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Aruba Switches vs Brocade Ethernet Switches 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

Aruba Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
85
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Brocade Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
23rd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
11
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Aruba Switches is 10.3%, down from 12.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Brocade Ethernet Switches is 1.1%, down from 1.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Eunice Thirikwa - PeerSpot reviewer
Stable hotel networking enhances return on investment with valuable modular features
There are issues with the distribution side of Aruba Switches. For instance, the distributor in our country cannot sell to neighboring countries, creating complications in project execution. Improving the distribution network across regions would be beneficial. Also, the SFP modules are significantly more expensive than industry peers, which affects cost-effectiveness.
Youssef Ezzerouali - PeerSpot reviewer
Effective range, scalable, and simple implmentation
The most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions. I have been using Brocade Ethernet Switches for approximately three years. The solution is…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The advantage I found is that they can be used as both on-premises devices and cloud-managed devices, with the option for an additional license to become cloud devices. This flexibility is very valuable to us."
"Aruba is very easy to use, the GUI is very good and the command line is quite similar to Cisco, so it is very easy to configure."
"The most valuable feature of Aruba Switches is security."
"The solution is very stable."
"The most valuable feature is the Aruba Smart Rate Port."
"The most valuable features of Aruba Switches are the routing protocol and the basic functionality."
"There is a feature where you can use Bluetooth. You can set up a Bluetooth pairing connection and do the configuration through your phone."
"Aruba Central is very valuable to us."
"I have not had any issues with our Brocade switches."
"The most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides."
"The initial setup was really straightforward and easy."
"The reliability of Brocade is the most valuable feature. The solution has been up and running for over ten years without any fail, fixes required, or breakdowns. It is a very strong piece of equipment."
"The technical support is good."
"The switches last for a very long time."
"It is easy to configure and provides good technical support."
"It has good integration with HPE Primera. They have smart zoning in which the administration is very easy. You don't have to do anything. Zoning and other things are done automatically if you just enable the smart zoning. That's one very good thing in HP."
 

Cons

"This solution could be improved if it offered long term support on a specific model or product."
"We don't have visibility in Aruba Switches and we are thinking of switching to Fortiswitch because it has visibility."
"In the next release, I would like to see network access control on the switches themselves. I would like to see security functionalities when it comes to monitoring the bit of the wireless section of the switches."
"A more granular breakdown in debugging would be beneficial."
"Aruba is still losing out to Cisco, which continues to dominate the space. Aruba needs to continue to improve its product range in order to compete with Cisco's dominance."
"Aruba Switches don't need licenses to activate features and work straight out of the box, which is an advantage over some competitors. This implies less room for complaints compared with other solutions."
"I am forced to consider changing products because other solutions have a better dashboard and a user-friendly interface."
"There are some growing pains with Aruba Central. When you first launch the wireless access points or switches, a lot of updates are needed to get Aruba Central ready, especially on the access points, so the initial deployment time could improve. I would hope that I could just turn it on and leave the updates until later on. The switches themselves probably did okay. I'm primarily referring to the wireless access points. There was a lot of back and forth before everything was in sync. It took hours."
"It could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface."
"There are some performance issues."
"Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions."
"The solution could be more secure."
"No graphical interface."
"Brocade Ethernet Switches need a better interface and centralized management."
"These switches are no longer supported."
"It should be simpler. There are still some things that can be simpler in the Brocade switches."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Aruba switches cost between $500 and $600 more than similar products by Huawei, as well as many other brands."
"It is expensive compared to the competition."
"Aruba switches work without a license."
"Typically it is a $500 to $600 difference in price."
"Aruba Switches has a lifetime warranty on the solution and after five years the solution will be at its end of life."
"Our customers may want better pricing but we are a reseller and a partner, and the pricing that we get is good."
"The pricing is perfect."
"The product is a bit expensive."
"The price of Brocade Ethernet Switches is expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
7%
Educational Organization
7%
Computer Software Company
17%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba Switches?
Aruba lives up to the expectations of the tech giant hewlett packard enterprise providing excellent networking capabilities at a very affordable price compared to the equivalent from another tech g...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Switches?
Pricing really depends on the model. For instance, a high-end model with Aruba is about five thousand, while another brand, like Huawei, could be half of it.
What needs improvement with Aruba Switches?
The only problem with Aruba Switches is the pricing.
What needs improvement with Brocade Ethernet Switches?
To improve, it could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface.
What is your primary use case for Brocade Ethernet Switches?
I use Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are scalable. I recommend them since they are easy to configure. They are connected and used every day in our operations.
What advice do you have for others considering Brocade Ethernet Switches?
I would recommend Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are easy to configure and have good technical support. I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
 

Also Known As

8400 Series, 8320 Series, 5400R Series, 3810 Series, 2930M Series, 2930F Series, 2920 Series, 2540 Series, 2530 Series
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Purdue University
Ajubeo, Akquinet AG, Big Data Analytics Provider Boligkontoret Danmark Bristol is Open, CDE Lightband, Cicero School District 99, City and County of San Francisco, Department of Emergency, City of Chattanooga, Cloudscale.sh
Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Switches vs. Brocade Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.