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Aruba Switches vs Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center comparison

 

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

Aruba Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
83
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
24
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Aruba Switches is 11.7%, down from 12.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 1.7%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Eunice Thirikwa - PeerSpot reviewer
Stable hotel networking enhances return on investment with valuable modular features
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. Improving the distribution network across regions would be beneficial. Also, the SFP modules are significantly more expensive than industry peers, which affects cost-effectiveness.
Rias Majeed - PeerSpot reviewer
Enables easy management of traffic and enhances security
FortiSwitch Data Center allows for centralized management of both Fortinet switches and firewalls from a single interface. This integration makes network management streamlined and secure. Additionally, the controllers are built into the firewall, which enables easy management of traffic and enhances security. Unlike some solutions, a Fortinet firewall is not just a firewall; it also acts as a full-fledged router.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"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 feature is that it's very easy to configure."
"Very easy and quick to setup and provide a nice dashboard providing a view of everything."
"The solution's stability is really great. We found it very solid."
"It can scale well."
"It allows us to manage the switches through the cloud, which is good."
"Aruba is very easy to use, the GUI is very good and the command line is quite similar to Cisco, so it is very easy to configure."
"The most valuable feature is the switches are reliable and replaced for free if anything goes wrong."
"The interface is very straightforward."
"I like the solution's technical support. I rate the technical support a ten out of ten."
"Using Fortinet's whole range, including FortiSwitches, is cost-effective compared to Cisco and beneficial for network security."
"The product's most valuable feature is its ability to manage switches from one central point."
"It is very stable."
"SD-WAN and the security fabric are essential features of the product."
"The single pane of glass that helps us manage everything through FortiManager is the most important feature."
"It allows us to manage all necessary services, such as data centers, networking, and cybersecurity."
 

Cons

"The tool must provide a controller-based architecture."
"We had an integration team do the setup of the solution."
"The power supplies are generally susceptible to power fluctuations and failure due to these fluctuations."
"We don't have visibility in Aruba Switches and we are thinking of switching to Fortiswitch because it has visibility."
"Aruba Switches' price could improve, if they were less expensive it would be beneficial."
"Aruba does not have local support in our region of Kerala."
"There is an issue with Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), but it is escaping me. We aren't using this feature yet, but it is something we are considering."
"Aruba is still losing out to Cisco, which continues to dominate the space. Aruba needs to continue to improve its product range in order to compete with Cisco's dominance."
"The tool is not easy to use."
"The solution could always benefit from more security. It's of critical importance to organizations right now."
"The UI of the firewall and reporting could be improved."
"The solution’s pricing could be improved."
"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."
"There could be more porting software options for easy deployment in the product."
"The FortiSwitch product was initially quite complex."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Aruba Switches are quite cost-effective."
"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 cost is very cheap when you compare it to CISCO."
"The pricing was still affordable compared to Cisco, which is usually less affordable for most companies. We are using the solution in a school, we need the price to be affordable."
"Aruba Switches are less expensive than Cisco."
"There are no licensing costs for the Aruba Switches."
"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."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"This solution is expensive but it does not require a license."
"The solution's pricing is a little high. The solution deserves the current price it receives from its users."
"The tool's pricing is lower than Cisco's."
"It is reasonably priced."
"We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution, which is expensive."
"The solution is not expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Educational Organization
8%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
19%
Government
10%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Retailer
6%
 

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?
I find it to be middle to high. It's not always affordable, but they're losing the pricing market against Huawei, let's just put it like that.
What needs improvement with Aruba Switches?
There isn't much room for improvement. A more granular breakdown in debugging would be beneficial. Apart from that, not much is needed.
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?
There is room for improvement in customer support and device speed. Sometimes, customer support does not provide prompt assistance, leaving projects hanging. Additionally, improving the speed of th...
 

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: March 2025.
842,466 professionals have used our research since 2012.