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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs MikroTik Routers and 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
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
24
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
MikroTik Routers and Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
5th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
65
Ranking in other categories
Routers (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 1.7%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MikroTik Routers and Switches is 6.3%, up from 4.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Rias Majeed - PeerSpot reviewer
Enables easy management of traffic and enhances security
FortiSwitch Data Center allows for centralized management of both Fortinet switches and firewalls from a single interface. This integration makes network management streamlined and secure. Additionally, the controllers are built into the firewall, which enables easy management of traffic and enhances security. Unlike some solutions, a Fortinet firewall is not just a firewall; it also acts as a full-fledged router.
AnikIslam - PeerSpot reviewer
Cost-effective protocol support and a straightforward setup with room for login enhancements
In the network operations center, I manage our client's bandwidth. We connect with our clients through BGP and OSPF based on client demands. We also manage routing protocols, policies, internal firewalls, and other details like QE bandwidth, client manage bandwidth management, PoE, PPPoE, and DNS…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"All the features are necessary, like tracking evidence and IPS. However, I appreciate the ability to connect the logs and the dashboard functionality."
"I like the solution's technical support. I rate the technical support a ten out of ten."
"FortiSwitch Data Center allows for centralized management of both Fortinet switches and firewalls from a single interface."
"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."
"SD-WAN and the security fabric are essential features of the product."
"When configuring FortiSwitch with a FortiGate firewall, I can consider all FortiSwitch's ports as a part of the FortiGate firewall."
"I have found the solution to be scalable."
"The product's most valuable feature is its ability to manage switches from one central point."
"We have not had any downtime with it. It has been a solid performer that way."
"I have found one of the most valuable features to be the hotspot network."
"The stability is good."
"The most valuable feature is that you can do anything on all platforms."
"I think the tool's most valuable is its firewall. Cisco assisted them in developing it, making it easy to use. They expose a lot of background features, so you can go deep into integration, similar to Cisco switches. You can choose to use the command line interface or user interface."
"The MikroTik Hotspot is great."
"The routing is nice and straightforward."
"MikroTik offers full enterprise capabilities at a very reasonable price."
 

Cons

"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."
"Cisco is better in terms of price, scalability, and ease of management. Regarding resources, they are available in Pakistan to manage these systems."
"We need to understand a bit more about certifications and knowledge for understanding capabilities. The solution should make that more clear to its users."
"Fortinet could have the ability to authenticate users like Aruba offers because managing ten or twelve SSIDs for different clients is complicated."
"When there are many switches being used, the speed declines noticeably."
"There is room to improve the integration between FortiSwitch and other third-party solutions, as challenges arise when integrating with different vendors."
"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."
"They should improve technical support and make direct access available to the customers."
"I would like to have the option of having multiple logins."
"A central management platform would be great."
"The manageability of the web-based UI needs to be improved."
"MikroTik Routers and Switches need a firewall policy to secure the network. I also want Mikrotic to add load balancing to the firewall policy, as it's currently hard to do in Mikrotik devices."
"The user interface is not very good."
"The initial setup can be a bit difficult. The configuration can take a lot of time."
"I think the documentation of specific features could probably be improved. Especially if you want to try a new feature, sometimes you must test it thoroughly before implementing it with the client because the documentation doesn't give you the full background."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Cost-wise, Fortinet solutions are cheaper than those offered by Cisco."
"The tool's pricing is lower than Cisco's."
"The product is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"It is reasonably priced."
"The solution's pricing is a little high. The solution deserves the current price it receives from its users."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"The solution is not expensive."
"The product has a mid-range price."
"There is no licensing fee in addition to the hardware, but we do pay an annual fee for support."
"When we purchase MikroTik devices, a certain level of the license is included in the price."
"The pricing is very reasonable and is one of the main selling points for MikroTik devices."
"Pricing is not an issue."
"The price is affordable."
"In our last project, we used two hundred units and the price was approximately 500 Shekels ($140 USD)."
"A license is not required."
"The tool has a low price."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
19%
Government
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Retailer
6%
Computer Software Company
16%
Comms Service Provider
13%
Hospitality Company
7%
Government
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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?
There is room for improvement in customer support and device speed. Sometimes, customer support does not provide prompt assistance, leaving projects hanging. Additionally, improving the speed of th...
How do Cisco Enterprise routers compare with Mikrotik routers and switches?
Cisco Enterprise Routers are very stable and easy to use. They offer a very solid performance and are very secure. They also have a very good, long lifespan. We feel the command configuration is ve...
Which are better - Ubiquiti UniFi switches or MikroTik routers and switches?
Ubiquiti Unifi is a great solution. For starters, it is easy to configure and implement, and doesn’t require a learning curve because it is easy to use. It is also simple to reconfigure an AP or ga...
What do you like most about MikroTik Routers and Switches?
The price is a big factor. They are very affordable, and the quality is high.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
ABB, Boingo Wireless, JPL, HP, Allied Telesis, iPass, Mips Technologies, MicroAge, Matsushita, Telia, undp, WFP, NASA
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs. MikroTik Routers and Switches and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.