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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs Huawei Ethernet Switches 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

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
15th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
23
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Huawei Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
12th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
60
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 1.6%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Huawei Ethernet Switches is 3.1%, up from 2.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

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.
Mr. Qalat Khan - PeerSpot reviewer
The solution is power efficient, stable, and provides free-of-cost batch upgrades
The solution can improve by adding virtualized switch functionality. Huawei mentioned virtual switches in one of the product sheets, but when we got to the deployment phase, it turned out that they didn't actually include virtual switching functionality. Other than that, the switch and network are performing well and meeting our requirements.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The interface is very straightforward."
"It integrates well."
"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."
"It allows us to manage all necessary services, such as data centers, networking, and cybersecurity."
"A valuable feature of FortiGate is its management integrity."
"Based on my use cases, Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center was a great product that was easy to manage and work with while being a powerful tool."
"The single pane of glass that helps us manage everything through FortiManager is the most important feature."
"The performance of Huawei is good, and it provides security capabilities."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches excel in compatibility with other brands, offering features to ensure seamless communication with existing protocols. This allows them to work alongside switches from different manufacturers, such as Cisco, by making adjustments on both ends for compatibility."
"The solution is stable and the performance is good."
"The solution is easy to set up."
"The most valuable features are the ease of configuration, availability of a GUI apart from the command line, and basic features such as VLAN configuration and routing between VLANs."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches offer very competitive and aggressive product pricing compared to other brands."
"The initial setup is straightforward."
"They are very user-friendly. Handling Huawei is very easy."
 

Cons

"Routing is an area in Fortinet FortiSwitch with certain shortcomings where improvements are needed."
"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."
"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."
"Before using FortiSwitch, you need several certifications."
"The product must improve the latency in the management center."
"Enhancing security on the firewall and the switches, as well as focusing on price segment issues, would make it a better solution for the future."
"Cisco is better in terms of price, scalability, and ease of management. Regarding resources, they are available in Pakistan to manage these systems."
"Compatibility with infrastructure from other vendors like Cisco and Sophos can be further improved."
"The product's stability has certain shortcomings, making it an area where improvements are required."
"We would like to see additional backup solutions, since we have several degrees of backup."
"The tool is not very robust in harsh environments. Issues with cooling and power can cause these switches to fail, which concerns customers. They work well in data centers but might be problematic in places without cooling or heat."
"We would like to have a greater level of automation using this solution. The customer support could also be faster."
"The product’s pricing needs improvement. It could be more stable as well."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches have not automated its firmware."
"Certain regulatory issues in a lot of countries cause limitations ."
"It is not easy to use if you need to monitor, patch or update. It needs to be configured by a network specialist because it doesn't have an overall central monitoring tool or anything like that. I'd say no ease of use."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution's pricing is a little high. The solution deserves the current price it receives from its users."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"The tool's pricing is lower than Cisco's."
"Cost-wise, Fortinet solutions are cheaper than those offered by Cisco."
"The solution is not expensive."
"This solution is expensive but it does not require a license."
"It is reasonably priced."
"I would say that the product is cost-effective."
"The tool's price is affordable and I would rate it a five out of ten. The prices are fixed with no additional cost involved."
"This is an affordable solution."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches are cheaper than other competitors."
"The price is one of the only issues I have regarding this solution."
"It's a reasonable price, cheaper than some other vendors."
"The solution's pricing is in the middle, but you will be charged when you upgrade the tenant."
"The licensing costs depend on the negotiations that a user has with Huawei...There is a need to make some additional payments apart from the licensing costs attached to the solution."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
20%
Government
10%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Educational Organization
7%
Government
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

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?
Compatibility with infrastructure from other vendors like Cisco and Sophos can be further improved. Sometimes there are bugs when integrating with Sophos and other products.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Huawei Ethernet Switches?
Huawei Ethernet Switches offer very competitive and aggressive product pricing compared to other brands.
What needs improvement with Huawei Ethernet Switches?
Huawei should focus more on security. They need more products on the security side to improve the security portion.
 

Learn More

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Newcastle University, Jingyang District of Deyang City in Sichuan Province, Southwest China, Glasgow Rangers Soccer Team, RMIT, Insurance Industry Association of Zhejiang Province, China, APT Satellite Holdings Limited (APT)
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs. Huawei Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
831,158 professionals have used our research since 2012.