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Aruba Switches vs Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center 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
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
15th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
24
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Aruba Switches is 10.0%, down from 12.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 1.9%, up from 1.1% 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.
Vishwajeet Pandey - PeerSpot reviewer
Management and monitoring efficiencies from a single platform increase network control and flexibility
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center ( /products/fortinet-fortiswitch-data-center-reviews ) offers flexibility and control over the entire network from a single pane of management. It allows me to create VLANs, implement security measures, and push configurations using a single tool. These features make the solution accurate, flexible, and valuable for network management.

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."
"The most valuable feature of Aruba Switches is security."
"We didn't experience any stability or scalability issues until now with Aruba Switches"
"I like the number of available throughputs and its ability to have different speeds of ethernet cards or fiber-optic SFPs. It's a core switch, and you can configure it as per your requirements. All the configuration details are well documented on the HP website or Aruba website, and one can easily refer to those and find all the relevant commands from the documentation itself. It's also easy to maintain this solution. It's also cheaper than competing products."
"I use Aruba Switches in Sri Lanka for their flexibility and reliability."
"Aruba is more stable than Netgear."
"Very easy and quick to setup and provide a nice dashboard providing a view of everything."
"The most valuable feature is the security that these switches provide."
"The interface is very straightforward."
"When configuring FortiSwitch with a FortiGate firewall, I can consider all FortiSwitch's ports as a part of the FortiGate firewall."
"I like the solution's technical support. I rate the technical support a ten out of ten."
"An affordable and stable solution for small-medium companies."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center's scalability is good."
"The product's most valuable feature is its ability to manage switches from one central point."
"A valuable feature of FortiGate is its management integrity."
"The solution has made configuration and setup very, very easy."
 

Cons

"The templates to automate our switches need improvement."
"The product could be a little more competitive price-wise."
"I would like to see a lower price on the device."
"They have limited CLI options in the UI and this is something that needs improvement."
"The firmware in this solution has a lot of bugs that become noticeable when you have complex implementations."
"There are issues with the distribution side of Aruba Switches."
"The log viewer should be improved."
"The software materials could be improved."
"Does not have as many features as other solutions, such as segmentation and analytics engines."
"They could improve availability and security by detecting and preventing switch attacks."
"Fortinet could have the ability to authenticate users like Aruba offers because managing ten or twelve SSIDs for different clients is complicated."
"There could be more porting software options for easy deployment in the product."
"The solution could always benefit from more security. It's of critical importance to organizations right now."
"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."
"Compatibility with infrastructure from other vendors like Cisco and Sophos can be further improved."
"With IT products, there is always room for improvement."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Aruba switches cost between $500 and $600 more than similar products by Huawei, as well as many other brands."
"There is a license to use the solution."
"There is not a switch that I would give more than six out of ten for pricing because, over the last year, the prices have been increasing very high."
"It is a little bit expensive. It can be cheaper."
"The price for Aruba is quite a bit cheaper than it is for similar products by Cisco."
"I am paying for the hardware and Aruba Central licenses, but I would like a version of Aruba Central to come out with a light version with a few features turned off. Ubiquiti and other vendors have free tools. I believe they're looking at that, but it's not out yet. I hope they will release that to make it competitive because I'm using an enterprise-class switch for small businesses. We're looking for some of those capabilities, but not all of them."
"Aruba Switches has a lifetime warranty on the solution and after five years the solution will be at its end of life."
"Aruba Switches are quite cost-effective."
"This solution is expensive but it does not require a license."
"The solution's pricing is a little high. The solution deserves the current price it receives from its users."
"The solution is not expensive."
"We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution, which is expensive."
"It is reasonably priced."
"The tool's pricing is lower than Cisco's."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"Cost-wise, Fortinet solutions are cheaper than those offered by Cisco."
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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
18%
Government
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
6%
 

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 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?
There is room for improvement in customer support and device speed. Sometimes, customer support does not provide prompt assistance, leaving projects hanging. Additionally, improving the speed of th...
 

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
Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Switches vs. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
860,632 professionals have used our research since 2012.