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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 9, 2025

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 - Secu...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
48
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 - Secure Access is 5.0%, down from 5.9% 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

Uri Harf - PeerSpot reviewer
Integration with cloud management simplifies network expansion
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is expensive, and this initial cost can be a barrier, especially for new businesses setting up from scratch. Although the machine is robust and lasts for years with rare technical issues, the initial price can be high. Sometimes, I have to offer alternatives like Aruba or HP, which might be cheaper.
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

"The solution is very simple, and it's very easily available."
"The most valuable feature is the security switch."
"The software is very stable."
"I rate Fortinet support 10 out of 10. Their support is excellent and inexpensive. They respond immediately."
"It is a stable solution from the security front."
"The technical support has been very good."
"The powerful integration capabilities allow us to manage all devices from a single interface through the firewall."
"Having a single dashboard to manage everything simplifies the process."
"High-performance and reliable, easy to manage and configure, advanced security features, scalable and flexible and rock-solid uptime and availability."
"One of the most valuable features of Juniper Ethernet Switches is they are rugged."
"The Virtual Chassis, because you have a centralized administration of a set of switches which makes the operation more efficient.​"
"This solution is impeccable."
"Juniper Ethernet Switches' best features are the high packer sorting and throughput, good uplink port capacity, and virtual setup."
"The setup phase was straightforward."
"The solution is stable and scalable."
"Juniper is the best when it comes to the core layer."
 

Cons

"The solution could provide an active VPN."
"The introduction of AI integration could be valuable for detecting abnormal traffic directly on the switch."
"The solution has SD-WAN but it doesn't have SDN. This should be added."
"FortiSwitch requires periodic firmware updates. It can be a little difficult because the switches aren't connected to the internet, so you cannot upgrade the firmware remotely. You need to go to the site and do it manually because it's a closed network."
"I don't like the way it's managed."
"The scalability and technical support can be improved."
"I give the stability a seven out of ten because we have noticed when we hook up phones the switching of ELANs et cetera doesn't work as it should."
"I would like Fortinet to make this product easier to configure."
"Juniper should improve the support services provided to users, as it is one of its areas with certain shortcomings."
"You need to make a few local configurations to work with the solution. We have faced issues with the tool's stability."
"The operating system could be better."
"The protocols can be tunneled, but on a global basis, not on an interface, and this is a feature that should be added."
"Juniper Ethernet Switches' tech support is hard to reach and slow."
"The only issue that we have with Juniper Ethernet Switches is the firmware because it is not stable."
"Juniper should consider reducing its pricing. The Mist licenses are quite expensive and should be more affordable."
"We would like it if there was more security added in future releases."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is cheap and only a yearly licensing cost needs to be paid."
"I rate the product's pricing an eight out of ten."
"The solution is expensive but overall the cost makes sense."
"The tool's pricing is fine."
"You can buy this equipment in a multitude of ways. You can buy just the hardware, or you can buy the hardware and the licenses."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch is a pricey solution."
"The product is costly for SMB customers compared to other brands available in the market."
"The cost appears to be high in comparison to other competing products although with this product you are paying for what you get."
"The product's pricing is less and almost half of Cisco's."
"The pricing is very aggressive."
"We only pay for support."
"Juniper costs less than the competition. As a comparison, Cisco is 33% more."
"It's was $100,000 per year."
"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."
"Juniper Ethernet Switches are a less expensive solution than Cisco Ethernet Switches. There is only a one-time purchase for Juniper Ethernet Switches."
"You require the Junos Management Platform in order to manage the switches and you need to purchase the Juniper Ethernet Switches."
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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
14%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
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

Which would you choose - Fortinet Fortiswitch secure access or Cisco Ethernet Switches?
We researched Cisco but ultimately chose Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access, mostly because of the price. Fortinet FortiSwitch is an ethernet switch solution that provides security and performance...
What do you like most about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
With FortiSwitch, you can easily identify who is connected to each port, disable ports as needed, and retrieve configurations from FortiGate when required.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
The initial cost of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is high compared to other options. Although robust and rarely needs replacement, it can be overqualified for some jobs, which affects the re...
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 - Secure Access vs. Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
849,686 professionals have used our research since 2012.