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Broadcom StrataDNX vs Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access 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

Broadcom StrataDNX
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
24th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
3.3
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secu...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
12th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Broadcom StrataDNX is 1.1%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is 4.3%, down from 5.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access4.3%
Broadcom StrataDNX1.1%
Other94.6%
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.
Uri Harf - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Presales at A.G.A.S. מחשוב ותקשורת לעסקים
Integration with cloud management simplifies network expansion
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is expensive, and this initial cost can be a barrier, especially for new businesses setting up from scratch. Although the machine is robust and lasts for years with rare technical issues, the initial price can be high. Sometimes, I have to offer alternatives like Aruba or HP, which might be cheaper.

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."
"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 Broadcom StrataDNX chipset, such as the DNX, is quite a generic chipset and from the cost perspective, it is quite cost-effective hardware."
"It is easy to set up."
"The most valuable feature is the breakability after integration with the FortiGate firewall."
"This device is easy to use."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is the MAC feature."
"The policies are very good."
"This solution is affordable, it makes sense, and it's easy to manage so it saves you time in both practice and in technical training."
"Integration is good, as well as price and technical support."
"The product is a total solution with the FortiGate, switch, and access point. It is integrated with FortiGate, allowing us to manage all the equipment through it. You can handle everything from a single point."
 

Cons

"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."
"The standard features do not provide a full feature set, so we need to create our own features to compensate for those limitations."
"It could be simpler but compared to the competition, it's not so bad."
"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."
"I don't like the way it's managed."
"The tool should improve its CLI."
"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 solution could provide an active VPN."
"The initial setup is pretty easy; we have built a knowledge base. But there's a learning curve for beginners."
"I believe that stacking, a feature that is available in Huawei and Cisco, is not available in Fortinet products."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"The product's pricing is good."
"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."
"The pricing is cheap and only a yearly licensing cost needs to be paid."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch is a pricey solution."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access requires a license and the price is expensive."
"The product's pricing is less compared to other enterprise solutions."
"Licensing is billed annually and contracts are either one or three years in length."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
24%
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
8%
University
5%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business38
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise7
 

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,...
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?
The initial cost of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is high compared to other options. Although robust and rarely needs replacement, it can be overqualified for some jobs, which affects the re...
 

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 - Secure Access and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.
884,933 professionals have used our research since 2012.