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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch 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
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
17th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
25
Ranking in other categories
Routers (4th)
 

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 MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is 2.0%, up from 1.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center3.1%
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch2.0%
Other94.9%
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.
Andriejus Artamonovas - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Specialist at a outsourcing company with 501-1,000 employees
Has supported deeper configuration through traffic mirroring and advanced VLAN setup
The main reason why MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is usually chosen is its raw performance to price ratio. In comparison to UniFi switches, MikroTik Cloud Router Switch can mirror all ports for traffic inspection for further traffic analysis, which UniFi cannot do. VLANs in MikroTik Cloud Router Switch are always useful. The way MikroTik implements VLAN-aware switching at the bridge level is hidden in the configuration. Making CRS work as a simple VLAN-aware switch requires deeper configuration, which is not intuitive. VLANs support individual interfaces not part of the bridge, allowing for double VLANing. You can create a VLAN interface in the interfaces context and also create a bridge interface, add physical ports, create VLANs for that bridge interface, and assign tagged and untagged ports and VLANs. Load balancing is one of the key components. The feature itself is quite efficient and works reliably on MikroTik Cloud Router Switch. The very basic setup is one of my favorites because they have their protocol where I can connect through the MAC address right on Layer 2, and I don't lose connectivity to the switch if I mess up with bridging or IP addressing.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"SD-WAN and the security fabric are essential features of the product."
"FortiSwitch makes it easy to deal with many switches."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is very easy to configure."
"I like the solution's technical support. I rate the technical support a ten out of ten."
"The initial setup was straightforward; it wasn't complex at all and we found it to be relatively painless."
"The cost of FortiNet is affordable and good for price-sensitive accounts."
"What I like about the solution is that it can be accessed anywhere."
"If you use FortiGate you should use FortiSwitch; it's very helpful and has a good configuration."
"The interface management and the user access management is pretty good."
"This product is easy to configure."
"Regarding security and visibility in monitoring, it is very good, the GUI is very intuitive, and it has many more features than those from major vendors."
"The GUI is easy to use."
"The initial setup is easy."
"The most valuable feature is that it has better throughput than its competitors."
"There are a lot of features to control permitting or stopping packets in the network."
"The beauty of MikroTik is that you have flexibility with the routing parts."
 

Cons

"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 FortiSwitch product was initially quite complex."
"With IT products, there is always room for improvement."
"The solution’s pricing could be improved."
"The stability of the solution is impacted when integrating parts from different vendors such as Cisco, which can lead to performance problems and disconnections."
"Cisco is better in terms of price, scalability, and ease of management. Regarding resources, they are available in Pakistan to manage these systems."
"The tool is not easy to use."
"Routing is an area in Fortinet FortiSwitch with certain shortcomings where improvements are needed."
"This product is not recommended for enterprise-level projects."
"The packet filtering, user log data, and user access log could all be improved."
"The user interface could improve and they should allow a license for IBS."
"The scalability is good except if you are using version OS 6. However, once you begin to use version OS 7, it only uses some of the processes at a time, and it doesn't thread the things but instead uses them one at a time, which is a hold-back for that product."
"Technical support could be better."
"Technical support needs to be faster and more knowledgeable."
"In medium to large sectors, there's a necessity for managing aspects like proxy firewalls."
"MikroTik needs to add some features like IPS, mail security, or antivirus, et cetera."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution, which is expensive."
"It is reasonably priced."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"The tool's pricing is lower than Cisco's."
"The product has a mid-range price."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"This solution is expensive but it does not require a license."
"Cost-wise, Fortinet solutions are cheaper than those offered by Cisco."
"I consider it to be a cost-effective solution."
"In Pakistan, if you buy this cloud router, it's approximately $700 for the device."
"They came with the licensing when we purchased them."
"The licensing for MikroTik is great. It's easy to enter, especially for small businesses. Their model is great."
"I believe the price of the tool is high, but it is okay for the services we get from it."
"MikroTik is really cheap compared to the competitors."
"The price of the solution is fair and there is a one-time license purchase only."
"The price is competitive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Government
15%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
8%
Retailer
6%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Educational Organization
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Marketing Services Firm
7%
 

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 Business19
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise2
 

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 needs improvement with MikroTik Cloud Router Switch?
It can be difficult to identify key functions for MikroTik Cloud Router Switch. I experience functionality limitations, particularly when trying to find specific features. It would be beneficial to...
What is your primary use case for MikroTik Cloud Router Switch?
I mostly work with network equipment now, focusing mainly on routers. I work with FortiGates and MikroTik routers. When referring to FortiGate routers, I mean the firewalls, but not the enterprise-...
 

Also Known As

No data available
MikroTik CRS Series
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
900,747 professionals have used our research since 2012.