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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Juniper QFX Series Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 10, 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
Ranking in Data Center Networking
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
175
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Juniper QFX Series Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
19th
Ranking in Data Center Networking
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
7
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Catalyst Switches is 2.0%, down from 2.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper QFX Series Switches is 0.2%, up from 0.0% 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.
RafaelTorres - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers automation capabilities and good customer support
Juniper QFX Series Switches offer several features that contribute to improved efficiency. One key advantage is the automation capabilities. This allows us to automate network configuration and management tasks using scripting languages. In our case, at the bank, we use a script for automation to confirm the switch's scalability in the local data center. We expanded the environment to utilize the environment feature with AWS, creating connections between both data centers. This setup allowed us to extend our operations to another data center in Latin America, using AWS and Juniper together.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"In terms of technology, Cisco is the leader in everything. I'd rather buy a second-hand Cisco switch than a brand new switch from a competitor. They're that reliable and resilient."
"It is very reliable."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches are very stable."
"The solution is good for computation and backup."
"The solution is extremely flexible."
"The solution is stable."
"The pricing is quite good."
"Their technical support is very good. They know what to do and if they don't know what to do, they give me the person who does know."
"Support is good and customer-friendly"
"It's a stable solution."
"EVPN-VXLAN feature offers the most benefits."
"It's really easy to replicate rules. It's the one that I've used; it was CLI-based. You can implement a large set of rules with CLI. You can just copy a script and add additional changes to the source and destination on the part. And so it's easy to do large zone-based rules."
"The QFX series is a good choice for large data centers, particularly for Spine-Leaf architectures."
"Juniper QFX Series Switches provide a good platform for all of our hardware and are easy to use."
"The most valuable features are the VxLAN and the EVPN."
 

Cons

"The price could be better. For Cisco, there is no need for improvement except for the price. It's expensive."
"There's a ban on my country and therefore I can't get Cisco support if I need it. It's not allowed."
"It is kind of expensive."
"The biggest issue we are having is with bugs and memory loss, which occurs when developing the IOS."
"The configuration options on the Cisco Commerce website could be more efficient."
"There are multiple operating systems across Cisco's portfolio, which is problematic."
"It should have better security and the prices can always be lower. The cheaper the price, the better but if the quality is good, it's worth it. They also have to improve the firewalling."
"The product's high price is an area of concern where improvements are required."
"There have been some issues sometimes. When you upgrade the device, it doesn't come up. It gets stuck."
"The price could be cheaper."
"There is room for improvement in the pricing model. It is too high."
"It is very costly."
"I faced issues with the deployment and upgrade. In the QFX5110 series, features like ISSU and DSSQ should be improved. Upgrades should be smoother."
"Integrating QFX switches was the first point of challenge."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I don't see any price issue with Cisco. Whenever you buy a quality product, you always have a mindset of paying the premium amount. For any good product, you pay a premium amount, but that also means you are going to recover that premium over a period of time in terms of performance."
"We pay the licensing fees annually because we have an enterprise license agreement."
"These switches are expensive."
"It's overpriced and should be cheaper."
"The price of the solution is expensive compared to other products from America or Europe. They should have more competitive pricing."
"I would say that the pricing of the solution falls within the moderate to higher range."
"​The price should go down instead of up. ​"
"The pricing is on the high end."
"The solution is cheap, especially compared to competitors like Cisco."
"The price of Juniper QFX Series Switches is expensive because we are running some enterprise hardware. However, they are less expensive than Cisco or HPE hardware."
"The cost is expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
64%
Computer Software Company
6%
Manufacturing Company
3%
Financial Services Firm
3%
Computer Software Company
23%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

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.
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
No data available
 

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
Linode, VPRO, West Chester University
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Catalyst Switches vs. Juniper QFX Series Switches and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
849,686 professionals have used our research since 2012.