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Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches vs Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access 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

Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch E...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
20th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secu...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
12th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
48
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches is 1.4%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is 4.2%, down from 5.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access4.2%
Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches1.4%
Other94.4%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

MK
Operational Manager at Astrah Technologies
Has enabled reliable access control with good scalability
The primary use case is access control and normal LAN usage, including internet and email. For example, I have deployed the solution in airport scenarios where there are many users The most valuable feature for me is the stability of the switches. They do not hang often and are very reliable,…
Uri Harf - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Presales at A.G.A.S. מחשוב ותקשורת לעסקים
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.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The product is stable. It does have only one power supply. They don't have a redundant power supply."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is the wireless access points that enable direct access to clusters, and this is also a very stable and scalable solution."
"OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches' best features are it's easy to deploy, manage, and maintain, with services coming through one vendor."
"It's easy to extend the stack, We don't use the smaller switches, but it's going well for the rest."
"Overall, everything worked as they said it would."
"As someone with long-term experience with the product, I can say that you can trust the Alcatel switches."
"All of the features in these switches are good."
"Enables direct access to clusters."
"It offers better insight into what's going on in our customer's network and faster resolution for issues that are happening."
"The technical support has been very good."
"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."
"My advice for anybody who is considering this product is that it's a secure and stable device."
"Ability to manage FortiAP, FortiClient, and FortiGate all from a single console"
"It is a cheap and secure solution. The job switching and security features are better than other solutions."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access has good scalability."
"I think this is a great product and everyone who chooses it will enjoy using it."
 

Cons

"There needs to be better integration with the interface."
"Sometimes I feel that the Alcatel switches are not working harmoniously with some of the Cisco switches."
"We had stability issues with Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches 6250. One issue is with licensing. When migrating from TDM to VoIP/ToIP solutions integrated on the same architecture, Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches don't have the same skill level or follow the same development path as companies like Cisco. They started integrating these solutions later, which is why there's a noticeable difference in advancement."
"I find the CLI hard to use. I wish we could do more in the GUI interface."
"The commands for the switches could be easier as I find them more complex compared to those of Cisco."
"My customer's team is not able to understand the loophole with Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches, but apart from that, there are no issues."
"The product would be better if it were completely compatible with other switching products."
"In future versions, I would like to see improvements in networking speed."
"The introduction of AI integration could be valuable for detecting abnormal traffic directly on the switch."
"The central management needs improvement. The initial setup could be easier."
"The pricing could be improved, and it could be easier to configure."
"The stability of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access could improve."
"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 rate technical support at eight. It's a potential area for improvement, possibly in terms of response time or quality."
"The solution has SD-WAN but it doesn't have SDN. This should be added."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is expensive, and this initial cost can be a barrier, especially for new businesses setting up from scratch."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is an expensive solution."
"The pricing is reasonable compared to Aruba and HPE."
"Pricing is cheap compared to other vendors. When we benchmark the tool against Meraki, Cisco, and others, it is usually more affordable."
"The licensing for OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches is a one-time purchase with no additional costs."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access requires a license and the price is expensive."
"We have to pay for the solution's subscription."
"The product pricing seems to be mid-range."
"The solution is cheaper than Cisco but more expensive than Huawei."
"It's affordable and there are no additional costs, just regular support, and license fees."
"Licensing is easy: FortiCare and that's it."
"The pricing is cheap and only a yearly licensing cost needs to be paid."
"The product's pricing is less compared to other enterprise solutions."
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Top Industries

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

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business5
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise3
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business38
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise7
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches?
In terms of pricing, Alcatel is cheaper than Cisco, however, MikroTik is the cheapest. I cannot comment on the pricing reasonability as I am a technical person, and decisions are made by those who ...
What needs improvement with Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches?
The commands for the switches could be easier as I find them more complex compared to those of Cisco.
What is your primary use case for Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches?
The primary use case is access control and normal LAN usage, including internet and email. For example, I have deployed the solution in airport scenarios where there are many users.
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 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 needs improvement with Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
I would appreciate the ability to create an independent switch. I am aware of the pricing and licensing of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access, and I previously rated it a six because I wanted the...
 

Also Known As

Alcatel-Lucent Ethernet Switches, OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Bayonette, California State University (CSU), Centre Hospitalier Carcassonne, Centro Universitšrio de Brasilia (UniCEUB), China Tianchen Engineering Corporation Co. LTD, Citta Della Speranza, City of Frankfurt, City of Ogden, City of Vila Franca de Xira
Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Find out what your peers are saying about Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches vs. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.
893,311 professionals have used our research since 2012.