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Broadcom StrataDNX vs Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center comparison

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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

Broadcom StrataDNX
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
25th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
3.3
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
17th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
26
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Broadcom StrataDNX is 1.3%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 2.7%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center2.7%
Broadcom StrataDNX1.3%
Other96.0%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Wisely Ng - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior rPLM and Consulting Engineering, IP and Optical Networks, APAC at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Cost-effective chipset saves resources and offers rich features
The Broadcom StrataDNX chipset, such as the DNX, is quite a generic chipset and from the cost perspective, it is quite cost-effective hardware. When we decide to use such an Ethernet switch, our R&D and headquarters consider using the Broadcom chipset as one of the merchandised chipsets in our system, providing a cost-effective solution to our customers. The cost-saving with Broadcom StrataDNX is one of the critical criteria for using the DNX as one of our hardware chipsets. From the features perspective, it is quite feature-rich, so we can leverage those existing functions on the SDK to develop our own features in our equipment.
Sujith Pazhancheeri - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Infrastructure Engineer at REYADA IT SOLUTIONS CO. LLC
Integrated firewall connectivity has simplified on-premises projects and supports reliable SMB switching
The performance is basic only, and we cannot compare Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center with Aruba or Cisco switches. Regarding security policies, I did not configure that many policies in Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is on-premises, and the negative of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is that it is costly compared to other switches. In Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center, I did not see that many features compared to Cisco and Aruba.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The cost-saving with Broadcom StrataDNX is one of the critical criteria for using the DNX as one of our hardware chipsets, and from the features perspective, it is quite feature-rich, so we can leverage those existing functions on the SDK to develop our own features in our equipment."
"The Broadcom StrataDNX chipset, such as the DNX, is quite a generic chipset and from the cost perspective, it is quite cost-effective hardware."
"For the mobile backhaul or up to the PE, however, StrataDNX is a proven solution."
"Easy to integrate with any of the other hardware platforms."
"The good thing about the StrataDNX is that the Broadcom family is very interchangeable, so they work well with different optical transceivers."
"The initial setup was simple."
"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."
"The single pane of glass that helps us manage everything through FortiManager is the most important feature."
"Based on my use cases, Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center was a great product that was easy to manage and work with while being a powerful tool."
"FortiSwitch Data Center allows for centralized management of both Fortinet switches and firewalls from a single interface."
"All the features are necessary, like tracking evidence and IPS. However, I appreciate the ability to connect the logs and the dashboard functionality."
"Using Fortinet's whole range, including FortiSwitches, is cost-effective compared to Cisco and beneficial for network security."
"The product is stable."
 

Cons

"The scaling number of IPv4/IPv6 RIB/FIB, OSPF/IS-IS/BGP routing table and MAC table size could be increased."
"The standard features do not provide a full feature set, so we need to create our own features to compensate for those limitations."
"The number of surfaces that can be handled by the chipset could be increased."
"There is room for improvement in the pricing model."
"There is room for improvement in customer support and device speed. Sometimes, customer support does not provide prompt assistance, leaving projects hanging."
"They could improve availability and security by detecting and preventing switch attacks."
"There is room to improve the integration between FortiSwitch and other third-party solutions, as challenges arise when integrating with different vendors."
"Before using FortiSwitch, you need several certifications."
"Fortinet could have the ability to authenticate users like Aruba offers because managing ten or twelve SSIDs for different clients is complicated."
"Cisco is better in terms of price, scalability, and ease of management. Regarding resources, they are available in Pakistan to manage these systems."
"Routing is an area in Fortinet FortiSwitch with certain shortcomings where improvements are needed."
"Compatibility with infrastructure from other vendors like Cisco and Sophos can be further improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution, which is expensive."
"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 product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"The solution is not expensive."
"The product has a mid-range price."
"Cost-wise, Fortinet solutions are cheaper than those offered by Cisco."
"The tool's pricing is lower than Cisco's."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
21%
Computer Software Company
12%
Outsourcing Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Government
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business17
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise4
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Broadcom StrataDNX?
From my impression regarding Broadcom StrataDNX, I can explain that while Broadcom is quite good, it is not perfect in some cases. The standard features do not provide a full feature set, so we nee...
What is your primary use case for Broadcom StrataDNX?
We use the SDK from Broadcom StrataDNX from the software features point of view. We have our own network operating system to perform adaptive configurations around different chipsets, creating an a...
What advice do you have for others considering Broadcom StrataDNX?
The Broadcom StrataDNX chipset from the product portfolio is quite generic and not difficult to deploy. For network monitoring, we do not rely on the Broadcom StrataDNX chipset capability. Instead,...
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?
The performance is basic only, and we cannot compare Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center with Aruba or Cisco switches. Regarding security policies, I did not configure that many policies in Fortinet...
What is your primary use case for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center?
Currently, we are mostly working with Sophos and Fortinet. Before, we worked with XG, but now they have upgraded to the XGS series, and in Fortinet, we are working with FortiGate Firewall. In some ...
 

Also Known As

StrataDNX
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Hill International, Coty, Banese, Algar Tech
Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Find out what your peers are saying about Broadcom StrataDNX vs. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.
915,341 professionals have used our research since 2012.