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

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs Nokia Ethernet Service Switch 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 - Secu...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
48
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Nokia Ethernet Service Switch
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
24th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.6
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is 4.9%, down from 6.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Nokia Ethernet Service Switch is 0.8%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Uri Harf - PeerSpot reviewer
Integration with cloud management simplifies network expansion
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is expensive, and this initial cost can be a barrier, especially for new businesses setting up from scratch. Although the machine is robust and lasts for years with rare technical issues, the initial price can be high. Sometimes, I have to offer alternatives like Aruba or HP, which might be cheaper.
Teuku Maiyasya - PeerSpot reviewer
A stable solution which is competitively priced and offers good support
We would like to have an unified monitoring system, while Nokia have different monitoring system for different product, we find it to be quite troublesome. I also would prefer that all the licenses be open for our use. This would obviate the need to purchase individual licenses for each feature.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"This device is easy to use."
"The tool's setup was very easy."
"The centralization of control is highly beneficial."
"It is very user-friendly. There is no need to use command lines to configure it or to do anything in it. You hardly use command lines, which makes it different from Cisco. In Cisco, the CLI is your best friend. Fortinet has the lowest TCO, so you can use its integrated components without having to buy additional licenses. They provide centralized management without needing to buy or acquire additional licenses. You have an integral or complete vision through a single pane of glass, and you can see everything from one single console without having to buy additional licenses, which is a plus. It works the same way when you add wireless. You can see everything from FortiGate. It has a security processor, which is another plus. It does not have a standard desktop processor. It has a multi-threat security processor, and it is built by Fortinet. So, all the components that you include in a Fortinet solution are proprietary and work in an integral way. It has one single solution, whereas other brands, such as Palo Alto and Check Point, have been acquiring certain solutions, and they're not fully integrated. With Fortinet, everything is integrated. If you start building on Fortinet, everything that you expand to the local LAN or WAN is integrated. You don't have to pay for professional services and other things to do that. Their technical information is also very good. Most of their information is based on how-to, and it can be found online, which is something my clients like."
"It is a cheap and secure solution. The job switching and security features are better than other solutions."
"I can say that the product is easy to use...The initial setup of the product was easy."
"The most valuable feature would be network management, separating the network management component from security. It can do both but we promote it on its own. It's a good solution to do network management."
"The powerful integration capabilities allow us to manage all devices from a single interface through the firewall."
"The highest value lies in aggregating the data to improve both traffic management and device utilization, emphasizing the importance of engagement and liability."
"The most valuable features are user functionality and interoperability."
"The most valuable feature is the product's availability."
"Despite initial hindrances, once understood, these differences help in forming a good career foundation."
"The performance and reliability are the solution's most valuable features."
"On several occasions we encountered major issues with the solution and have found the Nokia technical support to be quite supportive."
 

Cons

"I give the stability a seven out of ten because we have noticed when we hook up phones the switching of ELANs et cetera doesn't work as it should."
"I don't like the way it's managed."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is expensive, and this initial cost can be a barrier, especially for new businesses setting up from scratch."
"I'd like to see more integration with different platforms."
"It would also help if they lowered the cost of their service."
"I would like Fortinet to make this product easier to configure."
"It is always nice when something is cheaper."
"It would be easier if Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access could be managed via cloud, and this is something that could be improved in this product. Bandwidth display could also be better."
"I would suggest improvements regarding enhancing support response times and implementing user interface modifications for quicker and more user-friendly interactions."
"I would prefer that all the licenses be open for our use."
"I would like to see more collaboration with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) vendors, such as Itron."
"The documentation needs improvement for better accessibility, as there isn't proper documentation currently available."
"The segment routing could be improved, and they could also transfer a lot of legacy to the cloud domain."
"The solution needs more monitoring tools."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We have to renew and pay for the licenses."
"The price is good."
"The price of the solution could improve, it is expensive."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch is a pricey solution."
"The pricing is quite high."
"The product's pricing is less compared to other enterprise solutions."
"We have to pay for the solution's subscription."
"The solution has reasonable pricing. The firewall costs around 500$ annually."
"It is quite expensive compared to alternative technologies."
"The price of the solution is very competitive in comparison with that of the competition."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
859,129 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
8%
Computer Software Company
13%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Government
7%
Educational Organization
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

Which would you choose - Fortinet Fortiswitch secure access or Cisco Ethernet Switches?
We researched Cisco but ultimately chose Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access, mostly because of the price. Fortinet FortiSwitch is an ethernet switch solution that provides security and performance...
What do you like most about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
With FortiSwitch, you can easily identify who is connected to each port, disable ports as needed, and retrieve configurations from FortiGate when required.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
The initial cost of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is high compared to other options. Although robust and rarely needs replacement, it can be overqualified for some jobs, which affects the re...
What do you like most about Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?
The highest value lies in aggregating the data to improve both traffic management and device utilization, emphasizing the importance of engagement and liability.
What needs improvement with Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?
In my opinion, Nokia has to improve its documentation, offering step-by-step configuration guides and examples of what outputs look like on Windows. There should also be a comparison of commands be...
What is your primary use case for Nokia Ethernet Service Switch?
I have been working with Nokia switches for six months. Before that, I was using Cisco devices. I am involved in configuring Nokia Internet Service Switches in our network.
 

Also Known As

No data available
Nokia ESS, Nokia 7450 Ethernet Service Switch, Nokia 7450 ESS
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs. Nokia Ethernet Service Switch and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
859,129 professionals have used our research since 2012.