

Cisco Catalyst Switches and Fortinet FortiSwitch compete in the network switching category. Cisco Catalyst tends to have an advantage in reliability and feature set, whereas Fortinet FortiSwitch excels in integration with security solutions, particularly when paired with FortiGate.
Features: Cisco Catalyst Switches are known for their rich feature set including VLAN management, PoE capabilities, and advanced security options. User reviews often mention their ease of configuration and strong technical support. Fortinet FortiSwitch focuses on seamless integration with FortiGate, providing robust security features, centralized management, and straightforward usability.
Room for Improvement: Cisco Catalyst Switches are often criticized for their high cost and complex licensing models, with suggestions to simplify licensing and reduce prices. Fortinet FortiSwitch users suggest improved integration of wireless products and enhancing the user interface. Both products could improve in terms of operational streamlining and cost-effectiveness.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Catalyst Switches are typically deployed on-premises, though some users choose cloud setups. Technical support is generally well-received, albeit with occasional reports of delays. Fortinet FortiSwitch users benefit greatly from its integration with FortiGate, supporting hybrid and on-premises deployments. Fortinet's customer service is praised for its responsiveness and reliability, although integration challenges with non-Fortinet products persist.
Pricing and ROI: Cisco Catalyst Switches are perceived as expensive with a complex licensing model, yet users view them as a worthwhile investment due to their reliability and features, though the ROI may be prolonged. Fortinet FortiSwitch is considered more cost-effective, especially in FortiGate-based environments. Users find that FortiSwitch offers good value for money with a quicker ROI than Cisco. While both solutions incur high initial costs, they ultimately provide solid returns over time.
I can say in terms of money saved because up until now, in the previous places where I have worked and also now, we still use the older model, the 2960 model Cisco Catalyst Switches, which has been in existence for almost 20 years and up until now it still functions very well.
From an investment standpoint, deploying Cisco Catalyst Switches offers tangible benefits, including cost reductions.
The integration of Fortinet infrastructure, including FortiSwitches, is cost-effective compared to Cisco, especially when paired with Fortinet wireless solutions.
When requesting an RMA, they replace defective items in just one day.
On a scale from one to 10, I would rate the technical support of Cisco at 10 out of 10.
Cisco's support is good, one of the best supports that you will get.
Technical partners provide responses within a day for any technical queries.
Customer support needs improvement in terms of speed and reliability.
I gave it eight points because local support is absent.
The scalability of Cisco Catalyst Switches is very much scalable, as it supports the stacking feature and growth; for instance, with 94K modular switches, based on the requirement, we can even increase modules for more bandwidth.
Unlike Meraki, where I can bring a switch online, join it to the portal, and it becomes operational immediately.
The auto-scaling and zero-touch provisioning kind of support for Nexus switches is lacking.
When used in a dedicated Fortinet infrastructure, FortiSwitch scalability is better than some other switches, like Cisco, Meraki, or Arista.
Scalability is generally good, with transitions from gigabit to ten giga, twenty-five giga, and forty giga.
The stability of Cisco Catalyst Switches in my environment is somewhat problematic: legacy Cisco Catalyst Switches, even though they have licenses and support, present many hardware-related issues, such as interfaces going down very repeatedly, SFP modules failing in most cases, and hardware ports becoming faulty.
What you tell it to do is exactly what it does.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are stable.
There is room for improvement as it sometimes takes over an hour to push configurations onto the devices from the management tool.
Cisco should provide some level of software that I can bring on-premise where I can add all my Catalyst switches for central management.
Currently, I don't see much AI integration with Cisco Catalyst Switches; though they've started, it still needs improvement.
It is the highest cost in the market.
There is room to improve the integration between FortiSwitch and other third-party solutions, as challenges arise when integrating with different vendors.
Sometimes, customer support does not provide prompt assistance, leaving projects hanging.
The commercial aspect presents challenges, particularly with pricing, as customers often ask for Juniper or Cisco, brands they are more aware of, which makes awareness about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center another weak point.
Cisco provides unique features that justify their pricing.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are quite pricey.
Cisco usually is costly compared to other vendors.
The Fortinet switches come with no additional cost as they are open source, with only hardware warranties applicable.
Pricing is competitive, although it's not the cheapest option.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are valuable for their reliability and performance.
With Meraki access points, I do not have to have a wireless controller for them. I can configure the wireless device directly from the switch, making the setup cleaner, and that is a major reason for my preference.
Cisco Catalyst Switches provide high performance and security features that stand out in my daily work, where they handle a high volume of traffic with low latency, making them suitable for bandwidth-intensive applications, web applications, VoIP applications, video streaming, and major data center workloads.
This feature allows the switch's ports to be used as firewall ports, enhancing network security by enabling IPS and network profiling directly on the ports.
It allows me to create VLANs, implement security measures, and push configurations using a single tool.
The main actual benefit that Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center brought to my customer's environment is secure connectivity while minimizing downtime from unexpected traffic or broadcasting.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Cisco Catalyst Switches | 4.3% |
| Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center | 3.1% |
| Other | 92.6% |

| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 81 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 29 |
| Large Enterprise | 79 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 17 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 5 |
| Large Enterprise | 4 |
Cisco Catalyst Switches are renowned for their Power over Ethernet capabilities, performance stability, and dependable security. They support features like DHCP, stacking, and dynamic routing, offering ease of management, scalability, and reliability across different sectors.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are valued for their robust architecture and global reputation, supported by numerous trained professionals. They ensure consistent performance and adaptability across industries such as finance, education, and hospitality. With features like CLI and software integration, these switches offer ease of management, scalability, and strong technical support. Users appreciate modularity, speed, and network segmentation versatility. There is room for improvement in cost reduction, licensing simplification, usability, third-party integration, and security enhancements. Calls for improved configuration, product compatibility, faster support, and advanced training are noted.
What are the key features of Cisco Catalyst Switches?Organizations utilize Cisco Catalyst Switches for diverse applications, including data centers, campuses, and WAN connectivity. Supporting enterprise networking, VLAN configurations, and user access, they integrate smoothly with existing infrastructure. These switches enhance connectivity for access layers, core components, and edge networking, catering to industries like finance, education, and hospitality for reliable and scalable performance.
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center offers cost-effective, centralized network management through seamless integration with FortiGate. It supports enhanced security, flexibility in VLAN management, and intuitive control through an efficient interface.
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is valued for its cost-effectiveness and ease of use. It provides seamless integration with FortiGate, enabling centralized network management. Users appreciate its port analytics, graphical interface, and enhanced security features, allowing VLAN creation and configuration across infrastructure. The system offers efficient alerting, automatic adjustments, and functions like QoS and traffic management to maintain consistent security. Its intuitive design and high visibility make it an efficient all-in-one tool for network management. Despite needing improvements in AI integration, security, and pricing, users find it a reliable choice for managing traffic between VMs and physical hosts. It supports network connectivity, VLAN management, and internal traffic control while integrating with security fabric and SD-WAN features.
What are the key features of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center?Organizations across industries implement Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center to effectively manage both virtual and physical network environments within data centers. It helps in controlling internal traffic and ensures robust security measures are in place. Its integration with extensive security fabric and SD-WAN features allows for comprehensive network management through a single dashboard, streamlining operations and providing enhanced control over infrastructure.
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