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

Aruba Switches vs Brocade Ethernet 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

Aruba Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.2
Number of Reviews
87
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Brocade Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
26th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
11
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Aruba Switches is 8.4%, down from 12.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Brocade Ethernet Switches is 1.2%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Aruba Switches8.4%
Brocade Ethernet Switches1.2%
Other90.4%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Aneesh K - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Solution Analyst II at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Has supported dynamic user segmentation and centralized management across campus networks
The best features of Aruba Switches are their stability and reliability. Hardware failures are rare because the switches have been running for years, and it is uncommon to encounter hardware issues or impacting bugs. From an operational perspective, Aruba Switches are stable and easy to configure through centralized management solutions. Initially managed through AirWave and now through Central, the configuration can be managed easily with audit records and visibility to switch health and other parameters. Another advantage is that Aruba Switches work seamlessly with ClearPass as a NAC server. This integration allows for dynamic policies, dynamic downloadable user roles, and enables seamless segmentation of users for network security. The real-time analytics provided by Aruba Switches for network efficiency are valuable when needed. All information visible in the analytics dashboard is truly helpful. With Aruba Central's migration to AI capability, additional value is being provided, offering more information and making troubleshooting easier with user-friendly features where you can search for anything and receive relevant results.
PB
Data Center Admin at Sysnet Global Technologies
Experience seamless configuration with secure and adaptable network solutions
I use Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are scalable. I recommend them since they are easy to configure. They are connected and used every day in our operations It is good and scalable. It is easy to configure and provides good technical support. Brocade Ethernet Switches are good to…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I rate the stability of Aruba Switches a ten."
"The advantage I found is that they can be used as both on-premises devices and cloud-managed devices, with the option for an additional license to become cloud devices. This flexibility is very valuable to us."
"Our head office is in Kuwait, and we manage all the switches and devices remotely through the cloud, which is very easy to manage without any local IT in these countries."
"Scalable and reliable solution for your network connectivity needs, with a straightforward setup."
"I find the most valuable feature is it is part of the Aruba family."
"The solution's stability is really great. We found it very solid."
"Licensing costs are competitive with other solutions on the market."
"The solution's most valuable aspect is its monitoring capabilities."
"The reliability of Brocade is the most valuable feature. The solution has been up and running for over ten years without any fail, fixes required, or breakdowns. It is a very strong piece of equipment."
"It has good integration with HPE Primera. They have smart zoning in which the administration is very easy. You don't have to do anything. Zoning and other things are done automatically if you just enable the smart zoning. That's one very good thing in HP."
"The technical support is good."
"The initial setup was really straightforward and easy."
"There's a zone for each server and services in the storage."
"The switches last for a very long time."
"I have not had any issues with our Brocade switches."
"The most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides."
 

Cons

"If we compare Aruba and Cisco at the data center layer, Cisco has its Nexus switch. Aruba provides the new 10000 series, but it does not compare with the Nexus switch."
"In my opinion, Aruba's new features, like the new firmware, need to be improved."
"I don't think there is much to improve. I have seen that Aruba releases the patches on time, and it keeps upgrading the firmware. I have configured this device on an active basis. I don't think I have any bad reviews about the device's overall performance. In the next release, I would like Aruba to incorporate wireless controllers and build them into the chassis.If we can integrate a wireless module, we can have a segment dedicated to wireless infrastructure."
"The licensing model could be improved."
"The customer service could be a bit quicker and the employees could be more professional."
"Aruba is still losing out to Cisco, which continues to dominate the space. Aruba needs to continue to improve its product range in order to compete with Cisco's dominance."
"We don't have visibility in Aruba Switches and we are thinking of switching to Fortiswitch because it has visibility."
"We have needed to upgrade software to fix some challenges we experienced. After downloading the latest version of Aruba, these were fixed."
"Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions."
"No graphical interface."
"These switches are no longer supported."
"There are some performance issues."
"The solution could be more secure."
"Brocade Ethernet Switches need a better interface and centralized management."
"It could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface."
"It should be simpler. There are still some things that can be simpler in the Brocade switches."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Aruba Switches are less expensive than Cisco."
"Cost-wise, you get some good savings as compared to Cisco."
"Aruba Switches are cost-effective."
"This is an expensive product, costing about double what most competitors do."
"Cisco has a higher cost than Aruba Switches."
"The price for Aruba is quite a bit cheaper than it is for similar products by Cisco."
"The price of these switches is high."
"The pricing is perfect."
"The price of Brocade Ethernet Switches is expensive."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Educational Organization
6%
Manufacturing Company
14%
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
10%
Comms Service Provider
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business49
Midsize Enterprise18
Large Enterprise22
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business3
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise5
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba Switches?
Aruba lives up to the expectations of the tech giant hewlett packard enterprise providing excellent networking capabilities at a very affordable price compared to the equivalent from another tech g...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Switches?
The cost of Aruba Switches is based on the price per device. The cost depends on the model. We have 24-port switches, PoE 12-port switches, and bigger switches, so the price varies depending on the...
What needs improvement with Aruba Switches?
Currently, the security integration with Aruba ClearPass is being used for NAC authentication only. Many ACLs and other security features are being managed, but the current security features being ...
What needs improvement with Brocade Ethernet Switches?
To improve, it could be made easier to configure with a graphical interface.
What is your primary use case for Brocade Ethernet Switches?
I use Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are scalable. I recommend them since they are easy to configure. They are connected and used every day in our operations.
What advice do you have for others considering Brocade Ethernet Switches?
I would recommend Brocade Ethernet Switches because they are easy to configure and have good technical support. I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
 

Also Known As

8400 Series, 8320 Series, 5400R Series, 3810 Series, 2930M Series, 2930F Series, 2920 Series, 2540 Series, 2530 Series
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Purdue University
Ajubeo, Akquinet AG, Big Data Analytics Provider Boligkontoret Danmark Bristol is Open, CDE Lightband, Cicero School District 99, City and County of San Francisco, Department of Emergency, City of Chattanooga, Cloudscale.sh
Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Switches vs. Brocade Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.