Top Reasons to Consider Juniper for Your Next Switch Refresh
The network infrastructure needs of modern businesses are very different from those of the past decade. Today’s data centers need flexible fabrics that can automate setup and intelligently adjust to evolving business needs. Campus networks need to be dependable at all times and have a strong security posture to avoid new threats. Now branch access points need simplified setups that don’t compromise speed.
Vendor legacy switches are not always able to meet the demands of the next generation right out of the box. That’s why more networking engineers are updating their networks using Juniper Switches. With more than 20 years of experience in automated and secure networking, Juniper provides a strong switching collection that is tailored to the needs of the modern world.
Overview of Juniper Switches
Juniper offers switching families tailored to the needs of business access, aggregation, and core layers. Among the flagship product lines are:
EX Series:
Campus and branch access switches with Junos OS provide speed, PoE features, and simplified administration in small sizes. Models range from 8-port switches up to the EX9200 line of switches with modular chassis.
QFX Series:
Data center switches are designed for top performance across data, storage, and high-performance computing settings. Supports dense 25/100GbE connectivity and MLAG configurations.
Virtual Chassis:
Allows up to 10 interconnected switches to operate as a single, logical device with a single IP address. Simplifies network administration.
Juniper Switching Features
Juniper’s switches run the same Junos OS that powers the company’s high-end routers. This unlocks advanced features like:
Programmable Interfaces: Works with common tools like Python, Ansible, and Chef to enable workflow automation for teams.
Telemetry & Analytics: Gathers detailed information about network, application, and security issues for rapid fault isolation and smarter capacity planning.
Superior Performance: Combines dedicated ASICS, packet buffers, and engineered airflow to maintain ultra-low latency, minimal packet loss, and consistent capacity.
Strong Security: Includes protected code execution and data planes protected by decryption, access controls, and dynamic threat detection.
Benefits of Juniper Switches
By leveraging the above capabilities, Juniper switches confer advantages over legacy alternatives, including:
Lower TCO: A common operating system reduces the need for retraining and enables easy growth from access to core layers.
Increased Agility: Programmable interfaces and open APIs support customization aligned to any company structure.
Enhanced Reliability & Resilience: Key innovations like multiple power supplies, VRRP, and virtual chassis guarantee uninterrupted service.
Superior Support: Industry-leading experience-first support model backed by knowledgeable engineers available 24/7, 365 days a year.
Selecting the Right Juniper Switches for Your Needs
A key benefit of Juniper’s switching collection is the wide range of choices that fit a range of business settings and installation scenarios. However, with such a wide range of models available, it can be difficult to determine which lines of products meet your particular needs the best.
When selecting between Juniper switches, be sure to carefully evaluate:
Speed and Throughput Requirements
The EX4600 campus access switch operates at low latency and offers up to 1920 Gbps of switching capacity, more than enough for a typical branch installation. In comparison, the QFX10008 core data center switch offers up to 38.4 Tbps throughput using custom ExpressPlus silicon. Understanding throughput needs is crucial.
PoE Requirements
While some switches go one step further with 802.3bt Ultra PoE capabilities, the majority of EX Series models support 802.3at PoE+ right out of the box. If you have remote devices like wireless access points that require more than 30W per port of PoE, make sure to choose a suitable model such as the EX4650.
Data Center Needs
The QFX data center switching product line offers not only massive throughput but also key innovations like flexible MQC/MEC deployment options, MACsec, and specialized VXLAN support. The EX Series could be overkill in an ordinary campus access scenario.
High Availability Requirements
Configuring switches in a backup Virtual Chassis reduces or eliminates the impact of individual equipment outages. EX4300 and QFX Series switches support this while still operating as a single switching layer with unified management and policy.
Interconnect Requirements
Juniper switches can forward traffic transparently between each other via Virtual Chassis technology. However, layer 3 protocols may be needed when interconnecting the QFX, EX, and NFX product families, presenting a potential design consideration.
Ongoing Management Overhead
All Juniper switches run the same Junos OS code base for easier upkeep and administration via automation tools like Ansible, Python scripting, or NetOps-integrated solutions. However, the Junos functionality on smaller access switches may have less advanced capabilities in certain areas, like AppFormix telemetry streaming versus high-end data center routers.
Special Monitoring and Troubleshooting Needs
While telemetry and automation greatly simplify management, the sheer size and complexity of big data center fabrics demand maximum real-time visibility. The most advanced Junos tools, like AppFormix, are currently focused mainly on the QFX data center switching line rather than EX access points.
Conclusion
From the data center to the cloud edge, Juniper switches bring open, automated solutions purpose-built for modern connectivity demands. In combination with a support strategy that values experience, it’s clear why companies are choosing Juniper for their next upgrade cycle.
Reach out to schedule a demo and learn more about the right high-performance switching portfolio to meet your infrastructure needs. Contact us on WhatsApp at +971585811786.