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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 February 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Aruba Switches is 8.2%, down from 12.1% 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 Switches8.2%
Brocade Ethernet Switches1.2%
Other90.6%
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

"We have not had any issues with the product and its functions. It has been stable."
"Scalable and reliable solution for your network connectivity needs, with a straightforward setup."
"All of the networking products that we use are Aruba, so we use Aruba Central to manage them."
"In the hotel sector, IGMP 3 is particularly valuable for IPTV."
"The most valuable feature is that it's very easy to configure."
"It allows us to manage the switches through the cloud, which is good."
"The solution helps us save costs."
"It is a very good device for our company. It is stable and very scalable."
"The switches last for a very long time."
"I have not had any issues with our Brocade switches."
"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 most valuable feature of Brocade Ethernet Switches is the good range of access it provides."
"The initial setup was really straightforward and easy."
"The technical support is good."
"There's a zone for each server and services in the storage."
"It is easy to configure and provides good technical support."
 

Cons

"The initial setup is relatively complex."
"We don't have visibility in Aruba Switches and we are thinking of switching to Fortiswitch because it has visibility."
"If you work for a small business, then Cisco would be best."
"It takes a long time to import Aruba switches to Ecuador."
"Aruba Switches cover lots of areas and support automated and IOPS and with the central products, but I think when we look at the solutions overall, IOPS devices are not covered so much in Aruba Central. We are in Croatia and it is a small country, I don't know how its situation is in Europe, America, or Asia."
"We would like to see centralized, cloud-based management."
"I would prefer it if they reduced the cost of the switches and the access points."
"I would say that the customization of the switches could be easier to configure."
"No graphical interface."
"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."
"Brocade Ethernet Switches need a better interface and centralized management."
"These switches are no longer supported."
"The solution could be more secure."
"Brocade Ethernet Switches could improve by having better compatibility with web management of older versions."
"There are some performance issues."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I don't know the exact cost of the licensing, but based on what I have heard from my sales team, Aruba is affordable. Aruba switches are cheaper than the switches from Cisco and other vendors."
"Cisco has a higher cost than Aruba Switches."
"Aruba Switches are quite cost-effective."
"Aruba Switches are less expensive than Cisco."
"We pay for the clear pass and the controller."
"Aruba's switches are priced lower than Cisco's by about 30%."
"The pricing was still affordable compared to Cisco, which is usually less affordable for most companies. We are using the solution in a school, we need the price to be affordable."
"There is a license to use the solution."
"The price of Brocade Ethernet Switches is expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Manufacturing Company
14%
Computer Software Company
11%
Government
10%
Comms Service Provider
7%
 

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: February 2026.
881,757 professionals have used our research since 2012.