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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
13th
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 August 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 2.9%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Huawei Ethernet Switches is 3.1%, down from 3.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Huawei Ethernet Switches3.1%
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center2.9%
Other94.0%
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

"The FortiSwitch is used to manage traffic between our VMs and physical hosts across multiple data centers, and it is part of our network fabric that can support the amount of throughput we need to provide HA to service our clients."
"The initial setup was straightforward; it wasn't complex at all and we found it to be relatively painless."
"The solution has made configuration and setup very, very easy."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center offers flexibility and control over the entire network from a single pane of management."
"The security fabric of Fortinet is really a game-changer for us."
"The single pane of glass that helps us manage everything through FortiManager is the most important feature."
"Configurations between FortiGate and FortiSwitch have to link to each other. We need configuration. The configuration is not like a Cisco switch. It has a unique configuration."
"I have found the solution to be scalable."
"The CLI syntax."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches come with native ACs."
"Huawei Ethernet switches are easy to use and can be managed using either the GUI or via the command-line."
"Scalability isn't an issue."
"This product is competitive technically with the best products in the class."
"The functionality is basically the same as Cisco."
"They last quite a while."
"I was using Cisco Aruba HP Engine previously and switched because Huawei Ethernet Switches are user-friendly."
 

Cons

"The performance is basic only, and we cannot compare Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center with Aruba or Cisco switches."
"The product must improve the latency in the management center."
"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."
"There could be more porting software options for easy deployment in the product."
"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."
"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."
"The tool is not easy to use."
"We need to understand a bit more about certifications and knowledge for understanding capabilities. The solution should make that more clear to its users."
"The solution can improve by adding virtualized switch functionality."
"The tech support is not very good. It's a bit hard to get tech support for Huawei products."
"Huawei Switch can make further advancements, as the current CLI lacks functionality. The majority of tasks are performed through the CLI, making it difficult for those without technical expertise to work with. They should enhance the CLI of the access switches to make them more user-friendly. The GUI of the Ethernet Switches should also be improved to allow non-technical users to perform technical tasks with ease. Additionally, the documentation of the solution could improve."
"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."
"If I have one potential issue, it is that the technical support does not understand English so well."
"I had issues with patching the IOS. But right now I think Huawei has improved very much in the advanced technology and is more stable now. I think patch and bug fixes should be announced on a scheduled basis."
"There are some support issues."
"There could be improvements in Huawei, such as adding features that Cisco has and Huawei currently lacks."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"This solution is expensive but it does not require a license."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"The solution is not expensive."
"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."
"It is reasonably priced."
"The solution's price is reasonable compared to other products like Cisco."
"We only pay one-off instead of paying recurring license fees."
"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 solution's pricing is in the middle, but you will be charged when you upgrade the tenant."
"Compared to other brands, I think that the price is quite fair."
"Huawei provides much better performance for the same price, even when taking into account very aggressive commercial policies."
"It is cheaper than Cisco."
"The product is competitively priced in its market."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Government
15%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Construction Company
9%
Manufacturing 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: August 2026.
910,956 professionals have used our research since 2012.