Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access Reviews

It's not fully for Secure Access, it's just for LAN Access. It's just to give access to the local LAN user. It's primarily used for this concern.

FortiSwitch is manageable. We can manage it via FortiGate. And FortiSwitch can participate in the Fortinet security fabric. We can deploy the fabric as well. It is the main feature we use for managing FortiSwitch.

It's stable.

The solution is reliable.

It is easy to set up.

The technical support is helpful.

We find the pricing to be less expensive than Cisco.

Some people know Cisco or other products when they were doing university or studies, so they feel more confident with them rather than FortiSwitch. This is a barrier. 

Most people know Fortinet as a security product bundle, and if you tell them to opt for FortiSwitch, it's a little bit complicated for them to swap their Cisco product for Fortinet. 

I'd like to see more integration with different platforms. 

We deployed the solution about five years. 

The solution is stable and reliable. We deployed it five years or so ago and still have not had a problem. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

It is pretty simple to scale. 

Fortigate can manage FortiSwitch, and there are a lot of things that you can do with your FortiGate at configuration. When you have to deploy FortiSwitch, you just need to plug it in, push the configuration from FortiGate, and go.

We are not using FortiSwitch as a company. We have a lot of clients using it. However, we only use FortiSwitch for clients that already have a Fortinet product to have the benefits of the Fortinet fabric. We have about five customers using FortiSwitch.

We don't use tech support often since we already are an integrator and we have expertise in it. For cases where we need support, like the RMA or things like that, support is pretty simple, quick, and fast.

FortiSwitch is not our primary choice in terms of a switch. We often use Cisco Switch, however, sometimes we also use FortiSwitch.

The initial setup is straightforward. It's not overly complex. We have a lot of experience with Fortinet products, so with FortiSwitch, the experience is good. We know it well, which makes it easy to deploy.

It's easy to set up. It is really simple and quick. We can deploy it in maybe one or two hours if we do all the engineering stuff beforehand.

I'm an integrator. I can deploy the solution easily myself.

The solution is less expensive than, for example, Cisco.

We pay for licensing on a yearly basis. 

I'd rate the solution three or four out of five in terms of affordability.

I would recommend people to use FortiSwitch as it is less expensive than other products. They can use it with FortiGate. It will be pretty simple if they already have experience with FortiGate. FortiSwitch provides a lot of companies with big enterprise functionality, and it is less expensive than products like Cisco Switch. 

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten.

On-premises

The customer wanted to have a switch, but then we managed to buy a console: FortiGate. This has been deployed to control the switching. This switch has 40 access points for WiFi access. This has been deployed to the university for student access. We have the controller using FortiGate with the access point being FortiGate. So, we chose FortiSwitch to uniformize our entire equipment and the WiFi for students access.

The version depends on the version of FortiOS which is running on the switch.

The interface is great because we can do all the administrative tasks with a user vertical interface. FortiSwitch can be managed by the FortiGate, so a lot of tasks are doable using FortiGate. If you master FortiGate, you won't have a lot of difficulty mastering FortiSwitch. What I really love in FortiSwitch: its usability, the graphical user interface, and the ability to be managed by FortiGate.

The technical support could be improved.

I have been using this solution for two years.

It's stable. The installation was deployed two years ago. We haven't had any big problems with it. If there are problems, they are related to the configuration, passwords changes, and sometimes the access point loses connection. 

FortiSwitch can be managed and controlled by FortiGate. The configuration is done on FortiGate. To scale, you just need to purchase some other switches, even they are not really the same model of the one deployed. With two or three clicks, we can scale them to the other switch.

With the university example, where it is not fully functional, there are almost 2000 or 3000 students who are using the access points to access the WiFi, which are connected to the switch. 

I am almost an expert on the solution, so I don't often need support. But, if you contact Fortinet, it's a bit difficult. Most of the time, they send you just links and documents to read for troubleshooting. When you contact support, you don't need documents. You want someone that can understand your problem, give a hand, and help you. I'm not impressed by the support really.

Initial setup is like plug and play. It's really simple.

I can deploy a FortiSwitch in a maximum of one hour.

Maybe Fortinet can improve FortiSwitch's functionalities, because they are not the best on the market. Cisco switches offer more functionalities regarding access control and other features, like WLAN security. They can improve these on FortiSwitch.

It's affordable compared to other switching products, like Cisco switches. 

I can recommend the solution.

I would rate the solution as a seven (out of 10).

FortiSwitch is a member of what Fortinet calls its security fabric. 

On-premises

 Fortinet is working well for us overall. It can integrate well with other Fortinet products.

All the parts of VPN are working well. The performance has been reliable.

The security of the solution could be a bit better. We've tried to mobilize the infrastructure of the network, however, with security, it's tricky.

We've had issues with faulty switches. Right now we have only two firewalls and we're trying to change to a new firewall and fix a faulty switch. We're looking to change in the next three to six months to help us move away from faulty lines.

The fiber optic switch needs to be changed a bit. The specifications need to be adjusted.

We are also using Aruba, although we are considering switching over completely to Fortinet.

We're customers and end-users. We buy the product and arrange an online portal for customers.

We are going to upgrade some of our switches from 300, which we have, to the 300E.

In general, I would rate the solution at a ten out of ten. We're mostly happy with it, although we've had some issues.

We primarily use the solution for different reasons. It depends on our customer security requirements and the projects that we are implementing for banks, hospitals, etc. 

The visual scope of the solution is very good. It allows me to see and download all of the network information.

In terms of improvements, the solution has SD-WAN but it doesn't have SDN. This should be added.

The solution can only be managed by FortiGate.

The stability of the solution is good.

The solution can scale, but there are some limitations. Our partner just started using the solution so I'm not sure how many people they have on it at this time.

Technical support is good.

The initial setup is straightforward; it's not complex.

I handled the implementation myself.

I've been using the solution for five years. We use both cloud and on-premises deployment models.

The solution is secure for small and medium-sized companies. For larger companies, you need to have an LPM on it. 

I'd rate it eight out of ten.

The most valuable feature is the breakability after integration with the FortiGate firewall.

The central management needs improvement.

The initial setup could be easier.

I've been using this solution for about two years.

Up to the present, it has been a stable solution.

It is easy to scale. We have about 3 to 400 users and plant to increase the number of users.

I would rate technical support at nine out of ten.

Positive

We switched to Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access because it can integrate to the firewall in FortiGate. This means that we can centralize the management console on the firewall to manage the security and network on one brand. It lowers the cost of management.

The initial setup is a little complex. It takes about five minutes for one device.

You will need five engineers for deployment and maintenance.

We implemented it through an in-house team.

We have an annual licensing cost. There are no additional costs.

I would rate Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access at eight on a scale from one to ten.

On-premises

We use Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access for enhanced network security.

I have been using this solution for approximately one year.

The solution is stable.

I have found the solution to be scalable.

We have between 100 and 1,000 users using the solution in my organization.

The technical support has been very good.

The installation is not difficult. However, some features have to be activated from the CLI.

I did the implementation of the solution.

We have one technician who can operate the solution.

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access requires a license and the price is expensive.

I would recommend this solution to others. 

I rate Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access a nine out of ten.

On-premises

We are a customer and end user of Fortinet.

Integration is good, as well as price and technical support.

When we started using the solution, it was quite complex but then it became easier to use. It takes a while to get used to the interface.

I have been using this solution since the beginning of 2018.

The stability is fine.

The scalability is fine.

I haven't had any issues in technical support.

We worked with an integrator, so that wasn't completely my area.

The price is good.

I would rate this solution 9 out of 10.

I use Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access hardware for switches, routers, and access points for regular infrastructure networks. I manage firewalls and switches, some with PoE for connected access points, cameras, or phones. I generally don't use expensive backbones as my customers don't require them.

The main benefit of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is its integration with FortiCloud, which allows me to manage all appliances in a single interface. If my switches are uniform across FortiGate, it’s easy to add or subtract switches without reconfiguring each one separately. This centralized management saves time and ensures seamless scalability.

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.

I have used Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access for years. Whether with this company or the previous one I worked for, it has been a staple in the Israeli market.

The tool is robust and lasts for three to four years without needing replacement. Technical issues with Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access are rare.

The scalability is excellent. With uniform Fortinet FortiGate switches, adding or removing switches without reconfiguring individually is straightforward, and it can be done in a single operation through the interface.

The contact with the Israeli distributor of Fortinet has been excellent. They are knowledgeable, professional, and assist with any issues. They seek answers from Fortinet worldwide if needed and provide the necessary support.

Neutral

Once I mastered FortiCloud, deployment was not difficult. Especially with a system consisting solely of Fortinet switches in stack formation, the configuration can easily be deployed to the entire system from a single location.

I work with licensed distributors like TypeCast and Forti, who provide excellent support and assistance.

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 return on investment for some customers.

I evaluate alternatives like D-Link, Aruba, HP, and Ruckus, depending on customer needs and budget considerations. Each of these options has its own benefits.

I never give a perfect score to any product, but considering Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access's performance and infrastructure, I would rate it an eight out of 10. The solution is reliable and does what I need it to do by providing a constant connection to my network. While excellent in many aspects, improvements are always possible.

On-premises