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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs H3C 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 - Secu...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
48
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
H3C Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
16th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
9
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is 5.1%, down from 6.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of H3C Ethernet Switches is 2.6%, up from 1.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Uri Harf - PeerSpot reviewer
Integration with cloud management simplifies network expansion
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is expensive, and this initial cost can be a barrier, especially for new businesses setting up from scratch. Although the machine is robust and lasts for years with rare technical issues, the initial price can be high. Sometimes, I have to offer alternatives like Aruba or HP, which might be cheaper.
KanwarArsalan - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers all routing protocols, functionality, and capabilities
H3C switches have strong port aggregation features including dynamic, static, and device aggregation. They also offer broadcast, multicast, or unique system suppression for PPS and BPS. These features are versatile and adaptable to various organizational scenarios, complemented by VLAN support. H3C switches offer VPN support along with various VLAN options like port-based, MAC-based, and protocol-based VLANs, including VLAN mapping and voice VLAN features. They support VLAN interfaces for both IPv4 and IPv6, ensuring compatibility and configuration flexibility. H3C switches are up to date with current market trends, offering features, routing protocols, capabilities, and functionalities that correspond to new trends in networking solutions. I strongly recommend that future users consider H3C switches for their designs, given their performance, specific features, and strong capabilities compared to competitors like Cisco. Overall, I would rate H3C Ethernet Switches as a nine out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable feature is that I can completely isolate devices that are compromising the network."
"What I really love in FortiSwitch: its usability, the graphical user interface, and the ability to be managed by FortiGate."
"I would rate the the ease of management and scalability within our network architecture an eight out of ten, with ten being best."
"What stands out is the effective management and enhanced security provided by the solution's function as an extension of the firewall."
"It can integrate well with other Fortinet products."
"The policies are very good."
"I like that everything flows back to FortiGate, which is the controller, management console, and firewall. There's one central point for the entire network, so the security, switching, wireless, etc., flows back to the FortiGate. The ease of management is what customers like. They don't need separate solutions like Cisco."
"Stability and scalability for this product are very good. Setup is easy and deployment can be completed within minutes. The technical support for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is good."
"The IMC feature is valuable."
"To date, it has proven to be highly reliable. We have encountered no issues or challenges with it thus far."
"H3C Ethernet Switches is a cheap solution."
"We can configure the switch stack on the internet. Other vendors do not offer this facility. It is fast and easy to manage."
"The best feature of H3C Ethernet Switches is their reliability."
"Offering a five-year warranty, compared to competitors' one-year warranties, is a unique advantage of H3C switches."
"H3C Ethernet Switches have a fast delivery time."
"A good high-performance solution."
 

Cons

"I would rate technical support at eight. It's a potential area for improvement, possibly in terms of response time or quality."
"The tool should improve its CLI."
"While Fortinet is good for school boards and mid-sized businesses, enterprise-class networks require a zero-trust solution. If you're building a zero-trust network with end-to-end security, that's where Fortinet falls behind Cisco, HPE, and Aruba."
"The reporting capabilities should be included."
"The security of the solution could be a bit better."
"It would be easier if Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access could be managed via cloud, and this is something that could be improved in this product. Bandwidth display could also be better."
"The range of products could improve from Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access."
"It is always nice when something is cheaper."
"To enhance H3C switches for the next release, improving the user interface is crucial."
"Lacks decent cloud management."
"There should be more public tools for configuration and comparing products."
"There is room for improvement in Wi-Fi solutions, which are not optimized."
"The only improvement needed is the significantly better lead time for delivery compared to other American products. In terms of technology, there isn't much difference, especially since X3 is a subsidiary of XP, and they use the same technology. However, the delivery time is notably better."
"The solution’s stability could be improved."
"GUI needs to merge with CLI."
"There is room for improvement in Wi-Fi solutions, which are not optimized."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is quite high."
"The pricing is cheap and only a yearly licensing cost needs to be paid."
"The product's pricing is good."
"It's affordable compared to other switching products, like Cisco switches."
"I rate the product's pricing an eight out of ten."
"The solution has reasonable pricing. The firewall costs around 500$ annually."
"You can buy this equipment in a multitude of ways. You can buy just the hardware, or you can buy the hardware and the licenses."
"Licensing is billed annually and contracts are either one or three years in length."
"H3C Ethernet Switches is targeted for SMBs because it's cheaper compared to Huawei switches."
"H3C Ethernet Switches are priced at around $500 per unit, which is very cheap and one of the most competitive prices out there."
"H3C Ethernet Switches are reasonably priced."
"The pricing is very affordable, making it a not-so-expensive choice. On a scale from one to ten, where one is expensive and ten is cheap, I would rate it a seven."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Educational Organization
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

Which would you choose - Fortinet Fortiswitch secure access or Cisco Ethernet Switches?
We researched Cisco but ultimately chose Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access, mostly because of the price. Fortinet FortiSwitch is an ethernet switch solution that provides security and performance...
What do you like most about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
With FortiSwitch, you can easily identify who is connected to each port, disable ports as needed, and retrieve configurations from FortiGate when required.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
Currently, I don't have an opinion about the price as I focus on implementation and am not informed about pricing in comparison to other vendors.
What needs improvement with H3C Ethernet Switches?
There is room for improvement in Wi-Fi solutions, which are not optimized.
What is your primary use case for H3C Ethernet Switches?
The primary use case is about managing network infrastructure. The H3C Ethernet Switches are used internally as switches in the system.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Ying Wa College, Centro Digital Pictures
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs. H3C Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
847,959 professionals have used our research since 2012.