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

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 15, 2025

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
7.9
Fortinet FortiSwitch is cost-effective, efficient in network security, and ideal for growing businesses, but not large enterprises.
Sentiment score
7.5
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches offer reliability, durability, and scalability, justifying high initial costs with long-term performance benefits.
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
7.9
Fortinet FortiSwitch support is praised for knowledge and problem-solving, but response speed and direct solutions need 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.
They are knowledgeable, professional, and assist with any issues.
My local support is working fine, and I have my connection with my account manager in the public company of Fortinet.
It's a potential area for improvement, possibly in terms of response time or quality.
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.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.0
Fortinet FortiSwitch offers scalable, reliable networking for various organizations, with seamless FortiGate integration, despite occasional pricing challenges.
Sentiment score
7.4
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches offer scalability and adaptability, though some models face configuration complexities and occasional bugs.
For enterprise solutions, it's extendable easily with options for edge connectivity or stackable devices.
You just need to connect another switch or replace the current one, and it integrates well with the existing setup.
With uniform Fortinet FortiGate switches, adding or removing switches without reconfiguring individually is straightforward.
Adding another switch to an existing setup turns them into a single virtual switch.
The EX series supports scalability well, with newer series like EX4100 offering stacking of up to eight switches.
I would rate Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches a seven in terms of scalability as it could be more scalable and requires some improvement.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.7
Fortinet FortiSwitch offers reliable performance and security, receiving high ratings despite occasional setup and power issues in enterprises.
Sentiment score
8.3
Juniper EX Series Switches are consistently stable, offering robust performance and reliability, outperforming similar Cisco models in user confidence.
The tool is robust and lasts for three to four years without needing replacement.
The stability has been good overall.
I would give it a nine out of ten for stability.
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.
 

Room For Improvement

Fortinet FortiSwitch needs better pricing, support, management, security, interoperability, interface, port variety, and warranty options.
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches face challenges with pricing, usability, stability, integration, security, and require better support and documentation.
The introduction of AI integration could be valuable for detecting abnormal traffic directly on the switch.
The machine is robust and lasts for years with rare technical issues.
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.
 

Setup Cost

Fortinet FortiSwitch offers secure access with higher costs but is valued for its reliability compared to competitors.
Juniper EX Series Switches provide competitive pricing, being 20-33% cheaper, with valued affordability and attractive entry cost.
It has increased by about two hundred percent over the past three years.
The initial cost of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is high compared to other options.
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.
 

Valuable Features

Fortinet FortiSwitch offers centralized management, strong security, user-friendly administration, and seamless integration with Fortinet's security fabric for scalability.
Juniper EX Series Switches are renowned for performance, security, seamless integration, automation, scalability, and cost-effective, user-friendly design.
This centralized management saves time and ensures seamless scalability.
The powerful integration capabilities allow us to manage all devices from a single interface through the firewall.
One of the main features is the integration with FortiGate.
We are using the Juniper MX 104 L3 switches and SRX 1500 firewall since 2019, and we have not faced a single failure.
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.
They feature a separate control and forwarding plane, which enhances performance during heavy traffic and attacks.
 

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secu...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
5th
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
10th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
72
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is 4.5%, down from 5.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches is 2.9%, down from 3.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access4.5%
Juniper EX Series Ethernet Switches2.9%
Other92.6%
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.
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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
9%
Government
7%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
11%
University
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Educational Organization
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business37
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business38
Midsize Enterprise17
Large Enterprise24
 

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?
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

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: September 2025.
867,349 professionals have used our research since 2012.