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Aruba Switches vs Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches vs Meraki MS Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
4.1
Aruba Switches enhance network control and reliability, offering cost savings and stability with a lifetime warranty and mixed environment support.
Sentiment score
4.3
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches offer reliability, durability, and scalability, justifying high initial costs with long-term performance benefits.
Sentiment score
6.4
Meraki MS Switches offer scalability and manageability but face challenges with cloud integration and initial costs affecting returns.
Compared to other low-end switches with similar features, these are more robust and offer better scalability, which justifies the higher cost.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.4
Aruba Switches offers fast, efficient technical support but customer service and response times can vary, needing possible improvement.
Sentiment score
8.3
Juniper EX Series switches receive mixed reviews on support, praised for expertise but criticized for contact issues in certain regions.
Sentiment score
8.0
Meraki MS Switches support is praised for responsiveness but faces criticism for delays and difficulties in escalation and access.
Their tech support is good.
I find that technical support is available, especially during the warranty period.
When we talk about performances, Aruba Switches are very good and the technical support is okay as well.
I have not faced any hardware issues requiring support due to the stable nature of their products.
I find them very competent.
Local partners and local distributors cannot open direct tickets, but any level of partner with other OEMs such as Cisco can open a ticket directly, which is a connectivity advantage that Juniper lacks.
If the devices are licensed, the support team will assist you depending on the severity level of the case.
The support is excellent and rated ten out of ten.
Cisco's tech support is pretty good, and I would rate it an eight out of ten.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Aruba Switches are praised for scalability, easy integration, remote management, and flexible expansion despite minor issues in some versions.
Sentiment score
7.5
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches offer scalability and adaptability, though some models face configuration complexities and occasional bugs.
Sentiment score
7.6
Meraki MS Switches are scalable for SMBs with stackable features and cloud management, but may lack enterprise-level robustness.
The scalability offered by Aruba Switches is similar to Cisco, demonstrating options for enterprise networking.
I would rate the scalability of the product an eight out of ten.
The scalability, in my opinion, is around seven to eight out of ten.
Adding another switch to an existing setup turns them into a single virtual switch.
The Virtual Chassis provides great scalability, making it a scalable solution.
The EX series supports scalability well, with newer series like EX4100 offering stacking of up to eight switches.
They're quite scalable for my environment.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Aruba Switches offer stable, reliable performance with minimal downtime, aided by centralized management for efficient network monitoring.
Sentiment score
7.9
Juniper EX Series Switches are consistently stable, offering robust performance and reliability, outperforming similar Cisco models in user confidence.
Sentiment score
8.2
Meraki MS Switches are highly reliable with minimal disruptions, praised for efficient updates and overall stable performance.
I have sites that have been running for many years with no issues.
The stability of Aruba Switches is very good, and I would rate it between eight and nine out of ten.
Once we install Aruba Switches, we can forget about them for years and years.
They have separate control and forwarding planes, which enhance scalability and stability.
During peak time at nine, the traffic passes through the switches perfectly.
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches proves to be an equally good switch.
If something happens to the device or hardware, Cisco will automatically change the device by the next business day.
We faced issues following firmware updates, which we now handle by performing updates outside of working hours.
 

Room For Improvement

Aruba Switches need better pricing, network visibility, security, and user interface, with improved support, management, and clearer updates.
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches face challenges with pricing, usability, stability, integration, security, and require better support and documentation.
Meraki MS Switches need better pricing, reduced cloud dependency, improved features, and enhancements in scalability, security, and support.
Improving the distribution network across regions would be beneficial.
There are more centers of knowledge for Cisco than for Aruba here.
The only problem with Aruba Switches is the pricing.
One area that can be improved is the handling of power interruption, as it can cause the platform to crash.
Some integration with AI could be a good idea since I heard that Juniper already has systems to deploy AI within the EX device, but I haven't had the opportunity to try that.
With other OEMs, customers or partners can directly open tech tickets.
Meraki should also consider improvements in stacking features, particularly in the lower-end models like NS130, where stacking isn't supported, unlike with Cisco traditional switching.
There are compatibility issues with certain Power over Ethernet (PoE) devices, which we would like to see resolved.
Most people are familiar with the Cisco commands, and it would be beneficial if the switch could be accessed by GUI configuration and by normally accessing the console.
 

Setup Cost

Enterprise buyers find Aruba Switches more affordable and cost-effective than Cisco, with flexible pricing and straightforward licensing.
Juniper EX Series Switches provide competitive pricing, being 20-33% cheaper, with valued affordability and attractive entry cost.
Meraki MS Switches are costly but offer excellent support and cloud features, with discounts available for longer-term licenses.
The pricing of some products, such as the 6300M switch, is considered a significant cost.
From my experience, the pricing of Aruba Switches is competitive.
A high-end model with Aruba is about five thousand.
The switches have become more expensive than before.
It is rated high on the scale, and I would say it is definitely on the high side, confirming a rating of one, which means it is very expensive.
In terms of pricing, the Juniper EX Series is cost-effective compared to competitors like Cisco.
Meraki MS Switches, including their licensing, are somewhat expensive, particularly when compared with competitor solutions like HP.
Meraki pricing is a little premium compared to other vendor products.
Pricing is affordable, and licenses for the cloud need to be purchased every three to five years.
 

Valuable Features

Aruba Switches are appreciated for their ease of use, robust performance, seamless integration, and cost-effective cloud management capabilities.
Juniper EX Series Switches are renowned for performance, security, seamless integration, automation, scalability, and cost-effective, user-friendly design.
Meraki MS Switches provide cloud management with remote configuration, zero-touch deployment, user-friendly GUI, and Cisco integration for scalability.
One of the most valuable features of Aruba Switches is the security and cybersecurity features they have.
Scalability is significant since you can start from an economical product to a very high-end option, accommodating growth.
In the hotel sector, IGMP 3 is particularly valuable for IPTV.
We are using the Juniper MX 104 L3 switches and SRX 1500 firewall since 2019, and we have not faced a single failure.
The important thing for our use case of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches has been reliability, and there are features such as the Virtual Chassis feature, which is one of the things we use.
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 control plane is in the cloud, and the data plane is local, allowing manageability from anywhere.
One of the most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches is its precise traffic analytics capabilities, allowing us to query the system for any place at any time.
The most valuable feature is the ability to access devices from anywhere in the world through the cloud.
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Aruba Switches is 9.3%, down from 12.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches is 2.9%, down from 3.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 3.0%, down from 4.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Aruba Switches9.3%
Meraki MS Switches3.0%
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches2.9%
Other84.8%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Eunice Thirikwa - PeerSpot reviewer
Stable hotel networking enhances return on investment with valuable modular features
There are issues with the distribution side of Aruba Switches. For instance, the distributor in our country cannot sell to neighboring countries, creating complications in project execution. Improving the distribution network across regions would be beneficial. Also, the SFP modules are significantly more expensive than industry peers, which affects cost-effectiveness.
Patrick Anaku - PeerSpot reviewer
Has provided reliable performance with useful features such as virtual chassis and high port density
The important thing for our use case of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches has been reliability, and there are features such as the Virtual Chassis feature, which is one of the things we use. In our case, we use them as core switches in a network that is not very large, and their reliability and the Virtual Chassis feature work well for us. It was one of the reasons we chose it, along with the port density; we are using the 32 port and the 48 port, which work for our needs. Regarding its security features such as MACsec encryption, they are standard and cover what we want; we do not do a lot as they are just Layer 2 switches, but it has standard security features.
MajidKhan - PeerSpot reviewer
Remote access enhances troubleshooting with potential for more intuitive interface
We are working with Citrix and router, but in Cisco for Cisco vendor only. We are taking from them since 2015.  The main use case involves some small business customers needing one router, one switch, and two to three access points. It is easy to handle the devices with just a small knowledge of…
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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
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Educational Organization
7%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
University
9%
Educational Organization
6%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Educational Organization
6%
Financial Services Firm
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business50
Midsize Enterprise17
Large Enterprise21
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business39
Midsize Enterprise17
Large Enterprise24
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business51
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise23
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba Switches?
Aruba lives up to the expectations of the tech giant hewlett packard enterprise providing excellent networking capabi...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Switches?
The cost of Aruba Switches is based on the price per device. The cost depends on the model. We have 24-port switches,...
What needs improvement with Aruba Switches?
We are not using all the features as we actually have multiple vendors, and I'm not an expert technically for Aruba S...
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 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 is your primary use case for Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches?
The typical use case for Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches is that it is reliable, and the customer specifically re...
What do you like most about Meraki MS Switches?
The most valuable features of Meraki MS Switches are their reliability and simplicity.
What needs improvement with Meraki MS Switches?
From my perspective, I don't have any indication for improvement regarding Meraki MS Switches, as our usage is quite ...
 

Also Known As

8400 Series, 8320 Series, 5400R Series, 3810 Series, 2930M Series, 2930F Series, 2920 Series, 2540 Series, 2530 Series
Juniper Ethernet Switches
MS220, MS320, MS420
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Purdue University
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, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Netgear and others in Ethernet Switches. Updated: September 2025.
869,566 professionals have used our research since 2012.