Cisco Catalyst Switches and Fortinet FortiSwitch are prominent competitors in the networking switch category. Cisco seems to have the edge in feature set breadth and reliability for complex network environments, while Fortinet's standout feature is its integration with its other products.
Features: Cisco Catalyst Switches are known for features such as Port Security, VLAN support, and HSRP, which are valuable for more complex deployments. They also offer Perpetual PoE for continuous power during reboots and are praised for their stacking capabilities, which enhance network stability. Fortinet FortiSwitch stands out with its seamless integration with FortiGate, providing enhanced network analytics. It offers secure access features efficiently managed through FortiGate, and its analytics offer detailed network insights.
Room for Improvement: Cisco users highlight issues with high costs and complex licensing models, a lack of expansion slots, and limited open-source compatibility. Fortinet FortiSwitch users mention needing better independent management capabilities apart from FortiGate and improved technical support responsiveness. Cisco's pricing is a common complaint, whereas Fortinet's integration strength is sometimes overshadowed by its FortiGate dependency.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Catalyst Switches are appreciated for their stability and robust technical support despite occasional slow responses. Their on-premises deployments are reliable, with extensive community support. Fortinet FortiSwitch is noted for straightforward on-premises deployment, benefiting from its cohesive ecosystem. However, its customer service gets mixed reviews, with reliance on FortiGate for management being a point of contention, contrasted with Cisco's independent operation.
Pricing and ROI: Cisco Catalyst Switches are known for their premium pricing, which some users find justified by their quality and long-term reliability, offering good ROI over a decade. Fortinet FortiSwitch, with its mid-range pricing, offers a better ROI within three to five years. The lower upfront costs of Fortinet make it attractive, while Cisco's extensive support and feature set balance its higher pricing for many users.
From an investment standpoint, deploying Cisco Catalyst Switches offers tangible benefits, including cost reductions.
On a scale from one to 10, I would rate the technical support of Cisco at 10 out of 10.
Cisco's support is good, one of the best supports that you will get.
Cisco support is very good and responsive.
They are knowledgeable, professional, and assist with any issues.
My local support is working fine, and I have my connection with my account manager in the public company of Fortinet.
It's a potential area for improvement, possibly in terms of response time or quality.
The scalability of Cisco Catalyst Switches is very much scalable, as it supports the stacking feature and growth; for instance, with 94K modular switches, based on the requirement, we can even increase modules for more bandwidth.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are scalable, and I would rate them eight to nine out of ten for scalability.
You just need to connect another switch or replace the current one, and it integrates well with the existing setup.
For enterprise solutions, it's extendable easily with options for edge connectivity or stackable devices.
With uniform Fortinet FortiGate switches, adding or removing switches without reconfiguring individually is straightforward.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are stable.
The tool is robust and lasts for three to four years without needing replacement.
I would give it a nine out of ten for stability.
The stability has been good overall.
Currently, I don't see much AI integration with Cisco Catalyst Switches; though they've started, it still needs improvement.
Cisco Catalyst Switches could be a little bit cheaper as they are very costly.
The configuration options on the Cisco Commerce website could be more efficient.
The introduction of AI integration could be valuable for detecting abnormal traffic directly on the switch.
The machine is robust and lasts for years with rare technical issues.
Cisco provides unique features that justify their pricing.
Cisco usually is costly compared to other vendors.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are quite pricey.
It has increased by about two hundred percent over the past three years.
The initial cost of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is high compared to other options.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are valuable for their reliability and performance.
Catalyst Switches are efficient and swift, which is valuable for my organization.
The most beneficial features for our network management are their stability and good customer support.
This centralized management saves time and ensures seamless scalability.
One of the main features is the integration with FortiGate.
The powerful integration capabilities allow us to manage all devices from a single interface through the firewall.
Cisco Catalyst Switches are a reliable and scalable network switching and routing solution, focusing on VLANs and VLAN switching. They are used as access switches, distribution switches, and core switches in various environments, deployed on-premises, and used for long connections. The switches are easy to configure, install, and upgrade and offer good pricing.
The most valuable features include warranty and firmware support, stability, security, good performance, flexibility, etc. The Cisco Catalyst Switches have provided a stable solution for the organizations and are widely used, trusted, and well-known in the networking industry.
Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access is a secure, high-performance, and easy-to-manage switch. Fortinet FortiSwitch is the best solution for threat-conscious enterprises of all sizes because it is secure, simple, and scalable. Secure Access, which is tightly integrated into the Fortinet Security Fabric via FortiLink, may be handled directly from the FortiGate interface.
Regardless of how people and devices connect to the network, this single-pane-of-glass administration provides total visibility and control. This makes the Fortinet FortiSwitch perfect for SD-Branch and campus deployments, allowing enterprises to combine their security and network access with applications ranging from desktop to data center aggregation. Fortinet FortiSwitch's Secure Access is the most adaptable security platform with end-to-end protection in the industry.
Switches for Secure Access: Small to medium-sized businesses, scattered organizations, branch offices, and industrial control systems can all benefit.
Switches for Data Centers: Ideal for users requiring high-performance 10 GE or 40 GE.
Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access Features
Fortinet FortiSwitch has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:
Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access Benefits
There are many benefits to implementing Fortinet FortiSwitch. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:
Reviews from Real Users
Fortinet FortiSwitch stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its stability and its VLAN setup. PeerSpot users take note of the advantages of these features in their reviews:
Rutul S., CXO at Aariha Enterprise Private Limited, writes of the product, “The most valuable feature is the SD-WAN support. This device is easy to use.” He adds, “Stability-wise, this product is better than others that are on the market.”
Emil V., System Consultant at I team, notes, “I like the VLAN setup of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access has very good scalability.” He adds, “Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is easy to set up. It only takes minutes to deploy this product, because it is mostly boxes.”
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