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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:
 

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secu...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
48
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
HPE Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
8th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
104
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is 4.8%, down from 6.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HPE Ethernet Switches is 2.6%, up from 2.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Uri Harf - PeerSpot reviewer
Integration with cloud management simplifies network expansion
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is expensive, and this initial cost can be a barrier, especially for new businesses setting up from scratch. Although the machine is robust and lasts for years with rare technical issues, the initial price can be high. Sometimes, I have to offer alternatives like Aruba or HP, which might be cheaper.
Dinesh Upadhyay - PeerSpot reviewer
Experience years of robust features and strong technical support
It is a nice and robust tool where we use HPE Ethernet Switches. It is a lower switch, and we have received good warranty support with HPE switches. The security features of the HPE Ethernet Switches are good. The UI mode is available, and we can easily configure the access list and SNMP. All these configurations can be done here. Users can enable the Layer 3 features.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"One of the most feature-packed switching solutions you can implement."
"I rate Fortinet support 10 out of 10. Their support is excellent and inexpensive. They respond immediately."
"The most valuable feature is that I can completely isolate devices that are compromising the network."
"With FortiSwitch, you can easily identify who is connected to each port, disable ports as needed, and retrieve configurations from FortiGate when required."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is the MAC feature."
"The main benefit of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is its integration with FortiCloud, which allows me to manage all appliances in a single interface."
"What stands out is the effective management and enhanced security provided by the solution's function as an extension of the firewall."
"The technical support has been very good."
"The speed is very fast."
"We use HPE Ethernet Switches to provide solutions for the hotel, their guests, and IPTV."
"The solution is very, very stable."
"The product has streamlined our smart hospitality services, allowing us to control room amenities like TVs and lights more efficiently."
"It's stable and performing well."
"The technical support for this solution has improved from what it was."
"It's straightforward to set up."
"It is a scalable solution."
 

Cons

"It would also help if they lowered the cost of their service."
"In Fortinet, the packet reconstruction in the SD-WAN solution needs a little bit of improvement. When it comes to the Secure Access to the switches or the mix of Fortinet solution, the very small ones do not have the capability to use fiber cables. So, the small FortiGates have to work with the copper cables and cannot use fiber cables. Even though they have the capacity and throughput on all technical connectors, they don't have the interfaces, which is one of the good things with Cisco. They just add models to it. You buy the independent models, and you add them."
"The scalability and technical support can be improved."
"Its cloud features could be better."
"I feel that the product's stability is an area where improvements are required."
"When we started using the solution, it was quite complex but then it became easier to use. It takes a while to get used to the interface."
"The introduction of AI integration could be valuable for detecting abnormal traffic directly on the switch."
"The product's end-user protection feature needs improvement."
"The next release would benefit from adding a central management that could be deployable on premise and allow you to see the layout of topology."
"The solution could be more stable."
"The VLAN tagging could be improved,"
"It would be helpful to have training available for this solution."
"They could provide platform integration with other management tools for better reporting."
"The solution lacks certain protocols and has a limited warranty."
"When we have a lot of clients on the system, we lose signal and have to restart our antenna."
"The scalability is limited."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution has reasonable pricing. The firewall costs around 500$ annually."
"I rate the product's pricing an eight out of ten."
"Licensing is billed annually and contracts are either one or three years in length."
"The cost appears to be high in comparison to other competing products although with this product you are paying for what you get."
"Price-wise, I find Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access to be an okay product. It is not an expensive product."
"Licensing is easy: FortiCare and that's it."
"The product's pricing is less compared to other enterprise solutions."
"You can buy this equipment in a multitude of ways. You can buy just the hardware, or you can buy the hardware and the licenses."
"HP switches are priced well."
"This is an expensive product."
"I like HPE switches because you get a perpetual license with the hardware. The initial cost is about the same as other switches, but it starts beating the competitors after three or four years because you don't have to pay for additional annual licensing costs."
"This is not an expensive solution."
"We have to pay for a yearly license for HPE Ethernet Switches."
"We just bought new switches for $500 last year, and now, the same switch is $800. It's gone up in price in the last 12 months."
"Licensing fees are on a yearly basis."
"HPE Ethernet Switches is a fairly cheap solution."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
8%
Computer Software Company
13%
Educational Organization
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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 do you like most about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
With FortiSwitch, you can easily identify who is connected to each port, disable ports as needed, and retrieve configurations from FortiGate when required.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
The initial cost of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is high compared to other options. Although robust and rarely needs replacement, it can be overqualified for some jobs, which affects the re...
What do you like most about HPE Ethernet Switches?
The solution is very stable and easy to use.
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...
 

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: June 2025.
860,168 professionals have used our research since 2012.