Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs Meraki MS Switches comparison

With 10 or 40 GE access ports and a high-throughput backbone, FortiSwitch Data Center Switches are ideal for the top-of-rack (ToR) server or firewall-aggregation applications. The high-speed switching fabric is also well suited for enterprise network core or backbone network installations.

Meraki MS Switches are first-line cloud-managed access and aggregation switches that combine the benefits of cloud-based centralized management with a reliable access platform. With cloud management, thousands of switch ports can be configured and monitored instantly over the web.

Meraki MS Switches Features

Meraki MS Switches have many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

• True zero-touch configuration
• Integrated troubleshooting tools, logging, and alerting
• Energy-efficient design
• Low acoustics and fanless options
• Flexible stacking
• Cloud management
• Simple integration into existing and mixed infrastructures
• Role-based administration
• Automatic, secure firmware updates
• Stack power
• Multigigabit ports
• Voice VLAN support
• Link aggregation control protocol (LACP)

Meraki MS Switches Benefits

There are many benefits to implementing Meraki MS Switches. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

• Automatic email alerts: If email alerts are enabled, you will receive automatic alerts via email when device or port changes occur. This makes Meraki MS Switches a convenient solution.

• Identify issues ahead of time: With the solution’s proactive and on-demand cable testing tools, you are notified about any cable problems before anyone else.

• Detailed client device views: The solution includes a helpful detailed view per client device, including port, VLAN, device fingerprinting, and connectivity data.

• Lifetime warranty: Meraki MS Switches include a limited lifetime hardware warranty that provides next-day advance hardware replacement.

Reviews from Real Users

Meraki MS Switches is a solution that stands out when compared to many of its competitors. Some of its major advantages are its accessibility, application visibility, and flexibility features.

Jóhann T., IT Manager at Sund Upper Secondary School, says, “Accessibility is what I find most valuable in Meraki MS Switches, because I'm able to check things and see if they're working, without being on-site at all times.”

A Senior Network Engineer at a tech services company mentions, "The top feature of Meraki MS switches for me is Layer 7 application visibility. Another positive in general is that you don't need to set up a console to the switch itself; it dials into a single dashboard where you can completely manage all your network devices."

John M., user at Baseline Consulting, LLC, comments, "I like the flexibility of the Meraki firewall. It gives you the ability to lock things down. Having multiple VLANs is helpful for the switching infrastructure and firewall. It's crucial when you have a public-facing VLAN, a private-facing VLAN, and a secure VLAN."

PeerSpot user William M., Consulting Engineer at IV4, expresses, "It is easy to deploy, maintain, and update. It has been trouble-free so far. I am still a Cisco command-line bigot, but the web interface makes it a lot easier for our help desk to interact with a client. When the clients call in and say that they aren't able to connect, it takes the help desk 10 minutes or less to look at everything in the enterprise or location. They can look at the firewall, switches, or access points in the dashboard. That's why I like the dashboard."