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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs Ruckus Wireless comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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...
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
48
Ranking in other categories
Ethernet Switches (5th)
Ruckus Wireless
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
104
Ranking in other categories
Wireless LAN (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Enterprise Networking solutions, they serve different purposes. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is designed for Ethernet Switches and holds a mindshare of 4.5%, down 5.9% compared to last year.
Ruckus Wireless, on the other hand, focuses on Wireless LAN, holds 14.0% mindshare, up 13.9% since last year.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access4.5%
Cisco Ethernet Switches12.4%
Aruba Switches9.4%
Other73.7%
Ethernet Switches
Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Ruckus Wireless14.0%
Aruba Wireless15.7%
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN11.6%
Other58.7%
Wireless LAN
 

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.
Xander Janse Van Rensburg - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable and high-performance wireless networking with exceptional stability, scalability, and robust feature set
One of the most valuable features I appreciate is auto channelization, facilitated by a proprietary product called ChannelFly. This feature enables APs in a specific zone to automatically adjust their channels, optimizing performance. Additionally, Ruckus Wireless stands out for its ability to reuse certain beams, resulting in smaller data spots. In my experience with various products, Ruckus Wireless consistently delivers unparalleled throughput, coverage, and reliability in wireless networking across different environments. As a noteworthy point, the newly launched WiFi 7 standard is measured against Ruckus's WiFi 7 AP, establishing it as the global benchmark. When it comes to WiFi, Ruckus sets the standard, outperforming competitors with its superior performance and capabilities.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The technical support has been very good."
"It is a stable solution from the security front."
"With FortiSwitch, you can easily identify who is connected to each port, disable ports as needed, and retrieve configurations from FortiGate when required."
"The product is very secure."
"The most valuable feature is the security switch."
"What I actually use in this deployment are Forti APs (Fortinet Access Points). So, I can see all my office infrastructure from a single console, which is handy. One FortiGate, one FortiSwitch, and five access points, everything under good control. It's really nice to see it all together like this."
"The software is very stable."
"The most valuable feature of this product is its simplicity."
"Ruckus WAPs have excellent coverage and their beamforming means that we can cover more area with fewer WAPs."
"We used to struggle a lot doing the connectivity between the branch offices in port. Ruckus offers the flexibility to pull the connectivity and we can actually manage our workflow and application to this connectivity. It is a wonderful way of doing things fast."
"The most valuable feature of Ruckus Wireless is the simple interface of the SmartZone platform."
"For me, the most valuable features are good integration with the customer's existing network and the ease of deployment and configuration. Ruckus products are also easy to learn to manage and deploy for not only our own staff, but also for the IT workers in the customer's organization."
"It's easy to install, and the management is flexible."
"Analyzes real-time, in-depth network performance."
"We are able to quickly identify Rogue WAPs in our network and move to disconnect them immediately when Ruckus alerts us."
"The most valuable feature is the signature feature from Ruckus; the feature is called the BeamFlex. BeamFlex adaptive antenna technology takes a more adaptable approach allowing the access point to continually sense and optimize for its environment. The signals can be sent in a particular predetermined direction as desired. The technology allows for electrically manipulated antenna properties creating optimal antenna patterns for each device with which they communicated: the signal is focused, where the user is positioning."
 

Cons

"More integration would be helpful, especially since we sometimes have devices from other companies. Improved interoperability would be very beneficial."
"We've had some issues with Layer 3 FortiSwitch. We can deploy the device in the cloud. However, we can't deploy this solution in complex environments easily."
"It could be simpler but compared to the competition, it's not so bad."
"Currently issues with some of the switches and problems with the firmware."
"In Fortinet, the packet reconstruction in the SD-WAN solution needs a little bit of improvement. When it comes to the Secure Access to the switches or the mix of Fortinet solution, the very small ones do not have the capability to use fiber cables. So, the small FortiGates have to work with the copper cables and cannot use fiber cables. Even though they have the capacity and throughput on all technical connectors, they don't have the interfaces, which is one of the good things with Cisco. They just add models to it. You buy the independent models, and you add them."
"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."
"An area for improvement would be the segmentation and network in logic networks."
"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 price has room for improvement."
"Its pricing and licensing can be improved. Its UI can also be more user-friendly. Currently, in the Unleashed mode, the information that you have about the switches that you add to the controller is quite limited. I would like more information regarding switches. In this mode, an access point acts as a controller, so you don't need a controller. It is for deployments with less than 125 access points, and you can use an access point as a controller."
"The solution should have more analytics capabilities."
"The initial setup is complex."
"The product is very expensive."
"I wish that Ruckus Wireless were more affordable for customers."
"What would be interesting to see is if they had more of an ability for their customers to capture revenue. They should offer some sort of gateway functionality that you could tie through radius authentication, so you can bill the customers. That way, when you go in, you could just have a device and set up a hotspot, and it's a totally billable tool at that point."
"I suggest more controlling features on the controller. The menu of the performance must be improved, as well."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price is good."
"We have to pay for the solution's subscription."
"Licensing is billed annually and contracts are either one or three years in length."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch is a pricey solution."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access requires a license and the price is expensive."
"The product pricing seems to be mid-range."
"We have to renew and pay for the licenses."
"Licensing is easy: FortiCare and that's it."
"It's definitely a good value. It's more expensive than some of the other offerings out there, but when you compare it to other enterprise-class gear, it's very well priced. And the beauty of it is, because it has better range because of their patented BeamFlex - which is the way they can send and receive and listen to signals - you can actually use fewer access points. That means that it's a cheaper overall project."
"The cost per AP license should be worked on."
"The only complaint I have about Ruckus is the price, but considering other enterprise WiFi products are similarly priced, I feel Ruckus is a superior product."
"It depends on the client. You have an initial license cost that you need to buy to bind the access point with the controller. This is a one-time fee. You also have to pay the support fee that, if I remember correctly, is about $25 per access point. Its pricing and licensing can be improved."
"We paid for a three-year contract last year. I am not sure about what we paid. It is certainly less expensive than Meraki."
"The price could be better. Normally, if you find customers paying for cost-effective wireless solutions, Ruckus devices are a little expensive compared to other vendors."
"Ruckus Wireless is available at a reasonable price"
"The pricing is the biggest issue with Ruckus wireless. It's so expensive, but Ruckus are just the best."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
7%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Computer Software Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business37
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business69
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise25
 

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 initial cost of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is high compared to other options. Although robust and rarely needs replacement, it can be overqualified for some jobs, which affects the re...
Aruba Wireless or Ruckus Wireless?
At my organization, we researched Ruckus Wireless among other solutions but ultimately chose Aruba wireless. What did we like about Ruckus? First, it was very easy to use, and anybody with minimal...
Which is better - Ruckus Wireless or Cisco Wireless?
Ruckus Wireless offers users the benefit of being both easy to set up and get running as well as being very user friendly. This user-friendly quality also renders it easy to learn how to use and ma...
How does Ruckus Wireless compare to Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN?
Cisco’s Meraki Virtual MX is a virtual instance of the Meraki SD-WAN appliance. We liked the Meraki. The Wifi APs are a great feature. The dashboard is a simple interface and easy to learn. It feat...
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
American University of Sharjah, Baruch College, Centro Escolar Liceo Santo Tomšs, Chevalier College, Chico Unified School District, Colegio de Fomento El Prado, Columbia Public Schools, Delta School District, Dordt College, Douglas County School District, Drew University, Armonea, Central Utah Clinic, Grove Hill Medical Center, Inner South Community Health Service, Midwest Surgical, Satilla Regional Medical Center, Lyndoch Living, Polonus, Roaring Fork School District, Sonora State, Vivid, Sydney, Players Club, Sandals, Scandic Hotels, Sheraton LAX, Sunbird
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