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Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches vs Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches vs Meraki MS Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2024, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches is 0.7%, down from 0.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches is 3.8%, down from 4.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 4.7%, up from 3.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

OusaidAbaz - PeerSpot reviewer
Apr 25, 2024
Doesn't have many proprietary protocols but some models have stability issues
We had stability issues with Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches 6250. One issue is with licensing. When migrating from TDM to VoIP/ToIP solutions integrated on the same architecture, Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches don't have the same skill level or follow the same development path as companies like Cisco. They started integrating these solutions later, which is why there's a noticeable difference in advancement. Their main focus has been IP PBX solutions like OXO and OXE. They developed their IP environment and switches later, but not as deeply as other vendors. For example, they use Aruba access points and controllers for wireless solutions rather than developing their own portfolio. A specific challenge I've faced is with access points. Due to country code restrictions, the model sold in one region (like Europe) may not work properly in another. This affects channels and features related to the electronic environment specific to each country. To resolve this issue, I've had to reconfigure access points with the correct country code. The solution uses basic protocols. It doesn't have proprietary features like Cisco's EIGRP or advanced BGP features; it's based on standard protocols.
Elvis Mahadeo - PeerSpot reviewer
Dec 6, 2020
Well-priced with good security options, but the monitoring capability could definitely be improved
We will be doing an upgrade internally, so we are a bit undecided on whether or not we will continue using this product, or a new solution altogether. We are evaluating the price and system functionality. It's not for the average user, you have to be more technical in order to use it. There are other solutions that are better, with a GUI and easier to use. If you are comfortable with a pure command line or if you are looking for something simpler where the entire thing could look up the monitoring, support, and cost, I think there are other brands with more features. I would rate Juniper Ethernet Switches a seven out of ten.
RB
Aug 18, 2022
Reliable, easy to set up, and expand
Sometimes, when we plug the new switch into the internet, they will upgrade there and it'll take time. At times, we didn't know whether the switch was operating or not so we have to take the console and we have to do some troubleshooting. In the console, we can find out there if the Cisco Meraki switch is not connected with the Meraki cloud. The MG21 is not working on a 5G SIM card. It requires 4G SIM cards. Therefore, we are using two links, an internet broadband link and one for MG21 that is on SIM card based for small sites. We all suffer a lot of issues for MG21.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"It's easy to extend the stack, We don't use the smaller switches, but it's going well for the rest."
"OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches' best features are it's easy to deploy, manage, and maintain, with services coming through one vendor."
"This is a dependable switch which will help you sleep at night."
"The fibre ports that are 10 Gb capacity helped with the travel of a lot of regular as well as video data. Fibre can handle a lot more virtual data than copper twisted-pair, so we got a lot more data and a lot more traffic signals back through the fibre ports, faster, than with copper."
"The solution has a very good web interface. It makes it easy to manage everything."
"The new web graphical interface is much better than before. We now have easy access to the command lines. They're all functional."
"The product's initial setup phase is not complex. It is easy to install the tool."
"We are able to customize this solution based on the customer's requirements."
"Compared to Cisco, Juniper offers better stability and low prices."
"The security is good."
"The performance is very good."
"In terms of performance, Juniper switches have a more user-friendly interface and more features than Cisco products."
"I like the VLAN capabilities, and the Junos interface is easy to use."
"The solution is certainly scalable."
"The most valuable features of Juniper Ethernet Switches are the simple configuration and ruggedness."
"It is stable."
"Meraki's site-to-site VPN function is phenomenal, and the VLAN is simple to use and set up. If you need the VLAN to sort the networks out, that works very well. The performance is also excellent."
"Easy to set up, stable switches with good accessibility that makes it quicker to identify problems, find solutions, and fix problems."
"Easy access to the solution is the most valuable feature."
"I like the support, and basically, that's why I'm using Meraki by Cisco."
"The most beneficial features of Meraki MS Switches are the visibility and convenience they provide."
"The most valuable features are ease of use and configuration. It has a cloud-based configuration that makes it easy."
"I like the portal, it's really interesting."
"The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are ease of use, and we can find technical knowledge easily."
 

Cons

"I find the CLI hard to use. I wish we could do more in the GUI interface."
"There needs to be better integration with the interface."
"The product would be better if it were completely compatible with other switching products."
"I could see them possibly creating a more intuitive software. It's very user-friendly, but there are some things that aren't very intuitive when programming the switches."
"technical support response time is sometimes very slow."
"My customer's team is not able to understand the loophole with Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches, but apart from that, there are no issues."
"OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches would be improved if cloud-based technology was provided in the Gulf region."
"We had stability issues with Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches 6250. One issue is with licensing. When migrating from TDM to VoIP/ToIP solutions integrated on the same architecture, Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches don't have the same skill level or follow the same development path as companies like Cisco. They started integrating these solutions later, which is why there's a noticeable difference in advancement."
"Juniper EX Series could improve the process and ease of updating the software. It is a difficult process."
"Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches lack to offer the latest management tools."
"The management tools are limited in their abilities, and suffer from upgrade problems."
"Improvements can be made in the web user interface and web management."
"Juniper's support could be much better and faster."
"EX switches take too long to boot when we restart them for maintenance. We need to minimize downtime. Another issue is the command line interface. Juniper's commands are different from other switches, so it's hard to remember them."
"The protocols can be tunneled, but on a global basis, not on an interface, and this is a feature that should be added."
"The security features for the product should be more unified for the product regardless of the product model."
"Meraki MS Switches could improve the process of installing firmware."
"The product has no CLI."
"The pricing can be made cheaper."
"The pain point for our customers is the pricing and it should be reduced to make it more competitive."
"Its troubleshooting features need work."
"They're definitely missing some of the higher end data center Cisco features."
"One area where Meraki MS switches could improve is offering smaller switch sizes for distribution switches."
"Sometimes there's a problem with the pricing model they use. They should work to fix this."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Pricing is cheap compared to other vendors. When we benchmark the tool against Meraki, Cisco, and others, it is usually more affordable."
"The pricing is reasonable compared to Aruba and HPE."
"It is an expensive solution."
"The licensing for OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches is a one-time purchase with no additional costs."
"We had a leakage in the support process and decided to end the product's life in order to purchase a new product with support. We did not renew product support as a result."
"We don't need to pay for the solution's features."
"The pricing is very aggressive."
"There is a need to make a payment towards the perpetual licensing model offered by the product and also towards the subscription-based model for hardware replacement."
"The pricing of Juniper Ethernet Switches compared to equivalent switches from Aruba, Cisco, and others, Juniper Ethernet Switches are priced a little higher. They are approximately 20 to 50 percent higher. When we receive a new range of models, the prices can come down. The price can also vary by region."
"We only pay for support."
"It's was $100,000 per year."
"Support prices and licensing scheme need to be improved to allow some features to be purchased at lower costs, for example, RPM​."
"The pricing is overvalued in relation to the product's performance."
"The licensing is purchased on a one, three, five, and seven year basis."
"It would be better if they had a one-time purchase option instead of a subscription model."
"This is not a cheap solution."
"We have an annual subscription for licensing and it is expensive."
"When you compare it to other switches like HP, Juniper, and Ruckus, Meraki MS Switches are cheaper."
"One key challenge often encountered is the perception that strategic products like Cisco and Meraki tend to be more expensive than alternatives like Aruba."
"Meraki MS Switches is a pricey product. You have to get a license for each product annually. It would have been perfect if there were product bundles."
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Comparison Review

it_user82779 - PeerSpot reviewer
Jan 29, 2014
Benefits of Juniper vs Cisco
Both are decent products. I prefer Juniper for the following reasons: 1) Cleaner separation of data plane from control plane. Higher end Cisco devices are better at this but most of the lower end products still seem to be more integrated than I like. 2) The Hierarchical config design means I can…
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
17%
Government
10%
Comms Service Provider
8%
University
8%
Computer Software Company
17%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
6%
Computer Software Company
20%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
7%
Retailer
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches?
The new web graphical interface is much better than before. We now have easy access to the command lines. They're all...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches?
Pricing is cheap compared to other vendors. When we benchmark the tool against Meraki, Cisco, and others, it is usual...
What needs improvement with Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches?
We had stability issues with Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches 6250. One issue is with licensing. When migr...
In terms of ethernet switches, would you go with Cisco or Juniper?
Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether Cisco or Juniper Ethernet switches were the better fit for...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Juniper Ethernet Switches?
If compared to Cisco, this is a well priced solution. Compared to HP, it is a little bit overpriced. Overall, they ar...
What advice do you have for others considering Juniper Ethernet Switches?
Juniper EX model is ok for the campus network as the ex4300 is EOL in a few years and the new ex4400 is the standard....
What do you like most about Meraki MS Switches?
The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are their reliability and simplicity.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Meraki MS Switches?
The licensing for Meraki MS Switches is good and reasonably priced. While the cost is slightly higher, approximately ...
What needs improvement with Meraki MS Switches?
We prefer Meeraki to be installed only on a local network rather than in a cloud-managed network. Meraki MS Switches ...
 

Also Known As

Alcatel Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches, Alcatel-Lucent Ethernet Switches, OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches
Juniper Ethernet Switches
MS220, MS320, MS420
 

Learn More

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Bayonette, California State University (CSU), Centre Hospitalier Carcassonne, Centro Universitšrio de Brasilia (UniCEUB), China Tianchen Engineering Corporation Co. LTD, Citta Della Speranza, City of Frankfurt, City of Ogden, City of Vila Franca de Xira
BlackLotus, Staminus, Community Bank, BAS Group, Cloud Dynamics, Privalia, Fluidata, and Tesla Motors.
Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, HPE Aruba Networking, Ubiquiti Networks and others in Ethernet Switches. Updated: August 2024.
805,414 professionals have used our research since 2012.