In today’s always-online world, designing a switching environment requires more careful consideration than ever. Various factors like Layer 2 design, Layer 3 scale and complexity, and high-availability features are designed to ensure optimal network performance, scalability, and security. Selecting the appropriate switching solution is critical for organizations seeking to optimize their network infrastructure. Cisco offers a diverse range of switches, including Catalyst, Meraki, and Nexus series. This section is intended to guide you through thoughtful consideration of your existing technology and dependencies to empower you in choosing the right Cisco switching product mix.
Cisco customers can opt for entirely cloud-managed solutions, like Meraki and the Catalyst platform on Meraki, because of their simplicity, scalability, and reduced overhead. Cloud-managed solutions allow for remote network management and provide automatic updates, reducing the need for dedicated IT staff and physical access to the hardware. Some customers choose a hybrid approach, leveraging the best of both on-premises and cloud-managed solutions. This can balance control and simplicity, allowing them to manage some aspects of their network in-house while taking advantage of the scalability and reduced complexity of cloud management for others.