Juniper Contrail SD-WAN Reviews

Name: Juniper Contrail SD-WAN
Brand: Juniper
Rating: 3.7 (6 reviews)

3.7 out of 5

6 reviews
83% willing to recommend

What is Juniper Contrail SD-WAN?

Contrail SD-WAN delivers a simple, automated multicloud SD-WAN. It enables you to create an evolvable architecture to simplify growth, from secure routers to SD-WAN, SD-Branch, and beyond. It automates the WAN edge across Juniper virtual cloud endpoints and on-premises next-generation firewall or universal CPE platforms. And it provisions and enforces multilevel security policy at scale, across multiple clouds and enterprise sites with diverse topologies.

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Juniper Contrail SD-WAN is the #14 ranked solution in SD-WAN tools and top WAN Edge solutions. PeerSpot users give Juniper Contrail SD-WAN an average rating of 7.4 out of 10. Based on the analysis of the 6 most recent Juniper Contrail SD-WAN reviews, the overall sentiment is positive, with a sentiment score of 6.0. (Among the lowest in the category). Juniper Contrail SD-WAN is most commonly compared to Fortinet FortiGate: Juniper Contrail SD-WAN vs Fortinet FortiGate. Juniper Contrail SD-WAN is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 43% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a educational organization, accounting for 33% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

Juniper Contrail SD-WAN

November 2024

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Featured reviews

Luis Corrochano

Presales Manager and Co-founder at Kaizen Networks

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 solution is expensive. Its support can be better. The tool is stable. The solution is more…

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RodrigoFlores

Network Infrastructure Lead (ITS1) at a government with 10,001+ employees

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.

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Ivan Sandano

Solution Architect at Posteo

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. The automation features do help with network operations. Manually configuring SD-WAN is complicated, so the automation simplifies that. However, the initial SD-WAN solution had many limitations, particularly regarding its features. At some point, the tool began looking for other solutions and bought the 128T, which led to implementing a different SD-WAN approach. It also acquired another company for its session smart router, and then it began to develop the exact SD-WAN solution on the Mist Cloud.

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Juniper Contrail SD-WAN mindshare

Product category:

As of November 2024, the mindshare of Juniper Contrail SD-WAN in the Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions category stands at 1.0%, down from 1.6% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions

Key learnings from peers

Last updated Nov 21, 2024

Valuable Features

Users highlight Juniper Contrail SD-WAN's scalability, simplified management, robust security, seamless integration with cloud environments, and centralized control as key features. They appreciate the automated provisioning and advanced analytics capabilities, which enhance network performance and reduce operational costs.

"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."
"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."

Room for Improvement

Training and demo dashboard usability need enhancement. Customers find on-premises deployment and integration with Mist cloud service challenging. There's a need for improved marketing and awareness. Expensive costs and support require improvements. Switches used in PoC can pose issues. Adding new branches or making changes isn't straightforward, unlike Meraki SD-WAN. Orchestrator's handling of processes is problematic, leading to potential configuration resets. A next-generation firewall feature similar to Fortinet's offering is missing.

"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."
"Areas for improvement in the Juniper Contrail SD-WAN solution include the on-premises deployment process."
"The solution is expensive. Its support can be better."

ROI

Users cite Juniper Contrail SD-WAN's effectiveness in reducing operational costs, enhancing network performance, and simplifying management processes. They note significant improvements in scalability and flexibility, driving better user satisfaction. Users appreciate the robust security features that protect their environments. They frequently mention cost savings and increased efficiency, contributing to a quicker return on investment. Users also highlight how easy deployment and maintenance lead to reduced downtime and improved productivity.

Pricing

The licensing structure of Juniper Contrail SD-WAN is very flexible, accommodating various IT infrastructures. It involves a one-time hardware purchase fee and annual software fees, with additional costs for extra features. Users find it provides excellent ROI due to lower operational costs and longer product lifetimes compared to competitors. Pricing is considered mid-range, comparable to vendors like Meraki or Aruba. Some customers prefer Juniper over more expensive alternatives like Fortinet, particularly larger enterprises.

"They are neither very expensive nor cheap. So, we can consider its pricing somewhere in the middle."
"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."
"The licensing structure is very flexible."

Popular Use Cases

Organizations deploy Juniper Contrail SD-WAN to convert hardwired, on-premise networks into software-defined wide area networks, providing flexibility to adjust the network. It centralizes orchestration across branches, enables better application control, and cuts costs by reducing MPLs and using improved internet access. Customers leverage it to configure components across various stores and manage SQL solutions, increasing operational efficiency.

Service and Support

Customer service and support for Juniper Contrail SD-WAN receive high marks. Clients report that support from Juniper and local partners is very good. While some users haven't had direct contact with support yet, others commend the responsiveness when live support is needed and rate it a nine out of ten. The technical support services are consistently described as good.

Deployment

Users found Juniper Contrail SD-WAN's initial setup to be straightforward but noted potential variability in time required, taking about 30 to 60 days based on project scope. Some encountered issues with specific equipment needing firmware upgrades but found configuration manageable. However, proficiency in the technology is necessary, with some finding solutions like Fortinet more intuitive. Experience deploying both on cloud and on-premises was positive, though on-premises setups faced more complexity, particularly with the hub component.

Scalability

Juniper Contrail SD-WAN is highly scalable for large enterprises. It offers hardware and software options for scalability, allowing it to manage many branches. Designed for service providers, it emphasizes scalability and availability. Though very scalable, it previously had issues with feature sets and security scaling. It remains more scalable than other tools not reliant on VPN integration.

Stability

Juniper Contrail SD-WAN is described as very stable, with some noting it can run for years without requiring resets, unlike Cisco. Although some users have only used it for a short period and cannot fully confirm long-term reliability, others rate its stability highly at nine. Previous long-term experience with Meraki led them to believe in the potential for stability, and so far, they observe no failures with Juniper Contrail SD-WAN.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

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