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Aruba Switches vs Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024
 

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
82
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
15th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
23
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2024, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Aruba Switches is 13.4%, up from 12.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 1.5%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Michael-Sugg - PeerSpot reviewer
As a managed service provider, it's important to have a solution that can manage everything from one console
There are some growing pains with Aruba Central. When you first launch the wireless access points or switches, a lot of updates are needed to get Aruba Central ready, especially on the access points, so the initial deployment time could improve. I would hope that I could just turn it on and leave the updates until later on. The switches themselves probably did okay. I'm primarily referring to the wireless access points. There was a lot of back and forth before everything was in sync. It took hours. I can't think of any missing features, but it would be nice if there were a free version of Aruba Central for my small business clients that doesn't have as many features.
Muhammad Aamir Riaz - PeerSpot reviewer
Handles network connectivity between data centers and supports internet applications
Thanks to the availability of a graphical user interface, installing the switches is not complicated, and configuring them is easier. The time required for deployment depends on the specifics of your project. Setting up a new data centre will generally take less time than migrating from other hardware. Migrating involves replicating the configuration of your existing environment, which can extend the time needed. To deploy the solution, you typically need support from a Fortinet engineer. Additionally, depending on your data centre, you might need about two to three other personnel.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It is pretty easy to implement the product."
"We have not had any issues with the product and its functions. It has been stable."
"The most valuable features are the access point, fire control for clients, majority control, platform control in SSIGF, WiFi networking, and area monitoring."
"The most valuable features are stability, ease of management, and the monitoring tool."
"The features I find most valuable in Aruba Switches are their flexibility, reliability, and affordability."
"Licensing costs are competitive with other solutions on the market."
"This solution is easy to use."
"I like the number of available throughputs and its ability to have different speeds of ethernet cards or fiber-optic SFPs. It's a core switch, and you can configure it as per your requirements. All the configuration details are well documented on the HP website or Aruba website, and one can easily refer to those and find all the relevant commands from the documentation itself. It's also easy to maintain this solution. It's also cheaper than competing products."
"An affordable and stable solution for small-medium companies."
"A valuable feature of FortiGate is its management integrity."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center's scalability is good."
"It integrates well."
"I like the solution's technical support. I rate the technical support a ten out of ten."
"The interface is very straightforward."
"FortiSwitch Data Center allows for centralized management of both Fortinet switches and firewalls from a single interface."
"Configurations between FortiGate and FortiSwitch have to link to each other. We need configuration. The configuration is not like a Cisco switch. It has a unique configuration."
 

Cons

"The solution must improve the switch models."
"Aruba's website should be localized to support the Indonesian language. The content of their website and the help desk should be in the Indonesian language."
"I would like to see easier learning and configuration from previous switch deployments."
"There is room for improvement in the pricing because the Aruba Central licenses add a high cost."
"Aruba does not have local support in our region of Kerala."
"Aruba should be made more user-friendly."
"There’s always space for improvement. Improvements are mainly minor in handling, like the web interface."
"We've had issues with availability."
"Routing is an area in Fortinet FortiSwitch with certain shortcomings where improvements are needed."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center needs to improve its UI and stability."
"FortiSwitch should improve the FortiGate map. The diagram cannot move automatically to show the switch. The map does not map the physical location. It cannot move or touch the diagram."
"The product must improve the latency in the management center."
"The solution could always benefit from more security. It's of critical importance to organizations right now."
"The solution’s pricing could be improved."
"They could improve availability and security by detecting and preventing switch attacks."
"With IT products, there is always room for improvement."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Aruba switches work without a license."
"Comparing with Cisco, and some other solutions, it's a cheap product."
"Aruba Switches have good stability."
"I don't know the exact cost of the licensing, but based on what I have heard from my sales team, Aruba is affordable. Aruba switches are cheaper than the switches from Cisco and other vendors."
"The price of these switches is high."
"Aruba Switches are quite cost-effective."
"The pricing for Aruba Switches is definitely expensive."
"Our customers may want better pricing but we are a reseller and a partner, and the pricing that we get is good."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"It is reasonably priced."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"The product has a mid-range price."
"This solution is expensive but it does not require a license."
"The solution is not expensive."
"The tool's pricing is lower than Cisco's."
"Cost-wise, Fortinet solutions are cheaper than those offered by Cisco."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
Educational Organization
7%
Computer Software Company
21%
Government
9%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Financial Services Firm
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba Switches?
Aruba lives up to the expectations of the tech giant hewlett packard enterprise providing excellent networking capabilities at a very affordable price compared to the equivalent from another tech g...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Switches?
Most Aruba Switches come with a one-time licensing fee, and we pay for support annually. The pricing of some products, such as the 6300M switch, is considered a significant cost.
What needs improvement with Aruba Switches?
There are issues with the distribution side of Aruba Switches. For instance, the distributor in our country cannot sell to neighboring countries, creating complications in project execution. Improv...
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?
Compatibility with infrastructure from other vendors like Cisco and Sophos can be further improved. Sometimes there are bugs when integrating with Sophos and other products.
 

Also Known As

8400 Series, 8320 Series, 5400R Series, 3810 Series, 2930M Series, 2930F Series, 2920 Series, 2540 Series, 2530 Series
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Purdue University
Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Switches vs. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center and other solutions. Updated: December 2024.
824,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.