Management: FortiSwitch Manager, SNMP, CLI, Web GUI
VLAN Support: 4096 VLANs
Redundancy: Redundant fans, power supply options
Curation Review
✔ Pros:High-density 1GbE ports with 10GbE uplinks for cost-effective deployments; Advanced L3 routing and VLAN segmentation for enterprise networks; Comprehensive PoE support (370W) for powering access points and IP cameras; Stackable design (up to 8 units) allows scalable centralized management; Integrated FortiOS-like features including VLAN, QoS, and basic security; Excellent compatibility with Fortinet FortiGate firewalls and management ecosystem
✘ Cons:Limited 10GbE uplink ports (only 4 SFP+) may become bottleneck in high-traffic environments; No built-in Layer 2.5+ features or EVPN/BGP for modern DC designs; Moderate price point compared to some commodity switches with similar specs; Limited PoE budget (370W) insufficient for large-scale deployment of high-power devices; Less suitable for heavily virtualized or SD-WAN edge deployments; Requires FortiSwitch Manager for advanced management features (additional complexity)
Est. Price:
$1,200 - $1,800
Compare Against
Aruba (HPE) Aruba 6400 Switch
★ 3.3 Value Score
Technical Specifications
Switching Capacity: 51.2 Tbps
Forwarding Rate: 380+ Mpps
Ports: Modular: 48x 10GbE SFP+, 4x 40GbE QSFP+ (base); expandable to 384 ports with optional line cards
PoE Budget: Up to 1440W per line card (with PoE+ modules)
Layer: L2/L3 (Core/Aggregation)
Stacking Support: Yes - Virtual Switching Extension (VSX) with MCLAG
Fabric Type: Non-blocking modular fabric
Redundancy: Dual routing engines, hot-swappable PSUs and fans
Max VLAN: 4094 VLANs
Management: Web UI, CLI, REST API
Curation Review
✔ Pros:Extremely high throughput and port density for large-scale deployments; Non-blocking modular architecture enables flexible configuration; VSX technology allows seamless active-active failover with MCLAG support; Enterprise-grade reliability with redundant components and hot-swappable modules; Rich set of L2/L3 features including VLAN, QoS, and multicast support; Excellent power efficiency for high-performance switching; Extensive port modularity allows mixing 1GbE, 10GbE, 40GbE, and 100GbE interfaces; Comprehensive network analytics and visibility via AOS
✘ Cons:Very high capital expenditure, limiting adoption in smaller organizations; Complex configuration and management compared to fixed-form switches; Requires professional installation and ongoing support; Power consumption scales with utilization, adding operational costs; Modular line cards are expensive replacements; Steep learning curve for staff unfamiliar with enterprise switching; Premium pricing compared to competing platforms like Cisco Nexus 9000