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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Catalyst Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
7th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
175
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Juniper EX Series Ethernet ...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
14th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
67
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 1.6%, down from 3.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches is 2.8%, down from 4.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Joshua Odunsi - PeerSpot reviewer
Ensures efficient performance and supports network growth with optimal speed
Catalyst Switches are efficient and swift, which is valuable for my organization. I experience optimal speed and effective configuration, making them stand out compared to other switches. The PoE switches offer more ports on SFP, and it is efficient in use. Overall, the switches provide me with the value I expect in terms of speed and efficiency.
PRADIPJOSHI - PeerSpot reviewer
Virtual chassis technology enhances connectivity and simplifies management
Juniper EX series switches offer great technology, particularly their Virtual Chassis technology, which is an excellent feature for stacking switches and functions like a single virtual switch. The EX series provides a separation of control, management, and data planes, reducing the attack surface area, ensuring a lesser extent of vulnerability. The PoE budget is commendable, and they manage connectivity effectively.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We find the product very easy to use."
"The most valuable features include the redundancy one and the spanning tree."
"The PoE capability of Catalyst Switches is great for using WAPs and other PoE equipment, such as security cameras."
"The installation process is very straightforward."
"Perpetual POE is a valuable feature, because when the switch reboots, access points do not."
"Catalyst switches are easy to use and simple to work with."
"We heavily use the SmartPort features. It has really helped us. The U.S. policies are handled by the auto SmartPort feature"
"These switches are flexible and user-friendly."
"I like the simplicity of it."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is the Junos operating system."
"Juniper switches are very good with MPLS."
"The campus switches and access switches are the most valuable and simple to deploy for Virtual Chassis."
"The tool's most valuable feature is stability."
"The solution is certainly scalable."
"The solution is stable and scalable."
"It is stable."
 

Cons

"The price is something we would definitely like improved. It would be nice if it was more economical."
"The tool is not user-friendly."
"The stability must be improved."
"Installing and configuring these switches requires the proper training."
"I would like to see the integration of the 2960 SX switched."
"The product could be more user-friendly."
"They should also have a graphic interface for the switches too without the command line."
"The addition of more security and privilege levels to Cisco Catalyst Switches is required as it is one of the areas with certain shortcomings."
"Support could be improved."
"You need to make a few local configurations to work with the solution. We have faced issues with the tool's stability."
"The stability of this solution should be improved."
"The protocols can be tunneled, but on a global basis, not on an interface, and this is a feature that should be added."
"Juniper Ethernet Switches would be improved by upgrading the uplink port in EX2300 categories service from 10G to 25G."
"The difficulty of the installation of Juniper Ethernet Switches depends on the environment it is being implemented in. It is fairly straightforward in terms of being able to source the technical information as we need it. However, this process could improve."
"Juniper should consider reducing its pricing. The Mist licenses are quite expensive and should be more affordable."
"We need to start seeing some kind of AI to assist with some of what we really want to accomplish from a policy standpoint to achieve better efficiency."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is quite expensive."
"There is no licensing fee. All of the features are available on the switch from day one."
"The solution provides a good balance between the features and the cost structure"
"The cost of this solution could be less expensive, and we are on an annual license."
"It is very pricey. You have to pay for support."
"There are no licensing fees required."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is a very expensive solution."
"This is expensive, even when compared to competitors' products."
"The product's pricing is less and almost half of Cisco's."
"You require the Junos Management Platform in order to manage the switches and you need to purchase the Juniper Ethernet Switches."
"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."
"Juniper Ethernet Switches could be less expensive. There is not a license needed to use the solution."
"The solution's pricing is cheaper than that of Cisco."
"We purchased the box for a one-time charge, and we are paying a yearly support fee of several hundred Euros."
"It is an inexpensive product."
"The pricing is very aggressive."
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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
Educational Organization
67%
Computer Software Company
6%
Government
3%
Manufacturing Company
3%
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Educational Organization
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

Would you recommend replacing a Cisco Catalyst Switch by a D-link one?
Hello Mesfin It depends on the real scenario, the cisco 2960 is a very good device and they usually have routing functions but there are many different models within the same 2960 line, and on the ...
What do you like most about Cisco Catalyst Switches?
We are a vendor for the healthcare sector, especially hospitals, and normally, we use a full Cisco solution for stability, especially for the stability of the Access Points and the security of swit...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Catalyst Switches?
Although Juniper is cheaper, Cisco provides unique features that justify their pricing.
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 us. We decided to go with Juniper. Juniper ethernet switches are a lesser-known...
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. Now for the QFX model, 5k/10k in CRB mode IP fabric Ethernet switching is horri...
What is your primary use case for Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches?
I use the solution in my company for our customers in the retail and financial companies. We are using the switches in data center operations for our customer environment. We are using Juniper for ...
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
Juniper Ethernet Switches
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Afni, Anilana Hotels and Resorts, Baylor Scott & White Health, Beachbody, Bellevue, Del Papa Distributing, Explorer Pipeline, Mindtree, Omaha World Herald, Radio 538, Sony Corporation, Telecom Italia, Telenor Arena
BlackLotus, Staminus, Community Bank, BAS Group, Cloud Dynamics, Privalia, Fluidata, and Tesla Motors.
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
841,152 professionals have used our research since 2012.