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3Com H3C Switches vs Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access comparison

 

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
26th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
5.4
Number of Reviews
8
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secu...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
9th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of 3Com H3C Switches is 1.4%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is 3.6%, down from 4.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access3.6%
3Com H3C Switches1.4%
Other95.0%
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.
HM
Cyber Security Manager at Greater Cairo Water Company (GCWC)
Zero Trust access has improved branch security and provides granular visibility for all devices
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access has substantial automation because the configuration is managed from FortiGate dashboard. Automation increases performance and decreases installation time. I mentioned the unique specifications of the switch and the solution at the start. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access granular visibility features have helped me manage IoT devices. I can see every device in the network and the details about each device because FortiGate has an inventory of every device, making the integration between Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access and FortiGate unique. The deep integration with Fortinet's Security Fabric is very important for threat intelligence in my organization. Reliability is key, and automation contributes significantly to network performance optimization in my organization. I have to use FortiLink for automatic UTM extension, as it is a unique proprietary protocol to manage Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access through FortiGate. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is a switch that is related to its Secure Access feature. I gave this review a rating of 9.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The reliability of the solution has been the best feature."
"The hardware side is a very big advantage. We use it 24/7 and we haven't had any problems so far with the switches."
"Total cost of ownership and consolidation of the switches is very good."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is the durability."
"3Com H3C Switches products are available at a low price, and the second most important factor is their services, availability of parts, and warranty claims, with main service centers in all major cities of Pakistan."
"Their customer service is instant with a tracking system and follow-ups for human access."
"They're straightforward and stable."
"The installation is quite straightforward."
"Ability to manage FortiAP, FortiClient, and FortiGate all from a single console"
"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."
"I would say I get extraordinary service from FortiGate."
"The technical support has been very good."
"The most valuable feature is the security switch."
"It works really well, I think the equipment is solid, and the help is great."
"The tool provides a firewall and good performance."
"FortiSwitch Secure Access has a nice interface."
 

Cons

"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."
"To some extent their software side needs improvement because most people are familiar with iDRAC for the Dell product."
"I think there's nothing that needs to be improved because the company is no longer in existence."
"The technical support services need improvement in terms of communication."
"When we try to do configuration changes sometimes it malfunctions."
"The configuration of 3Com H3C Switches could be better."
"The cost and the integration with other solutions could be better."
"We found some security holes in some of their switches, but overall it's fairly stable."
"FortiSwitch requires periodic firmware updates. It can be a little difficult because the switches aren't connected to the internet, so you cannot upgrade the firmware remotely. You need to go to the site and do it manually because it's a closed network."
"I believe that stacking, a feature that is available in Huawei and Cisco, is not available in Fortinet products."
"Renewing the annual licenses for Secure the Switch FortiSwitch can be cumbersome, especially considering the relatively high cost of Fortinet licenses."
"I don't like the way it's managed."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is expensive, and this initial cost can be a barrier, especially for new businesses setting up from scratch."
"The technical support team is slow to respond and the responses are not always complete."
"I feel that the product's stability is an area where improvements are required."
"I would like Fortinet to make this product easier to configure."
 

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's affordable compared to other switching products, like Cisco switches."
"The solution has reasonable pricing. The firewall costs around 500$ annually."
"The solution is expensive but overall the cost makes sense."
"You can buy this equipment in a multitude of ways. You can buy just the hardware, or you can buy the hardware and the licenses."
"The solution is cheaper than Cisco but more expensive than Huawei."
"The pricing is quite high."
"Licensing is billed annually and contracts are either one or three years in length."
"The product is costly for SMB customers compared to other brands available in the market."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Construction Company
9%
Outsourcing Company
7%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Outsourcing Company
7%
 

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 Business39
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise7
 

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.
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 needs improvement with Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
I believe enhancement in security is essential for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access. Fortinet needs to perform extensive testing to improve its reliability. If they achieve that, I think it wil...
 

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 - Secure Access and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.
909,099 professionals have used our research since 2012.