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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
25th
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
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 Brocade Ethernet Switches is 1.1%, down from 1.3% 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

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…
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 technical support is good."
"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 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 easy to configure and provides good technical support."
"The initial setup was really straightforward and easy."
"There's a zone for each server and services in the storage."
"The most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides."
"I would rate the the ease of management and scalability within our network architecture an eight out of ten, with ten being best."
"The tool provides a firewall and good performance."
"It is easy to set up."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is the MAC feature."
"Integration is good, as well as price and technical support."
"It works really well, I think the equipment is solid, and the help is great."
"Having a single dashboard to manage everything simplifies the process."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access has good scalability."
 

Cons

"Brocade Ethernet Switches need a better interface and centralized management."
"The solution could be more secure."
"It should be simpler. There are still some things that can be simpler in the Brocade switches."
"No graphical interface."
"There are some performance issues."
"Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions."
"It could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface."
"These switches are no longer supported."
"The initial setup is pretty easy; we have built a knowledge base. But there's a learning curve for beginners."
"The product's end-user protection feature needs improvement."
"It would be easier if Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access could be managed via cloud, and this is something that could be improved in this product. Bandwidth display could also be better."
"It could be simpler but compared to the competition, it's not so bad."
"In the next release, I would like to see more outdoor products."
"An area for improvement would be the segmentation and network in logic networks."
"The solution doesn't support other switches."
"The reporting capabilities should be included."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of Brocade Ethernet Switches is expensive."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access requires a license and the price is expensive."
"It's affordable compared to other switching products, like Cisco switches."
"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 has reasonable pricing. The firewall costs around 500$ annually."
"Licensing is billed annually and contracts are either one or three years in length."
"The product's pricing is good."
"We have an annual licensing cost. There are no additional costs."
"We signed up for a three-year license for support and replacement."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
14%
Government
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

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.
What advice do you have for others considering Brocade Ethernet Switches?
I would recommend Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are easy to configure and have good technical support. I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
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?
The initial cost of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is high compared to other options. Although robust and rarely needs replacement, it can be overqualified for some jobs, which affects the re...
 

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: April 2025.
849,190 professionals have used our research since 2012.