Juniper Networks EX4200 Muli-Layer Switch Review

Juniper Networks EX4200 multi-layer Ethernet switches are fast, secure and reliable platforms providing compact standards based connectivity for branch office, enterprise networks and data centers. Yes, if you haven’t guessed by now, we really like these switches.

Designed for the access and distribution layers, the EX4200 and EX3200 series switches allows Juniper to enter markets primarily dominated by the Cisco Catalyst line of switches.

The EX4200 series switches combine the high reliability of traditional chassis based systems with the economics and flexibility of stackable systems.  Available in both 24 port and 48 port configurations, these switches provide standards base 10/100/1000 Mb/s copper connectivity.  Also available is a 24 port fiber configuration for distribution and core deployments.

Why pay for a full PoE switch when you only have a hand full of PoE devices?

Full or partial configurations of Power over Ethernet (PoE) are available to deliver 15.4 watts of  class 3 power per port.  Why pay for a full PoE switch when you only have a handle full of PoE devices? This flexibility allows Juniper to stand out from the crowd and save you money.  The ex4200 standards based P0E configurations allow you to support converged networks for separate data, voice and video networks.

Optional front panel fiber uplink ports are available to provide connectivity to distribution layer switches or upstream routers.  These hot swappable modules come in either a 2 TenGigabit module or a 4 One Gigabit module configuration.

Juniper’s Virtual Chassis Technology means you only have to worry about one software image, one config file and one IP address

The Juniper virtual chassis technology is another feature that makes the EX4200 very unique.  This unique feature allows up to ten switches to be connected into a single logical device.  This also means a single JunOS software image, a single config, and a single IP address for management.

Inter-connectivity is provided by a high speed non-blocking connection on the back of each switch.  This 128Gb/s back plane connection is cabled in a daisy chain fashion very similar to a Cisco catalyst 3750.

The virtual chassis technology also works over the front panel up-link ports allowing switches to be deployed on separate floors or in separate building across a campus.

In a virtual chassis configuration, the switches automatically elect master and backup routing engines to maintain the hardware forwarding table and routing protocol states. In the event of a master routing engine failure, a graceful fail-over to the backup routing engine occurs immediately to ensure continued operations.

The Chassis like features of the ex4200 continue with redundant hot swapable power supplies and redundant hot swappable fan assemblies too.

Check this video introduction on Juniper Networks Virtual Chassis technology.

The EX4200 hardware easily competes with any of Cisco’s multi-layer switching platforms and does so for a whole lot less money.  Coupled with the JunOS operation system, which allows for configuration revision control, and simultaneous config administration, the EX4200 switch is a must have replacement for all aging Cisco gear or new deployments.

Do you have any EX4200’s in your network?  What is your experience with Juniper’s enterprise class switching series? Leave a comment below and let know what your experience has been.