Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs MikroTik Routers and Switches 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

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
15th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
24
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
MikroTik Routers and Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
5th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
67
Ranking in other categories
Routers (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 1.9%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MikroTik Routers and Switches is 7.0%, up from 4.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Vishwajeet Pandey - PeerSpot reviewer
Management and monitoring efficiencies from a single platform increase network control and flexibility
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center ( /products/fortinet-fortiswitch-data-center-reviews ) offers flexibility and control over the entire network from a single pane of management. It allows me to create VLANs, implement security measures, and push configurations using a single tool. These features make the solution accurate, flexible, and valuable for network management.
AnikIslam - PeerSpot reviewer
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…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Using Fortinet's whole range, including FortiSwitches, is cost-effective compared to Cisco and beneficial for network security."
"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."
"We are able to monitor everything that is happening on our network."
"I like the solution's technical support. I rate the technical support a ten out of ten."
"The solution has made configuration and setup very, very easy."
"A valuable feature of FortiGate is its management integrity."
"SD-WAN and the security fabric are essential features of the product."
"FortiSwitch Data Center allows for centralized management of both Fortinet switches and firewalls from a single interface."
"The cost and versatility are the solution's most valuable features. You can do anything with them if you know how to. The solution has a whole portfolio of routing features available."
"The best part about MikroTik Routers is the price."
"MikroTik routers are very user-friendly and easy to manage"
"One of the primary advantages is its competitive pricing in the market."
"This solution is easy to configure and it's very flexible."
"The most valuable feature is its bandwidth management ability."
"They have amazing speed and reliability, and they also provide value for money. They are pretty powerful."
"The pricing is very reasonable. It's not too expensive."
 

Cons

"Before using FortiSwitch, you need several certifications."
"The UI of the firewall and reporting could be improved."
"They could improve availability and security by detecting and preventing switch attacks."
"There is room to improve the integration between FortiSwitch and other third-party solutions, as challenges arise when integrating with different vendors."
"There is room for improvement in customer support and device speed. Sometimes, customer support does not provide prompt assistance, leaving projects hanging."
"The product must improve the latency in the management center."
"Does not have as many features as other solutions, such as segmentation and analytics engines."
"Compatibility with infrastructure from other vendors like Cisco and Sophos can be further improved."
"Sometimes, when I need to reboot or change software, MikroTik crashes."
"It would be nice if the interface was easier to use."
"The tool needs to add more tutorials and documentation for new functions."
"Better security is always better. If they can continue to improve in this area, that would be ideal."
"The solution needs to offer better documentation."
"The updates as well as the patches could be improved. I believe it would be beneficial to automate the process of router patching to avoid the need for manual checks. With automated patching, as long as the router is connected to the internet, it can automatically perform necessary updates. Failing to patch the router can leave me vulnerable to potential security threats."
"Technical support could be better. They don't have good support like Cisco. It can also be more stable and scalable."
"There are limitations to how many users you have simultaneously."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product has a mid-range price."
"The tool's pricing is lower than Cisco's."
"We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution, which is expensive."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"It is reasonably priced."
"Cost-wise, Fortinet solutions are cheaper than those offered by Cisco."
"The solution's pricing is a little high. The solution deserves the current price it receives from its users."
"There is no licensing fee in addition to the hardware, but we do pay an annual fee for support."
"It's reasonably priced. It's not the most cheap solution, but also, it's not the most expensive one."
"When you buy a license, it is for life and you don't need to buy another one every year."
"They are very cheap and not at all expensive."
"The pricing of the solution is significantly lower than other solutions. There are no additional costs involved."
"The pricing is very reasonable and is one of the main selling points for MikroTik devices."
"MikroTik has very aggressive and competitive pricing."
"Here in Bangladesh, MikroTik Routers and Switches cost 90,000 Taka, or converting that figure to dollars is $1,000."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
863,564 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
18%
Government
10%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Comms Service Provider
16%
Computer Software Company
14%
Hospitality Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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?
There is room for improvement in customer support and device speed. Sometimes, customer support does not provide prompt assistance, leaving projects hanging. Additionally, improving the speed of th...
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. They also have a very good, long lifespan. We feel the command configuration is ve...
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 learning curve because it is easy to use. It is also simple to reconfigure an AP or ga...
What do you like most about MikroTik Routers and Switches?
The price is a big factor. They are very affordable, and the quality is high.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
ABB, Boingo Wireless, JPL, HP, Allied Telesis, iPass, Mips Technologies, MicroAge, Matsushita, Telia, undp, WFP, NASA
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs. MikroTik Routers and Switches and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
863,564 professionals have used our research since 2012.