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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs Meraki MS Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024
 

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secu...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
5th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
46
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Meraki MS Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
8th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
94
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2024, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is 6.1%, down from 6.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 4.6%, up from 4.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

SherifAbdelrahman - PeerSpot reviewer
Efficient integration allows streamlined network management with a straightforward setup
I use it for retail business. We are using the FortiSwitch solution for our voice switches and access points as well It has helped us by providing easy management from a single platform through the firewall interface. It's very easy to manage and provides all the insights and vulnerabilities,…
Jóhann G. Thorarensen - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable and easily accessible switches with a plug and play setup
We used Cisco switches, then we decided to go with Meraki MS Switches for several reasons. One reason was that the Cisco switches were originally set up by a company that was in charge of the whole system, which was run from a company outside the school. Then, we had someone come in to take charge here in our school, then we transferred that responsibility to an outsider. I then came in, and I started learning the system, so the outsider became the backup plan. It turned out, once we started digging into things, that the system was set up in a cumbersome and closed way, much like a banking system, rather than a setup that would be good for a school, that can rely on switches rather than closing the school into units. Another reason was that our switches were getting outdated, so we had to do something. We started looking at various solutions, and we had to decided whether to continue the way we were doing things, which we did not like because it was cumbersome and it had to be done on-site, or if we could do it in a way that would be more accessible both inside and outside the school, while having the level of security and stability we need. For example, we looked at Ubiquiti UniFi which was a cheaper system, but it was less stable, though I know that some schools were using that system. It was really just a question of stability and accessibility, and these were deciding factors in the system that we chose. Even though Meraki MS Switches were more expensive than the other solutions, we ended up with Meraki.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It can integrate well with other Fortinet products."
"The most valuable feature would be network management, separating the network management component from security. It can do both but we promote it on its own. It's a good solution to do network management."
"My advice those using a firewall Fortigate is: use their APs because they work very well."
"With FortiSwitch, you can easily identify who is connected to each port, disable ports as needed, and retrieve configurations from FortiGate when required."
"The technical support has been very good."
"The most valuable feature of this product is its simplicity."
"It's easy to be configured and powerful in terms of performance."
"The product is very secure."
"One of the most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches is its precise traffic analytics capabilities, allowing us to query the system for any place at any time."
"Being able to look at every port and see what it is connected to is very useful. Everything seems to be running really well. They've got everything covered. They have a really cool mounting system at the bottom and an access point that you can use to level up your device. It is kind of cool."
"The solution's most valuable aspect is the ease of stacking. The configuration on the MS Switches is very good, as well as its ability to assign the LANs."
"Meraki MS Switches are amazing. Whoever built it is a genius. I like that it's a plug-and-play solution."
"Setting up a switch can be performed prior to having your hands on the device. Once you purchase a Meraki switch you will get an email from Meraki with a code to add to your dashboard and then you can start setting up your switch so when it arrives it will download its configuration and be all setup."
"The reliability and ease of configuration are good."
"The solution is very stable."
"This product has QoS, decent visibility of what's going on, and it's a managed switch."
 

Cons

"The product could use more security related features."
"In the next release, I would like to see more outdoor products."
"FortiSwitch offers eight and 24-port models. They don't have a 16-port model, which can be an issue for some clients."
"Currently issues with some of the switches and problems with the firmware."
"I would like Fortinet to make this product easier to configure."
"We had experienced downtime. I would like to see it to be improved."
"They could provide integration with Fortinet Authenticator."
"It would also help if they lowered the cost of their service."
"Meraki MS Switches could improve the process of installing firmware."
"In terms of troubleshooting, if we get more tools there is an issue."
"Some people would have some reservations about the yearly subscription. Maybe they could offer an option of having a one-off or perpetual license to let people test it and see how it goes."
"Their subscription model could be better. Some of our customers prefer a one-time payment to a monthly or yearly subscription model, so they don't buy the product. Technical support could also be better."
"The firewall is not very powerful. The other week, one of the switches only gave one gigabit of output. It's become a concern for our customers."
"The throughputs, especially the throughput path, can be improved on the core switches. I think they should improve the throughput in the core switches to enable higher throughputs."
"The pricing of the solution can be improved."
"It would be great if they can get the price down for small businesses."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is quite high."
"I rate the product's pricing an eight out of ten."
"The product's pricing is good."
"We have to pay for the solution's subscription."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch is a pricey solution."
"It's affordable compared to other switching products, like Cisco switches."
"The tool's pricing is fine."
"The pricing for Fortinet FortiSwitch is not expensive."
"Securing licenses and devices for more than a year can make the product expensive. In general, the product is expensive."
"The product's licensing cost is about 30% to 40% of the hardware cost."
"They can get the price down for small businesses. The way I bought it, I paid hardly anything, and I got all my licensing with it. The firewall appliance is around $900, and the switches are around $150. This is for the device itself. For licensing, I signed at $70 or something like that for the switch. Technical Support is included in this."
"The licensing is purchased on a one, three, five, and seven year basis."
"The pricing is high and it is where we get the most pushback from customers."
"One key challenge often encountered is the perception that strategic products like Cisco and Meraki tend to be more expensive than alternatives like Aruba."
"The pricing is very expensive."
"Meraki is not an expensive switch, like Cisco."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
9%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
19%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Retailer
7%
Educational Organization
6%
 

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?
The pricing is considered high due to the currency exchange changes in our region. It has increased by about two hundred percent over the past three years.
What do you like most about Meraki MS Switches?
The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are their reliability and simplicity.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Meraki MS Switches?
The solution is a bit expensive as it is on the high end. The cost depends on the model and the number of years of usage.
What needs improvement with Meraki MS Switches?
There are compatibility issues with certain Power over Ethernet (PoE) devices, which we would like to see resolved.
 

Also Known As

No data available
MS220, MS320, MS420
 

Learn More

Video not available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs. Meraki MS Switches and other solutions. Updated: December 2024.
823,795 professionals have used our research since 2012.