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Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Juniper Contrail SD-WAN comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2024
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN
Ranking in Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions
2nd
Ranking in WAN Edge
2nd
Average Rating
8.0
Number of Reviews
90
Ranking in other categories
Network Management Applications (4th)
Juniper Contrail SD-WAN
Ranking in Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions
15th
Ranking in WAN Edge
15th
Average Rating
7.4
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Featured Reviews

Samuel Romero - PeerSpot reviewer
Feb 17, 2023
The initial setup is complex, and the price is high, but it is scalable and stable
Cisco products are rated to handle the heat and are very rugged, making them a good corporate standard. They are slightly more expensive than some other products but are still an affordable corporate-grade solution. We have had some issues with the ISO versions of the SD-WAN, but the FlexVPN solution has since resolved them. Cisco SD-WAN is a good, solid product, but requires a certain skill set to use. We cannot simply switch from Peplink to Cisco as the two are different. The upgrade to iOS 11 has fixed any issues we had with the product, and it has been reliable for the past four years.
RF
May 30, 2023
A scalable solution that is easy to configure
Juniper Contrail SD-WAN has very similar things to Silver Peak, which we were interested in, but when we analyzed it, we realized that we were pretty much getting similar features under Mist. However, the demo by Juniper Contrail SD-WAN was very promising and better than Meraki. Speaking in more detail about the performance of the circuit, Meraki can give a view of what's happening. But with Juniper, if you want, you can focus more on the user experience, especially considering that we have a lot of people working remotely. The solution is more specific about what's happening since it explains where the problem may lie and points out areas where there is a problem. So, we like that it provides more visibility. In general, that would summarize it.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution provides good consolidation, centralization, and manageability for edge routers."
"It's a complete solution with many security features."
"It is very simple and easy to manage, compared to other methods."
"The best feature of this technology that is available to us is the ability to do better load-balancing."
"If one of your ISPs goes down or has latency in your environment, Cisco SD-WAN will detect the issue and explain why the ISP is down."
"From my observations, Cisco has been rolling out new features every other day, so I would say their speed of innovation is one of the most valuable aspects for me."
"Using SD-WAN to combine services can result in better up time, higher speeds, and much lower costs."
"It is really easy to deploy and use. It is also easy to use for failovers and designing solutions. The rollout is really quick. It is easy to adjust and roll out."
"My customers use the solution to have better control and knowledge about the applications inside ONE Access. It also helps them cut costs by reducing MPLs and using better internet access from FTTH."
"The support is very good from Juniper and from the local distributors."
"It gives you that level of visibility to understand what's going on between layer four and layer seven."
"I've worked with several SD-WAN solutions over the past few years, and the product felt more like an automated provisioning tool. Unlike solutions from Palo Alto or other SD-WANs orchestrated by a SaaS solution, Juniper Contrail SD-WAN already had the files and built their SaaS to orchestrate the configuration. Initially, you didn't do much, but then it started adding some routing capabilities."
"It supports desktop management, network management, and SD-WAN policies."
"The solution is more specific about what's happening since it explains where the problem may lie and points out areas where there is a problem. So, we like that it provides more visibility."
 

Cons

"The initial setup could be a bit less complex."
"Customers require features that are secure for endpoints, on-premises, and for the cloud."
"It should also be much more affordable for a larger number of customers."
"The solution could be a bit cheaper."
"This solution could be improved with a simpler implementation process and licensing model."
"The process of onboarding the vSmart, vBond, and vManage should be improved to make it easier to manage in general."
"The tool is very expensive."
"It is expensive."
"Implementing new branches or changing existing ones in Juniper Contrail SD-WAN wasn't as straightforward as with other solutions like Meraki SD-WAN, which is almost plug-and-play with its zero-touch provisioning. In Juniper Contrail SD-WAN, it was more challenging."
"The only issue was the switch we got, which was a little problematic because it was PoC equipment, and we had a little problem with that."
"Areas for improvement in the Juniper Contrail SD-WAN solution include the on-premises deployment process."
"The training could be better. When it comes to the demo dashboard capability, I feel like it could be much easier for our customers to use. Our last customer complained about this."
"The solution installs similarly to competitors. It is not more difficult or easier. However, it could be easier and take less time for the installation."
"The solution is expensive. Its support can be better."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is a monthly subscription to use this solution."
"SD-WAN as a service is probably something in the neighborhood of $100 to $200 a month per location."
"It is much cheaper than other solutions. Most of our clients are the top 500 companies, and they all have a corporate contract."
"You have to pay between 3000 and 10,000 euros, or something in that range. The core switches Nexus cost me between 10,000 and 20,000 euros."
"The initial cost is quite significant, but the investment is worthwhile."
"The pricing for Cisco SD-WAN is more expensive than other brands or solutions, such as Fortinet and Palo Alto Networks, so it's one out of ten."
"The pricing of this solution is very expensive."
"Cisco is more expensive than FortiGate."
"The cost of the solution is a little expensive. The hardware is a one-time purchase fee and the software is purchased on an annual basis. There are additional costs for other software features that are available which are on an annual basis, such as extra capacity."
"They are neither very expensive nor cheap. So, we can consider its pricing somewhere in the middle."
"The licensing structure is very flexible."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
40%
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Manufacturing Company
5%
Educational Organization
32%
Computer Software Company
14%
Government
8%
Manufacturing Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco SD-WAN?
When considering the most valuable features of Cisco SD-WAN, the decoupling of self-monitoring stands out significantly.
What needs improvement with Cisco SD-WAN?
Customers collaborate with ISPs and currently work with three ISPs, using options like LSM VPN and MPLS VPN to reduce line costs. They are considering moving from their current setup to an MPLS VPN...
What do you like most about Juniper Contrail SD-WAN?
I've worked with several SD-WAN solutions over the past few years, and the product felt more like an automated provisioning tool. Unlike solutions from Palo Alto or other SD-WANs orchestrated by a ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Juniper Contrail SD-WAN?
My advice regarding setup costs, pricing, and licensing for Juniper Contrail SD-WAN would be to carefully evaluate and position the solution in line with competitive offerings, especially consideri...
What needs improvement with Juniper Contrail SD-WAN?
Implementing new branches or changing existing ones in Juniper Contrail SD-WAN wasn't as straightforward as with other solutions like Meraki SD-WAN, which is almost plug-and-play with its zero-touc...
 

Also Known As

Cisco SD-WAN
Contrail SD-WAN
 

Learn More

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Doyle Research, Ashton Metzler & Associates
Allied Pinnacle
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs. Juniper Contrail SD-WAN and other solutions. Updated: September 2024.
801,394 professionals have used our research since 2012.