Aruba Switches vs Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 5, 2022
 

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Number of Reviews
74
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secu...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Number of Reviews
43
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2024, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Aruba Switches is 13.7%, up from 12.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is 6.7%, up from 6.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
Unique Categories:
No other categories found
No other categories found
 

Featured Reviews

AS
Jul 27, 2020
Reliable, easy to set up, and cost-effective
Visibility needs improvement. We don't have visibility in Aruba Switches and we are thinking of switching to FortiSwitch because it has visibility. Currently, we have visibility and compatibility with the firewall. Through the firewall, we can see the entire network. They are not very active with this solution. There is no followup with the vendors and resellers, they do not contact us to inform us of new technologies as they do with Cisco and Fortinet. Other vendors are more active in the community. In the next release, I would like to see visibility included, as well as better integration with other platforms.
Volodymyr Khorenzhyi - PeerSpot reviewer
Feb 2, 2024
Offers strong integration with FortiGate solutions and can manage them both from a single FortiGate console
It's mainly just a distribution switch. I just needed one, whether it's part of the Fortinet suite or not. What I actually use in this deployment are Forti APs (Fortinet Access Points). So, I can see all my office infrastructure from a single console, which is handy. One FortiGate, one FortiSwitch, and five access points, everything under good control. It's really nice to see it all together like this. The integration report benefits our organization with regard to its security ecosystem. FortiSwitch is designed to work seamlessly with FortiGate. While it can operate independently, its true potential lies in integration with FortiGate. I would rate the ease of management a seven out of ten, with ten being excellent.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable feature is the Aruba Smart Rate Port."
"Aruba access points have a good transfer rate."
"I find the most valuable feature is it is part of the Aruba family."
"We like that it is very easy to manage the product through the cloud."
"We have found that the command line interface is very useful and very similar to Cisco devices."
"It's a reliable product that you can depend on."
"The most valuable Aruba switch feature is the lifetime warranty. It is a plus point in the budget."
"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."
"I would rate the the ease of management and scalability within our network architecture an eight out of ten, with ten being best."
"Deploying the solution is a breeze, even a novice can do it."
"The tool's setup was very easy."
"The tool's VLAN feature is easy to understand. It was very good."
"It is easy to set up."
"The solution is very simple, and it's very easily available."
"This device is easy to use."
"The solution is easy to scale."
 

Cons

"The migration from older to newer products could be improved."
"We have had problems with the cooling fans on these switches."
"The tool must provide a controller-based architecture."
"There is room for improvement in the pricing because the Aruba Central licenses add a high cost."
"The software materials could be improved."
"Aruba Switches cover lots of areas and support automated and IOPS and with the central products, but I think when we look at the solutions overall, IOPS devices are not covered so much in Aruba Central. We are in Croatia and it is a small country, I don't know how its situation is in Europe, America, or Asia."
"I would like to see them integrate a monitoring solution."
"Replacement could be automated."
"The solution doesn't support other switches."
"More integration would be helpful, especially since we sometimes have devices from other companies. Improved interoperability would be very beneficial."
"Currently issues with some of the switches and problems with the firmware."
"The product's end-user protection feature needs improvement."
"When we started using the solution, it was quite complex but then it became easier to use. It takes a while to get used to the interface."
"If you contact Fortinet, it's a bit difficult. Most of the time, they send you just links and documents to read for troubleshooting. When you contact support, you don't need documents. You want someone that can understand your problem, give a hand, and help you. I'm not impressed by the support really."
"The product's pricing needs improvement for small and medium businesses."
"While Fortinet is good for school boards and mid-sized businesses, enterprise-class networks require a zero-trust solution. If you're building a zero-trust network with end-to-end security, that's where Fortinet falls behind Cisco, HPE, and Aruba."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Cost-wise, you get some good savings as compared to Cisco."
"The cost is very cheap when you compare it to CISCO."
"Aruba Switches have good stability."
"Aruba Switches are quite cost-effective."
"The license is annual. If you purchase a switch, you get a one-year free subscription."
"Aruba Switches has a lifetime warranty on the solution and after five years the solution will be at its end of life."
"Aruba's switches are priced lower than Cisco's by about 30%."
"The price of these switches is high."
"We have to renew and pay for the licenses."
"We signed up for a three-year license for support and replacement."
"We have an annual licensing cost. There are no additional costs."
"The pricing is quite high."
"It's affordable and there are no additional costs, just regular support, and license fees."
"Price-wise, I find Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access to be an okay product. It is not an expensive product."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch is a pricey solution."
"We have to pay for the solution's subscription."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
793,295 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Government
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
7%
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
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?
The product provides a perpetual license. It doesn't have a subscription-based licensing model. Aruba’s licensing structure is very flexible compared to other vendors. The price is reasonable.
What needs improvement with Aruba Switches?
The tool must provide a controller-based architecture. It will enable interaction with northbound applications and southbound fabrics.
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 do you like most about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
With FortiSwitch, you can easily identify who is connected to each port, disable ports as needed, and retrieve configurations from FortiGate when required.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
Fortinet FortiSwitch is a pricey solution. On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a seven 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
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 - Secure Access and other solutions. Updated: July 2024.
793,295 professionals have used our research since 2012.