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Cisco Ethernet Switches vs Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 9, 2025

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

Cisco Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
134
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 April 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Ethernet Switches is 15.6%, down from 18.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 1.7%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Pradeep Adhav - PeerSpot reviewer
Network security enhancement with sturdy switches despite high costs
The Cisco Ethernet switches are primarily used as regular core switches for networking, distribution, and access levels. We also utilize Cisco Wi-Fi, VPN, and Wi-Fi controllers The Cisco Ethernet switches have improved our network's security, ensuring it is 100% secure by not allowing any…
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

"Technical support has always been helpful."
"Cisco's support is number one in the world."
"Multicast is a great feature of this product."
"You get good support for Cisco Ethernet Switches versus other products in the market."
"As I am Cisco certified, I like the way that I can program them."
"For me, the initial setup was easy and straightforward, but for some of our customers who are not as familiar with networking, it can be complicated."
"Tech support has always been good."
"We don't need any support from Cisco since there are a lot of materials and training about Cisco available online. I feel Cisco's support is good."
"I have found the solution to be scalable."
"FortiSwitch Data Center allows for centralized management of both Fortinet switches and firewalls from a single interface."
"I like the solution's technical support. I rate the technical support a ten out of ten."
"It is very stable."
"We are able to monitor everything that is happening on our network."
"The product's most valuable feature is its ability to manage switches from one central point."
"The most valuable feature is the port analytics."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center's scalability is good."
 

Cons

"Network setup is quite complicated, particularly if you're implementing in a non-technical environment."
"The product could improve in the area of simulated switches."
"The pricing and hardware warranty renewal costs are more expensive than other products."
"The price of the solution has room for improvement."
"The GUI is not that easy."
"The dashboard needs some minor improvements."
"The solution's reliability should be improved."
"It would be nice if they had higher wattage for PoE+."
"Before using FortiSwitch, you need several certifications."
"There could be more porting software options for easy deployment in the product."
"The solution can improve by upgrading QSFP+, it is very limited and must be supported more than it is now. If we need FortiSwitches to support all the QSFP ports our budgets would have to be very large."
"The stability of the solution is impacted when integrating parts from different vendors such as Cisco, which can lead to performance problems and disconnections."
"Fortinet could have the ability to authenticate users like Aruba offers because managing ten or twelve SSIDs for different clients is complicated."
"With IT products, there is always room for improvement."
"FortiSwitch should improve the FortiGate map. The diagram cannot move automatically to show the switch. The map does not map the physical location. It cannot move or touch the diagram."
"They could improve availability and security by detecting and preventing switch attacks."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price is on the higher side."
"Its price is very high, but it is a good device. Cisco must work on its price. Other solutions provide a better price for similar functionalities."
"It's a little expensive."
"Cisco is quite expensive. In our market, a lot of customers are forced to go with something else because they cannot afford a brand-new Cisco even though they know a Cisco switch will be more reliable."
"Price is a pain point for us. We've lost a lot of bids, and the reason has been that we majorly quoted Cisco devices. Some of our competitors quoted other devices like Ubiquity or Microchip. Some even quoted this Chinese product TP-Link, and they won the bid over us because we quoted Cisco. Meanwhile, the major reason why we quoted Cisco is reliability and stability from day one. They also last longer. The prices could be worked on so that they become more affordable. We had to deploy a city-wide WiFi network, and we were working in conjunction with Google. Because of the price, even Google recommended a product called Ruckus, so we used Ruckus over Cisco. Its price and license were the main reasons. You have to pay to renew the license every year. Even though you also renew the licenses for Ruckus, but they are much cheaper than Cisco. So, while I would recommend Cisco any time, the trouble remains with the pricing."
"It is an expensive product since it is used in a large network where you cannot rely on some cheaply priced solution."
"The solution does not require a license. However, it is expensive and the price could improve."
"We are happy with the pricing from Cisco."
"This solution is expensive but it does not require a license."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"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."
"The product has a mid-range price."
"We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution, which is expensive."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"It is reasonably priced."
report
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Comparison Review

it_user82779 - PeerSpot reviewer
Jan 29, 2014
Benefits of Juniper vs Cisco
Both are decent products. I prefer Juniper for the following reasons: 1) Cleaner separation of data plane from control plane. Higher end Cisco devices are better at this but most of the lower end products still seem to be more integrated than I like. 2) The Hierarchical config design means I can…
 

Top Industries

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

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

Would you recommend replacing a Cisco Catalyst Switch by a D-link one?
Hello Mesfin It depends on the real scenario, the cisco 2960 is a very good device and they usually have routing functions but there are many different models within the same 2960 line, and on the ...
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...
In terms of ethernet switches, would you go with Cisco or Juniper?
Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether Cisco or Juniper Ethernet switches were the better fit for us. We decided to go with Juniper. Juniper ethernet switches are a lesser-known...
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

Cisco Industrial Ethernet Switches
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Linz AG
Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,040 professionals have used our research since 2012.