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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
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
176
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Juniper EX Series Ethernet ...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
10th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
71
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 2.3%, down from 2.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches is 2.8%, down from 3.9% 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.
FauzanRahmanto - PeerSpot reviewer
Have achieved lower costs and gained reliability with some room for better scalability
The security capabilities of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches are comparable to other brands, so there are no additional points for Juniper regarding the security systems. I would rate the price of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches an eight out of ten. Regarding stability, I would rate Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches a nine out of ten. I would recommend Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches to other organizations because it is easy to use, the command is easy to learn, and it is very stable. I chose Juniper as my primary vendor because it is very stable, reliable, and the price is lower than competitors. I am the person who usually does the maintenance alone. In my office, my two colleagues and I are the network engineers directly responsible for the operation of the EX devices. The number of users in my organization who have access to Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches is around 17 people. Overall, I would rate Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches an eight out of ten.

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 configure."
"We use the VLANs to separate library, office, and individual apartments. With some of the reporting that receive, we're able to take and track down where people like to put in their own wireless routers. Sometimes they will take a DSL modem from AT&T that they brought from home, hook it in backward, and it will give rogue addresses causing issues."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is communication."
"It has become easier for us to troubleshoot and find issues faster in the management software for the switches. It saves us troubleshooting time because if the network is down it has a big impact on production."
"These switches are stable. They work well and are easy to use."
"The Cisco Catalyst is very stable and it can last for many years."
"The solution is durable."
"Catalyst Switches perform very well, and the network is stable."
"We have multiple cases of the customers trying to upgrade their network from Cisco, Aruba and Huawei to Juniper. They do this basically because they want to modernise their network and have an increased capacity. This shift improves their functionality because the Juniper Ethernet switches are more advanced. We provide them with assistance to configure switches, access points and Wi-Fi."
"Juniper is the best when it comes to the core layer."
"It is very valuable for SRX devices and we have found it very easy to configure."
"I like the VLAN capabilities, and the Junos interface is easy to 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 Juniper EX Series's most valuable feature is its robustness. Additionally, it is easy to use and great GUI."
"Junos OS is extremely flexible and easy to pick up."
"What I like most about this solution is that it is secure."
 

Cons

"They should be cheaper."
"In an upcoming release, adding SD-WAN capabilities would be a big advantage for our company."
"Reducing the price would be an improvement."
"The switches could be improved."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches could improve by having more integration with third-party products."
"In the future, I would like to see better security for this product."
"There could be improvements in the repeat configuration with some file integration that is currently missing."
"The management of Cisco Catalyst Switches could be improved."
"More security could be provided, especially with the rising cyber-attacks in business organizations."
"Jupiter Switches' configuration is a little difficult to understand."
"In the next release of this solution, I would like to see better integration with software-defined networking."
"Juniper's support could be much better and faster."
"Has a steep learning curve."
"Juniper Ethernet Switches' tech support is hard to reach and slow."
"Wireless and monitoring definitely could be improved."
"The configuration could be made simpler."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost could be reduced."
"The price of this solution is reasonable."
"Licensing is on a yearly basis. We usually spend up to $20,000."
"It is expensive."
"If you compare Cisco to other products, Cisco is more expensive. If you choose a 7000 series switch it will be a very pricy system. The support from Cisco is an additional service."
"The licenses are definitely expensive. There is a need to make annual payments towards the subscription or licensing costs attached to the solution."
"They are expensive."
"We are a large company and the price is reasonable because we have received a discount. However, the full price is expensive."
"For the QFX5000 Juniper switches, the price is about $10,000, but they would probably sell it for $1,000. Nobody can beat Juniper's pricing when it comes to switches. Juniper out-prices everybody, but they get you on the back end, maintenance, service port, and service contract."
"The Juniper switches are less expensive than competing brands."
"The pricing is very aggressive."
"This solution is cheaper than Cisco or HP switches."
"We only pay for support."
"Their prices are competitive and not bad. It is cheaper than Cisco. We have a yearly license."
"The product's pricing is less and almost half of Cisco's."
"You don't need to license every switch. We only chose to cover support on core/key equipment and keep a cold spare available when needed."
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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
15%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
8%
University
8%
Educational Organization
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?
For pricing satisfaction, I'd say it will be six to seven because Cisco usually is costly compared to other vendors. Regarding pricing, there is indeed room for improvement.
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?
We deal mostly with Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches products, as we are partners with Juniper products. We work with Juniper wireless. We deal with all the Juniper products and also Cisco and H...
 

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: July 2025.
864,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.