JUNIPER EX SERIES SWITCH
Overview
High-performance businesses understand the importance of high-performance networks. The EX-series Ethernet switches from Juniper Networks deliver such a solution, offering an innovative alternative to the cost and complexity of maintaining legacy switched networks.
Designed specifically for high-performance businesses, the EX-series Ethernet switches allow companies to grow their networks at their own pace, minimizing large up-front investments. The EX-series switches provide the carrier-class reliability, security risk management, virtualization, application control and lower total cost of ownership (TCO) that businesses need today while allowing them to scale in an economically sensible way for years to come.
Features
The Juniper Networks EX 3200, EX 4200, and EX 8200 series Ethernet switches advance the economics of networking with five key areas of innovation that, working together, deliver a truly high-performance solution.
- Carrier-Class Reliability: Juniper Networks EX-series Ethernet switches leverage the same field-tested Juniper technology—including high-performance ASICs, a carrier-class system architecture and JUNOS™ software—that powers the world's largest service provider networks. The result is a robust, proven and highly reliable network infrastructure.
- Security Risk Management: Juniper EX-series Ethernet switches tightly integrate with the Juniper Unified Access Control (UAC) solution to deliver granular access control and usage policy based on user identity, device and location.
- Virtualization: The EX 4200 series switches feature Juniper Virtual Chassis™ technology, which enables up to 10 EX 4200 switches to be interconnected and operate as a single, logical system. With Virtual Chassis technology, users get the reliability, performance, manageability and high-port densities of traditional chassis-based systems in a cost-effective, compact form factor.
- Application Control: To ensure application traffic is properly prioritized, the entire EX-series Ethernet switches support eight QoS queues per port—more than enough to establish separate queues for control plane, voice, video and multiple levels of data traffic, with room to converge other networks such as building automation and security cameras.
- Lower TCO: The high-performance, high-density EX-series lets users start small and grow incrementally. Leveraging a common version of the JUNOS software across Juniper routers and switches ensures consistency throughout the infrastructure and accelerates the learning curve. Unified management tools consolidate system monitoring and maintenance, saving time and money.
EX 3200 Specs
SKU
|
Access Port Configuration
|
PoE Ports
|
Height
|
System Power (with PoE)
|
EX 3200-24T
|
24-port 10/100/1000BASE-T
|
8
|
1RU
|
190 W AC (320 W AC)
|
EX 3200-24P
|
24-port 10/100/1000BASE-T
|
24
|
1RU
|
190 W AC (600 W AC)
|
EX 3200-48T
|
48-port 10/100/1000BASE-T
|
8
|
1RU
|
190 W AC (320 W AC)
|
EX 3200-48P
|
48-port 10/100/1000BASE-T
|
48
|
1RU
|
190 W AC (900 W AC)
|
EX 4200 Specs
SKU
|
Access Port Configuration
|
PoE Ports
|
Height
|
System Power (with PoE)
|
EX 4200-24T
|
24-port 10/100/1000BASE-T
|
8
|
1RU
|
190 W AC (320 W AC)
|
EX 4200-24P
|
24-port 10/100/1000BASE-T
|
24
|
1RU
|
190 W AC (600 W AC)
|
EX 4200-48T
|
48-port 10/100/1000BASE-T
|
8
|
1RU
|
190 W AC (320 W AC)
|
EX 4200-48P
|
48-port 10/100/1000BASE-T
|
48
|
1RU
|
190 W AC (930 W AC)
|
EX 4200-24F
|
24-port 100Base-FX/1000Base-X (SFP)
|
NA
|
1RU
|
190W AC
|
Competition
Juniper Networks EX 3200 Series Fixed-configuration Ethernet Switches vs.
Cisco Catalyst 3560
Feature Support
|
Juniper Fixed
Configuration Switches |
Cisco Catalyst 3560
Switches |
Cisco Catalyst 3560-E Switches
|
24-port & 48-port 10/100/1000 with 8 PoE ports
|
Yes
|
No partial PoE
|
No partial PoE
|
24-port & 48-port 10/100/1000 with full PoE
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Field-replaceable GbE uplink modules
|
Yes
|
Fixed
|
Yes
|
Field-replaceable 10GbE uplink modules
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
External redundant power supply (RPS) option
|
Yes*
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Field-replaceable power supply unit (PSU)
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Field-replaceable fan tray
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
10GbE uplinks
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Jumbo frames (9216)
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Out-of-band Ethernet management (DCN)
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
LCD device management interface
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
IPv6 hardware PFE support
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
MPLS & GRE tunnel hardware PFE support
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
L3 routing and Multicast in base license
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
MAC address table
|
16K
|
12K
|
12K
|
IPv4 unicast/multicast routes
|
20K/8K
|
11K/1K
|
11K/1K
|
IPv6 unicast/multicast routes
|
5K/2K*
|
2.5K/250
|
2.5K/250
|
Queues per port
|
8
|
4
|
4
|
Port policers
|
1k
|
256
|
256
|
Security ACLs
|
14K
|
1K
|
1K
|
QoS ACLs
|
14K
|
512
|
512
|
GRE tunnels initiated/terminated
|
2K*
|
0
|
0
|
Local/remote port mirroring sessions
|
1/1
|
1/0
|
1/0
|
Cisco Catalyst 3560/3560-E Product Line Weaknesses
- Layer 3 Functionality Costs Extra: Catalyst 3560 customers must pay extra for an extra license(EMI or IP Services) to get the same Layer 3 functionality available with the base Juniper fixedconfiguration switches.
- Single Point of Failure: A single process failure in the monolithic IOS would result in a catastrophic reboot of the entire system — no match for the highly modular, highly resilient JUNOS software.
- No Partial PoE: Customers are forced to pay for full PoE even when it’s not required, resulting in much higher CapEx costs. Juniper offers both full and partial PoE options.
- No NAC: Minimal ACL resources make meaningful Network Admission Control (NAC) enforcement impossible, leaving the network vulnerable. That’s not a problem with Juniper’s Unified Access Control (UAC) system.
- Poor Virtualization: The Catalyst 3560(E) Series’ network virtualization capabilities are very limited, due to a lack of MPLS and IP tunneling capabilities.
- QoS Shortcomings: With half the number of queues per port and 75 percent fewer traffic policers and rate limiters, the Catalyst 3560(E) is far less equipped than the Juniper fixed configuration switch to provide fine-grained QoS for voice and video applications or to effectively handle temporary oversubscription situations.
- Higher Energy Costs: The Catalyst 3560(E) consumes up to 24 percent more power than the Juniper fixed-configuration switches. That translates into an extra $200 per switch per year for power, not to mention the extra costs required to cool the additional heat generated.
- Higher Costs; Less Flexibility: The Catalyst 3560E comes hard-wired with 10GbE ports whether customers need them or not; the Juniper fixed-configuration switches allow users to buy for their needs today, with the option to upgrade to 10GbE when needed.
Juniper Networks EX 4200 Series Ethernet Switches with Virtual Chassis Technology vs. Cisco Catalyst 4500 E-Series
Feature
|
Juniper EX 4200 Series Switches with Virtual Chassis Technology
|
Catalyst 4500 E-Series Switches
|
Backplane switching capacity
|
128Gbps
|
320 Gbps
|
Switching bandwidth per slot
|
136Gbps
|
24Gbps (only 6 Gbps on slots 8,9,10)
|
10/100/1000BASE-T PoE port density
|
480
|
384
|
10/100/1000BASE-T Non PoE port density
|
480
|
384 (classic 48 port non PoE line card)
|
1000BASE-X port density
|
240
|
192
|
10GbE port density (max. active)
|
20 wire rate
|
34 (2.5:1 oversubscribed)
|
RE redundancy
|
1:01
|
1:01
|
Graceful route engine switchover (GRES)
|
Yes
|
Yes (Q1 08 sw release)
|
Non-stop routing (NSR)
|
Yes*
|
Yes (Q1 08 sw release)
|
In-service software upgrade (ISSU)
|
Yes*
|
Yes (Q1 08 sw release)
|
Graceful Protocol Restart
|
Yes
|
No
|
Redundant & hot-swappable internal power supply units (PSUs)
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Field-serviceable fan tray with redundant fans
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Queues per port
|
8
|
8
|
Port policers
|
1K
|
16K
|
MAC address table
|
24K
|
55K
|
IPv4 unicast/multicast routes
|
12K/2K
|
255K /128K
|
IPv6 unicast/multicast routes
|
5K/2K*
|
128K / 64K
|
Security ACLs
|
14K
|
64K
|
QoS ACLs
|
14K
|
64K
|
MPLS
|
Yes*
|
No
|
GRE tunnels initiated/terminated
|
2K*
|
SW based, scalability not available
|
Total (local / remote) port mirroring sessions
|
1
|
8
|
Distributed forwarding
|
Yes
|
No
|
Jumbo frames (9216)
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Cisco Catalyst 4500 E-Series Weaknesses
• Highly Oversubscribed GbE and 10GbE Line Cards: The new Catalyst 4500 E-Series Sup 6-E module and line cards support only 24 Gbps per slot. This results in 2:1 oversubscription on 48-port 10/100/1000BASE-T PoE line cards and 2.5:1 on 6-port 10GbE line cards. Although Catalyst 4500 E-Series customers pay a perport premium and use more rack space for the chassis-based product, they end up compromising significantly on performance. The Juniper EX 4200 series Ethernet switches with Virtual Chassis technology, on the other hand, offer line-rate performance on the 48-port 10/100/1000BASE-T PoE and non–PoE platforms, as well as on the 24-port 1000BASE-X fiber switches, with chassis-like resiliency.
• Limited Use of Large MAC Address and Route Tables: While Cisco Catalyst 4500 E-Series switches support much higher MAC address and route table scalability than the Juniper EX 4200 series switches, the highly oversubscribed line cards (2:1 for GbE and 2.5:1 for 10GbE) severely limit the real–life applicability of these scalability features. Customers expect wire-speed performance on such highly scalable products. The Juniper EX 4200 series switches with Virtual Chassis technology offer more than enough scalability for even large-scale access and aggregation deployments.
• No Consistent 24 Gbps Bandwidth per Slot Across All Slots: The Cisco Catalyst 4500 E-Series 10-slot chassis supports 24 Gbps of bandwidth per slot on only five slots (1, 2, 3, 4 and 7). Slots 5 and 6 are reserved for Supervisor modules; slots 8, 9 and 10 support only classic (legacy) 6 Gbps line cards, further limiting performance.
• No 24-port Fiber GbE E-Series Line Card for Aggregation: Catalyst 4500 E-Series customers are forced to deploy 10GbE in the aggregation layer whether they need it or not — there is no 24-port fiber GbE E-Series line card. While Cisco offers a twin Gig converter module for the new E-Series six-port 10GbE line card, effectively making it a 12 port fiber GbE line card, customers end up paying 10GbE prices for GbE connectivity. Note: classic Catalyst 4500 48-port fiber GbE line cards support only 6 Gbps, which translates to an unacceptable 8:1 oversubscription at the aggregation layer.
• Limited E-Series Line Cards Offering: The enhanced investment protection that Cisco claims with the new Catalyst 4500 E-Series comes at the expense of an inflexible product offering. Customers who want$ to take advantage of both increased bandwidth (24 Gbps per slot) and the CenterFlex features of the new Supervisor 6-E are forced to buy an E-Series chassis, a Supervisor 6-E and choose from only three line card options: 48 ports of 10/100/1000BASE-T with PoE; 48 ports of 10/100/1000BASE-T with premium PoE; and six ports 10 GbE. That makes the Catalyst 4500 E-Series a compromised investment.
• Multiple Operating System Release Trains, Software Versions and Source Codes: Although Cisco uses a common name — IOS — for all its switch and router operating systems, the Catalyst 6500, 4500 and 3750 switches all run their own versions of the IOS software based on different source codes and release trains, creating significant deployment, management and maintenance overhead for network administrators. Conversely, all Juniper switching and routing products, including the EX 4200 Series Ethernet switches with Virtual Chassis technology, run a single version of the JUNOS™ software, with a consistent implementation of all control plane features across all products. This significantly lowers operational expenses and streamlines management and troubleshooting.
• No Modular Operating System: Cisco’s IOS is not modular. A single process failure in the IOS software could cause a reboot of the entire system — no match for the highly modular, highly resilient JUNOS software that runs in the Juniper EX-series switches.
• Additional Charges for Basic Layer 3 and HA Features: Under Cisco’s complicated pricing structure, customers must pay additional license fees for essential functions such as OSPF and HA-related SSO/NSF and ISSU — features that come standard with the Juniper EX 4200 Series switches with Virtual Chassis technology.
• Proprietary 10GbE Optics: 10GbE ports on Catalyst 4500 E-Series switches only support Cisco’s
- proprietary X2 optics, which means higher costs, operational inefficiency and less leverage for the customer.
• No Partial PoE: Catalyst 4500 E-Series customers who only need a partial PoE solution are forced to pay for full PoE, resulting in much higher capital expenses. Juniper offers both full and partial PoE options.
• Outdated Hardware Architecture: The Catalyst 4500 E-Series switches still employ decade-old centralized forwarding and shared packet buffer technology that forces all traffic through the active supervisor module. This creates a single point of failure and worsens the meantime between failures (MTBF) number. Also, there is no clear separation between the data plane and control plane, leaving the Catalyst 4500 Eseries vulnerable to denial-of-service (DoS) and distributed DoS (DDoS) attacks or unexpected Layer 2 loops.
• Complicated Product Lineup: Cisco’s backward and forward compatibility across classic (legacy) Catalyst 4500 and newer Catalyst 4500 E-Series adds to the already confusing lineup of Supervisor modules, chassis, line cards and power supplies spanning several generations and creating multiple feature and function disparities. This practically requires the customer to have specialized training to select, deploy and manage these switches in the network.
• High-availability Limitations: Only the Catalyst 4507R-E and 4510R-E chassis can support redundant Supervisor modules. The Catalyst 4500 E-Series offers no Supervisor load-sharing in a redundant configuration; only one supervisor can be active at a given time. Uplink ports on the redundant standby supervisor can be enabled in an upcoming Q1 CY'08 Cisco IOS Software release, but they will be limited to 2:1 oversubscription on the 10 GbE ports Finally, no console redirection is available; each Supervisor module in a redundant configuration must have its own dedicated console connection
