IP Networking Comparison

Guide for the

Transformational Enterprise
The role of IT is changing from a traditional focus on cost-efficient en-
ablement to a more strategic contribution. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO),
while important, is being surpassed by a growing focus on automation
and orchestration that is needed to fulfill enterprise demands for security,
agility, and innovation. The cloud-grade enterprise network – spanning
the campus, data center, and branch – must be able to respond to rapid
changes in business, growing reliance on hybrid cloud architectures, and
the needs of users and customers. This IP Networking Comparison Guide
examines the four key areas driving enterprise network priorities and looks
at key factors within each. This document will give you a clear perspective
on how the various options stack up on the most important features and
capabilities necessary to meet your transformation needs.
2 State of IP Networking Comparison Guide

Network professionals
1. United View of Enterprise Networking who feel the need for
a united approach to
For many enterprises, the network represents a bottleneck to change. Agile organizations networking
demand simple, consistent management to facilitate new ways to innovate. The right
networking infrastructure—including seamless interaction and interoperability across all
networking devices—ensures your ability to deploy applications faster, thus empowering the
organization to operate with higher levels of efficiency. A united view of enterprise network-
ing that spans across campus, branch, and data center requires solutions not constrained
within siloes. When enterprise networks lack seamlessness and interoperability it means
understanding a different command line interface/operating system(CLI/OS) for every device 63%
type in your network—routers, switches, and firewalls. Learning a new OS for every device
type not only increases complexity for the operations team, it also slows them down—not a
very efficient way to run a network. According to a recent survey by IDG Research Services,
63% of network professionals see the need for a united approach to enterprise networking
as they continue evolving their network strategies.

Key factors Juniper Cisco Extreme Arista HP Enterprise

(Brocade)
Interoperability All Juniper products— Cisco utilizes different Currently integrating Utilizes Arista Extensi- Reselling and
and Seamless routers, switches, and operating systems acquisitions of Avaya ble Operating System positioning Arista
Interaction Among security devices run (IOS, XE, XR, and campus networking (EOS) capable of run- products as preferred
Campus, Branch, the same operating NX-OS), which results technology, Brocade ning across all Arista products for cloud-first
and Data Center system: Junos OS. in lack of overall SLX-OS, VDX NOS switches. This does organizations, and
This helps your oper- enterprise network including the Ex- not extend to firewalls, HPE FlexFabric for
ations team quickly cohesiveness. tremeXOS, and Zebra routers, etc., nor does more traditional data
get up to speed and Wireless (Extreme it work within the centers. Also, HPE
leverage those newly WiNG). campus and branch Altoline for open
developed skills across environments. source networking
the entire Juniper Portfolio provides and service providers,
product portfolio. disparate switching Product portfolio is and Aruba for wireless
solutions for each area limited to the data campus networks.
within the enterprise center. New contain-
network (campus, erized EOS (cEOS)
branch, and datacen- operating system can
ter). Portfolio integra- run on third-party
tion of existing prod- servers
ucts planned for 2018.

Simplicity in Juniper Enterprise Cisco Prime provides Reconciling disparate Arista’s network HPE Intelligent Man-
Ethernet Switch Solution brings lifecycle manage- fabric management management tool agement Center (IMC)
Fabric Management campus, branch, and ment and network approaches following is EOS CloudVision delivers management
via Network data center networks service assurance acquisitions of Avaya that gives zero-touch across campus core
Management Tool under one umbrella. network-wide, from campus networking provisioning, config- and data center
Junos Space Network the wireless user in the technology, and uration management networks. 
Director, a network branch office, across Brocade data center and network-wide
management tool, the WAN, through the switching, routing, change management, Arista EOS integrates
can be used to access layer, and now and analytics business. including automated with HPE OneView
remotely manage to the data center. Bringing Avaya Fabric upgrades, network infrastructure manage-
switches and switch Orchestrator into rollback, and network ment software.
fabrics, thus making it Extreme Management snapshots. However,
easier for your admin Center Suit. Status being limited to the
to configure and of Brocade Network data center, without
manage the switching Advisor has not yet products for the cam-
infrastructure and been disclosed. pus or branch network,
giving simplicity with Arista is a point player.
scalability as network
requirements grow.
3 State of IP Networking Comparison Guide

4 in 10 enterprises use
2. Next Generation Security automated security

The constant barrage of breaches and attacks has thrust data center security to board-level dis-
cussions in virtually every enterprise. The threat landscape is constantly evolving as is the sophis-
tication level of today’s cybercriminals. As a result, networking leaders have elevated security
to a top priority for guiding their strategies. Most enterprises require a trusted partner with a
long-term security vision. Next-generation security built around automated and actionable intel-
ligence that can be shared quickly is necessary to recognize and reduce threats, protecting the
network and its users. According to the Network World 2017 State of the Network report, 40%
of respondents say network security is automated at their organization.

Key factors Juniper Cisco Extreme Arista HP Enterprise

(Brocade)

Enterprise Security Juniper Enterprise Cisco provides most of Seeking to create Arista EOS software HPE appears to be
Vision Solution provides a the security compo- end-to-end enterprise automates the repositioning itself. In
cohesive end-to-end nents, but they lack portfolio through in- insertion of security the cloud-oriented en-
offering. With the cohesiveness. Serving tegration of Avaya, services with CloudVi- terprise market it has
Juniper Software-De- as a security sensor, Brocade, and Zebra. sion Macro-Segmen- positioned Arista as
fined Secure Networks Cisco’s Stealthwatch Developing future tation Service (MSS) its primary data center
(SDSN), each switch provides advanced product roadmap and for both physical and network solutions
acts as an enforce- security analytics common vision across virtualized (i.e., P-to-P provider for cloud-ori-
ment point, leveraging focused on uncovering acquired assets. and P-to-V) workloads ented enterprises. This
intelligence on threats stealthy attacks on the anywhere on the net- will enable HPE to fo-
shared across the net- extended network. work with ecosystem cus on its strengths in
work in an automated Cisco also leverages of service and security other segments, and
fashion. No need for its proprietary Trustsec partners including leverage its security,
manually setting up solution, which limits Check Point Software, network, and infra-
a switch to block a deployment of best- F5 Networks, Fort- structure management
certain known threat of-breed products. inet, and Palo Alto software and services
or identify aberrant Switching, firewall, and Networks. Partners solutions.
behavior. policy are all separate provide endpoint,
business units compli- cloud, and firewall
cating troubleshoot- protection, but lack
ing. Enforces network network enforcement.
within data center only.

Does the Security Yes. Juniper Sky Yes. Cisco AMP Threat Yes. Extreme Security No. Operates as a ArcSight spun off to
Solution Offer Any Advanced Threat Grid for Networks Threat Protection point player in data Micro Focus. Aruba
Cloud-Based Threat Protection (ATP) provides visibility and platform integrates center only. ClearPass brand.
Protection integrates malware control to protect with Extreme Security
Services? and real-time threat against highly sophis- Analytics G2 portfolio.
detection. Cisco Prime ticated and targeted
provides lifecycle man- advanced malware.
agement and network
service assurance
network-wide, from
the wireless user in the
branch office, across
the WAN, through the
access layer, and now
to the data center.
4 State of IP Networking Comparison Guide

Companies adopting
3. Agility SDN technologies

With today’s highly virtualized environments, networks need to be able to scale and perform
without impacting network performance. Multiple networking options lead to innovation in
49%
infrastructure, allowing companies to design architectures and develop SLAs tailored to their
specific use cases. Choice of off-the-shelf or open connectivity controllers provides the flexibility
18%
organizations desire, especially within the data center. According to the Network World State of
the Network report, although adoption of SDN technologies has been gradual, 49% say they are
either considering or actively piloting SDN technologies. Another 18% said they have already Considering or piloting
deployed SDN technology or are upgrading it within their organization. Already deployed

Key factors Juniper Cisco Extreme Arista HP Enterprise

(Brocade)

Ability to have Juniper’s Unite Cloud Cisco ACI integration Extreme Networks EOS CloudVision Aruba Virtual Applica-
Flexible Overlay Enabled Enterprise with VMware focuses OneController based is the platform for tion Networks (VAN)
Options offers a scalable on delivering simplici- on OpenDaylight integration with SDN Controller Soft-
solution with common ty without compromis- controller uses REST Arista’s ecosystem of ware enables delivery
switching portfolio ing on infrastructure (web-based) API orchestration, overlay of application-based
for every customer, scale, responsiveness, providing ability to controller, and service network services for
whether they prefer security, or end-to-end create applications delivery partners like campus, data center,
off-the-shelf options visibility. using programming VMware NSX or Open- or service provider
such as VMware or language of choice. Stack. However, Arista environments.
more DevOps-type lacks an in-house
solutions that leverage Extreme, Avaya, and built/supported SDN
OpenStack via Open- Brocade product port- controller. .
Contrai. folios offer VMware
NSX options.

Gateway Ability to Yes Yes Yes Yes, within data center DCN – Yes.
Connect Virtualized environment only.
and Bare Metal VAN – Yes, through
Servers federation with
VMware NSX..

Cloud-Optimized Yes. Juniper Networks Yes, leveraging Yes. Extreme Flow Yes, leveraging Cloud- DCN – Yes.
Services with Contrail SDN provides Tetration Analytics Optimizer utilizes vision analytic engine. HPE Distributed Cloud
Analytics enhanced cloud platform. . REST APIs to facilitate Networking includes
optimization services customized inte- a service directory
including performance gration into existing layer with advanced
monitoring and network environments programmable
capacity planning. and cloud orches- policies and analytics
With acquisition of tration systems. framework where IT
AppFormix, Juniper ExtremeAnalytics administrators can
provides real-time detects and measures define, visualize, and
insights, including internally hosted control the network.
predictive features to applications, public
pinpoint problems. cloud applications,
and social media
applications.
5 State of IP Networking Comparison Guide

4. Utilization
Resiliency, reliability, and seamless remediation are the pinnacles for successful automation,
especially when considering the enterprise network. Service outages are a prime example. How
an organization addresses these issues plays a pivotal role in the overall impact of an interrup-
tion. Self-driving networks that rely on automation and orchestration will ensure that valuable
IT resources are dedicated to working on innovative tasks – rather than putting out fires and
keeping the lights on.

Key factors Juniper Cisco Extreme Arista HP Enterprise

(Brocade)

Flexibility and Plug-and-play deploy- Plug-and-play deploy- Plug-and-play deploy- Plug-and-play de- HPE Network Au-
Simplicity for ment and zero touch ment with zero touch ment with zero touch ployment with zero tomation software
Upgrading provisioning (ZTP). provisioning. Network provisioning. After touch provisioning. was sold to Micro
Switches, Network Software upgrades software upgrades migration, ongoing Arista provides tools Focus. HPE OneView
Software and allowing rolling require downtime or upgrades are simpli- like EOS SDK and provides converged
Reconfiguration upgrades to qualify result in service inter- fied. eAPI. Arista also offers management platform
new software before ruptions. software upgrades. for server, storage, and
broad roll-outs. JET network resourc-
(Junos Toolkit) allows es. Aruba Central
developers to create provides zero touch
third-party apps that provisioning for Aruba
will run on switches uti- Instant APs, switches,
lizing the Junos OS. and branch gate-
ways. Arista and HP
Juniper EX Series and previously announced
QFX Series switches joint solution to lever-
support the Puppet, age HP OneView’s
Chef and Ansible au- application program-
tomation frameworks, ming interfaces (APIs)
and Python scripting. to automatically
provision virtual local
Junos Fusion simplifies area network (VLAN)
network topologies interfaces between HP
and administration by Virtual Connect and
aggregating devices Arista’s programmable
so they appear to the platforms.
larger network as a sin-
gle, port-dense device
that is managed using
one IP address.

Support Scalability As enterprises grow, Yes Varied capabilities Arista is a point player Varied capabilities
Across the Campus, the management of across the Extreme, limited to just one across the HPE Flex-
Branch, and Data the network becomes Avaya, and Brocade type of enterprise net- Fabric, HPE Altoline,
Center Network far more extensive. product lines. work – data center. Arista, and Aruba
Juniper’s switch fabric product lines.
management sim-
plifies management
remotely.

Chart continued on page 6

6 State of IP Networking Comparison Guide

4. Utilization continued

Key factors Juniper Cisco Extreme Arista HP Enterprise

Automatic Sensing Can detect the type of
for Provisioning device that plugged
and Configuration into any port and
applies a port profile
at the port. On-box
scripting capabilities
enable advanced auto
provisioning..
Some automatic
provisioning of VLANs
exists, but other
features are limited for
auto sensing and auto
provisioning .
(Brocade)
Centralized configura- No Varied capabilities
tion, provisioning, and across the HPE Flex-
troubleshooting for Fabric, HPE Altoline,
ERS and VSP devices. Arista, and Aruba
With Brocade switch- product lines.
es, VLANs have to be
manually provisioned
the first time; they are
then available for shar-
ing across the fabric
for future usage.

Enterprise IT is more critical than ever, and virtually every enterprise needs to be more agile. Whether your
priority is protection from a dynamic threat landscape, enabling innovation, or staying ahead of the latest trends,
find out how Cloud-Grade Networking for campus, data center, and branch locations can meet your needs at
https://www.juniper.net/us/en/solutions/cloud-enabled-enterprise/data-center

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