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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs Huawei Ethernet Switches comparison

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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
17th
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
14th
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 October 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 2.7%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Huawei Ethernet Switches is 3.2%, down from 3.5% 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 Center2.7%
Other94.1%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Sujith Pazhancheeri - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Infrastructure Engineer at REYADA IT SOLUTIONS CO. LLC
Integrated firewall connectivity has simplified on-premises projects and supports reliable SMB switching
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 FortiSwitch - Data Center. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is on-premises, and the negative of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is that it is costly compared to other switches. In Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center, I did not see that many features compared to Cisco and Aruba.
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

"It integrates well."
"All the features are necessary, like tracking evidence and IPS. However, I appreciate the ability to connect the logs and the dashboard functionality."
"An affordable and stable solution for small-medium companies."
"The product's most valuable feature is its ability to manage switches from one central point."
"The main actual benefit that Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center brought to my customer's environment is secure connectivity while minimizing downtime from unexpected traffic or broadcasting."
"If you use FortiGate you should use FortiSwitch; it's very helpful and has a good configuration."
"FortiSwitch Data Center allows for centralized management of both Fortinet switches and firewalls from a single interface."
"We are able to monitor everything that is happening on our network."
"For small shops and IT businesses, this solution comes at an affordable price point."
"We use Huawei Ethernet Switches for business networks and connectivity."
"Pricing-wise, Huawei is quite good."
"The functionality is basically the same as Cisco."
"The solution has been pretty solid so far."
"Huawei Ethernet switches have a price advantage over other solutions; you can buy about four Huawei switches for the price of one Cisco switch."
"The most valuable features are that it is easy to use, easy to configure, it's priced well, and the operating system is easy to understand."
"I use it on a daily basis and I find it to be quite stable."
 

Cons

"The UI of the firewall and reporting could be improved."
"The performance is basic only, and we cannot compare Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center with Aruba or Cisco switches."
"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."
"When there are many switches being used, the speed declines noticeably."
"There is room to improve the integration between FortiSwitch and other third-party solutions, as challenges arise when integrating with different vendors."
"The main difference between FortiSwitch and Aruba Switches is the price. The prices of Aruba are higher and they have unlimited features that FortiSwitch does not, like segmentation and analytics engines."
"We had a slight issue with the device when it was working as a standalone product in an environment where there wasn't any FortiGate in place."
"The stability of the solution is impacted when integrating parts from different vendors such as Cisco, which can lead to performance problems and disconnections."
"The OS, features, and usage aren't great. There's a lack of resources and support."
"I would like to see more training opportunities available."
"In the future, incorporating AI features into Ethernet switches, particularly in the controller base, would be beneficial."
"The solution should make the text report more accessible."
"I didn't like the Huawei Switches because of the different versions resetting the configuration issue. Huawei doesn't support Layer 3 modes while TOE and ARP have some issues."
"The documentation needs to be better."
"Because of this situation, I searched for the products of other vendors. Aruba sent three quotes from its different partners and their quotes were similar, and also they were cheaper than Huawei."
"The availability and the speed of the firmware updates are the only things wrong with Huawei. There are some vulnerabilities on the hardware."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution, which is expensive."
"Cost-wise, Fortinet solutions are cheaper than those offered by Cisco."
"This solution is expensive but it does not require a license."
"The solution is not expensive."
"The product has a mid-range price."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"It is reasonably priced."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"I rate the tool's pricing a five out of ten."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches are cheap and cost around ten dollars."
"It is cheaper than Cisco."
"A cost-effective product"
"This is an affordable solution."
"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."
"The pricing is good. Still, I can choose a cheaper solution that offers a good value."
"Huawei has the same licensing model as Cisco, so both are working on the subscription model."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Government
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Construction Company
9%
 

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: September 2026.
917,403 professionals have used our research since 2012.