We performed a comparison between Cisco Ethernet Switches and Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access based on our users’ reviews in five categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.
Comparison Results: Based on the parameters we compared, Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access seems to be the superior solution for pricing and service and support. Users gave a similar rating for both products regarding ease of deployment. It’s important to note that, though there were no ROI reviews for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access, users of Cisco Ethernet Switches were less than pleased with the ROI they saw. In terms of features, users of Cisco Ethernet Switches felt the product wasn’t user-friendly, whereas users of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access felt the product needed more security features.
"The quality of service is one of the main reasons we use Cisco in our organization. It's quite high and very reliable. The switches also end up working for a long time, so there's less need to replace them as often as others. We have some switches in our company that has been running since 2006, for example. They are quite old, but they still work."
"The most valuable feature of Cisco Ethernet Switches is its hardware."
"The product offers very good customer support. It's likely the best in the industry."
"The most valuable feature is the performance."
"When it comes to switching routing, we have no doubts about Cisco."
"Technical support is excellent. They are very helpful."
"The solution is extremely stable."
"One of the most valuable aspects of Cisco Ethernet Switches is many engineers can work on the equipment. You can find qualified engineers that can configure Cisco equipment more than any other networking equipment."
"What I really love in FortiSwitch: its usability, the graphical user interface, and the ability to be managed by FortiGate."
"I can say that the product is easy to use...The initial setup of the product was easy."
"I like that everything flows back to FortiGate, which is the controller, management console, and firewall. There's one central point for the entire network, so the security, switching, wireless, etc., flows back to the FortiGate. The ease of management is what customers like. They don't need separate solutions like Cisco."
"The visual scope of the solution is very good. It allows me to see and download all of the network information."
"Ability to manage FortiAP, FortiClient, and FortiGate all from a single console"
"The most valuable feature would be network management, separating the network management component from security. It can do both but we promote it on its own. It's a good solution to do network management."
"The product is a total solution with the FortiGate, switch, and access point. It is integrated with FortiGate, allowing us to manage all the equipment through it. You can handle everything from a single point."
"It is very user-friendly. There is no need to use command lines to configure it or to do anything in it. You hardly use command lines, which makes it different from Cisco. In Cisco, the CLI is your best friend. Fortinet has the lowest TCO, so you can use its integrated components without having to buy additional licenses. They provide centralized management without needing to buy or acquire additional licenses. You have an integral or complete vision through a single pane of glass, and you can see everything from one single console without having to buy additional licenses, which is a plus. It works the same way when you add wireless. You can see everything from FortiGate. It has a security processor, which is another plus. It does not have a standard desktop processor. It has a multi-threat security processor, and it is built by Fortinet. So, all the components that you include in a Fortinet solution are proprietary and work in an integral way. It has one single solution, whereas other brands, such as Palo Alto and Check Point, have been acquiring certain solutions, and they're not fully integrated. With Fortinet, everything is integrated. If you start building on Fortinet, everything that you expand to the local LAN or WAN is integrated. You don't have to pay for professional services and other things to do that. Their technical information is also very good. Most of their information is based on how-to, and it can be found online, which is something my clients like."
"Cisco could also open the API up to work closely with other systems."
"They can make the licensing model a little easier."
"The management of the solution could improve."
"An area for improvement in Cisco Ethernet Switches is its command-line interface. It works differently than expected if you want to do some implementation. However, it works if it's a simple integration."
"To keep up with the market, the solution should have better evolution and innovation."
"From a system integrator's perspective, Cisco must train system integrators, partners, and customers about their services."
"There are instances where the commands you are familiar with might change or be replaced with newer syntax."
"Cisco's pricing can be a concern, particularly with support fees."
"More integration would be helpful, especially since we sometimes have devices from other companies. Improved interoperability would be very beneficial."
"I feel that the product's stability is an area where improvements are required."
"The pricing could be improved, and it could be easier to configure."
"An area for improvement would be the segmentation and network in logic networks."
"If you contact Fortinet, it's a bit difficult. Most of the time, they send you just links and documents to read for troubleshooting. When you contact support, you don't need documents. You want someone that can understand your problem, give a hand, and help you. I'm not impressed by the support really."
"The solution has SD-WAN but it doesn't have SDN. This should be added."
"We had experienced downtime. I would like to see it to be improved."
"It is always nice when something is cheaper."
More Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access Pricing and Cost Advice →
Cisco Ethernet Switches is ranked 1st in Ethernet Switches with 128 reviews while Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is ranked 7th in Ethernet Switches with 41 reviews. Cisco Ethernet Switches is rated 8.6, while Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of Cisco Ethernet Switches writes "It's a solidly stable product from a leader in the field". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access writes "It's a strong product that's easy to manage and costs significantly less than competing solutions ". Cisco Ethernet Switches is most compared with Aruba Switches, D-Link Ethernet Switches, Ubiquiti UniFi Switches, NETGEAR Switches and Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches, whereas Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is most compared with Aruba Switches, Meraki MS Switches, Ubiquiti UniFi Switches, NETGEAR Switches and Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches. See our Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access report.
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We monitor all Ethernet Switches reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.