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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs Huawei 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

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
15th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
26
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Huawei Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
13th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
60
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 3.1%, up from 1.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Huawei Ethernet Switches is 3.2%, up from 3.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Huawei Ethernet Switches3.2%
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center3.1%
Other93.7%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Rutul SHah - PeerSpot reviewer
CXO at Aariha Enterprise Private Limited
Provides seamless traffic control and secure connectivity while minimizing downtime and optimizing resource allocation
There is always room for improvement in Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center because with this switch, they can reduce downtime due to broadcasting issues by denying specific traffic on particular ports. Currently, I am not identifying any weak points of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center because it meets the customer's use case. However, the commercial aspect presents challenges, particularly with pricing, as customers often ask for Juniper or Cisco, brands they are more aware of, which makes awareness about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center another weak point.
Muhammad Kabir Salihu - PeerSpot reviewer
Deputy Director at NITDA
Cost-effective performance enhanced by security features with easy configurations
I mainly use Huawei Switches and also work with Huawei Wireless. I deal with both Huawei and Cisco Switches, and I find Huawei to be more cost-effective Huawei has helped to save costs and is cost-effective, which also helps save time for the company. The performance of Huawei is good, and it…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The FortiSwitch is used to manage traffic between our VMs and physical hosts across multiple data centers, and it is part of our network fabric that can support the amount of throughput we need to provide HA to service our clients."
"We have the entire Fortinet FortiSwitch system - Secure Access, firewalls, and everything, and it integrates well into the entire Fortinet fabric."
"A valuable feature of FortiGate is its management integrity."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center's scalability is good."
"It integrates well."
"We are able to monitor everything that is happening on our network."
"This is a product that I would recommend."
"Using Fortinet's whole range, including FortiSwitches, is cost-effective compared to Cisco and beneficial for network security."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches are both scalable and stable."
"What we like the most is that the price is reasonable and it's easy to manage."
"The most valuable feature is the audit systems. I also like that it can synchronize on the alternate configuration of products together at the same time."
"I advise people to use this solution because it's very conducive to tropical environments and can withstand very hot weather conditions."
"The technical documentation available is very good. The technical support for the customer is also good - I would give it 8 out of 10."
"There aren't any licensing costs, it's a one-off payment at the beginning and then you can use them for as long as you like."
"The initial setup is very straightforward and very easy. It takes minutes to set up Huawei products."
"We don't have any issues with the security of Huawei Ethernet Switches."
 

Cons

"We had a slight issue with the device when it was working as a standalone product in an environment where there wasn't any FortiGate in place."
"Managing the VLANs is an area where the solution lacks and needs to improve."
"When there are many switches being used, the speed declines noticeably."
"The solution’s pricing could be improved."
"The product must improve the latency in the management center."
"The commercial aspect presents challenges, particularly with pricing, as customers often ask for Juniper or Cisco, brands they are more aware of, which makes awareness about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center another weak point."
"The UI of the firewall and reporting could be improved."
"Cisco is better in terms of price, scalability, and ease of management. Regarding resources, they are available in Pakistan to manage these systems."
"Because of this situation, I searched for the products of other vendors. Aruba sent three quotes from its different partners and their quotes were similar, and also they were cheaper than Huawei."
"Deploying Huawei Ethernet Switches in an organization offers advantages, especially if the decision is made early in the process and the company opts for a single-vendor approach. This simplifies implementation and customization, often resulting in lower prices and tailored solutions from Huawei. However, excessive customization can lead to support issues and challenges in knowledge transfer during employee turnover."
"The tool is not very robust in harsh environments. Issues with cooling and power can cause these switches to fail, which concerns customers. They work well in data centers but might be problematic in places without cooling or heat."
"There could be some improvement in the dashboards and that's something that could be included in the next update."
"The technical support is technically savvy, but the communication via English is not so easy."
"The durability of the device can be improved."
"The solution's marketing could be better. It spends money on marketing but doesn't highlight the most important features. Sometimes, it provides too much information, which can confuse customers."
"The product should improve cloud capability."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product has a mid-range price."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"Cost-wise, Fortinet solutions are cheaper than those offered by Cisco."
"We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution, which is expensive."
"The solution's pricing is a little high. The solution deserves the current price it receives from its users."
"The solution is not expensive."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"This solution is expensive but it does not require a license."
"From the initial purchase, you will pay for a license and you do not need to pay for a license again. The price depends on the size of the infrastructure."
"We only pay one-off instead of paying recurring license fees."
"Compared to other brands, I think that the price is quite fair."
"The pricing is good. Still, I can choose a cheaper solution that offers a good value."
"The licensing costs depend on the negotiations that a user has with Huawei...There is a need to make some additional payments apart from the licensing costs attached to the solution."
"The tool's price is affordable and I would rate it a five out of ten. The prices are fixed with no additional cost involved."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches are cheaper than other competitors."
"Huawei has the same licensing model as Cisco, so both are working on the subscription model."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Government
15%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
8%
Retailer
6%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Construction Company
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business17
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise4
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business30
Midsize Enterprise13
Large Enterprise20
 

Questions from the Community

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 ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Huawei Ethernet Switches?
Huawei Ethernet Switches offer very competitive and aggressive product pricing compared to other brands.
What needs improvement with Huawei Ethernet Switches?
Huawei should focus more on security. They need more products on the security side to improve the security portion.
What is your primary use case for Huawei Ethernet Switches?
The primary use case for Huawei Ethernet Switches is for network purposes, including SaaS services.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Newcastle University, Jingyang District of Deyang City in Sichuan Province, Southwest China, Glasgow Rangers Soccer Team, RMIT, Insurance Industry Association of Zhejiang Province, China, APT Satellite Holdings Limited (APT)
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs. Huawei Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
900,747 professionals have used our research since 2012.