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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches vs MikroTik Routers and Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
1.0
Fortinet FortiSwitch offers cost-effective solutions, though Cisco provides better long-term ROI with superior disaster management and quicker replacement.
Sentiment score
4.3
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches offer scalability and stability, resulting in efficient operations and improved long-term ROI.
Sentiment score
7.1
MikroTik devices are cost-effective, reliable, and offer an impressive 80% return on investment with no licensing fees.
The integration of Fortinet infrastructure, including FortiSwitches, is cost-effective compared to Cisco, especially when paired with Fortinet wireless solutions.
Network Security Engineer at STN Inc
Compared to other low-end switches with similar features, these are more robust and offer better scalability, which justifies the higher cost.
Data Center Admin at Sysnet Global Technologies
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.3
Fortinet FortiSwitch customer service is praised for reliability, though local support issues create mixed user experiences.
Sentiment score
8.3
Juniper EX Series Switches receive mixed support reviews, with responsiveness praised but regional and tier-based variations noted.
Sentiment score
4.3
MikroTik support receives mixed reviews; while knowledgeable, users face access challenges and documentation limitations compared to Cisco.
Technical partners provide responses within a day for any technical queries.
Network Security Engineer at STN Inc
Customer support needs improvement in terms of speed and reliability.
senior technical administrator at Ogma Consulting
I gave it eight points because local support is absent.
Information Technology Infrastructure Engineer at REYADA IT SOLUTIONS CO. LLC
I have not faced any hardware issues requiring support due to the stable nature of their products.
Owner at Shree Atharva Sales Corporation
I find them very competent.
Solution Architect & Services Delivery Manager EMEA at Beyond Technology
Local partners and local distributors cannot open direct tickets, but any level of partner with other OEMs such as Cisco can open a ticket directly, which is a connectivity advantage that Juniper lacks.
Manager Pre Sales at STBL
Their support team knows their product very well.
Content Specialist at PeerSpot
I sometimes need technical support from my ISP company, or else I gather information from YouTube.
IT Manager at ERL
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.8
Fortinet FortiSwitch is scalable, modular, easily integrates with networks, but could improve SPF model support.
Sentiment score
7.5
Juniper EX Series switches are scalable and versatile, suitable for various environments, but some models need scalability improvements.
Sentiment score
7.1
MikroTik Routers are seen as scalable, though some note hardware and security limitations in larger deployments.
When used in a dedicated Fortinet infrastructure, FortiSwitch scalability is better than some other switches, like Cisco, Meraki, or Arista.
Network Security Engineer at STN Inc
Scalability is generally good, with transitions from gigabit to ten giga, twenty-five giga, and forty giga.
CTO at Exceed NetSec LLC
Adding another switch to an existing setup turns them into a single virtual switch.
Solution Architect & Services Delivery Manager EMEA at Beyond Technology
The Virtual Chassis provides great scalability, making it a scalable solution.
Senior Network Engineer at Roke Telkom
The EX series supports scalability well, with newer series like EX4100 offering stacking of up to eight switches.
Owner at Shree Atharva Sales Corporation
Even in a big enterprise, MikroTik Routers and Switches can scale very well.
Content Specialist at PeerSpot
It's easy to scale MikroTik Routers and Switches; you can add more and have a cluster.
IT Consultant at M-COM s.r.o
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Fortinet FortiSwitch is stable and reliable, though integration and configuration challenges occasionally affect performance.
Sentiment score
7.9
Juniper EX Series Switches are praised for long-term stability despite some OS bugs, suitable for high-demand environments.
Sentiment score
7.4
MikroTik Routers and Switches are generally stable, but newer OS versions and the power system can cause issues.
There is room for improvement as it sometimes takes over an hour to push configurations onto the devices from the management tool.
senior technical administrator at Ogma Consulting
They have separate control and forwarding planes, which enhance scalability and stability.
Solution Architect & Services Delivery Manager EMEA at Beyond Technology
During peak time at nine, the traffic passes through the switches perfectly.
Network Engineer at DCI Indonesia
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches proves to be an equally good switch.
Data Center Admin at Sysnet Global Technologies
MikroTik Routers and Switches are very stable.
IT Manager at ERL
MikroTik Routers and Switches have very high stability.
Content Specialist at PeerSpot
 

Room For Improvement

The Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center faces challenges in automation, UI complexity, pricing, and requires better AI and integration features.
Users seek stability, interface improvements, better support, expanded features, and intuitive upgrades for Junos OS, alongside integration and cost efficiency.
MikroTik Routers and Switches need better interface, security, documentation, compatibility, advanced features, and support for improved user experience.
There is room to improve the integration between FortiSwitch and other third-party solutions, as challenges arise when integrating with different vendors.
CTO at Exceed NetSec LLC
Sometimes, customer support does not provide prompt assistance, leaving projects hanging.
senior technical administrator at Ogma Consulting
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.
CXO at Aariha Enterprise Private Limited
One area that can be improved is the handling of power interruption, as it can cause the platform to crash.
Solution Architect & Services Delivery Manager EMEA at Beyond Technology
Some integration with AI could be a good idea since I heard that Juniper already has systems to deploy AI within the EX device, but I haven't had the opportunity to try that.
Network Engineer at DCI Indonesia
With other OEMs, customers or partners can directly open tech tickets.
Manager Pre Sales at STBL
It would be better for me if I could establish filter rules within MikroTik.
IT Manager at ERL
The most important thing is maintaining and enhancing their strong security features.
Content Specialist at PeerSpot
 

Setup Cost

Fortinet FortiSwitch is competitively priced compared to Cisco, with no licensing needed for some FortiGate users.
Juniper EX Series switches are cost-effective, often cheaper than Cisco, offering perpetual or subscription licensing despite high support costs.
MikroTik offers cost-effective routers with lifetime licenses, appealing to enterprises seeking affordable high-performance alternatives without hidden charges.
The Fortinet switches come with no additional cost as they are open source, with only hardware warranties applicable.
Network Security Engineer at STN Inc
Pricing is competitive, although it's not the cheapest option.
CTO at Exceed NetSec LLC
The switches have become more expensive than before.
Owner at Shree Atharva Sales Corporation
It is rated high on the scale, and I would say it is definitely on the high side, confirming a rating of one, which means it is very expensive.
IP Solution Architect /Deputy Manager at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
In terms of pricing, the Juniper EX Series is cost-effective compared to competitors like Cisco.
Solution Architect & Services Delivery Manager EMEA at Beyond Technology
MikroTik Routers and Switches are expensive, but they are the best products in terms of quality.
Content Specialist at PeerSpot
 

Valuable Features

Fortinet FortiSwitch offers centralized management, intuitive UI, security enhancements, and control over network traffic and security.
Juniper EX Series Switches offer scalability, seamless integration, performance, security, flexibility, easy management, cost-effectiveness, and advanced automation.
MikroTik devices combine affordability, scalability, and performance with features like flexible firewalls and user-friendly GUI for efficient networking.
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.
Network Security Engineer at STN Inc
It allows me to create VLANs, implement security measures, and push configurations using a single tool.
senior technical administrator at Ogma Consulting
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.
CXO at Aariha Enterprise Private Limited
We are using the Juniper MX 104 L3 switches and SRX 1500 firewall since 2019, and we have not faced a single failure.
IP Solution Architect /Deputy Manager at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
The important thing for our use case of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches has been reliability, and there are features such as the Virtual Chassis feature, which is one of the things we use.
Senior Network Engineer at Roke Telkom
Juniper EX series switches offer great technology, particularly their Virtual Chassis technology, which is an excellent feature for stacking switches and functions like a single virtual switch.
Owner at Shree Atharva Sales Corporation
They simplify the process of creating access lists, allowing me to understand my network's activities effectively.
IT Manager at ERL
MikroTik Routers and Switches are some of the best routers around, security-wise, followed by Cisco.
Content Specialist at PeerSpot
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 3.1%, up from 1.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches is 3.7%, up from 2.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MikroTik Routers and Switches is 4.9%, down from 6.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
MikroTik Routers and Switches4.9%
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches3.7%
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center3.1%
Other88.3%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Rutul SHah - PeerSpot reviewer
CXO at Aariha Enterprise Private Limited
Provides seamless traffic control and secure connectivity while minimizing downtime and optimizing resource allocation
There is always room for improvement in Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center because with this switch, they can reduce downtime due to broadcasting issues by denying specific traffic on particular ports. Currently, I am not identifying any weak points of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center because it meets the customer's use case. However, 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.
Patrick Anaku - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Network Engineer at Roke Telkom
Has provided reliable performance with useful features such as virtual chassis and high port density
The important thing for our use case of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches has been reliability, and there are features such as the Virtual Chassis feature, which is one of the things we use. In our case, we use them as core switches in a network that is not very large, and their reliability and the Virtual Chassis feature work well for us. It was one of the reasons we chose it, along with the port density; we are using the 32 port and the 48 port, which work for our needs. Regarding its security features such as MACsec encryption, they are standard and cover what we want; we do not do a lot as they are just Layer 2 switches, but it has standard security features.
AnikIslam - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Executive at Lakdhanavi Limited
Cost-effective protocol support and a straightforward setup with room for login enhancements
In the network operations center, I manage our client's bandwidth. We connect with our clients through BGP and OSPF based on client demands. We also manage routing protocols, policies, internal firewalls, and other details like QE bandwidth, client manage bandwidth management, PoE, PPPoE, and DNS…
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Government
15%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
8%
Computer Software Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
11%
University
7%
Construction Company
7%
Computer Software Company
6%
Comms Service Provider
19%
Computer Software Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business17
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise4
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business39
Midsize Enterprise17
Large Enterprise25
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business43
Midsize Enterprise16
Large Enterprise9
 

Questions from the Community

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....
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 t...
In terms of ethernet switches, would you go with Cisco or Juniper?
Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether Cisco or Juniper Ethernet switches were the better fit for...
What is your primary use case for Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches?
I have been working with Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches for more than a year.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Juniper EX Series?
The pricing of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches is a bit high, but it matches what it offers; in terms of capabili...
How do Cisco Enterprise routers compare with Mikrotik routers and switches?
Cisco Enterprise Routers are very stable and easy to use. They offer a very solid performance and are very secure. Th...
Which are better - Ubiquiti UniFi switches or MikroTik routers and switches?
Ubiquiti Unifi is a great solution. For starters, it is easy to configure and implement, and doesn’t require a learni...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for MikroTik Routers and Switches?
MikroTik Routers and Switches are expensive, but they are the best products in terms of quality. From my knowledge, t...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Juniper Ethernet Switches
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
BlackLotus, Staminus, Community Bank, BAS Group, Cloud Dynamics, Privalia, Fluidata, and Tesla Motors.
ABB, Boingo Wireless, JPL, HP, Allied Telesis, iPass, Mips Technologies, MicroAge, Matsushita, Telia, undp, WFP, NASA
Find out what your peers are saying about Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Cisco, Ubiquiti and others in Ethernet Switches. Updated: May 2026.
896,298 professionals have used our research since 2012.