it could be better."
"If I have a Juniper and want to uplink with Cisco, there could be some configuration challenges."
"Even though it is expensive, I am not sure about the return on investment. It is expensive, and you will need to pay for subscription fees that also are not cheap."
"The potential for improvement lies in the licensing aspect, which is somewhat confusing. The perpetual and subscription licensing is a concern."
"I believe they should be more aggressive in terms of pricing."
"ExtremeSwitching is scalable to a certain extent for SME-segmented IP."
"ExtremeSwitching should provide command lines more readily without needing in-depth searching on their support portal, especially for unique configurations."
"The interface could be improved."
"The price is expensive. We pay for a license, but you have to pay more if you want to increase the number."
"We noticed over the years that the price of the Extreme Switches has been rising and this will become a concern in the future."
"When comparing ExtremeSwitching with products from other vendors, I find that Extreme is suitable for our needs, particularly regarding cost and configuration. When comparing Extreme with other products, after Cisco, I find that this product is somewhat costlier."
"The licensing is expensive."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"On pricing, ExtremeSwitches are going to beat most of the major competition."
"The product is expensive."
"It is not a subscription-based model, and there is no licensing concept. We have to pay for hardware AMC. We have hardware on our premises and for the hardware support, we have to go for the annual maintenance contract with the partner."
"We paid 25,000 to 30,000 INR."
"The price is expensive. We pay for a license, but you have to pay more if you want to increase the number."
"There is a cost for ExtremeSwitching and if you want the support and maintenance, there are additional costs. My clients typically pay for the support and maintenance annually."
"There is no license required to use the solution. The hardware controller is expensive, and this is why I prefer controlling ExtremeSwitching on the cloud."
"ExtremeSwitching offers very good pricing plans for their licenses. Compared to their rivals, ExtremeSwitching's prices are very affordable and reasonable. This is why our customers are happy to pay for their service critical support. ExtremeSwitching also offers a great portal to track clients, further satisfying our customers. They are always happy to pay for the service every month. The pricing is very reasonable."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Comms Service Provider
22%
Outsourcing Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Construction Company
10%
Construction Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Outsourcing Company
10%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise5
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business12
Midsize Enterprise8
Large Enterprise8
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Cisco Nexus 9000 Series?
I have not configured the DNA, but I have configured Cisco Intersight, and from Intersight, I have managed monitoring of the servers and switches. I have not given a 10 because there is some depend...
What is your primary use case for Cisco Nexus 9000 Series?
I am a system integrator and user myself. I have worked with Cisco Smart switches, Nexus switches, and Meraki MS switches. I have deployed these switches for Oil and Gas companies in India.
What advice do you have for others considering Cisco Nexus 9000 Series?
I have been dealing with Cisco series Smart switches and Nexus series, and I have worked with the Nexus switches. I have good support from the overlay technology support in Nexus 1900 for enhanced ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ExtremeSwitching?
Regarding pricing, I find it very competitive, especially in Turkey, where markets in the Middle East and Africa tend to be price-sensitive. Our prices are very competitive when compared to Cisco a...
What needs improvement with ExtremeSwitching?
From a marketing perspective, I would like to see Extreme Networks expand its product line to include small and medium business (SMB) solutions, as many customers do not have large budgets. Unlike ...
What is your primary use case for ExtremeSwitching?
We are utilizing Extreme products in many cases, including a significant project in Antalya, Turkey, involving five five-star hotels, as well as several municipality projects around a million. Most...
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Blue Waters
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Nexus 9000 Series vs. ExtremeSwitching and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.
917,433 professionals have used our research since 2012.