Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center 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

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
15th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
24
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Juniper EX Series Ethernet ...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
13th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
68
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is 1.8%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches is 2.8%, down from 4.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

Rias Majeed - PeerSpot reviewer
Enables easy management of traffic and enhances security
FortiSwitch Data Center allows for centralized management of both Fortinet switches and firewalls from a single interface. This integration makes network management streamlined and secure. Additionally, the controllers are built into the firewall, which enables easy management of traffic and enhances security. Unlike some solutions, a Fortinet firewall is not just a firewall; it also acts as a full-fledged router.
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

"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center's scalability is good."
"I have found the solution to be scalable."
"It integrates well."
"The product's most valuable feature is its ability to manage switches from one central point."
"What I like about the solution is that it can be accessed anywhere."
"FortiSwitch Data Center allows for centralized management of both Fortinet switches and firewalls from a single interface."
"Based on my use cases, Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center was a great product that was easy to manage and work with while being a powerful tool."
"The interface is very straightforward."
"It is a highly stable solution. Stability-wise, I rate the solution a nine to ten out of ten."
"I would rate this solution a 10 out of 10 for scalability."
"Juniper Switches' best feature is its flexibility."
"Junos OS is extremely flexible and easy to pick up."
"The security is good."
"The product is very helpful in troubleshooting."
"The scalability is excellent. It's one of the aspects of the solution that is quite good."
"The ease of management through the command line interface is very good."
 

Cons

"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center needs to improve its UI and stability."
"Enhancing security on the firewall and the switches, as well as focusing on price segment issues, would make it a better solution for the future."
"There is room for improvement in customer support and device speed. Sometimes, customer support does not provide prompt assistance, leaving projects hanging."
"When there are many switches being used, the speed declines noticeably."
"Compatibility with infrastructure from other vendors like Cisco and Sophos can be further improved."
"Does not have as many features as other solutions, such as segmentation and analytics engines."
"The tool is not easy to use."
"The solution’s pricing could be improved."
"The Virtual Chassis Fabric is kind of complicated to troubleshoot sometimes. On the MPLS side, they're good — they're fine for the pseudo-wires and stuff—but they need more work on the LAN. It is difficult to troubleshoot their LAN technologies like Virtual Chassis."
"Some areas of technical support could be better."
"They could provide better security tools."
"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."
"It would be nice to have a more available list of modules that you can get for this solution."
"Wireless and monitoring definitely could be improved."
"The price is in the intermediate range. It is not overly expensive, but also not cheap. It could stand improvement."
"Steep learning curve for newcomers."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool's pricing is lower than Cisco's."
"The solution's pricing is a little high. The solution deserves the current price it receives from its users."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center is expensive."
"The product has a mid-range price."
"We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution, which is expensive."
"Cost-wise, Fortinet solutions are cheaper than those offered by Cisco."
"The solution is not expensive."
"This solution is expensive but it does not require a license."
"The pricing is very aggressive."
"The price could be cheaper."
"Juniper costs less than the competition. As a comparison, Cisco is 33% more."
"We purchased the box for a one-time charge, and we are paying a yearly support fee of several hundred Euros."
"I rate the product price an eight on a scale of one to ten, where one is a low price, and ten is a high price."
"Relatively affordable per switch."
"There is a need to make a payment towards the perpetual licensing model offered by the product and also towards the subscription-based model for hardware replacement."
"Juniper Ethernet Switches could be less expensive. There is not a license needed to use the solution."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Ethernet Switches solutions are best for your needs.
849,686 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

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
19%
Government
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Comms Service Provider
5%
Computer Software Company
14%
Educational Organization
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
University
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center?
The Fortinet switches come with no additional cost as they are open source, with only hardware warranties applicable.
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center?
There is room for improvement in customer support and device speed. Sometimes, customer support does not provide prompt assistance, leaving projects hanging. Additionally, improving the speed of th...
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?
Throughout my experience, I've deployed Juniper EX switches in various environments, from small enterprise networks to large-scale data centers. In every instance, they have consistently delivered ...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Juniper Ethernet Switches
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
BlackLotus, Staminus, Community Bank, BAS Group, Cloud Dynamics, Privalia, Fluidata, and Tesla Motors.
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Data Center vs. Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
849,686 professionals have used our research since 2012.