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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…
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

"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 most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides."
"The switches last for a very long time."
"The technical support is good."
"The initial setup was really straightforward and easy."
"I have not had any issues with our Brocade switches."
"There's a zone for each server and services in the storage."
"It is easy to configure and provides good technical support."
"The technical support has been very good."
"It is a cheap and secure solution. The job switching and security features are better than other solutions."
"It's easy to be configured and powerful in terms of performance."
"You can hook all the other components to be monitored. You can create policies and block certain people from accessing the Internet."
"The solution is easy to scale."
"What I really love in FortiSwitch: its usability, the graphical user interface, and the ability to be managed by FortiGate."
"The most valuable feature would be network management, separating the network management component from security. It can do both but we promote it on its own. It's a good solution to do network management."
"I can say that the product is easy to use...The initial setup of the product was easy."
 

Cons

"It could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface."
"There are some performance issues."
"The solution could be more secure."
"Brocade Ethernet Switches need a better interface and centralized management."
"These switches are no longer supported."
"It should be simpler. There are still some things that can be simpler in the Brocade switches."
"Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions."
"No graphical interface."
"The solution doesn't support other switches."
"The security of the solution could be a bit better."
"The range of products could improve from Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access."
"It would also help if they lowered the cost of their service."
"The initial setup is pretty easy; we have built a knowledge base. But there's a learning curve for beginners."
"The installation is not difficult. However, some features have to be activated from the CLI."
"If you contact Fortinet, it's a bit difficult. Most of the time, they send you just links and documents to read for troubleshooting. When you contact support, you don't need documents. You want someone that can understand your problem, give a hand, and help you. I'm not impressed by the support really."
"More integration would be helpful, especially since we sometimes have devices from other companies. Improved interoperability would be very beneficial."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of Brocade Ethernet Switches is expensive."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access requires a license and the price is expensive."
"We have an annual licensing cost. There are no additional costs."
"The pricing is quite high."
"We have to renew and pay for the licenses."
"We have to pay for the solution's subscription."
"The product's pricing is good."
"The price of the solution could improve, it is expensive."
"The tool's pricing is fine."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Government
8%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
 

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?
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: March 2025.
845,040 professionals have used our research since 2012.