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Brocade Ethernet Switches 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

Brocade Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
23rd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
11
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secu...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
5th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
47
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Brocade Ethernet Switches is 1.1%, down from 1.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is 5.5%, down from 5.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Youssef Ezzerouali - PeerSpot reviewer
Effective range, scalable, and simple implmentation
The most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions. I have been using Brocade Ethernet Switches for approximately three years. The solution is…
SherifAbdelrahman - PeerSpot reviewer
Efficient integration allows streamlined network management with a straightforward setup
I use it for retail business. We are using the FortiSwitch solution for our voice switches and access points as well It has helped us by providing easy management from a single platform through the firewall interface. It's very easy to manage and provides all the insights and vulnerabilities,…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I have not had any issues with our Brocade switches."
"It has good integration with HPE Primera. They have smart zoning in which the administration is very easy. You don't have to do anything. Zoning and other things are done automatically if you just enable the smart zoning. That's one very good thing in HP."
"The switches last for a very long time."
"The technical support is good."
"The initial setup was really straightforward and easy."
"It is easy to configure and provides good technical support."
"The most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides."
"The reliability of Brocade is the most valuable feature. The solution has been up and running for over ten years without any fail, fixes required, or breakdowns. It is a very strong piece of equipment."
"It is a stable solution from the security front."
"One of the most feature-packed switching solutions you can implement."
"Ability to manage FortiAP, FortiClient, and FortiGate all from a single console"
"The most valuable feature is the breakability after integration with the FortiGate firewall."
"The solution is easy to scale."
"I rate Fortinet support 10 out of 10. Their support is excellent and inexpensive. They respond immediately."
"The tool's VLAN feature is easy to understand. It was very good."
"With FortiSwitch, you can easily identify who is connected to each port, disable ports as needed, and retrieve configurations from FortiGate when required."
 

Cons

"Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions."
"Brocade Ethernet Switches need a better interface and centralized management."
"There are some performance issues."
"It could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface."
"It should be simpler. There are still some things that can be simpler in the Brocade switches."
"No graphical interface."
"The solution could be more secure."
"These switches are no longer supported."
"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 introduction of AI integration could be valuable for detecting abnormal traffic directly on the switch."
"The security of the solution could be a bit better."
"Its cloud features could be better."
"They could provide integration with Fortinet Authenticator."
"We had experienced downtime. I would like to see it to be improved."
"Technical support needs to take a different approach and pricing should appear more competitive."
"The installation is not difficult. However, some features have to be activated from the CLI."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of Brocade Ethernet Switches is expensive."
"The solution has reasonable pricing. The firewall costs around 500$ annually."
"The product pricing seems to be mid-range."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch is a pricey solution."
"The cost appears to be high in comparison to other competing products although with this product you are paying for what you get."
"The pricing is quite high."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access requires a license and the price is expensive."
"Price-wise, I find Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access to be an okay product. It is not an expensive product."
"We have an annual licensing cost. There are no additional costs."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Government
9%
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Brocade Ethernet Switches?
The most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides.
What needs improvement with Brocade Ethernet Switches?
To improve, it could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface.
What is your primary use case for Brocade Ethernet Switches?
I use Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are scalable. I recommend them since they are easy to configure. They are connected and used every day in our operations.
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.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Ajubeo, Akquinet AG, Big Data Analytics Provider Boligkontoret Danmark Bristol is Open, CDE Lightband, Cicero School District 99, City and County of San Francisco, Department of Emergency, City of Chattanooga, Cloudscale.sh
Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Find out what your peers are saying about Brocade Ethernet Switches vs. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
838,713 professionals have used our research since 2012.