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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs HPE 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:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
5.8
Fortinet FortiSwitch provides cost-effective security and easy deployment, appealing to users despite potential technological gaps for larger enterprises.
Sentiment score
1.0
HPE Ethernet Switches offer reliable ROI through low power, stable performance, reduced maintenance, and lifetime warranty despite high prices.
It allows me to apply Zero Trust technology, which is currently the trend in the world and is needed for security layers.
Cyber Security Manager at Greater Cairo Water Company (GCWC)
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.4
Fortinet FortiSwitch support is knowledgeable and professional, with room for improvement in response times and initial resolutions.
Sentiment score
7.8
HPE Ethernet Switches customer service is praised for quick response, though support satisfaction varies, with improved regional response times.
They are knowledgeable, professional, and assist with any issues.
Technical Presales at A.G.A.S. מחשוב ותקשורת לעסקים
Their expertise is very professional.
Cyber Security Manager at Greater Cairo Water Company (GCWC)
It's a potential area for improvement, possibly in terms of response time or quality.
Senior Consultant at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees
We attach SKUs that offer an advanced replacement of the hardware in the worst-case scenario.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
Their customer service and support are quite good.
IT Specialist at Dense Media Separation Powders (Pty) LTD
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.8
Fortinet FortiSwitch offers scalable network solutions, integrating seamlessly with FortiGate, ideal for medium to large enterprise expansions.
Sentiment score
7.9
HPE Ethernet Switches are valued for scalability and modularity, though opinions vary on manageability and future-proofing.
You just need to connect another switch or replace the current one, and it integrates well with the existing setup.
Senior Consultant at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees
For enterprise solutions, it's extendable easily with options for edge connectivity or stackable devices.
IT Director at Rabbit Mart
With uniform Fortinet FortiGate switches, adding or removing switches without reconfiguring individually is straightforward.
Technical Presales at A.G.A.S. מחשוב ותקשורת לעסקים
HPE Ethernet Switches are highly scalable.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.7
Fortinet FortiSwitch delivers reliable, stable performance with high user ratings, despite occasional configuration or power challenges during transitions.
Sentiment score
8.5
HPE Ethernet Switches are praised for reliability, durability, and stability, often rated highly for challenging projects and long-term use.
I have never experienced any crashes, outages, or downtime.
Cyber Security Manager at Greater Cairo Water Company (GCWC)
The tool is robust and lasts for three to four years without needing replacement.
Technical Presales at A.G.A.S. מחשוב ותקשורת לעסקים
I would give it a nine out of ten for stability.
Senior Consultant at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees
We had one incident where an electric overload occurred, and it still managed to stay operational.
IT Specialist at Dense Media Separation Powders (Pty) LTD
HPE Ethernet Switches are very reliable and have high stability.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
 

Room For Improvement

Fortinet FortiSwitch faces challenges with pricing, support, complexity, missing features, poor documentation, and a non-competitive warranty.
Users want improved UI, stability, security, better support, lower pricing, enhanced scalability, and more automation in HPE Ethernet Switches.
Fortinet needs to perform extensive testing to improve its reliability.
Cyber Security Manager at Greater Cairo Water Company (GCWC)
The machine is robust and lasts for years with rare technical issues.
Technical Presales at A.G.A.S. מחשוב ותקשורת לעסקים
The introduction of AI integration could be valuable for detecting abnormal traffic directly on the switch.
Senior Consultant at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Incorporating them into an existing infrastructure with competitor products is a challenging task which could be better streamlined.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
The price should be reduced in comparison to Cisco, as sometimes we cannot use the HPE one at the core level, where generally public users are using Cisco.
Sr.Manager-IT at imi kolkata
 

Setup Cost

Fortinet FortiSwitch offers robust functionality with high pricing, seen as affordable compared to competitors despite exchange rate impacts.
HPE Ethernet Switches are seen as affordable and offer a good price-performance balance compared to competitors like Cisco.
It has increased by about two hundred percent over the past three years.
IT Director at Rabbit Mart
The initial cost of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is high compared to other options.
Technical Presales at A.G.A.S. מחשוב ותקשורת לעסקים
The price is very affordable.
Cyber Security Manager at Greater Cairo Water Company (GCWC)
When compared to Cisco, Aruba is about 40% cheaper.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
The price of HPE Ethernet Switches is reasonable and less than other OEM brands.
Sr.Manager-IT at imi kolkata
 

Valuable Features

Fortinet FortiSwitch offers enhanced security, centralized management, and seamless integration, valued for performance, reliability, and ease of use.
HPE Ethernet Switches offer scalability, reliability, strong management, and PoE support with intuitive interfaces and robust security features.
This centralized management saves time and ensures seamless scalability.
Technical Presales at A.G.A.S. מחשוב ותקשורת לעסקים
The most valuable features of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access are inspection capabilities for endpoints in the same VLAN and in the same subnet, which are unique to Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access.
Cyber Security Manager at Greater Cairo Water Company (GCWC)
The powerful integration capabilities allow us to manage all devices from a single interface through the firewall.
IT Director at Rabbit Mart
They are highly scalable and stable, which is vital for large enterprises that require reliable performance.
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
The security features of the HPE Ethernet Switches are good.
Sr.Manager-IT at imi kolkata
 

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secu...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
9th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
HPE Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
11th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
104
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is 3.6%, down from 4.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HPE Ethernet Switches is 3.6%, up from 2.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access3.6%
HPE Ethernet Switches3.6%
Other92.8%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

HM
Cyber Security Manager at Greater Cairo Water Company (GCWC)
Zero Trust access has improved branch security and provides granular visibility for all devices
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access has substantial automation because the configuration is managed from FortiGate dashboard. Automation increases performance and decreases installation time. I mentioned the unique specifications of the switch and the solution at the start. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access granular visibility features have helped me manage IoT devices. I can see every device in the network and the details about each device because FortiGate has an inventory of every device, making the integration between Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access and FortiGate unique. The deep integration with Fortinet's Security Fabric is very important for threat intelligence in my organization. Reliability is key, and automation contributes significantly to network performance optimization in my organization. I have to use FortiLink for automatic UTM extension, as it is a unique proprietary protocol to manage Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access through FortiGate. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is a switch that is related to its Secure Access feature. I gave this review a rating of 9.
KK
General Manager at Zenith Business Solutions
Security, reliability, and cost-effectiveness drive success across different business scales
HPE Ethernet Switches are very much covered on the security front due to their ClearPass technology, which is exceptional. They are highly scalable and stable, which is vital for large enterprises that require reliable performance. Additionally, HPE Ethernet Switches offer a cost-saving advantage as they are approximately 40% cheaper than comparable Cisco solutions. The integration of the switches is very straightforward, making them an attractive choice for many organizations.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Comms Service Provider
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Outsourcing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Construction Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Outsourcing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business39
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business62
Midsize Enterprise19
Large Enterprise32
 

Questions from the Community

Which would you choose - Fortinet Fortiswitch secure access or Cisco Ethernet Switches?
We researched Cisco but ultimately chose Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access, mostly because of the price. Fortinet FortiSwitch is an ethernet switch solution that provides security and performance...
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
I believe enhancement in security is essential for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access. Fortinet needs to perform extensive testing to improve its reliability. If they achieve that, I think it wil...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE Ethernet Switches?
When compared to Cisco, Aruba is about 40% cheaper. However, Huawei would be even cheaper than Aruba. We can't compare HPE Ethernet Switches with Huawei directly because of different price ranges.
What needs improvement with HPE Ethernet Switches?
HPE Ethernet Switches have room for improvement in the initial setup and integration process, especially when incorporating them into an existing infrastructure with competitor products. It's a cha...
What is your primary use case for HPE Ethernet Switches?
Our primary use case for HPE Ethernet Switches is in various business segments. I focus on the oil and gas segment, and I also work with private segment medium-sized organizations. My team handles ...
 

Also Known As

No data available
HP Ethernet Switches
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Emirates Palace Hotel
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs. HPE Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.
908,858 professionals have used our research since 2012.