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Brocade Ethernet Switches 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

Brocade Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
22nd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
11
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 September 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Brocade Ethernet Switches is 1.6%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 2.8%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center2.8%
Brocade Ethernet Switches1.6%
Other95.6%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

PB
Data Center Admin at Sysnet Global Technologies
Experience seamless configuration with secure and adaptable network solutions
I use Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are scalable. I recommend them since they are easy to configure. They are connected and used every day in our operations It is good and scalable. It is easy to configure and provides good technical support. Brocade Ethernet Switches are good to…
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 most important feature of this solution is the performance because we have many switches and we have a performance for Brocade Ethernet Switches that needs about 16 gigabyte per second."
"The technical support is good."
"The initial setup was really straightforward and easy."
"The switches are very flexible and easy to deploy and manage, are energy-saving and help to effectively reduce costs, perform at great speeds, protect the topology using root guard, and can handle redundancy and failovers automatically."
"It has good integration with HPE Primera. They have smart zoning in which the administration is very easy. You don't have to do anything. Zoning and other things are done automatically if you just enable the smart zoning. That's one very good thing in HP."
"The switches last for a very long time."
"I have been using this solution for a long time and kept with it, because everything I need is covered by it."
"It is easy to configure and provides good technical support."
"It allows us to manage all necessary services, such as data centers, networking, and cybersecurity."
"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."
"The solution has made configuration and setup very, very easy."
"All the features are necessary, like tracking evidence and IPS. However, I appreciate the ability to connect the logs and the dashboard functionality."
"What I like about the solution is that it can be accessed anywhere."
"The security fabric of Fortinet is really a game-changer for us."
"It integrates well."
"The FortiSwitch is used to manage traffic between our VMs and physical hosts across multiple data centers, and it is part of our network fabric that can support the amount of throughput we need to provide HA to service our clients."
 

Cons

"No graphical interface."
"It should be simpler. There are still some things that can be simpler in the Brocade switches."
"Technically the product is always improving the software part, but the hardware needs to be more reliable."
"These switches are no longer supported."
"It could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface."
"This solution doesn't have a graphical interface and that's an issue."
"There are some performance issues that I would like to see improved."
"The solution could be more secure."
"Enhancing security on the firewall and the switches, as well as focusing on price segment issues, would make it a better solution for the future."
"They could improve availability and security by detecting and preventing switch attacks."
"Routing is an area in Fortinet FortiSwitch with certain shortcomings where improvements are needed."
"With IT products, there is always room for improvement."
"Before using FortiSwitch, you need several certifications."
"The stability of the solution is impacted when integrating parts from different vendors such as Cisco, which can lead to performance problems and disconnections."
"There is room to improve the integration between FortiSwitch and other third-party solutions, as challenges arise when integrating with different vendors."
"The UI of the firewall and reporting could be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of Brocade Ethernet Switches is expensive."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"The tool's pricing is lower than Cisco's."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"The solution's pricing is a little high. The solution deserves the current price it receives from its users."
"Cost-wise, Fortinet solutions are cheaper than those offered by Cisco."
"The product has a mid-range price."
"We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution, which is expensive."
"The solution is not expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
12%
Healthcare Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Government
7%
Government
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business3
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business17
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise4
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Brocade Ethernet Switches?
To improve, it could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface.
What is your primary use case for Brocade Ethernet Switches?
I use Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are scalable. I recommend them since they are easy to configure. They are connected and used every day in our operations.
What advice do you have for others considering Brocade Ethernet Switches?
I would recommend Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are easy to configure and have good technical support. I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
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 ...
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Ajubeo, Akquinet AG, Big Data Analytics Provider Boligkontoret Danmark Bristol is Open, CDE Lightband, Cicero School District 99, City and County of San Francisco, Department of Emergency, City of Chattanooga, Cloudscale.sh
Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Find out what your peers are saying about Brocade Ethernet Switches vs. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.
914,322 professionals have used our research since 2012.