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Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches vs Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch E...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
23rd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
17th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
26
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches is 1.4%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 2.8%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center2.8%
Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches1.4%
Other95.8%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

MK
Operational Manager at Astrah Technologies
Has enabled reliable access control with good scalability
The primary use case is access control and normal LAN usage, including internet and email. For example, I have deployed the solution in airport scenarios where there are many users The most valuable feature for me is the stability of the switches. They do not hang often and are very reliable,…
Sujith Pazhancheeri - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Infrastructure Engineer at REYADA IT SOLUTIONS CO. LLC
Integrated firewall connectivity has simplified on-premises projects and supports reliable SMB switching
The performance is basic only, and we cannot compare Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center with Aruba or Cisco switches. Regarding security policies, I did not configure that many policies in Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is on-premises, and the negative of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is that it is costly compared to other switches. In Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center, I did not see that many features compared to Cisco and Aruba.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"All of the features in these switches are good."
"Enables direct access to clusters."
"Overall, everything worked as they said it would."
"The product's initial setup phase is not complex. It is easy to install the tool."
"We are able to customize this solution based on the customer's requirements."
"The product is stable. It does have only one power supply. They don't have a redundant power supply."
"As someone with long-term experience with the product, I can say that you can trust the Alcatel switches."
"The solution doesn't have many proprietary protocols like Cisco's. It mainly uses standard protocols like VRRP (similar to Cisco's HSRP), Spanning Tree, and Rapid Spanning Tree, which can sometimes cause integration issues."
"The solution has made configuration and setup very, very easy."
"When configuring FortiSwitch with a FortiGate firewall, I can consider all FortiSwitch's ports as a part of the FortiGate firewall."
"It allows us to manage all necessary services, such as data centers, networking, and cybersecurity."
"FortiSwitch Data Center allows for centralized management of both Fortinet switches and firewalls from a single interface."
"If you use FortiGate you should use FortiSwitch; it's very helpful and has a good configuration."
"The initial setup was straightforward; it wasn't complex at all and we found it to be relatively painless."
"All the features are necessary, like tracking evidence and IPS. However, I appreciate the ability to connect the logs and the dashboard functionality."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is very easy to configure."
 

Cons

"OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches would be improved if cloud-based technology was provided in the Gulf region."
"Sometimes I feel that the Alcatel switches are not working harmoniously with some of the Cisco switches."
"There needs to be better integration with the interface."
"The commands for the switches could be easier as I find them more complex compared to those of Cisco."
"The solution could be more user friendly and there are issues with technical support where the response time is sometimes very slow."
"My customer's team is not able to understand the loophole with Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches, but apart from that, there are no issues."
"I could see them possibly creating a more intuitive software. It's very user-friendly, but there are some things that aren't very intuitive when programming the switches."
"The price should be lowered so that we can capture more of the market for Ethernet switches."
"Enhancing security on the firewall and the switches, as well as focusing on price segment issues, would make it a better solution for the future."
"Managing the VLANs is an area where the solution lacks and needs to improve."
"Does not have as many features as other solutions, such as segmentation and analytics engines."
"Fortinet could have the ability to authenticate users like Aruba offers because managing ten or twelve SSIDs for different clients is complicated."
"The solution could always benefit from more security. It's of critical importance to organizations right now."
"There is room for improvement in customer support and device speed. Sometimes, customer support does not provide prompt assistance, leaving projects hanging."
"The tool is not easy to use."
"There is room to improve the integration between FortiSwitch and other third-party solutions, as challenges arise when integrating with different vendors."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is an expensive solution."
"The licensing for OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches is a one-time purchase with no additional costs."
"The pricing is reasonable compared to Aruba and HPE."
"Pricing is cheap compared to other vendors. When we benchmark the tool against Meraki, Cisco, and others, it is usually more affordable."
"The tool's pricing is lower than Cisco's."
"This solution is expensive but it does not require a license."
"The product has a mid-range price."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"The solution's pricing is a little high. The solution deserves the current price it receives from its users."
"Cost-wise, Fortinet solutions are cheaper than those offered by Cisco."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"It is reasonably priced."
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914,805 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Outsourcing Company
17%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Construction Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Government
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business5
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise3
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business17
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise4
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches?
In terms of pricing, Alcatel is cheaper than Cisco, however, MikroTik is the cheapest. I cannot comment on the pricing reasonability as I am a technical person, and decisions are made by those who ...
What needs improvement with Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches?
The commands for the switches could be easier as I find them more complex compared to those of Cisco.
What is your primary use case for Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches?
The primary use case is access control and normal LAN usage, including internet and email. For example, I have deployed the solution in airport scenarios where there are many users.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center?
The Fortinet switches come with no additional cost as they are open source, with only hardware warranties applicable.
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center?
The performance is basic only, and we cannot compare Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center with Aruba or Cisco switches. Regarding security policies, I did not configure that many policies in Fortinet...
What is your primary use case for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center?
Currently, we are mostly working with Sophos and Fortinet. Before, we worked with XG, but now they have upgraded to the XGS series, and in Fortinet, we are working with FortiGate Firewall. In some ...
 

Also Known As

Alcatel-Lucent Ethernet Switches, OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Bayonette, California State University (CSU), Centre Hospitalier Carcassonne, Centro Universitšrio de Brasilia (UniCEUB), China Tianchen Engineering Corporation Co. LTD, Citta Della Speranza, City of Frankfurt, City of Ogden, City of Vila Franca de Xira
Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Find out what your peers are saying about Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches vs. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.
914,805 professionals have used our research since 2012.