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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 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 Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 1.8%, 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

"Aruba's SameNet platform allows for a seamless transition from the data center to access switches, unlike Cisco, which has different operating systems for each."
"Management-wise, this is a good solution."
"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."
"Aruba Central is very valuable to us."
"The most valuable feature of Aruba Switches is its performance."
"All of the networking products that we use are Aruba, so we use Aruba Central to manage them."
"They provide great service in terms of replacing malfunctioning switches."
"The most valuable features are stability, ease of management, and the monitoring tool."
"The single pane of glass that helps us manage everything through FortiManager is the most important feature."
"The most valuable feature is the port analytics."
"When configuring FortiSwitch with a FortiGate firewall, I can consider all FortiSwitch's ports as a part of the FortiGate firewall."
"Configurations between FortiGate and FortiSwitch have to link to each other. We need configuration. The configuration is not like a Cisco switch. It has a unique configuration."
"FortiSwitch Data Center allows for centralized management of both Fortinet switches and firewalls from a single interface."
"An affordable and stable solution for small-medium companies."
"The initial setup was simple."
"What I like about the solution is that it can be accessed anywhere."
 

Cons

"It would be better and easier for us to buy if the price were reduced."
"We had an issue with the hardware where one or two interfaces went down after one and a half years. This issue impacted only one or two interfaces, not the whole hardware."
"The command-line interface could be easier to use, perhaps having voice control."
"In my opinion, Aruba's new features, like the new firmware, need to be improved."
"The migration from older to newer products could be improved."
"The initial setup is relatively complex."
"The tool must provide a controller-based architecture."
"My experience with Aruba's account manager hasn't been the greatest."
"Does not have as many features as other solutions, such as segmentation and analytics engines."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center needs to improve its UI and stability."
"They could improve availability and security by detecting and preventing switch attacks."
"With IT products, there is always room for improvement."
"When there are many switches being used, the speed declines noticeably."
"Compatibility with infrastructure from other vendors like Cisco and Sophos can be further improved."
"Compatibility with infrastructure from other vendors like Cisco and Sophos can be further improved."
"The tool is not easy to use."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Comparing with Cisco, and some other solutions, it's a cheap product."
"The price is reasonable."
"There is a license required if you want to use wireless controls for micro-segmentation. However, for Aruba Switches there is no license required."
"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 less expensive than Cisco."
"We pay for the clear pass and the controller."
"Aruba Switches are quite cost-effective."
"Aruba switches work without a license."
"We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution, which is expensive."
"This solution is expensive but it does not require a license."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"The solution's pricing is a little high. The solution deserves the current price it receives from its users."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"Cost-wise, Fortinet solutions are cheaper than those offered by Cisco."
"The tool's pricing is lower than Cisco's."
"The product has a mid-range price."
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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
19%
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.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.