Top 15 Cisco Competitors

Cisco is a leading technology company specializing in networking and communications solutions for businesses of all sizes. Founded in 1984, Cisco has become an industry leader by providing customers with reliable products, services, and resources to help them build and maintain their networks. 

As one of the most recognized brands in the tech world, Cisco offers a wide range of products, from routers and switches to wireless access points and security solutions.

From home offices to large corporations, Cisco provides cost-effective solutions for businesses looking to stay connected. Their products are designed for scalability, making it easy for customers to upgrade as their needs change over time. 

Cisco offers comprehensive training packages to make learning about network systems easy and enjoyable. With helpful customer support staff available 24/7, someone can always assist when needed.

Cisco Systems, Inc. is a global technology leader that designs, manufactures, and sells networking equipment. Cisco is the world’s largest networking systems provider, with more than 77% of the market share. 

15 Best Cisco Competitors

We’ve done an extensive research to create this comprehensive list of alternatives to Cisco products. Every company on this list has unique strengths and capabilities that make them stand out from the competition. 

Whether you’re looking for a more cost-effective solution or a product with greater scalability, you’ll find it here. So without further ado, let’s dive into our list of the 15 best Cisco competitors and see what they offer!

1. Juniper Networks

Juniper Networks is a leading competitor of Cisco in the technology industry. Their product lines are focused on networking and communications services, making them well-positioned to compete with Cisco in many areas. 

Juniper Networks offer a variety of solutions that can cover everything from small businesses to large enterprises. Juniper has invested heavily in research and development, giving them an edge in innovation. 

Juniper Networks have established partnerships with many big players in the market, such as Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform. This allows them to tailor their products to customers’ needs better, helping them stand out from competitors. 

Additionally, Juniper’s focus on security and scalability makes them an especially attractive option for organizations looking to protect their data and grow their infrastructure.

As a result of their competitive advantages, Juniper has emerged as one of the main contenders against Cisco in the tech industry. While both companies offer quality solutions that can help businesses succeed, Juniper’s focus on flexibility and security makes it an appealing choice for those looking for reliable networking solutions.

2. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is a strong competitor to Cisco in the enterprise networking sector. HPE provides a broad range of products and services tailored to meet customer requirements. This includes offering data center, cloud, and ISP solutions, routers, switches, wireless access points, and more. 

In addition, HPE offers comprehensive managed services for their customers, allowing them to monitor and manage their network infrastructure.

What sets HPE apart from Cisco is its focus on flexibility and scalability in its products and services. HPE allows customers to customize their solutions based on their budgets, needs, and preferences. 

Furthermore, they offer a wide array of options that can be used to scale up or down depending on the organization’s size. This allows customers to easily adapt their networks without investing in new equipment or systems.

HPE is an excellent choice for businesses looking for a reliable vendor to provide flexible solutions at competitive prices. 

With its comprehensive product portfolio, managed services offerings, and scalability options, HPE has all the features necessary for organizations looking for an alternative to Cisco’s enterprise networking solutions.

3. Dell

Dell is an American multinational computer technology company with a presence in over 180 countries worldwide. Founded in 1984, Dell has grown to become one of the largest tech companies in the world. 

With its wide range of products, Dell has consistently been a formidable competitor to Cisco. From servers and storage to networking and security, Dell offers a comprehensive line of IT solutions to meet customer needs. 

The company’s strong reputation for reliability and scalability makes it popular among businesses that need mission-critical applications and infrastructure. On top of this, Dell also offers flexible financing options that make it easier for customers to acquire its products.

Dell is a strong rival for Cisco due to its extensive product portfolio, dependable IT solutions, and cost-effective pricing structure. 

As such, many businesses have turned to Dell as an alternative provider when looking for enterprise-level IT solutions.

4. Palo Alto Networks

Palo Alto Networks is one of the most prominent Cisco competitors. As a cybersecurity company, they offer many services, such as firewalls and cloud security. They have developed a comprehensive range of security products to protect customers from cyber threats.

The company has been around for over 15 years and has built an impressive customer base in over 60 countries. 

Palo Alto Networks offers innovative technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). These technologies help them detect threats quickly and accurately, making their cyber security solutions some of the most effective in the industry.

Palo Alto Networks is a leader in the cybersecurity space and has consistently outperformed its competitors. Their offerings give organizations better control over their networks, allowing them to identify potential threats before they become a problem. 

With the ability to proactively mitigate risks, Palo Alto Networks provides customers with comprehensive protection from cyberattacks.

5. Huawei

Huawei is a Chinese technology company that is one of the best-known competitors to Cisco. Huawei has successfully worked its way up in the tech industry since 1987.

Huawei offers various products and services, from telecommunications and enterprise solutions to consumer devices such as smartphones.

Unlike Cisco, Huawei is not limited to networking or security products but provides an extensive portfolio of IT solutions for businesses. 

Huawei’s competitive edge lies in offering enterprises comprehensive, integrated, cost-effective IT solutions. This has allowed Huawei to compete directly with companies like Cisco while providing its unique cost-saving advantage.

Huawei continues to grow rapidly, expanding its reach into more countries than ever before and developing new technologies that can challenge those of Cisco’s. 

With its commitment to innovation, it looks set to remain one of the top contenders in the tech industry for many years to come.

6. Check Point Software Technologies

Check Point Software Technologies is a major competitor of Cisco in the networking and security industry. It’s a multinational company that produces hardware, software, and services related to information technology, from firewalls to virtual private networks (VPNs). 

The company also offers cloud-based solutions for customers looking for increased flexibility with their IT infrastructure. One of the most impressive aspects of Check Point Software Technologies is its portfolio of products.

The company’s flagship product is ZoneAlarm, an anti-virus and firewall solution. This product is designed to protect computers from malicious attacks and unauthorized access. 

Additionally, Check Point provides additional products such as Mobile Access Solutions, Endpoint Security Solutions, Data Loss Prevention Solutions, and Identity Awareness Solutions.

These products are designed to the customer’s needs and the latest security technologies. Through its comprehensive suite of products, Check Point Software Technologies has become one of the top providers in the industry regarding protecting organizations from cyber threats.

Check Point Software Technologies has established itself as a formidable competitor against Cisco in the networking and security sector by offering customers reliable solutions constantly evolving with the latest security technologies.

7. Riverbed Technology

Riverbed Technology is a strong competitor to Cisco. It offers a range of services and products that cater to the needs of businesses, including software-defined wide area networks (SD-WANs). 

Riverbed’s SD-WAN technology has been lauded for its ease of use, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. The company also provides networking solutions to optimize application performance and business continuity. 

Riverbed’s products are known for their high quality, reliability, and ability to deliver superior performance across an enterprise network. Additionally, the company’s support team is available 24/7 to assist.

Riverbed Technology offers comprehensive features and capabilities to help businesses get the most out of their networks. Its suite of products provides customers with a complete end-to-end solution for managing their networks. 

From monitoring performance to providing reliable network security, Riverbed Technology provides customers with the tools they need to ensure their networks are running optimally.

8. F5 Networks

F5 Networks is a leading provider of application delivery and security solutions. Their services allow customers to securely connect users to applications, no matter where they are located or how they are accessed. 

F5 Networks provide a suite of products that help customers achieve their business objectives, from load balancing and content switching to secure web gateway and application security.

The company has a strong presence in the market, with over 11,000 customers worldwide. F5 Networks offers its customers the ability to deploy applications and keep them running smoothly and quickly. 

F5 Networks provides an advantage over competitors such as Riverbed Technology by providing more agile business solutions. Additionally, F5’s customer support is top-notch, offering comprehensive technical assistance when needed.

F5 Networks is a great choice for reliable application delivery and security solutions. With its extensive product line and strong customer service offerings, it’s clear why it is one of the top competitors in the industry.

9. Arista Networks

Arista Networks is an increasingly popular competitor of Cisco. It offers various products, from switches to routers and software solutions. 

Arista’s products are designed to be user-friendly, so users don’t have to worry about complex configurations or troubleshooting. Additionally, Arista’s products are cost-effective and offer great scalability.

Arista’s customer service is also top-notch. They provide 24/7 support and even offer online tutorials and webinars for customers who want to learn more about their products. 

Furthermore, they have a network of distributors worldwide that can help with product selection and installation.

Arista Networks is a strong contender against Cisco in the networking market. Its high-quality products, excellent customer service, and competitive pricing make it an attractive alternative for businesses looking for reliable networking solutions. 

With its robust feature set and flexibility in terms of scalability, it has become an increasingly popular choice among organizations looking to maximize their return on investment.

10. Brocade Communications Systems

Brocade Communications Systems is a major competitor to Cisco in the networking industry. It offers various products and services, including storage area networks (SANs), cloud-based solutions, and enterprise data centers. 

Brocade also provides software-defined networking (SDN) solutions to its customers. Compared to Arista Networks, Brocade has a much larger portfolio of products and services, giving it an edge in providing comprehensive solutions for organizations.

Unlike Arista Networks, which provides scalable data center infrastructure for cloud computing environments, Brocade focuses more on enterprise-level solutions that use traditional hardware devices such as routers and switches. 

This allows them to provide customers with greater flexibility in terms of scalability and customization options. Additionally, Brocade provides various security services to help organizations protect their networks from malicious attacks or intrusions.

In terms of pricing, both companies have competitive offerings that make them attractive options for businesses looking for reliable network solutions. 

However, Brocade’s support team is known for being particularly helpful and responsive regarding customer inquiries or issues with their products and services. This makes them an even more attractive option for businesses that value customer service as much as quality networking solutions.

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11. Citrix Systems

Citrix Systems is a leading competitor to Cisco in the enterprise networking and virtualization market. It offers a full suite of products and services that cater to the needs of businesses. 

Their flagship product, Citrix XenServer, is an enterprise-grade bare metal hypervisor that provides high scalability, reliability, and performance levels. 

Additionally, they offer their software-defined networking (SDN) solution called NetScaler, which reduces network complexity by automating much of the routing and switching process.

Aside from its products and services, Citrix is also known for its strategic partnerships with other technology providers. This allows them to expand their offering and provide customers with tailored solutions for their specific needs. 

For example, they have partnered with Microsoft Azure to provide cloud-based virtualization solutions. They also collaborate with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to bring users an optimized experience when running applications on the AWS platform.

Citrix Systems has been a strong competitor to Cisco since its founding in 1989. The company continues to innovate by investing heavily in research and development to create new products and services that help businesses stay ahead of the competition. 

Their commitment to providing flexible solutions has helped many organizations realize their goals faster and more efficiently than ever.

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12. Avaya

Avaya is a formidable competitor to Cisco, especially regarding unified communications. Avaya offers organizations the ability to quickly and easily connect teams worldwide through business collaboration and contact center solutions.

Its comprehensive portfolio of products and services enables enterprises to efficiently manage voice, video, messaging, and data traffic.

The company has been in business for over 100 years and has earned numerous industry awards for its innovation. Its core offerings include communication systems that can be tailored to meet specific customer requirements. 

Additionally, Avaya provides a wide range of support services, including professional services consulting, training & certification, system integration & deployment assistance, and maintenance & support options.

Avaya is a respected player in the telecom industry that can provide businesses of all sizes with reliable solutions for their communication needs. 

With its vast array of features, capabilities, excellent customer service, and technical expertise, Avaya is well-positioned to compete with Cisco head-on in this space.

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13. Extreme Networks

Extreme Networks is one of Cisco’s main competitors in the networking industry. They offer a range of products and services to help businesses with their network need. 

Not only do they provide hardware solutions, but they also offer software, wireless, and cloud solutions as well.

Their flagship offerings include ExtremeCloud IQ, which provides secure access to applications and data while providing analytics to improve user experience; ExtremeSwitching, a line of switches designed for high performance and scalability; and WiNG 7, which provides an AI-driven approach to managing wireless networks.

The company has seen success in recent years with its focus on automation and analytics. Their solutions are trusted by organizations worldwide and have been used by major companies from multiple industries. 

With their commitment to innovation in the networking space, Extreme Networks will likely continue competing with Cisco for years to come.

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14. Fortinet

Fortinet is a leading competitor to Cisco in enterprise networking and cybersecurity. With its comprehensive suite of security solutions, Fortinet offers organizations an integrated approach to network and content security. 

The company’s hardware, software, and services are designed to enable customers to protect their networks from threats while maintaining performance and compliance.

Fortinet is well-known for its next-generation firewall technology, designed to provide advanced protection against sophisticated attacks. 

Additionally, the company offers a range of cloud-based security capabilities that allow customers to monitor their networks in real-time. 

In addition, Fortinet’s Security Fabric platform enables organizations to deploy customized solutions across multiple locations quickly.

Fortinet has established itself as a reliable alternative for enterprises looking for high-level network and content security solutions. The company’s strong focus on innovation and customer service has helped it gain a significant market share over the past decade. 

As organizations continue to prioritize data protection and regulatory compliance, Fortinet is ready to provide them with flexible, secure solutions tailored to meet their specific needs.

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15. NetApp

NetApp is one of the key competitors of Cisco, offering a range of networking solutions to its customers. NetApp’s products are geared towards data storage and management, enabling businesses to store and analyze their data efficiently. 

In addition, NetApp also offers cloud-based services that are designed to enhance scalability and flexibility for companies.

Beyond just providing data storage solutions, NetApp also focuses on helping organizations gain insights from their data by leveraging analytics. 

NetApp allows businesses to understand their customer better and make informed decisions quickly. Furthermore, with its focus on security, NetApp ensures that customers’ data is safe from malicious actors and cyber threats.

NetApp provides a comprehensive suite of solutions that can help businesses simplify their IT operations while ensuring maximum efficiency and productivity. 

NetApp range of products and services makes it an ideal partner for companies looking for reliable networking solutions to power their operations.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Cisco different from its competitors?

Cisco is a leader in the networking industry and has an impressive track record of anticipating market changes and getting the basics of its products right. Cisco offers a unified architecture with a uniform set of hardware and software that sets them apart from its competitors. 

This unified architecture allows for more efficient networking and enables customers to integrate Cisco’s products into their existing networks. Additionally, Cisco also has a high customer satisfaction rating. 

Comparably, Cisco ranks 3rd in customer net promoter score compared to its competitors, such as Juniper Networks, Extreme Networks, Microsoft, HP Inc., and Amazon. The combination of having a unified architecture and high customer satisfaction ratings makes Cisco stand out from the competition.

What Competitive Advantages Does Cisco Have?

Cisco’s competitive advantage lies in its ability to develop products based on a unified architecture, including a uniform set of hardware and software. This allows Cisco to help competitive carriers deliver 5G service agility, facilitating the implementation of new IT capabilities faster, with delivery times reduced by an average of 25%. 

Furthermore, Cisco has a value system that emphasizes partnerships and win-win outcomes for shareholders, customers, employees, and firms with which they collaborate. 

By striving for this collaborative and innovative approach, Cisco has been able to boost its competitive advantages and become better (by orders of magnitude). Therefore, it is clear that Cisco can develop and implement cutting-edge technology quickly and efficiently, allowing it to stay ahead of the competition.

Who is Cisco’s biggest competitor?

Cisco has established itself as a leader in the information technology industry due to its unified architecture that allows for a uniform set of hardware and software. This allows them to offer their customers 5G service agility, leading to new consumer experiences and lucrative business opportunities.

Additionally, Cisco has been able to reduce delivery times by an average of 25% which helps to accelerate innovation and boost their competitive capabilities. 

The company has also developed strong brand equity, scale advantages, and meaningful customer switching costs, giving them a durable competitive advantage in the market. These advantages have allowed Cisco to become one of the leading companies in information technology, catapulting them ahead of their competitors.

Conclusion: Best Cisco Competitors

In conclusion, the competition for Cisco is fierce and increasing. Strong competitors such as Juniper Networks, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Dell, Palo Alto Networks, Huawei, Avaya, Extreme Networks, and Fortinet are taking market share away from Cisco in different areas. 

Additionally, companies like NetApp provide a complete package of hardware and software solutions that compete with Cisco’s offerings. This means that Cisco must continue to innovate and stay ahead of the competition if it wants to remain the leader in networking technology.

Due to its innovative products and services, Cisco has remained the go-to company for many businesses. It has also developed strong partnerships with other companies to provide more comprehensive solutions for customers. However, it needs to find a way to afford to rest on its laurels as competitors are constantly developing new products and services that compete with Cisco’s.

Overall, the competition for Cisco is increasing with each passing day as rivals look to take a piece of the pie away from them. They must continue innovating and developing new products to maintain their leading position in the industry. If they can successfully do this, they should remain at the forefront of networking technology for years to come.