Meraki MS Switches and Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access compete in the network switch category. While Meraki is favored for its cloud-based management, Fortinet is preferred for its robust security features.
Features: Meraki MS Switches offer cloud management, ease of configuration, and extensive visibility. They support DNS setup and Cisco integration, ideal for remote management with user-friendly dashboards. Fortinet FortiSwitch provides strong security, device segmentation, and centralized management through FortiGate, excelling in integration with security protocols.
Room for Improvement: Meraki relies heavily on cloud connectivity, problematic in areas with unreliable internet. Its licensing costs are high, needing better local network configuration options. Fortinet lacks flexibility and cloud management integration, with a need for more competitive pricing.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Meraki offers straightforward cloud-based deployment, positively reviewed customer service but needs clearer policies and better support accessibility. Fortinet involves more complex setups, but receives high ratings for customer service and technical support.
Pricing and ROI: Meraki, though expensive due to a subscription model, justifies costs with significant ROI from reduced management needs. Fortinet's high price is offset by functionality and security, offering flexibility in purchasing without hidden costs, appealing to those focused on predictable spending.
It's a potential area for improvement, possibly in terms of response time or quality.
My local support is working fine, and I have my connection with my account manager in the public company of Fortinet.
If the devices are licensed, the support team will assist you depending on the severity level of the case.
Cisco's tech support is pretty good, and I would rate it an eight out of ten.
For enterprise solutions, it's extendable easily with options for edge connectivity or stackable devices.
You just need to connect another switch or replace the current one, and it integrates well with the existing setup.
The stability has been good overall.
I would give it a nine out of ten for stability.
If something happens to the device or hardware, Cisco will automatically change the device by the next business day.
We faced issues following firmware updates, which we now handle by performing updates outside of working hours.
The introduction of AI integration could be valuable for detecting abnormal traffic directly on the switch.
Meraki should also consider improvements in stacking features, particularly in the lower-end models like NS130, where stacking isn't supported, unlike with Cisco traditional switching.
Most people are familiar with the Cisco commands, and it would be beneficial if the switch could be accessed by GUI configuration and by normally accessing the console.
There are compatibility issues with certain Power over Ethernet (PoE) devices, which we would like to see resolved.
It has increased by about two hundred percent over the past three years.
Meraki MS Switches, including their licensing, are somewhat expensive, particularly when compared with competitor solutions like HP.
Pricing is affordable, and licenses for the cloud need to be purchased every three to five years.
Meraki pricing is a little premium compared to other vendor products.
The powerful integration capabilities allow us to manage all devices from a single interface through the firewall.
One of the main features is the integration with FortiGate.
The control plane is in the cloud, and the data plane is local, allowing manageability from anywhere.
The most valuable feature is the ability to access devices from anywhere in the world through the cloud.
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.
Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access is a secure, high-performance, and easy-to-manage switch. Fortinet FortiSwitch is the best solution for threat-conscious enterprises of all sizes because it is secure, simple, and scalable. Secure Access, which is tightly integrated into the Fortinet Security Fabric via FortiLink, may be handled directly from the FortiGate interface.
Regardless of how people and devices connect to the network, this single-pane-of-glass administration provides total visibility and control. This makes the Fortinet FortiSwitch perfect for SD-Branch and campus deployments, allowing enterprises to combine their security and network access with applications ranging from desktop to data center aggregation. Fortinet FortiSwitch's Secure Access is the most adaptable security platform with end-to-end protection in the industry.
Switches for Secure Access: Small to medium-sized businesses, scattered organizations, branch offices, and industrial control systems can all benefit.
Switches for Data Centers: Ideal for users requiring high-performance 10 GE or 40 GE.
Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access Features
Fortinet FortiSwitch has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:
Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access Benefits
There are many benefits to implementing Fortinet FortiSwitch. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:
Reviews from Real Users
Fortinet FortiSwitch stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its stability and its VLAN setup. PeerSpot users take note of the advantages of these features in their reviews:
Rutul S., CXO at Aariha Enterprise Private Limited, writes of the product, “The most valuable feature is the SD-WAN support. This device is easy to use.” He adds, “Stability-wise, this product is better than others that are on the market.”
Emil V., System Consultant at I team, notes, “I like the VLAN setup of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access has very good scalability.” He adds, “Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is easy to set up. It only takes minutes to deploy this product, because it is mostly boxes.”
Meraki MS Switches are first-line cloud-managed access and aggregation switches that combine the benefits of cloud-based centralized management with a reliable access platform. With cloud management, thousands of switch ports can be configured and monitored instantly over the web.
Meraki MS Switches Features
Meraki MS Switches have many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:
Meraki MS Switches Benefits
There are many benefits to implementing Meraki MS Switches. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:
Reviews from Real Users
Meraki MS Switches is a solution that stands out when compared to many of its competitors. Some of its major advantages are its accessibility, application visibility, and flexibility features.
Jóhann T., IT Manager at Sund Upper Secondary School, says, “Accessibility is what I find most valuable in Meraki MS Switches, because I'm able to check things and see if they're working, without being on-site at all times.”
A Senior Network Engineer at a tech services company mentions, "The top feature of Meraki MS switches for me is Layer 7 application visibility. Another positive in general is that you don't need to set up a console to the switch itself; it dials into a single dashboard where you can completely manage all your network devices."
John M., user at Baseline Consulting, LLC, comments, "I like the flexibility of the Meraki firewall. It gives you the ability to lock things down. Having multiple VLANs is helpful for the switching infrastructure and firewall. It's crucial when you have a public-facing VLAN, a private-facing VLAN, and a secure VLAN."
PeerSpot user William M., Consulting Engineer at IV4, expresses, "It is easy to deploy, maintain, and update. It has been trouble-free so far. I am still a Cisco command-line bigot, but the web interface makes it a lot easier for our help desk to interact with a client. When the clients call in and say that they aren't able to connect, it takes the help desk 10 minutes or less to look at everything in the enterprise or location. They can look at the firewall, switches, or access points in the dashboard. That's why I like the dashboard."
We monitor all Ethernet Switches reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.
