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Broadcom StrataDNX vs Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access 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

Broadcom StrataDNX
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
22nd
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secu...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
48
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Broadcom StrataDNX is 0.9%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is 5.1%, down from 6.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

WILLIAM SANITATE - PeerSpot reviewer
Highly stable product and auto-updates the software
Customer service support depends on money. If you're a white box manufacturer and we're selling thousands of these, you're going to get awesome support, a ten, amazing support. But if you're starting and need only one or two chips, the support is just access to online stuff or whatever's been done. The better support comes with more units bought. Initially, I would probably rate the support a five out of ten. But then we paid more money, and suddenly, it became a ten, awesome. We had people showing up in the office and walking us through it. But there are also different support models. You can work with them directly or with distributors like Avnet or Arrow, who can provide support. And then there's higher level support with the team in Los Angeles who can provide even more support. It just depends on how many units you're going to buy. The more you buy, the more support you get in the queue.
Uri Harf - PeerSpot reviewer
Integration with cloud management simplifies network expansion
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is expensive, and this initial cost can be a barrier, especially for new businesses setting up from scratch. Although the machine is robust and lasts for years with rare technical issues, the initial price can be high. Sometimes, I have to offer alternatives like Aruba or HP, which might be cheaper.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The good thing about the StrataDNX is that the Broadcom family is very interchangeable, so they work well with different optical transceivers."
"Easy to integrate with any of the other hardware platforms."
"The solution has enhanced network security by integrating access control more seamlessly, reducing overhead, and simplifying the network environment by removing the need for interfaces with other vendors."
"Ability to manage FortiAP, FortiClient, and FortiGate all from a single console"
"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 technical support has been very good."
"The product is very secure."
"Integration is good, as well as price and technical support."
"The visual scope of the solution is very good. It allows me to see and download all of the network information."
"I rate Fortinet support 10 out of 10. Their support is excellent and inexpensive. They respond immediately."
 

Cons

"There is room for improvement in the pricing model."
"The number of surfaces that can be handled by the chipset could be increased."
"The introduction of AI integration could be valuable for detecting abnormal traffic directly on the switch."
"The solution doesn't support other switches."
"We've had some issues with Layer 3 FortiSwitch. We can deploy the device in the cloud. However, we can't deploy this solution in complex environments easily."
"The reporting capabilities should be included."
"The installation is not difficult. However, some features have to be activated from the CLI."
"Technical support needs to take a different approach and pricing should appear more competitive."
"FortiSwitch requires periodic firmware updates. It can be a little difficult because the switches aren't connected to the internet, so you cannot upgrade the firmware remotely. You need to go to the site and do it manually because it's a closed network."
"I would like Fortinet to make this product easier to configure."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"Licensing is easy: FortiCare and that's it."
"Licensing is billed annually and contracts are either one or three years in length."
"It's affordable and there are no additional costs, just regular support, and license fees."
"The solution is expensive but overall the cost makes sense."
"We signed up for a three-year license for support and replacement."
"The cost appears to be high in comparison to other competing products although with this product you are paying for what you get."
"The solution is cheaper than Cisco but more expensive than Huawei."
"We have an annual licensing cost. There are no additional costs."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
26%
Computer Software Company
20%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Real Estate/Law Firm
6%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Broadcom StrataDNX?
The good thing about the StrataDNX is that the Broadcom family is very interchangeable, so they work well with different optical transceivers.
What needs improvement with Broadcom StrataDNX?
There is room for improvement in the pricing model. When I say "make it cheaper," what I'm really talking about is making the software cheaper. For example, Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) has been...
What is your primary use case for Broadcom StrataDNX?
It's used in switches, servers, and routers. It's pretty fast. We also use it on an onboard airplane for Airforce One. Besides the fiber connection, it's very fast, with a speed of 25 gig. So it wo...
Which would you choose - Fortinet Fortiswitch secure access or Cisco Ethernet Switches?
We researched Cisco but ultimately chose Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access, mostly because of the price. Fortinet FortiSwitch is an ethernet switch solution that provides security and performance...
What do you like most about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
With FortiSwitch, you can easily identify who is connected to each port, disable ports as needed, and retrieve configurations from FortiGate when required.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
Currently, I don't have an opinion about the price as I focus on implementation and am not informed about pricing in comparison to other vendors.
 

Also Known As

StrataDNX
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Hill International, Coty, Banese, Algar Tech
Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Find out what your peers are saying about Broadcom StrataDNX vs. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
848,253 professionals have used our research since 2012.