Cisco Nexus 9000 Series vs NVIDIA Mellanox comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Cisco and NVIDIA are both solutions in the Ethernet Switches category. Cisco is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.7, while NVIDIA is ranked #19 with an average rating of 8.3. Cisco holds a 1.1% mindshare in ES, compared to NVIDIA’s 2.2% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 85% of NVIDIA users who would recommend it.

Cisco Nexus 9000 Series

Read 12 Cisco Nexus 9000 Series reviews

1,443 Views
1,183 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

NVIDIA Mellanox

Read 8 NVIDIA Mellanox reviews

3,062 Views
3,062 Comparison Views

85% willing to recommend

Cisco Nexus 9000 Series

NVIDIA Mellanox

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 1, 2026

NVIDIA Mellanox and Cisco Nexus 9000 Series compete in the data center switch market, each offering high-performance networking solutions. Based on data comparisons, Cisco Nexus 9000 Series has an advantage due to its extensive programmability, advanced features, and robust support.

Features: NVIDIA Mellanox provides high-speed data processing, efficient congestion control, and seamless scalability with support for RDMA. Cisco Nexus 9000 Series offers extensive programmability, advanced telemetry, and integrated security with functionality to automate processes and support hybrid environments.

Room for Improvement: NVIDIA Mellanox could improve its setup time, documentation quality, and reduce complexity in scaling. Cisco Nexus 9000 Series can enhance ease of configuration, reduce initial setup complexity, and streamline updates to stay competitive.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Nexus 9000 Series offers a comprehensive deployment model with detailed documentation and strong customer support, simplifying installation. NVIDIA Mellanox provides scalable solutions but may encounter longer setup times, although customer feedback on support is positive.

Pricing and ROI: NVIDIA Mellanox generally presents a lower initial setup cost, potentially offering a faster return on investment for budget-conscious organizations. Cisco Nexus 9000 Series may involve higher initial expenses, but its innovative features and long-term benefits provide a balanced ROI over time.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Nexus 9000 Series vs. NVIDIA Mellanox Report (Updated: September 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Nexus 9000 Series vs. NVIDIA Mellanox

September 2026

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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 Ethernet Switches

9th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

5.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Data Center Networking (6th)

NVIDIA Mellanox

Ranking in Ethernet Switches

19th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

4.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Nexus 9000 Series is 1.1%, up from 0.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NVIDIA Mellanox is 2.2%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Cisco Nexus 9000 Series	1.1%
NVIDIA Mellanox	2.2%
Other	96.7%

Ethernet Switches

Featured Reviews

AbhinavSingh

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.

Read full review

Nurudeen Suleiman

CEO at Tekpulse Ltd

Automation and integration improve operations efficiently

We wanted to utilize the advanced InfiniBand and Ethernet solutions offered by NVIDIA, but the users are not too familiar with the InfiniBand environment, which is why we are using the Linux Cumulus 5.6, which is usually the normal Ethernet. I am familiar with NVIDIA Mellanox, as I have products from NVIDIA on review here on our website. I use enhanced multi-tenancy features. Currently, within the data center, we have mixtures of both Cisco Nexus switches, NVIDIA switches, and Huawei switches, so eventually, we are changing all the switches to NVIDIA. On a scale of 1-10, I rate NVIDIA Mellanox an eight.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We are using the core capabilities of Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Ethernet switches, and it is performing well."

"According to the customers, they are not utilizing even 40% of the switches because the capacity is very large."

"The performance in data center operations with Cisco Nexus 9000 Series is excellent; we have never faced any performance issues."

"The features for manageability and visibility are impressive."

"Cisco Nexus 9000 Series is easy to use, and the performance is exceptional."

"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."

"There has been improvement in our connectivity with Cisco Nexus 9000 Series, and there is less drag."

"Performance has been great with no abnormal behaviors detected, and the network remains stable even in failover scenarios, supporting vast environments with high availability."

More Cisco Nexus 9000 Series pros

"The tool is very configurable because it runs on a Linux operating system."

"The most valuable features of Mellanox Switches are the powerful hardware and the software is open. They're using Linux operating system. You can do and install many things, and it performs well."

"The biggest advantage is that the vendor is the only one providing no-drop traffic."

"It is a very easy-to-use product."

"The most valuable features of Mellanox Switches are the size, power consumption, and the vast amount of features."

"From what I've been told, a valuable feature of Mellanox switches is they're quite user-friendly."

"One of the features that attracted us is the functionality to automate processes and to integrate with current systems such as the AI environment."

"Mellanox provides a feature called RDMA; this feature is very special and only Mellanox can provide it."

More NVIDIA Mellanox pros

Cons

"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."

"I would like to see features that control traffic and maintain service continuity during the transfer of signals from physical connections to servers."

"If I have a Juniper and want to uplink with Cisco, there could be some configuration challenges."

"We find that Cisco has been left behind by the other vendors. The other vendors have adopted new technology, and we find Cisco lagging behind."

"The potential for improvement lies in the licensing aspect, which is somewhat confusing. The perpetual and subscription licensing is a concern."

"When trying to contact support, we had issues trying to get someone to help us."

"The SFP modules we are using have had issues. We have Cisco modules, but they frequently heat up or there are packet error issues."

More Cisco Nexus 9000 Series cons

"Mellanox Switches were easier before Nvidia bought Mellanox and then their new version of the operating system changed."

"Mellanox Switches were easier before Nvidia bought Mellanox and then their new version of the operating system changed. They started with Ennui, and now they only use Linux. If they returned to their previous CLI it would be a good option for starters. The new CLI is more difficult to use but more powerful than the older one. It has its advantages."

"If you compare this solution with Cisco, utilization in Cisco is more popular and it is more friendly."

"The configuration is a bit different from Cisco, and therefore, for me at least, there's a bit of a learning curve."

"Mellanox Switches could improve by adding some features that can make it easier for integrating the switches in some managing and monitoring platforms, such as Elastic or similar software for monitoring data with the data center in a more holistic way."

"The scalability is working fine at the moment, but there's always room for improvement. As of right now, I don't know of any improvements to suggest."

"Sometimes, it can have some bugs from the past if I am an old user. However, it is stable now."

"The feature we would want to see in future updates of NVIDIA Mellanox is improved accessibility for normal users, as quite a lot of experience is needed before using Mellanox."

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"There is a license to use the switch ports of Mellanox Switches."

"It's an open-source solution."

"The price of Mellanox Switches is reasonable compared to other solutions. The price and quality ratio was very good. There is a one-time license purchase that is needed."

"The pricing is very competitive. The licensing costs are fine."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

22%

Outsourcing Company

16%

Manufacturing Company

13%

Construction Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

12%

Computer Software Company

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	7
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	5

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	2

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...

See all answers

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.

See all answers

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 ...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Mellanox Switches?

The pricing is competitive. For its performance, it's cheaper, so I would rate it a four if cheaper is lower.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Mellanox Switches?

The feature we would want to see in future updates of NVIDIA Mellanox is improved accessibility for normal users, as quite a lot of experience is needed before using Mellanox. None of the Mellanox ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Mellanox Switches?

NVIDIA Mellanox is usually used for numerous purposes, but in our case, we are using it in a data center for high-end servers running 200 gig interfaces, and we are able to link it up with Ansible ...

See all answers

Comparisons

Juniper QFX Series Switches vs Cisco Nexus 9000 Series

Compared 13% of the time

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs Cisco Nexus 9000 Series

Compared 12% of the time

Arista Networks Platform vs Cisco Nexus 9000 Series

Compared 11% of the time

Ubiquiti UniFi Switches vs Cisco Nexus 9000 Series

Compared 7% of the time

ExtremeSwitching vs Cisco Nexus 9000 Series

Compared 3% of the time

More Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Competitors

Cisco Ethernet Switches vs NVIDIA Mellanox

Compared 11% of the time

Arista Networks Platform vs NVIDIA Mellanox

Compared 8% of the time

Juniper QFX Series Switches vs NVIDIA Mellanox

Compared 7% of the time

Broadcom StrataXGS vs NVIDIA Mellanox

Compared 7% of the time

HPE Ethernet Switches vs NVIDIA Mellanox

Compared 5% of the time

More NVIDIA Mellanox Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Nexus 9000 Series

October 2026

Download Cisco Nexus 9000 Series product report

Buyer's Guide

Ethernet Switches

October 2026

Download NVIDIA Mellanox product report

Also Known As

No data available

Mellanox Switches, Mellanox SN2700

Overview

Cisco Nexus 9000 Series is a high-performing network switch line designed for modern data centers, offering scalability, flexibility, and efficiency for complex network infrastructures.

This series enhances data center performance with its ability to provide extensive support for open Ethernet standards and programmable networking environments. It is specifically tailored to meet the demands of evolving infrastructure by delivering advanced automation and simplified operations tailored for application-driven environments. Designed to tackle the challenges of today's data centers, Cisco Nexus 9000 Series ensures robust networking for enterprises seeking growth through technological advancement.

What are the key features of Cisco Nexus 9000 Series?

High Density: Features high-density 40G Ethernet, enhancing throughput in data centers.
Programmability: Offers full programmable access via Cisco’s NX-OS software, enabling customized operations.
Scalability: Supports scalability to enable growth and expansion without compromising performance.
Energy Efficiency: Equipped with energy-saving technology, reducing operational costs significantly.

What benefits and ROI can users expect?

Cost Efficiency: Reduces costs through energy-efficient operations and maintenance.
Performance: Increases network performance forwarding vital data swiftly and securely.
Adaptability: Easily integrates into existing systems, aiding in smooth transitions and upgrades.
Reliability: Ensures continuous uptime and stability, crucial for business-critical operations.

Cisco Nexus 9000 Series finds extensive use in industries like finance, healthcare, and telecommunications, where robust, scalable network infrastructure is essential. In finance, it supports fast and reliable data transactions. In healthcare, it's critical for handling patient data securely. Telecommunications rely on it for managing extensive data traffic efficiently, demonstrating its adaptability and strength in managing sector-specific demands.

Cisco

NVIDIA Mellanox empowers data centers with advanced networking capabilities, featuring RDMA, user-friendly interfaces, efficient design, and competitive performance. Designed for Linux-based environments, it ensures robust network automation and AI integration.

Known for its compact hardware, NVIDIA Mellanox delivers dependable networking through its innovative features like no-drop traffic handling and essential data center protocols BGP EVPN and VXLAN. It enhances efficiency with its integration into AI-driven environments and extensive configuration options on Linux. Though the installation and its command-line interface pose challenges for some, its automation capabilities complement complex infrastructures in data centers. Users highlight its scalability in networking, yet seek improvements in documentation, training, and OS transition aspects for smoother integration and enhanced accessibility. Ongoing advancements are anticipated, particularly regarding support response and platform compatibility like Elastic.

What are the key features of NVIDIA Mellanox?

RDMA: Enables high-throughput, low-latency networking.
No-drop Traffic Support: Maintains data integrity during high loads.
BGP EVPN and VXLAN: Essential networking protocols for data centers.
Low Power Consumption: Efficient energy usage.
AI Environment Integration: Seamlessly aligns with AI workloads.
Automation with Ansible: Simplifies network management tasks.

What benefits should users expect?

Enhanced Performance: Improves networking efficiency in data centers.
Cost-effective: Competitive pricing with robust features.
Operational Efficiency: Streamlined processes through automation.
Scalability: Supports growth and increased network demands.
Energy Savings: Reduces operational costs through low-power design.

In industries operating networking infrastructures, NVIDIA Mellanox offers LAN and AI data center solutions, integral to high-performance computing. Users in sectors utilizing spine-and-leaf topology for top-of-rack and core devices leverage its infinite band speed and EVPN/VxLan capabilities. With support for edge, storage, and border gate switches, it optimizes networking automation beginning with Ethernet-based setups. Organizations gradually enhance complexity as their networking needs evolve.

NVIDIA

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

CNPC, Korea Consumer Agency, Nutanix, Roxo Systems, StorPool, Atlantic.Net, INFN, StarWind, NYSE Technologies, Creative Consultants, ENKI

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Nexus 9000 Series vs. NVIDIA Mellanox

September 2026

Free Report: Cisco Nexus 9000 Series vs. NVIDIA Mellanox

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Nexus 9000 Series vs. NVIDIA Mellanox and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.

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