By Pratap Barik -
October 29, 2024
Experience seamless configuration with secure and adaptable network solutions
What is our primary use case?
I use Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are scalable. I recommend them since they are easy to configure. They are connected and used every day in our operations.
How has it helped my organization?
It is good and scalable. It is easy to configure and provides good technical support.
What is most valuable?
Brocade Ethernet Switches are good to configure. They operate in CLI mode and have a shell for configuration. The security features are also good.
What needs improvement?
To improve, it could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have experience with Brocade Ethernet Switches for around five to six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the stability of Brocade Ethernet Switches as seven or eight out of ten. I have not encountered any troubles with the stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the scalability as eight out of ten. Brocade Ethernet Switches are scalable.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is good. I rate them eight out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used many network switches previously, such as Cisco and Juniper. The main differences are in scalability, sustainability, and flexibility in configuration. Cisco is better in terms of scalability.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was easy.
What about the implementation team?
Deployment was done for the customer, not in-house.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are easy to configure and have good technical support.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
What is our primary use case?
I use Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are scalable. I recommend them since they are easy to configure. They are connected and used every day in our operations.
How has it helped my organization?
It is good and scalable. It is easy to configure and provides good technical
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By Youssef Ezzerouali -
February 26, 2023
Incentivized Review (Incentive offered for this review)
Effective range, scalable, and simple implmentation
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides.
What needs improvement?
Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Brocade Ethernet Switches for approximately three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
I rate the stability of Brocade Ethernet Switches a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Brocade Ethernet Switches are scalable.
We have approximately 2,000 clients using this solution. Most of the users are application administrators.
I rate the scalability of Brocade Ethernet Switches a seven out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
The support has been helpful.
I rate the support from Brocade Ethernet Switches a nine out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have not used other similar solutions to Brocade Ethernet Switches.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Brocade Ethernet Switches is simple, it was not complicated. It did not take a lot of time to complete.
What about the implementation team?
We contacted the support to insure we were implementing the solution the correct way.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of Brocade Ethernet Switches is expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others. It has been working well in my organization.
We have five people for the maintenance of the solution.
I rate Brocade Ethernet Switches an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides.
What needs improvement?
Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been usi
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By Jose Luis De Jesus -
June 7, 2022
This solution has been up and running for over ten years without any fail
What is our primary use case?
Our organization has almost all of the financial institutions in Puerto Rico connected simultaneously to our system. We have a firewall first, and then the Brocade system.
All of our switches are layer three, Ethernet solutions, and fiber optic uplink. One of the switches I was using as a mediator between our on-premises solution and DNC. Brocade was the one mediator along with Fortinet.
There are approximately 500 users of the solution inside our organization in different roles and 1500 individuals outside connecting. Brocade requires two engineers, one from our site and one from the vendor's site, to deploy and maintain the solution.
How has it helped my organization?
We rely on this solution. Our company provides financial aid to people living in Puerto Rico, and we have been doing this for over ten years, with over five billion dollars in sales. We have been going through these switches with no hacking, breakdown, or any issue with the switches whatsoever. They helped improve our performance.
What is most valuable?
The reliability of Brocade is the most valuable feature. The solution has been up and running for over ten years without any fail, fixes required, or breakdowns. It is a very strong piece of equipment.
Brocade provides me with the confidence I need.
What needs improvement?
Brocade Ethernet Switches need a better interface and centralized management.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have using Brocade Ethernet Switches for ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Brocade is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This is a scalable solution.
How are customer service and support?
The support out of Puerto Rico is very good. I tried to continue with the support as long as it was available.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Prior to Brocade, I used a Cisco system. We switched because the cost of Cisco at the time was too high.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of the solution was of medium difficulty. It was not out of the box. It required two to three weeks to implement.
What about the implementation team?
Our implementation strategy involved looking at the physical configuration and giving them to an implementation partner. The partner simulated prior to the installation. This included all the programming in the Brocade system. It was a test environment, to test different scenarios.
Once the tests were okay, we went floor by floor changing the switches.
What other advice do I have?
Prior to selecting Brocade Ethernet Switches, I recommend that you compare it with other solutions. There are great solutions in the market. Evaluate costs, reliability, and scalability, because once you choose a solution, they will be your partner for the next six to ten years.
I would rate Brocade Ethernet Switches an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
What is our primary use case?
Our organization has almost all of the financial institutions in Puerto Rico connected simultaneously to our system. We have a firewall first, and then the Brocade system.
All of our switches are layer three, Ethernet solutions, and fiber optic uplink. One of the switches I was u
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By Ahmed Hawana -
April 14, 2022
Easy to set up with good performance and excellent longevity
What is our primary use case?
I'm primarily using the solution as black and gray switches. I'm not using them as a configured switch. We are using it to extend some networks.
Our old Brocade switches are used for extending our network and are especially used as an extension for urgent matters.
What is most valuable?
The switches last for a very long time.
It's stable for doing its functions, as a black and gray switch. It's a very good switch, at least the older ones. I've been using them for ten years and they are still in use.
The solution is scalable.
We have found the solution to be easy to set up.
What needs improvement?
The solution could be more secure. However, we use quite old versions.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for ten years. It's been a long time since I first began using the product.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable. These switches have lasted a long time and in that sense their performance is good. I cannot speak to the newer switches.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product can scale quite well. A company can expand the product as needed.
In terms of how many users are on the solution, it's hard to count. We have a mix of various switches that we use at any given time, including these and Cisco. Likely, 100 people are connected at any given time.
How are customer service and support?
I've never used the solution's technical support. I can't speak to how helpful or responsive they would be.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We also use Cisco at this point as well. Those switches are a bit newer.
How was the initial setup?
It is very easy to set up the switches. A company shouldn't have any issues with the implementation.
It doesn't take any time for switches to be installed and configured. It's very quick.
You need to have two technical people to maintain the product.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I don't directly deal with the costs or licensing.
What other advice do I have?
We are not using the latest version of the solution. These are old switches. Very old ones from ten years ago.
If I was going to recommend any switches, I would recommend Cisco. This is due to the fact that I don't deal with modern switches from Brocade. That said, from how well the older switches have worked for me, I'd recommend the solution ten out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
What is our primary use case?
I'm primarily using the solution as black and gray switches. I'm not using them as a configured switch. We are using it to extend some networks.
Our old Brocade switches are used for extending our network and are especially used as an extension for urgent matters.
What is most v
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By Gurunathan S -
April 12, 2021
Stable, straightforward to set up, and suitable for LAN and SAN purposes
What is our primary use case?
We use Brocade switches for our LAN and for our SAN.
What needs improvement?
These switches are no longer supported.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Brocade Ethernet Switches for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have not had any issues with our Brocade switches.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was okay.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
At the time we choose Brocade, we had evaluated switches by Cisco and Extreme Networks as well. We felt that Brocade was the best at that time.
What other advice do I have?
The VDX line of Brocade switches has been acquired by Extreme Networks and the ICX line has moved to another vendor.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
What is our primary use case?
We use Brocade switches for our LAN and for our SAN.
What needs improvement?
These switches are no longer supported.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Brocade Ethernet Switches for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I hav
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By reviewer1400358 -
September 5, 2020
Provides good integration with HP solutions and ease of administration with smart zoning
What is our primary use case?
It's actually a DC device. We are using storage in DC as well as in DR. Because we are a government organization, everything is on-premises.
What is most valuable?
It has good integration with HPE Primera. They have smart zoning in which the administration is very easy. You don't have to do anything. Zoning and other things are done automatically if you just enable the smart zoning. That's one very good thing in HP.
What needs improvement?
It should be simpler. There are still some things that can be simpler in the Brocade switches.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for eight months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We haven't faced any issues with stability and scalability.
How are customer service and technical support?
We haven't contacted technical support. We didn't require any support from the technical side.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward. It was not that complex. It's a one-day job for both DC and DR.
What other advice do I have?
I am okay with Cisco MDS switches as well as Brocade switches. I have also used Brocade switch in the old days when it was Dell EMC Clariion.
I would recommend Brocade Ethernet Switches for using with HP solutions. I don't know how they work with other storage solutions. We are using this solution with HPE Primera, and it's working fine. It's very good.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
What is our primary use case?
It's actually a DC device. We are using storage in DC as well as in DR. Because we are a government organization, everything is on-premises.
What is most valuable?
It has good integration with HPE Primera. They have smart zoning in which the administration is very easy. You don'
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By reviewer927936 -
May 17, 2020
Secure access to storage data; lacks a graphical interface
What is our primary use case?
I work as a system infrastructure engineer and our company is a customer of Brocade.
What is most valuable?
One of the valuable features of this solution is that it works with the concept of zoning. There's a zone for each server and there are services in the storage. When the link of a full port is failing, it automatically switches to another port so you don't lose the connection. That's pretty important for the high level of availability of the applications and the access to the storage data.
What needs improvement?
There are other solutions that are free and that enable you to check the access of the ports and the IU stats also. In this solution there isn't one for the switch that allows for checking the stats, the health of the ports and all the data that exist in the switch. It's just like CLI commands. This solution doesn't have a graphical interface and that's an issue.
As mentioned, a graphical interface should be included in any new release - it would increase options.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for almost a year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a very stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's a scalable solution. You can use two switches as one, single switch in the fabric. You can add two and possibly three switches, so they can use it as if it was one switch.
How are customer service and technical support?
I've had some contact with technical support relating to hardware failures, nothing serious and it didn't affect the production. I was satisfied with the support they provided. They were good.
What other advice do I have?
For storage it's a good solution, especially if you're working with e-paying solutions.
I would rate this solution a seven out of 10.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
What is our primary use case?
I work as a system infrastructure engineer and our company is a customer of Brocade.
What is most valuable?
One of the valuable features of this solution is that it works with the concept of zoning. There's a zone for each server and there are services in the storage. When the l
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By AsemHamamdi -
November 22, 2019
The technical support is good and the setup and installation is straightforward
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case for this solution is for ethernet switches.
What is most valuable?
The most important feature of this solution is the performance because we have many switches and we have a performance for Brocade Ethernet Switches that needs about 16 gigabyte per second. We have accessed these 16 gigabyte per second.
What needs improvement?
There are some performance issues that I would like to see improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for four to five years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have many users on Brocade Ethernet Switches that use it for storages on the application.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support is good. You just send them an email or open a ticket on the website, and then they will look at the issue.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was easy and the configuration was straightforward. We used a consultant at first, but after that we figured the rest out ourselves.
What other advice do I have?
I am supporting NVMe technology and it's a new technology, so I often struggle with performance issues. That is why I will rate this solution a nine out of ten only, and not a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case for this solution is for ethernet switches.
What is most valuable?
The most important feature of this solution is the performance because we have many switches and we have a performance for Brocade Ethernet Switches that needs about 16 gigabyte per second. W
Read more
Written by a user while visiting
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