Top 15 Cisco Competitors

Cisco is one of the most recognizable names in the IT industry. Over the years, Cisco has developed and maintained a strong presence across multiple sectors including enterprise networking, data centers, cloud computing, security, IoT (internet of things), etc. While Cisco’s market share remains dominant in many areas, there are several competitors that have emerged over time to challenge its supremacy.

This article will provide an overview of some of these key players and their respective offerings.

The top 15 Cisco competitors include:

• HPE Aruba Networks
• Juniper Networks
• Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise
• Huawei Technologies Co.
• Dell technologies Inc.
• Avaya Inc.
• Palo Alto Networks Inc.
• F5 Networks Inc.
• Extreme Networks Inc.
• BlueCat Network Solutions Ltd.
• Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.
• Riverbed Technology Inc.
• SonicWALL Inc.
• Fortinet Inc.
• Zscaler Inc.

These companies offer products ranging from network switches to routers; firewalls to wireless access points; SDN/NFV solutions to network analytics tools; application delivery controllers to secure web gateways; WAN optimization appliances to video conferencing systems and more.

The following sections of this paper discuss the specific features provided by each company along with details such as pricing structure and customer reviews for comparison purposes.

Hpe Aruba Networks

HPE Aruba Networks is one of the leading competitors of Cisco, offering a range of products and services in network infrastructure. It has been estimated that HPE Aruba’s market share for networking solutions (including wireless) was approximately 7 percent in 2020 – second only to Cisco.

The company provides an array of features designed to meet the needs of businesses large and small, from cloud-managed controllers to switches and routers with advanced security protocols. Additionally, its scalable deployment options make it ideal for larger enterprises looking to expand their networks quickly without sacrificing performance or security.

The company offers several key features which set it apart from other vendors, including automated captive portal capabilities, deep analytics systems leveraging machine learning technologies, as well as comprehensive policy-based management systems which allow administrators to easily configure settings across multiple devices and locations.

Furthermore, HPE Aruba also supports virtualized networks through both public clouds such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and private ones like VMware Cloud Foundation. This makes deploying applications easier than ever while providing maximum control over sensitive data.

In terms of reliability, HPE Aruba has become increasingly popular due to its ability to provide high uptime rates even during peak traffic times. By taking advantage of advanced load balancing techniques and using redundant links between different components within the same network environment, users can be confident that their system will remain available when needed most.

Juniper Networks

Juniper Networks is a leading provider of network solutions and services. Its products are designed to provide secure, reliable operations on enterprise networks as well as high-performance data center applications. Juniper offers complete networking solutions for businesses ranging from small offices to large enterprises, including routers, switches, security devices, software-defined networking (SDN), virtualization platforms, and cloud services.

Additionally, the company provides support and training programs for customers’ needs.

In terms of pricing, Juniper’s offerings are competitive in the market with its competitors such as Cisco Systems. It also offers discounts on bulk orders and volume purchases that can be tailored according to customer requirements. Moreover, it has a subscription model which allows customers to pay for usage rather than upfront fees per service or product. In addition to cost savings, this payment system also offers flexibility when it comes to budgeting costs over time.

When comparing features between Juniper and Cisco systems, there are some differences in their capabilities and performance levels depending on the specific application being used by organizations. For example, Juniper’s SDN technology offers higher scalability while Cisco is better suited for lower latency requirement environments. Furthermore, Juniper’s portfolio includes advanced firewall protection options that help prevent malicious attacks while Cisco focuses more on providing comprehensive visibility into traffic patterns.

Ultimately, both companies offer powerful solutions that meet diverse business needs but require careful evaluation of feature sets prior to making an informed decision about which vendor should be chosen based on individual requirements or preferences.

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise

Juniper Networks has been a major competitor of Cisco Systems in the networking market for many years. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. It offers routers, switches, firewalls, and security products to customers around the world.

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise (ALE) is another significant adversary of Cisco Systems in the network equipment industry. ALE is based out of Paris, France with offices across Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific (APAC), and North America. The company provides communications solutions like voice, messaging, data center infrastructure, cloud computing services, unified communications platforms as well as collaboration tools such as video conferencing and webinar software. Some of their most popular products are: IP phones; wireless LANs; virtual private networks; contact centers; enterprise mobility management systems; network access control systems; remote access gateways; customer experience management technologies; and application acceleration solutions. These offerings have enabled ALE to become one of Cisco’s leading competitors in terms of product breadth and capabilities that help businesses stay connected securely at any time from anywhere around the globe.

Since its inception in 2006, ALE has made considerable strides towards becoming an established player in the telecom industry by providing highly reliable and innovative technology-driven solutions to organizations worldwide which have had a profound impact on the way businesses operate today. Additionally, it has created thousands of jobs throughout EMEA while helping numerous companies increase productivity through efficient operations processes delivering cost savings along with advanced communication technologies.

Through its state-of-the-art alcatel lucent products combined with cutting edge research and development initiatives targeting specific markets, ALE has developed a comprehensive portfolio designed to meet modern day business needs. Their sizable investments into emerging markets places them ahead of competition when it comes to staying abreast with current trends impacting various industries that depend heavily on high speed internet connectivity while ensuring secure data transmission anytime from anywhere without disruption or downtime issues.

Huawei Technologies Co.

Huawei Technologies Co. is a multinational technology company that was founded in 1987 and is based in China. It has become one of the largest suppliers of telecommunications infrastructure, providing products to over 170 countries around the world. Huawei’s Global Presence	Huawei Led Innovation
Asia Pacific	5G Network Technology
Americas	AI-Based Solutions
Europe	Cloud Computing
Africa & Middle East	Smart Connected Devices

The company offers a wide range of networking solutions for consumers, small businesses up to large enterprises, as well as government agencies. Huawei specializes in manufacturing routers, switches, optical network equipment, IP data cards and mobile phones. They are also involved in research and development (R&D) activities related to smart cities, automotive electronics and artificial intelligence. In addition to these core competencies, they have led innovation in some areas such as Intelligent Video Surveillance (IVS), Mobile Money Services and Augmented Reality (AR).

In terms of global presence, Huawei has offices located all around the world with operations across Asia Pacific, Americas, Europe and Africa & Middle East regions. Their products can be found everywhere from South Korea’s largest telecom provider KT Corporation to French energy giant Engie SA. As part of their commitment towards continued growth and customer satisfaction they focus on delivering solutions tailored for each region or country which meet or exceed local standards. Moreover, their investments into research & development enable them to stay ahead of competition by offering cutting-edge technologies such as fifth-generation networks (5G), cloud computing services and artificial intelligent (AI) solutions for businesses worldwide.

As an industry leader within its field Huawei has been able to make significant contributions toward technological advancements while continuing to grow its business globally at an impressive rate year after year – ultimately making it one of Cisco’s top 15 competitors.

Dell Technologies Inc.

1. Dell Technologies Inc. is a leading provider of global IT services and products.

2. Dell offers an array of products, including servers, storage, networking, end-user computing, and software services.

3. Dell also provides a broad range of solutions, including cloud computing, big data and analytics, mobility, and security solutions.

4. Dell competes in the IT industry with other major companies such as HP, IBM, Oracle, and Microsoft, as well as several smaller competitors such as Cisco Systems, Fujitsu, and NEC.

5. Dell has a strong presence in the enterprise market and is one of the top 15 Cisco competitors.

6. The company strives to provide customers with innovative IT solutions and services that are cost-effective and reliable.

Dell Services

Dell Technologies Inc. is a leading provider of technology services with a focus on Dell Services, such as computing, storage and networking solutions.

With an extensive portfolio that covers everything from server systems to end-user devices, the company offers competitive pricing and reliable support for its products and services.

Dell’s competitors in this market include companies like Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), IBM, Lenovo, Oracle Corporation, Huawei Technology Co., Ltd., Fujitsu Limited and Microsoft Corporation.

All these companies offer similar services but at different price points depending on their respective product lines and offerings.

In terms of dell pricing, customers can expect to find discounts when buying larger packages or multiple items from them; however, some of their competitors may also offer better deals for bulk purchases or special promotions if available.

Moreover, when it comes to dell support, the company has been known to provide top-notch customer service through phone calls and online chats during regular business hours.

The company also provides helpful tutorials and FAQs which are easily accessible via its website.

It thus ensures customers have access to all the necessary information they need whenever they require assistance regarding any issue related to Dell Technologies Inc.’s products or services.

Dell Products

Dell Technologies Inc. offers a wide range of products and services, from server systems to end-user devices. Dell is known for its competitive pricing as well as reliable support. As such, the company has become one of the leading providers in this industry.

Its design capabilities are best exemplified by their portfolio of products and services that cater to different customer needs. From consumer laptops to enterprise-level storage solutions, Dell’s product designs often lead the way in terms of innovation and performance.

Furthermore, dell Services provide customers with access to cutting edge technology solutions designed specifically for them. With expertise across various industries, they can help businesses build better IT infrastructure while also providing managed services like cloud computing or virtualization services.

By leveraging both their design capabilities as well as their service offerings, Dell continues to be an important player in today’s technology market.

Dell Solutions

Dell Strategies are designed to ensure the company’s success in today’s technology market.

By utilizing its design capabilities, Dell offers a wide range of products and services that cater to different customer needs.

Moreover, dell Services provide customers with access to cutting edge technology solutions tailored for their specific requirements.

These strategies allow Dell to offer competitive pricing as well as reliable support which provides them an advantage over other competitors in this industry.

Additionally, Dell is able to leverage its expertise across various industries to build better IT infrastructure while also providing managed services like cloud computing or virtualization services.

This allows for enhanced efficiency and cost savings when compared to traditional methods.

With these advantages, Dell continues to remain at the forefront of innovation within the tech sector.

Avaya Inc.

Avaya Inc. is a provider of communication solutions and services, headquartered in Santa Clara, California. Founded in 2000 by founding members from Lucent Technologies, Avaya has become one of the leading global providers of business communications solutions and services.

Its portfolio includes unified communications (UC), contact centers, audio conferencing systems and applications that are designed to meet the needs of small businesses as well as large enterprises. Avaya’s hosted solutions offer customers scalability, flexibility, cost-effectiveness and improved customer experience while its network security features provide an additional layer of protection for their data.

The company offers a range of products such as VoIP phones, IP PBXs and IP desktops which are based on open standards architecture; allowing companies to integrate with existing IT infrastructures without disrupting operations or incurring extra costs. It also provides cloud-based UC solutions that enable businesses to access all their communication tools from any location over the internet.

For organizations looking to deploy UC technologies across multiple sites, Avaya can help them set up secure networks using its sophisticated encryption techniques and virtual private networking capabilities. Avaya has developed strong partnerships with many industry leaders including Microsoft, IBM, Oracle and Cisco Systems which allow its customers to take advantage of integrated enterprise solutions tailored specifically for their respective industries.

In addition to providing comprehensive support services through its own team of experts and certified partners worldwide, Avaya also ensures timely updates on new product releases so that customers stay ahead of technological advancements in this rapidly evolving market.

Palo Alto Networks Inc.

Palo Alto Networks Inc. is one of the leading competitors in Cisco’s market for networking and security solutions, as it provides a comprehensive suite of cloud-based security technologies that are powered by AI driven analytics.

The company offers an integrated platform with several core product offerings such as firewall, threat prevention, URL filtering, identity management and access control. Through its next generation firewalls which use artificial intelligence to detect threats, Palo Alto Networks has become a popular choice among customers who want to protect their networks from advanced cyber attacks.

The key features of Palo Alto Network’s products include:

• Cloud Security: With the ability to secure data centers at scale, this feature allows users to quickly deploy many different applications over multiple clouds without sacrificing performance or visibility.

• AI Driven Security: Leveraging machine learning algorithms and analytics to uncover hidden threats and suspicious activities on corporate networks before they can cause damage.

• Automated Compliance Enforcement: This feature helps organizations meet industry standards for compliance like GDPR and HIPAA while also offering granular policy enforcement across the entire network infrastructure.

• Endpoint Protection: Offering real-time monitoring of devices connected to the network and using predictive analysis capabilities to identify potential malicious activities in order to prevent them before they happen.

By leveraging its deep expertise in cloud security technology, Palo Alto Networks has established itself as a major player in the competitive landscape of Enterprise Networking Solutions providers.

Its focus on integrating AI powered analytics into its products enables customers to gain complete end-to-end visibility across their multi-cloud deployments while providing robust protection against any type of attack surface area.

As part of its commitment to customer satisfaction, Palo Alto Networks provides 24/7 technical support and regular updates on emerging trends in cybersecurity so that companies can stay ahead of the curve when it comes to protecting their networks from modern day threats.

F5 Networks Inc.

F5 Networks Inc. is a cloud-native network services provider and one of the top 15 Cisco competitors in the world. The company provides a range of products, including F5 Security Solutions, to enable organizations to protect their applications against cyber threats.

Additionally, the company’s solutions offer advanced automation capabilities that provide users with streamlined network management and improved performance for critical workloads.

F5 Security Solutions are designed to help organisations secure their digital assets from malicious actors by providing reliable identity access management (IAM), data encryption, threat detection and prevention measures as well as other security protocols. Furthermore, these solutions also allow customers to easily manage user authentication processes across multiple platforms while ensuring compliance with industry standards such as PCI DSS or HIPAA.

The Network Automation Benefits offered by F5 Networks Inc., include increased efficiency due to automated network configuration changes, reduced downtime resulting from faster troubleshooting of complex issues and comprehensive visibility into infrastructure performance metrics.

This allows businesses to be more agile in responding to everchanging customer demands while avoiding costly manual errors associated with traditional methods of managing networks. In addition, this gives them an edge over their competition when it comes to deploying new technologies quickly and effectively without compromising quality or security.

Overall, F5 Networks Inc.’s suite of products are helping organisations around the world build robust defense systems against cyberattacks and improve operational efficiency through intelligent automation technology.

Extreme Networks Inc.

As a seamless transition from F5 Networks Inc., Extreme Networks Inc. is another top Cisco competitor that offers comprehensive network solutions for enterprises, campuses and data centers. With its wealth of experience in providing end-to-end networking solutions, the company has been able to craft powerful yet scalable products for their customers over the years.

Extreme Networks specializes in delivering market leading:

1. Network Security Solutions

2. Software Defined Access (SD-Access) Solution

3. Automated Campus Solutions

The portfolio of services offered by Extreme Networks helps organizations to build secure and reliable networks while also helping them to scale up as they grow in size or complexity. It also provides an array of software based capabilities such as analytics, insights, automation and orchestration which are designed to help simplify operations by enabling better control through increased visibility into complex distributed architectures.

These features can be deployed across multiple sites with ease and provide advanced security measures including encryption and authentication protocols suitable for any industry verticals or use cases requiring robust network security protection. Overall, this vendor is well placed to offer customers high performance, highly available and cost effective networking solutions coupled with scalability options tailored to meet specific needs.

Bluecat Network Solutions Ltd

BlueCat Network Solutions Ltd is a Canadian company that provides network solutions and services to organizations in need of IP addressing, network security and more. Founded in 2001, the firm has since become one of the leading companies providing IT infrastructure solutions globally. In addition, BlueCat Networks offer enterprise-class products for DNS/DHCP and IPAM (DDI) solutions as well as advanced analytics capabilities.

Technologies	Services
DNS/DHCP	Analytics
IPAM (DDI)	IP Addressing
Security	Network Security

The company also offers software development kits, APIs and other tools to enable customers to design their own custom networks. Additionally, they have developed an automated system called EdgeOS which allows users to quickly deploy networks with minimal effort. This system comes with pre-configured policies and protocols designed to ensure secure operation of customer’s networks.

BlueCat Networks has been recognized by several industry awards including Cisco Partner of the Year for two consecutive years and Microsoft US Partner Award Winner for three years running. They are also compliant with international standards such as ISO 27001:2013 information security management systems certification from BSI Group America Inc., making them a reliable partner for corporate clients looking for secure networking solutions.

Conclusion

Cisco, the world’s largest networking company, faces stiff competition in today’s market. With major players such as HPE Aruba Networks and Juniper Networks leading the race for innovation and cutting-edge technology, it is no surprise that Cisco remains ahead of the pack.

Yet with emerging companies like Huawei Technologies Co., Dell Technologies Inc., Palo Alto Networks Inc., F5 Networks Inc., Extreme Networks Inc., and BlueCat Network Solutions Ltd all vying to provide customers with advanced solutions, it appears that even a giant like Cisco may not be able to hold onto its top spot forever.

The irony here lies in how fast things change; one day you can be number one, but if you don’t keep innovating and pushing forward your competitors will overtake you quickly.