Networking News
Wired, WLAN Gartner Magic Quadrant: Crowded Leader Quadrant Anchored By Aruba, Cisco
Gina Narcisi
The 2022 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure report features an overall slimmed-down list of networking players but a busy Leader quadrant that includes mainstays Aruba and Cisco.
Leader: Cisco
Cisco has been a longtime Leader in this Magic Quadrant report with both its Catalyst and Meraki wired and wireless products that can address enterprise network requirements of all scales. The company in 2021 unveiled Cisco Plus, its portfolio that offers an alternative consumption model for its enterprise hardware. Cisco’s operations are geographically diversified, and the company has the largest channel partner footprint among all network equipment vendors in the report, according to Gartner.
Strengths
Cisco features an extensive wired and wireless portfolio of hardware and software products—as well as ancillary device ecosystems—that allow the company to address use cases across nearly all scenarios. Gartner also credits Cisco for its strong global channel ecosystem that lets it address and support enterprise presales engineering and procurement requirements.
Weaknesses
Gartner said that all new purchases of Catalyst wired switching products require mandatory DNA licensing for 36 months. The company also has overlapping product lines and tools with its Catalyst products and its Meraki portfolio that target many of the same market segments.
