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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs MikroTik Routers and 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
24
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
MikroTik Routers and Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
5th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
67
Ranking in other categories
Routers (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 1.7%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MikroTik Routers and Switches is 6.3%, up from 4.6% 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.
AnikIslam - PeerSpot reviewer
Cost-effective protocol support and a straightforward setup with room for login enhancements
In the network operations center, I manage our client's bandwidth. We connect with our clients through BGP and OSPF based on client demands. We also manage routing protocols, policies, internal firewalls, and other details like QE bandwidth, client manage bandwidth management, PoE, PPPoE, and DNS…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"FortiSwitch Data Center allows for centralized management of both Fortinet switches and firewalls from a single interface."
"When configuring FortiSwitch with a FortiGate firewall, I can consider all FortiSwitch's ports as a part of the FortiGate firewall."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center offers flexibility and control over the entire network from a single pane of management."
"We are able to monitor everything that is happening on our network."
"It is very stable."
"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."
"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 stability is good."
"It's pretty stable."
"I think the tool's most valuable is its firewall. Cisco assisted them in developing it, making it easy to use. They expose a lot of background features, so you can go deep into integration, similar to Cisco switches. You can choose to use the command line interface or user interface."
"It's great for small businesses or home offices."
"The radius and wireless features are the most valuable aspects of the solution."
"I would rate the stability a ten out of ten."
"They have amazing speed and reliability, and they also provide value for money. They are pretty powerful."
"The flexible IP firewall and IP network address translation make it very easy to give access to internal services."
 

Cons

"They could improve availability and security by detecting and preventing switch attacks."
"When there are many switches being used, the speed declines noticeably."
"The tool is not easy to use."
"With IT products, there is always room for improvement."
"The stability of the solution is impacted when integrating parts from different vendors such as Cisco, which can lead to performance problems and disconnections."
"Compatibility with infrastructure from other vendors like Cisco and Sophos can be further improved."
"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."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center needs to improve its UI and stability."
"They can improve the way the user interface is laid out. Their user interface is slightly geeky. There is more than one way to do the same thing in the user interface, and they need to work on that."
"Improvements could be made in terms of SD-WAN capabilities and zero-touch provisioning."
"The solution needs to offer better documentation."
"I would like to see some content filtering with MikroTik Routers and Switches."
"The solution's website isn't that good. When I go to it, I can't find what I'm looking for. However, if I go to a third party's website, I can easily find the information."
"The initial setup can be a bit difficult. The configuration can take a lot of time."
"The solution needs to be more robust. In case of power fluctuations, MikroTik routers are more vulnerable to malfunctioning."
"The Soft-GRE support needs to be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product has a mid-range price."
"The solution's pricing is a little high. The solution deserves the current price it receives from its users."
"This solution is expensive but it does not require a license."
"We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution, which is expensive."
"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."
"The tool has a low price."
"A license is not required."
"There is no licensing fee in addition to the hardware, but we do pay an annual fee for support."
"The tool's pricing is competitive."
"There is a lifetime subscription already embedded when you buy the product."
"No fees are required for licensing."
"The tool is cheap."
"In terms of the economic side, we're completely satisfied. The price is affordable for both SMEs and enterprises."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
19%
Government
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Comms Service Provider
5%
Computer Software Company
16%
Comms Service Provider
14%
Hospitality Company
6%
Financial Services Firm
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?
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...
How do Cisco Enterprise routers compare with Mikrotik routers and switches?
Cisco Enterprise Routers are very stable and easy to use. They offer a very solid performance and are very secure. They also have a very good, long lifespan. We feel the command configuration is ve...
Which are better - Ubiquiti UniFi switches or MikroTik routers and switches?
Ubiquiti Unifi is a great solution. For starters, it is easy to configure and implement, and doesn’t require a learning curve because it is easy to use. It is also simple to reconfigure an AP or ga...
What do you like most about MikroTik Routers and Switches?
The price is a big factor. They are very affordable, and the quality is high.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
ABB, Boingo Wireless, JPL, HP, Allied Telesis, iPass, Mips Technologies, MicroAge, Matsushita, Telia, undp, WFP, NASA
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs. MikroTik Routers and Switches and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
849,190 professionals have used our research since 2012.