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Extreme VDX [EOL] vs Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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

Extreme VDX [EOL]
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data...
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
26
Ranking in other categories
Ethernet Switches (17th)
 

Featured Reviews

Osama Ahmed LUBBAD - PeerSpot reviewer
Systems Support Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
A stable, scalable, and problem-free solution
Software needs to be updated regularly in order to maintain security and performance. However, in some cases, it is necessary to stack switches in order to meet the needs of the network. Although Cisco switches are able to stack, other switches are not as simple to stack. I would like the ability to stack with different switch brands.
Sujith Pazhancheeri - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Infrastructure Engineer at REYADA IT SOLUTIONS CO. LLC
Integrated firewall connectivity has simplified on-premises projects and supports reliable SMB switching
The performance is basic only, and we cannot compare Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center with Aruba or Cisco switches. Regarding security policies, I did not configure that many policies in Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is on-premises, and the negative of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is that it is costly compared to other switches. In Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center, I did not see that many features compared to Cisco and Aruba.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The fabric of the solution and the management aspect are the solution's most valuable features."
"The most valuable feature of Extreme VDX is that we have had no problems and the solution's performance is excellent."
"Its simplicity and web interface were most valuable. I also liked the two-factor authentication."
"This is a product that I would recommend."
"Based on my use cases, Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center was a great product that was easy to manage and work with while being a powerful tool."
"We have the entire Fortinet FortiSwitch system - Secure Access, firewalls, and everything, and it integrates well into the entire Fortinet fabric."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center's scalability is good."
"The initial setup was simple."
"The technical support has been very good; they are responsive and helpful, and I would recommend this support to anyone using their solutions."
"An affordable and stable solution for small-medium companies."
"The initial setup was straightforward; it wasn't complex at all and we found it to be relatively painless."
 

Cons

"Its scalability is quite limited. We had four buildings merging into one building, and scalability was probably the reason why they didn't proceed with buying more Brocade switches and routers."
"Its scalability can be better. If possible, it can have Hyper POE. I am not sure if there is a fiber version."
"I would like the ability to stack with different switch brands."
"The only problem is that at the moment it's an Extreme product and Extreme is not really pushing it. They have to make up for weak innovation and I'm not sure if they want to do that."
"I don't know if the solution has a future because the company doesn't seem to be investing in updates or improvements."
"Compatibility with infrastructure from other vendors like Cisco and Sophos can be further improved."
"There is room for improvement in customer support and device speed. Sometimes, customer support does not provide prompt assistance, leaving projects hanging."
"The product must improve the latency in the management center."
"The tool is not easy to use."
"FortiSwitch should improve the FortiGate map. The diagram cannot move automatically to show the switch. The map does not map the physical location. It cannot move or touch the diagram."
"The solution could always benefit from more security. It's of critical importance to organizations right now."
"The main difference between FortiSwitch and Aruba Switches is the price. The prices of Aruba are higher and they have unlimited features that FortiSwitch does not, like segmentation and analytics engines."
"We need to understand a bit more about certifications and knowledge for understanding capabilities. The solution should make that more clear to its users."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It was around $1500 a year. It is cheaper than Cisco but more expensive than Ruckus."
"This solution is expensive but it does not require a license."
"The tool's pricing is lower than Cisco's."
"The solution is not expensive."
"It is reasonably priced."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"The solution's pricing is a little high. The solution deserves the current price it receives from its users."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"The product has a mid-range price."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
No data available
Government
14%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Construction Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business17
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise4
 

Questions from the Community

Ask a question
Earn 20 points
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center?
The Fortinet switches come with no additional cost as they are open source, with only hardware warranties applicable.
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center?
The performance is basic only, and we cannot compare Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center with Aruba or Cisco switches. Regarding security policies, I did not configure that many policies in Fortinet...
What is your primary use case for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center?
Currently, we are mostly working with Sophos and Fortinet. Before, we worked with XG, but now they have upgraded to the XGS series, and in Fortinet, we are working with FortiGate Firewall. In some ...
 

Also Known As

VDX, Brocade VDX
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Niagra Falls Bridge Commission, Medien System Partner, CDE Lightband, MaximumASP
Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Find out what your peers are saying about Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Cisco, Arista and others in Ethernet Switches. Updated: September 2026.
913,683 professionals have used our research since 2012.