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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access Logo

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access pros and cons

Vendor: Fortinet
4.1 out of 5

Pros & Cons summary

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Prominent pros & cons

PROS

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access offers seamless integration with FortiGate, centralizing network management and security.
It provides robust security features and easy configuration, enhancing network protection and performance.
Users benefit from significant cost savings with centralized management without additional licenses and reduced need for professional services.
The strong stability and scalability of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access allow easy expansion and adaptation to growing network demands.
The integration with FortiCloud enhances monitoring and management efficiency, offering a single interface for all appliances.

CONS

Technical support is challenging, often providing only documents for troubleshooting instead of direct assistance.
The pricing is considered high, especially for small and medium businesses.
There are issues with integration, particularly with FortiGate, and a lack of support for other switches.
Firmware updates require manual intervention on-site due to closed network configurations.
Lacks some advanced security features and has limitations with Fiber cable connectivity.
 

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access Pros review quotes

Uri Harf - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Presales at A.G.A.S. מחשוב ותקשורת לעסקים
Apr 3, 2025
The main benefit of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is its integration with FortiCloud, which allows me to manage all appliances in a single interface.
SherifAbdelrahman - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Director at Rabbit Mart
Nov 11, 2024
It's easy to be configured and powerful in terms of performance.
PauloRio - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Consultant at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Dec 5, 2024
Having a single dashboard to manage everything simplifies the process.
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2026.
892,943 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Jenesty Alissoutin - PeerSpot reviewer
Project Manager at Expertsys Technologies Inc.
Jul 31, 2024
You can hook all the other components to be monitored. You can create policies and block certain people from accessing the Internet.
JM
IT Manager at Gandia Consulting Group
Jan 25, 2024
With FortiSwitch, you can easily identify who is connected to each port, disable ports as needed, and retrieve configurations from FortiGate when required.
Raphael Haroun  Ikyagh - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Administrator at Letshego
Feb 2, 2024
I would rate the the ease of management and scalability within our network architecture an eight out of ten, with ten being best.
Volodymyr Khorenzhyi - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Engineer at Thunder Software Technology Co., Ltd.
Feb 2, 2024
What I actually use in this deployment are Forti APs (Fortinet Access Points). So, I can see all my office infrastructure from a single console, which is handy. One FortiGate, one FortiSwitch, and five access points, everything under good control. It's really nice to see it all together like this.
DP
vice president at IMP Solutions
Aug 4, 2022
I like that everything flows back to FortiGate, which is the controller, management console, and firewall. There's one central point for the entire network, so the security, switching, wireless, etc., flows back to the FortiGate. The ease of management is what customers like. They don't need separate solutions like Cisco.
AS
Network Engineer at Static IPs Bremerhaven-2
Jul 19, 2024
The solution has enhanced network security by integrating access control more seamlessly, reducing overhead, and simplifying the network environment by removing the need for interfaces with other vendors.
reviewer2201526 - PeerSpot reviewer
Network and Telecommunication Manager at a educational organization with 201-500 employees
Jun 2, 2023
I rate Fortinet support 10 out of 10. Their support is excellent and inexpensive. They respond immediately.
 

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access Cons review quotes

Uri Harf - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Presales at A.G.A.S. מחשוב ותקשורת לעסקים
Apr 3, 2025
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is expensive, and this initial cost can be a barrier, especially for new businesses setting up from scratch.
SherifAbdelrahman - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Director at Rabbit Mart
Nov 11, 2024
The pricing is considered high due to the currency exchange changes in our region.
PauloRio - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Consultant at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Dec 5, 2024
The introduction of AI integration could be valuable for detecting abnormal traffic directly on the switch.
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2026.
892,943 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Jenesty Alissoutin - PeerSpot reviewer
Project Manager at Expertsys Technologies Inc.
Jul 31, 2024
FortiSwitch offers eight and 24-port models. They don't have a 16-port model, which can be an issue for some clients.
JM
IT Manager at Gandia Consulting Group
Jan 25, 2024
Renewing the annual licenses for Secure the Switch FortiSwitch can be cumbersome, especially considering the relatively high cost of Fortinet licenses.
Raphael Haroun  Ikyagh - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Administrator at Letshego
Feb 2, 2024
More integration would be helpful, especially since we sometimes have devices from other companies. Improved interoperability would be very beneficial.
Volodymyr Khorenzhyi - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Engineer at Thunder Software Technology Co., Ltd.
Feb 2, 2024
It is always nice when something is cheaper.
DP
vice president at IMP Solutions
Aug 4, 2022
While Fortinet is good for school boards and mid-sized businesses, enterprise-class networks require a zero-trust solution. If you're building a zero-trust network with end-to-end security, that's where Fortinet falls behind Cisco, HPE, and Aruba.
AS
Network Engineer at Static IPs Bremerhaven-2
Jul 19, 2024
One of the main challenges was integrating FortiSwitch with FortiGate, as the switches are managed through FortiGate rather than independently.
reviewer2201526 - PeerSpot reviewer
Network and Telecommunication Manager at a educational organization with 201-500 employees
Jun 2, 2023
FortiSwitch requires periodic firmware updates. It can be a little difficult because the switches aren't connected to the internet, so you cannot upgrade the firmware remotely. You need to go to the site and do it manually because it's a closed network.