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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
5th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
48
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Huawei Ethernet Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
13th
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 August 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is 4.6%, down from 6.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Huawei Ethernet Switches is 3.3%, up from 2.4% 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.
Muhammad Kabir Salihu - PeerSpot reviewer
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

"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 tool's setup was very easy."
"I would rate the the ease of management and scalability within our network architecture an eight out of ten, with ten being best."
"I like that everything flows back to FortiGate, which is the controller, management console, and firewall. There's one central point for the entire network, so the security, switching, wireless, etc., flows back to the FortiGate. The ease of management is what customers like. They don't need separate solutions like Cisco."
"The main benefit of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is its integration with FortiCloud, which allows me to manage all appliances in a single interface."
"It is a stable solution from the security front."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is the MAC feature."
"It is easy to set up."
"They have the ability, since they have a very big R&D team, to create an upgrade for any feature or patch very easily."
"The most valuable feature of Huawei Ethernet Switches is the power ethernet which allows you to generate hubs to 10 Gbps data on the ethernet cable."
"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."
"The solution is stable and the performance is good."
"The performance of Huawei is good, and it provides security capabilities."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches come with native ACs."
"It is a stable product. I rate it a nine out of ten...It is a scalable solution."
"Pricing-wise, Huawei is quite good."
 

Cons

"The pricing is considered high due to the currency exchange changes in our region."
"It would be easier if Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access could be managed via cloud, and this is something that could be improved in this product. Bandwidth display could also be better."
"The tool should improve its CLI."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is confusing with too many add-ons."
"I give the stability a seven out of ten because we have noticed when we hook up phones the switching of ELANs et cetera doesn't work as it should."
"The solution could provide an active VPN."
"The product must improve its prices."
"The security of the solution could be a bit better."
"Huawei Ethernet Switches have not automated its firmware."
"Connectivity is an area that needs improvement in the solution. Interconnectivity with third-party versions or Cisco Meraki should be made available to users in future releases of the solution."
"The tool's support is not good, making it an area where improvements are required."
"One of the problems with Huawei is that when you receive a product quote from one of the vendors, you cannot get prices from the other ones because they register your request with Huawei."
"The configuration is very difficult even for someone who is already familiar with the configuration process."
"The interoperability of the devices, in general, on the Huawei switches is not good and is known to be not good. Maybe they can improve this a bit."
"Huawei should focus more on security."
"The solution should make the text report more accessible."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution has reasonable pricing. The firewall costs around 500$ annually."
"The price is good."
"The product is costly for SMB customers compared to other brands available in the market."
"I rate the product's pricing an eight out of ten."
"The pricing is quite high."
"Licensing is billed annually and contracts are either one or three years in length."
"The pricing is cheap and only a yearly licensing cost needs to be paid."
"We signed up for a three-year license for support and replacement."
"Huawei comes with a lot of features out of the box that you have to pay extra for with other products. They do charge extra in the licensing for certain additional features."
"This is an affordable solution."
"A cost-effective product"
"Huawei Ethernet Switches are cheaper than other competitors."
"The price is one of the only issues I have regarding this solution."
"The price of Huawei ethernet switches is cheap."
"The initial setup is straightforward."
"The switch came as part of a package bundle that includes internet service."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Educational Organization
8%
Comms Service Provider
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 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: July 2025.
865,295 professionals have used our research since 2012.