In the Networking World rivalries don’t get much more ingrained than the Cisco crowd Vs the Juniper gurus. Each company fills a specific formation. The computer networking world with Cisco is by far the most valued in Enterprise networking, but with Juniper, it is very heavily bought after by internet service providers. But which one is better?
Sure, we could take the easy way out by comparing their massive differences in market cap or we could compare the laughable difference in their market shares. But are either of the mainline operating systems provided by either of these vendors objectively better or worse than the other well? That’s exactly what we hope to answer today, so grab some flashcards. Because this is 591 LAB and today we’re hoping to answer the question Juniper Vs Cisco.
Which one is the King Foreign Flagship operating system?
Is the inter-networking operating system or iOS for short that follows the operating system and utilizes a command line interface to provide users the ability to input and output data for most of its history. iOS has been its own Beast operating directly on the device’s hardware. However, with the Advent of iOS XE iOS is now a specialized shell running within a Linux kernel. The commands are exactly the same. However, the Linux kernel now allows you to add additional specialized tools to your devices. It’s difficult to describe the actual functionality of the IOS operating system.
Cisco Systems, Inc., widely recognized as Cisco, stands as a multinational technology company renowned for its design, manufacturing, and sales of networking hardware, software, telecommunications equipment, and various high-tech products and services. This technology giant came into existence in December 1984, co-founded by Leonard Bosack and Sandy Lerner, both esteemed computer scientists who previously served at Stanford University.
Key aspects of Cisco:
- Networking Solutions
- Routing and Switching
- Security Solutions
- Collaboration and Communication
- Cloud and Data Center Solutions
- Software-Defined Networking (SDN)
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Certification and Training
Juniper Networks is a leading networking solutions company that designs and sells high-performance network products, services, and software. Founded in 1996, Juniper has grown to become a significant player in the networking industry, particularly in the areas of routing, switching, and security.
Key aspects of Juniper Networks:
- Product Portfolio
- Routing and Switching
- Security Solutions
- Junos Operating System
- Service Provider Focus
- Enterprise and Cloud Solutions
- Automation and SDN
- Open Networking
Comparison between Cisco vs Junipers
Cisco and Juniper are two of the leading companies in the networking industry, and both offer a wide range of products and services. Here’s a comparison between the two based on various factors:
Cisco vs Junipers Market Share and Presence:
Cisco: Cisco is the market leader in the networking industry and has a significant global presence. They have a broad customer base, including enterprises, service providers, and government organizations.
Juniper: Juniper is a well-established competitor with a significant market share, but it is not as dominant as Cisco. They also have a strong presence, especially in the service provider segment.
Product Range:
Cisco: Cisco offers a diverse portfolio of networking equipment, including routers, switches, wireless access points, security appliances, collaboration tools, and more. They cover a broad spectrum of networking requirements.
Juniper: Juniper primarily focuses on networking infrastructure, offering routers, switches, and security solutions. They are known for their high-performance routing platforms.
Cisco vs Juniper Routing and Switching
Cisco: Cisco has a long history in routing and switching, and their devices are widely used in both enterprise and service provider networks. They offer a variety of routing protocols and advanced features.
Juniper: Juniper is particularly known for its routing capabilities and has a strong reputation in the service provider industry. Their Junos’ OS is well-regarded for its stability and scalability.
Cisco vs Juniper Security Solutions:
Cisco: Cisco has a robust security portfolio that includes firewalls, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), VPN solutions, and more. Their security products are widely used in enterprise networks.
Juniper: Juniper also offers security appliances and firewalls, and they have a focus on providing secure networking solutions, particularly for service provider networks.
Software-Defined Networking (SDN):
Cisco: Cisco provides SDN solutions through their Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) for data centers and Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN) for wide-area networks.
Juniper: Juniper offers Junos’ OS-based programmability and automation through Junos’ PyEZ and other APIs. They also have SD-WAN solutions.
Cloud Solutions:
Cisco: Cisco has a strong presence in cloud networking solutions, including cloud-based security, data center networking, and cloud management platforms.
Juniper: Juniper provides cloud-focused solutions, especially for data center networking and cloud security.
Customer Focus
Cisco: Cisco caters to a wide range of customers, from small businesses to large enterprises and service providers.
Juniper: Juniper has a strong focus on service providers and data center networking, but they also serve enterprise customers.
Ease of Use and Management:
Cisco: Cisco devices typically have a user-friendly interface and are known for their intuitive management tools.
Juniper: Juniper devices are also user-friendly, and Junos’ OS is praised for its ease of use and streamlined management.
Comparison of Cisco and Juniper Configuration
Cisco and Juniper have different approaches to network configuration, mainly due to the differences in their operating systems and command-line interfaces. Here’s a general comparison of Cisco IOS (Internetwork Operating System) and Juniper Junos configurations:
CLI Structure:
Cisco: Cisco IOS uses a hierarchical structure for configuration, where the commands are organized in different modes (e.g., User EXEC mode, Privileged EXEC mode, Global Configuration mode, Interface Configuration mode). Users navigate through these modes to configure various aspects of the device.
Juniper: Junos also follows a hierarchical configuration model. Users enter configuration mode and then access various configuration stanzas (e.g., system, interfaces, protocols) to configure specific features or settings.
Configuration Modes:
Cisco: The main configuration modes in Cisco IOS are User EXEC mode (limited access), Privileged EXEC mode (greater access), and Global Configuration mode (configuring specific settings).
Juniper: Junos has a similar concept of configuration modes, with operational mode (similar to User EXEC mode) and configuration mode (similar to Global Configuration mode).
Commit and Rollback:
Cisco: Cisco IOS does not have a built-in commit and rollback feature, which means changes take effect immediately upon entry. Users can manually save configurations to the startup configuration for persistence across reboots.
Juniper: Junos has a powerful commit and rollback mechanism. Users make changes in configuration mode but must explicitly commit those changes for them to take effect. If something goes wrong, administrators can use the “rollback” command to revert to the previous configuration.
Configuration Statements:
Cisco: Cisco IOS commands are typically in the form of individual statements, and the syntax may vary across different features.
Juniper: Junos configurations are structured as a set of statements, making it more consistent and easier to navigate. Each statement begins with a specific keyword and is terminated by a semicolon.
Interface Naming:
Cisco: Cisco typically uses interface names like “FastEthernet0/1” or “GigabitEthernet1/0/1” for Ethernet interfaces.
Juniper: Junos interface names are more straightforward, such as where “ge” stands for Gigabit Ethernet and “xe” for 10-Gigabit Ethernet.
Routing Protocols:
Cisco: Cisco IOS supports a wide range of routing protocols like OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, and RIP, each with its own specific configuration commands.
Juniper: Junos also supports various routing protocols like OSPF, BGP, IS-IS, and RIP, and the configuration is generally more consistent and structured.
It’s important to note that both Cisco and Juniper continuously evolve their operating systems and command-line interfaces. While the comparison provided here is generally accurate, there might be updates or changes beyond my knowledge cutoff date in September 2021. Additionally, Juniper’s Junos OS configuration style is often praised for its consistency and clarity. However, both Cisco IOS and Junos are powerful and flexible network operating systems, each with its own loyal user base. Network administrators’ preferences may vary based on their familiarity with the platform and the specific requirements of their network environments.