Procurement is no longer a neutral technology checklist. Enterprises don’t just write “a firewall” or “a new WLAN” into their RFPs anymore. Increasingly, they name the vendors they trust—and that is shifting the balance of power in the market.
Cisco remains the anchor in the campus space. According to the latest IDC data, the company still holds nearly 35% market share in switching, well ahead of its competitors. For many decision-makers, Cisco is simply the benchmark against which everyone else is measured. “Our operations team knows the tools, the platform is proven, and the roadmap is predictable—that gives us confidence,” says the IT head of a German industrial firm. Still, integrators sense that customers are no longer blindly defaulting to Cisco: HPE Aruba is gaining traction with strong NAC integration and simplified licensing, while Extreme Networks has carved out ground in the midmarket with its fabric-driven designs.
In security, the picture has shifted more dramatically over the past two years. Fortinet and Palo Alto Networks have become the go-to choices for many customers, dominating RFPs in Germany and across Europe. IDC puts both at roughly 19% market share, with Cisco trailing just above 10%. It’s common to see requirements stated as “FortiGate or Palo Alto PA-Series”—a clear sign of preference. Fortinet appeals with aggressive bundle pricing and a broad portfolio, while Palo Alto retains strong perception as a premium vendor with advanced threat intelligence.
Different industries emphasize different priorities. In manufacturing, stability in campus networks and segmented OT environments keep Cisco in the lead, while Aruba continues to grow and Extreme offers leaner options. In the public sector, compliance has become the defining theme since the rollout of NIS2: auditability and provable access control keep Cisco (ISE), Aruba (ClearPass), and Fortinet on the shortlist. Healthcare providers demand reliability for clinical devices—often Cisco or Aruba in the LAN—and tend to choose Palo Alto or Fortinet for perimeter security. In retail, cost pressure and simplicity dominate: Fortinet wins on “all-in-one” solutions, while Palo Alto convinces chains with cloud-delivered security and consistent policy enforcement.
As one network services manager in the healthcare sector put it: “We don’t want five consoles and point solutions anymore. Our requirement is one vendor, one contract, clean integrations—and compliance at the push of a button.”
Two current cases illustrate how this plays out:
A European manufacturer with 5,000 employees tied its 2025 WLAN upgrade directly to NAC modernization—and chose Aruba for campus networking, paired with Fortinet for security.
A DACH healthcare group with 20 clinics, on the other hand, stuck with Cisco for LAN/WLAN but shifted its remote access and internet security layers to Palo Alto to streamline audits and unify policy management.
Five demand drivers stand out as the most decisive:
Ongoing network refresh cycles that inevitably force vendor choices.
Zero-trust and compliance mandates that favor platforms with strong identity logic.
SASE-driven consolidation, as boards demand fewer vendors and less complexity.
Opex-first cost models, with customers preferring subscription over capital spending.
Operational transparency, with APIs and reporting capabilities designed for auditors and insurers.
The picture is clear: Cisco remains the standard for stability and reliability. Aruba has emerged as a strong challenger with easier access, and Extreme is making targeted gains in the midmarket. In security, Fortinet and Palo Alto are setting the pace. The message from customers has never been clearer: they want less complexity, clearer accountability, and solutions that deliver not only technology but also trust—toward regulators, boards, and their own operations teams.
