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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
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
26
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 July 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 3.0%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Huawei Ethernet Switches is 3.2%, up from 3.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Huawei Ethernet Switches3.2%
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center3.0%
Other93.8%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Rutul SHah - PeerSpot reviewer
CXO at Aariha Enterprise Private Limited
Provides seamless traffic control and secure connectivity while minimizing downtime and optimizing resource allocation
There is always room for improvement in Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center because with this switch, they can reduce downtime due to broadcasting issues by denying specific traffic on particular ports. Currently, I am not identifying any weak points of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center because it meets the customer's use case. However, the commercial aspect presents challenges, particularly with pricing, as customers often ask for Juniper or Cisco, brands they are more aware of, which makes awareness about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center another weak point.
Muhammad Kabir Salihu - PeerSpot reviewer
Deputy Director at NITDA
Cost-effective performance enhanced by security features with easy configurations
I mainly use Huawei Switches and also work with Huawei Wireless. I deal with both Huawei and Cisco Switches, and I find Huawei to be more cost-effective Huawei has helped to save costs and is cost-effective, which also helps save time for the company. The performance of Huawei is good, and it…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"SD-WAN and the security fabric are essential features of the product."
"The single pane of glass that helps us manage everything through FortiManager is the most important feature."
"The security fabric of Fortinet is really a game-changer for us."
"When configuring FortiSwitch with a FortiGate firewall, I can consider all FortiSwitch's ports as a part of the FortiGate firewall."
"The interface is very straightforward."
"FortiSwitch Data Center allows for centralized management of both Fortinet switches and firewalls from a single interface."
"It is very stable."
"An affordable and stable solution for small-medium companies."
"The solution is very inexpensive, the documentation is very good, and technical support is also very good."
"Huawei Ethernet switches are easy to use and can be managed using either the GUI or via the command-line."
"I use it on a daily basis and I find it to be quite stable."
"It integrates well."
"The most valuable feature is the audit systems. I also like that it can synchronize on the alternate configuration of products together at the same time."
"The initial setup of the solution was easy, it took 20 to 25 minutes."
"The required functionalities align with telecom requirements and have improved from a capacity perspective."
"The affordability of this solution has been most useful."
 

Cons

"The solution could always benefit from more security. It's of critical importance to organizations right now."
"The FortiSwitch product was initially quite complex."
"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."
"Cisco is better in terms of price, scalability, and ease of management. Regarding resources, they are available in Pakistan to manage these systems."
"Does not have as many features as other solutions, such as segmentation and analytics engines."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center needs to improve its UI and stability."
"The product must improve the latency in the management center."
"Routing is an area in Fortinet FortiSwitch with certain shortcomings where improvements are needed."
"The configuration is very difficult even for someone who is already familiar with the configuration process."
"We would always prefer if the solution were cheaper."
"I am not satisfied with the current one involving the use of magnetic tape."
"I would like the tool to improve its operational efficiency, speed, security features, and functionalities."
"I've found that the Huawei switches around the core fail, or at least the 9300 series do. I've had to move to Cisco."
"The initial setup is not like Cisco. If I had a problem with Cisco devices, I can look at the documentation and come up with a solution."
"One of the problems with Huawei is that when you receive a product quote from one of the vendors, you cannot get prices from the other ones because they register your request with Huawei."
"The solution can improve by adding virtualized switch functionality."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution's pricing is a little high. The solution deserves the current price it receives from its users."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"It is reasonably priced."
"Cost-wise, Fortinet solutions are cheaper than those offered by Cisco."
"The product has a mid-range price."
"This solution is expensive but it does not require a license."
"The tool's pricing is lower than Cisco's."
"I would say that the product is cost-effective."
"I rate the tool's pricing a five out of ten."
"Huawei comes with a lot of features out of the box that you have to pay extra for with other products. They do charge extra in the licensing for certain additional features."
"Huawei has the same licensing model as Cisco, so both are working on the subscription model."
"We have a one-year license. There are no additional costs besides the licensing fee."
"The exact pricing varies based on how many units you purchase."
"The price is one of the only issues I have regarding this solution."
"The pricing is good. Still, I can choose a cheaper solution that offers a good value."
report
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906,418 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Government
15%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
8%
Retailer
7%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Construction Company
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business17
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise4
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business30
Midsize Enterprise13
Large Enterprise20
 

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?
The performance is basic only, and we cannot compare Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center with Aruba or Cisco switches. Regarding security policies, I did not configure that many policies in Fortinet...
What is your primary use case for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center?
Currently, we are mostly working with Sophos and Fortinet. Before, we worked with XG, but now they have upgraded to the XGS series, and in Fortinet, we are working with FortiGate Firewall. In some ...
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.
What is your primary use case for Huawei Ethernet Switches?
The primary use case for Huawei Ethernet Switches is for network purposes, including SaaS services.
 

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: June 2026.
906,418 professionals have used our research since 2012.