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 for small and medium-sized organizations. It increases the network access speed, improving productivity. We use this solution to achieve access-level connectivity for desktops and phones. It is easy to use, and you can connect the access point to the switches via their POE.
What we like about FortiSwitch is that when it finds compromised devices, it can isolate them. It connects perfectly with FortiGate and gives complete visibility of knowing which device is connected and at what access point. The solution is also very stable.
That being said, FortiSwitch has room for improvement. The management (via the FortiGate firewall platform) is kind of cumbersome, and it stalls when trying to get the smaller switches. Their support, though, is great if you call or send an email.
Cisco offers extremely fast network transfers. So if you need to focus on speed, Cisco is a great choice. It is scalable, and the best features are probably the stability and the POE switches.
When we were evaluating Cisco ethernet switches, we found several advantages. The command-line interface is straightforward and intuitive. The hardware quality is very high, and they offer updates very often. It also provides LAN capabilities. It is a good switch and does the basic job.
Cisco has downsides, though, and the main one is the price. It was too high for us. Additionally, it doesn’t offer customization of the graphic user interface. Finally, it is quite hard to install and configure if you are not familiar with Cisco products.
Conclusions
Cisco is an excellent solution for medium-sized organizations and up. For us, the price and usability of FortiSwitch were better suited.
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
Cisco Ethernet Switches and Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access compete in the networking equipment category. Cisco Ethernet Switches stand out for performance and flexibility, while Fortinet FortiSwitch excels in security integration and management with FortiGate.Features: Cisco Ethernet Switches include a power-saving architecture, advanced QoS, and multi-layer switching for versatility and performance. Fortinet FortiSwitch integrates seamlessly with FortiGate for enhanced security,...
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 for small and medium-sized organizations. It increases the network access speed, improving productivity. We use this solution to achieve access-level connectivity for desktops and phones. It is easy to use, and you can connect the access point to the switches via their POE.
What we like about FortiSwitch is that when it finds compromised devices, it can isolate them. It connects perfectly with FortiGate and gives complete visibility of knowing which device is connected and at what access point. The solution is also very stable.
That being said, FortiSwitch has room for improvement. The management (via the FortiGate firewall platform) is kind of cumbersome, and it stalls when trying to get the smaller switches. Their support, though, is great if you call or send an email.
Cisco offers extremely fast network transfers. So if you need to focus on speed, Cisco is a great choice. It is scalable, and the best features are probably the stability and the POE switches.
When we were evaluating Cisco ethernet switches, we found several advantages. The command-line interface is straightforward and intuitive. The hardware quality is very high, and they offer updates very often. It also provides LAN capabilities. It is a good switch and does the basic job.
Cisco has downsides, though, and the main one is the price. It was too high for us. Additionally, it doesn’t offer customization of the graphic user interface. Finally, it is quite hard to install and configure if you are not familiar with Cisco products.
Conclusions
Cisco is an excellent solution for medium-sized organizations and up. For us, the price and usability of FortiSwitch were better suited.