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3Com H3C Switches vs Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center comparison

Why PeerSpot?
 

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

3Com H3C Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
27th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
5.4
Number of Reviews
8
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
17th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
26
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of 3Com H3C Switches is 1.5%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 2.7%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center2.7%
3Com H3C Switches1.5%
Other95.8%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

AA
Manager at Necsol
Has improved operational response times and reduced downtime across departments
There is no negative impact, but to some extent their software side needs improvement because most people are familiar with iDRAC for the Dell product. Their software product is quite different and is new software. You have to take some time to learn their programming and other things such as installation of the media, Windows or office applications, or anything else. It is not complex. It is because it is a new thing and we had to face a little more problem for the installation at first. But now after some time, it has become easy for us because we have been working with Dell and listening about Dell for a long time, about decades. 3Com H3C Switches has occupied our market and has been working now for the last two to three years. 3Com H3C Switches has gained this much reputation and the brand is at its peak. It will be a matter of time and with the passage of time the learning stage will improve.
Sujith Pazhancheeri - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Infrastructure Engineer at REYADA IT SOLUTIONS CO. LLC
Integrated firewall connectivity has simplified on-premises projects and supports reliable SMB switching
The performance is basic only, and we cannot compare Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center with Aruba or Cisco switches. Regarding security policies, I did not configure that many policies in Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is on-premises, and the negative of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is that it is costly compared to other switches. In Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center, I did not see that many features compared to Cisco and Aruba.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"They are easy to use, they are cheaper, and it's a trusted brand."
"The user interface is upgraded to the latest GUI technology, allowing configurations like VLAN to be done through the interface rather than the command line, making it more efficient."
"They're straightforward and stable."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is the durability."
"The reliability of the solution has been the best feature."
"Their customer service is instant with a tracking system and follow-ups for human access."
"Total cost of ownership and consolidation of the switches is very good."
"The installation is quite straightforward."
"I have found the solution to be scalable."
"The FortiSwitch is used to manage traffic between our VMs and physical hosts across multiple data centers, and it is part of our network fabric that can support the amount of throughput we need to provide HA to service our clients."
"A valuable feature of FortiGate is its management integrity."
"The interface is very straightforward."
"The technical support has been very good; they are responsive and helpful, and I would recommend this support to anyone using their solutions."
"SD-WAN and the security fabric are essential features of the product."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center offers flexibility and control over the entire network from a single pane of management."
"The initial setup was straightforward; it wasn't complex at all and we found it to be relatively painless."
 

Cons

"When we try to do configuration changes sometimes it malfunctions."
"We found some security holes in some of their switches, but overall it's fairly stable."
"To some extent their software side needs improvement because most people are familiar with iDRAC for the Dell product."
"The company should come up with new security features and new management and log recording systems, helping customers to analyze issues and prevent future incidents."
"I think there's nothing that needs to be improved because the company is no longer in existence."
"The configuration of 3Com H3C Switches could be better."
"The cost and the integration with other solutions could be better."
"If I had to go back in time, I might go with HP."
"The stability of the solution is impacted when integrating parts from different vendors such as Cisco, which can lead to performance problems and disconnections."
"We had a slight issue with the device when it was working as a standalone product in an environment where there wasn't any FortiGate in place."
"FortiSwitch should improve the FortiGate map. The diagram cannot move automatically to show the switch. The map does not map the physical location. It cannot move or touch the diagram."
"The FortiSwitch product was initially quite complex."
"The solution’s pricing could be improved."
"When there are many switches being used, the speed declines noticeably."
"Routing is an area in Fortinet FortiSwitch with certain shortcomings where improvements are needed."
"Does not have as many features as other solutions, such as segmentation and analytics engines."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"3Com H3C Switches have a competitive cost. I rate the pricing a nine out of ten."
"The cost could be improved, but it is cheaper than the others."
"It is reasonably priced."
"The solution's pricing is a little high. The solution deserves the current price it receives from its users."
"This solution is expensive but it does not require a license."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution, which is expensive."
"The product has a mid-range price."
"The solution is not expensive."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
report
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Outsourcing Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Construction Company
9%
Government
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise4
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business17
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise4
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for 3Com H3C Switches?
Price is the major factor. You cannot say it is much better because all servers and all products have a few things in common, which are the processor, storage, and RAM and other things. Mostly the ...
What needs improvement with 3Com H3C Switches?
There is no negative impact, but to some extent their software side needs improvement because most people are familiar with iDRAC for the Dell product. Their software product is quite different and...
What advice do you have for others considering 3Com H3C Switches?
I personally did not work over the management, but I supplied to some of my other clients. I would rate this review a 9 overall.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center?
The Fortinet switches come with no additional cost as they are open source, with only hardware warranties applicable.
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center?
The performance is basic only, and we cannot compare Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center with Aruba or Cisco switches. Regarding security policies, I did not configure that many policies in Fortinet...
What is your primary use case for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center?
Currently, we are mostly working with Sophos and Fortinet. Before, we worked with XG, but now they have upgraded to the XGS series, and in Fortinet, we are working with FortiGate Firewall. In some ...
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

British Columbia Assessment Authority, DreamWorks, DRV
Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Find out what your peers are saying about 3Com H3C Switches vs. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.
915,383 professionals have used our research since 2012.