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Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued) vs. FortiSwitch Secure Access Switches

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)

    Score8 out of 10
    N/ADell PowerConnect were a series of managed and unmanaged ethernet switches for data centers, discontinued by Dell. They have been superseded by the PowerSwitch line of switches, from Dell.N/A

    FortiSwitch Secure Access Switches

    Score7.2 out of 10
    N/AFortinet headquartered in Sunnyvale, California offers the FortiSwitch Secure Access line of Ethernet switches.N/A
    Pricing
    Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)FortiSwitch Secure Access Switches
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)FortiSwitch Secure Access Switches
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional DetailsFortiSwitch Secure Access Switch pricing varies based on the specific model and features
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)FortiSwitch Secure Access Switches
    Considered Both Products
    Discontinued Products
    No answer on this topic
    Fortinet
    Chose FortiSwitch Secure Access Switches
    We have previously used both Cisco 220 Series and Dell PowerConnect 8000 Series switches that were managed separately from our firewalls and access points. The Cisco and Dell switch worked fine and we never had a problem with them, but it was always a hassle to have to make …
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Delivers good value for the price
    No answers on this topic
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    Happy with the feature set
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation went as expected
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Best Alternatives
    Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)FortiSwitch Secure Access Switches
    Small Businesses
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Medium-sized Companies
    RUCKUS Ethernet Switches
    Score10 out of 10
    RUCKUS Ethernet Switches
    Score10 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Cisco Ethernet Switches
    Score9.1 out of 10
    Cisco Ethernet Switches
    Score9.1 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)FortiSwitch Secure Access Switches
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.0
    (14 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    Usability
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    9.1
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Dell PowerConnect Switches (discontinued)FortiSwitch Secure Access Switches
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Discontinued Products
    We work in the electric industry. These should not be used in a high-heat environment. We like to keep the temperature of the room in the low 60's so they are not suited for our Substation locations due to extreme heat and cold. However, they perform great in a server room.
    Incentivized
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    Fortinet
    If you've got a large network and are already using FortiGate firewalls or FortiAP access points, integrating FortiSwitch Secure Access Switches makes for one integrated solution. Previously we had Cisco switches that had to be configured and managed separately, which was always prone to error. Now that we have our entire network backbone on FortiNet devices, managing and configuring them is smoother. We are now able to see much clearer if there are any configuration issues between networking devices.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Discontinued Products
    • Reliable.
    • Excellent hardware support from Dell including 4 hour parts/replacement.
    • Excellent technical support from Dell on software, troubleshooting, and configuration.
    • More affordable than its main enterprise competitors.
    • Easy to use CLI.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortinet
    • Makes them easy to manage within one spot
    • Allows for advanced network configuration
    • Has plenty of power for all our PoE devices
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Discontinued Products
    • Precarious graphical (GUI) mode, needing to be updated for more efficient technologies such as HTML5
    • Short support time, given how much these devices support in terms of use. I have owned the devices for years, but no longer have a warranty
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortinet
    • Would be nice to have a bit different layout on the configuration page. Sometimes can be hard to find what you're looking for.
    • When disabling ports, it would be nice to have batch setting features rather than having to make changes individually.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    Discontinued Products
    The Dell PowerConnect switch is a great switch in certain use cases. It really works well when training users to set up their own vlans in a technology class. We have a lot of different scenarios happening at this company, with 8 different buildings and multiple different affiliate entities. For some of the departments, the budget is the most crucial element. That is where the Dell PowerConnect switches are a really great option.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortinet
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    Discontinued Products
    Dell ProSupport is outstanding. Dell ProDeploy is likewise outstanding. I prefer them even over traditional Cisco support. I've had repeated cases where Dell immediately addressed or fixed an issue with US-based support, including firmware hotfixes. Not even Cisco can boast that.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortinet
    No answers on this topic
    Alternatives Considered
    Discontinued Products
    I selected Dell mainly due to previous experience using them in a business environment. I've never had a unit fail on me and when my budget for equipment like network switches has been less than a training class on how to use those switches, it's incredible to be able to find quality equipment at the price point Dell offers and even more so when their enterprise support has been as excellent as I have been accustomed to dealing with. In all honesty, even if I had a larger budget, I would have bought these same switches since they were exactly what I needed to suit my needs. We looked into HPE/Aruba network switches, and while they would have performed everything we needed and more, they were almost four times the cost of these Dell network switches. That's a hard sell when it comes to planning a tight budget.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortinet
    We have previously used both Cisco 220 Series and Dell PowerConnect 8000 Series switches that were managed separately from our firewalls and access points. The Cisco and Dell switch worked fine and we never had a problem with them, but it was always a hassle to have to make configuration changes since that would have to be done via separate GUIs. Having the ability to configure and manage firewalls, switches, and wireless access points all within one central GUI saves time and headache.
    Incentivized
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    Return on Investment
    Discontinued Products
    • Reports are easily created and very useful.
    • Quick creation of different network connections.
    • Excellent and secure channels for multiple data management.
    • Great data visualization options offered by Dell PowerConnect Switches.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortinet
    • It has made management of the network much easier and less time consuming
    • We are more confident that our network traffic is being secured
    • Ability to monitor network traffic and detect potential anomalies
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots