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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access 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 - Secu...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
7th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Huawei Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
12th
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 January 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is 4.1%, down from 5.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Huawei Ethernet Switches is 3.5%, up from 2.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access4.1%
Huawei Ethernet Switches3.5%
Other92.4%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Uri Harf - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Presales at A.G.A.S. מחשוב ותקשורת לעסקים
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.
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 solution is very simple, and it's very easily available."
"The technical support has been very good."
"Integration is good, as well as price and technical support."
"You can hook all the other components to be monitored. You can create policies and block certain people from accessing the Internet."
"The most valuable feature of FortiSwitch is its user-friendly interface, which facilitates easy management and propagation of rules throughout the network."
"I would rate the the ease of management and scalability within our network architecture an eight out of ten, with ten being best."
"It is very user-friendly. There is no need to use command lines to configure it or to do anything in it. You hardly use command lines, which makes it different from Cisco. In Cisco, the CLI is your best friend. Fortinet has the lowest TCO, so you can use its integrated components without having to buy additional licenses. They provide centralized management without needing to buy or acquire additional licenses. You have an integral or complete vision through a single pane of glass, and you can see everything from one single console without having to buy additional licenses, which is a plus. It works the same way when you add wireless. You can see everything from FortiGate. It has a security processor, which is another plus. It does not have a standard desktop processor. It has a multi-threat security processor, and it is built by Fortinet. So, all the components that you include in a Fortinet solution are proprietary and work in an integral way. It has one single solution, whereas other brands, such as Palo Alto and Check Point, have been acquiring certain solutions, and they're not fully integrated. With Fortinet, everything is integrated. If you start building on Fortinet, everything that you expand to the local LAN or WAN is integrated. You don't have to pay for professional services and other things to do that. Their technical information is also very good. Most of their information is based on how-to, and it can be found online, which is something my clients like."
"The solution has enhanced network security by integrating access control more seamlessly, reducing overhead, and simplifying the network environment by removing the need for interfaces with other vendors."
"Huawei switches come in small, medium, and large capacities and can be used for monitoring and switching."
"The most valuable features are the ease of configuration, availability of a GUI apart from the command line, and basic features such as VLAN configuration and routing between VLANs."
"The affordability of this solution has been most useful."
"The solution is very flexible with many different options."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches support multiple vendors. You can integrate them according to the network scenario. Their power consumption is low."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches also have effective network switching features."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches excel in compatibility with other brands, offering features to ensure seamless communication with existing protocols. This allows them to work alongside switches from different manufacturers, such as Cisco, by making adjustments on both ends for compatibility."
"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."
 

Cons

"Its cloud features could be better."
"The tool should improve its CLI."
"I would like Fortinet to make this product easier to configure."
"While Fortinet is good for school boards and mid-sized businesses, enterprise-class networks require a zero-trust solution. If you're building a zero-trust network with end-to-end security, that's where Fortinet falls behind Cisco, HPE, and Aruba."
"They could provide integration with Fortinet Authenticator."
"Renewing the annual licenses for Secure the Switch FortiSwitch can be cumbersome, especially considering the relatively high cost of Fortinet licenses."
"When discussing FortiGate, I must mention that the technical support was not up to my expectations, and there are capabilities that I think could be improved or enhanced."
"The security of the solution could be a bit better."
"Huawei has a lot of issues; it's not in sync properly. For instance, if the ONT is down, there's another problem with another ONT that is not functioning correctly. Even after configuring the siding, I cannot reach some other side, and I don't know why it's happening."
"The configuration could be improved and deployment should be easier."
"There needs to be more documentation. If they opened up a bit and shared more information and maybe allowed for YouTube videos about their products and how to work them, it would benefit the users quite a bit."
"We would like to see additional backup solutions, since we have several degrees of backup."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches should improve its user interface."
"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."
"It’s hard to get technical support."
"The licensing cost attached to the solution is atrocious, so from an improvement perspective, it should be made cheaper."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution is cheaper than Cisco but more expensive than Huawei."
"We signed up for a three-year license for support and replacement."
"The pricing for Fortinet FortiSwitch is not expensive."
"The solution is expensive but overall the cost makes sense."
"We have an annual licensing cost. There are no additional costs."
"The pricing is cheap and only a yearly licensing cost needs to be paid."
"The solution has reasonable pricing. The firewall costs around 500$ annually."
"I rate the product's pricing an eight out of ten."
"Huawei has the same licensing model as Cisco, so both are working on the subscription model."
"We only pay one-off instead of paying recurring license fees."
"Huawei provides much better performance for the same price, even when taking into account very aggressive commercial policies."
"Compared to other brands, I think that the price is quite fair."
"The solution's price is reasonable compared to other products like Cisco."
"The exact pricing varies based on how many units you purchase."
"The initial setup is straightforward."
"This is an affordable solution."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
No data available
Computer Software Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
University
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business38
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business30
Midsize Enterprise13
Large Enterprise20
 

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 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.
 

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 - Secure Access vs. Huawei Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.