Partner POV | Juniper's Cloud-native, High-power Switching
This article was written and contributed by our partner, Juniper.
The emergence of AI and the introduction of Wi-Fi 7 is rapidly advancing IT networking technology, making it infinitely easier to operate and scale the network while also delivering innovative experiences for end users. For IT teams, this evolution brings incredible opportunities as well as new considerations and challenges. Chief among these are the need to support increased power requirements that Wi-Fi 7 end points (AP47) demand, meeting sustainability goals, and improving networking OpEx simultaneously. And wired network access switching technology is at the heart of it all.
At Juniper, we designed our new cloud-native high-power switches, the EX4400-48MXP and EX4400-48XP, with these needs in mind. They are uniquely qualified to meet the demanding power and connectivity needs of modern enterprise networks while the wireless world prepares for a transition to Wi-Fi 7. And they're AI-Native, empowering you to streamline network operations.
Whether deploying in high-density wireless environments, smart buildings, or to support mission-critical enterprise applications, these switches offer the performance, sustainability, flexibility, and security you need to power your network now.
Key features include:
In this post, we'll share some of the complexity challenges found in legacy architectures and why the EX4400-48MXP and EX4400-48XP—with up to 3600W of PoE budget—are future-proof. We'll also cover key features and technical specs for these switches, discuss the top use cases, and explore how EX4400 switches compare to our competitors' offerings. Let's get started.
A critical intersection: Wi-Fi 7 and the challenges of legacy architecture
Wi-Fi 7 is set to transform wireless and expand connectivity possibilities, delivering greater performance, significantly lower latency, and enhance efficiency. However, these advancements bring new challenges and considerations for network infrastructure, particularly when it comes to modern switching environments.
Legacy switching systems not only lack the necessary scalability and reliability to support next-gen connections, but they can also be inefficient and expensive. And with growing high-speed demands from modern use cases like video streaming, virtual meetings, and high-bandwidth and high-power IoT devices, energy efficiency has never been more important. Modern switches must support high-speed performance while optimizing energy consumption for sustainable, scalable network solutions.
High-power switching engineered for scale: Juniper's approach
The Juniper EX4400-48MXP and EX4400-48XP switches are engineered to support Wi-Fi 7 integration and deliver 3600W of PoE, accommodating power-hungry PoE end points with up to 90W of power and standards-based 802.3bt delivery. Built on the Juniper AI-Native Networking Platform, these switches leverage Juniper Mist Wired Assurance for streamlined onboarding, configuration, deployment, monitoring, and troubleshooting spanning Day 0, Day 1, and Day 2+ operations.
With a microservices cloud architecture, the Juniper Mist cloud enables scalability, mitigates downtime, and integrates industry-leading AIOps to help ensure exceptional experiences.
Wired Assurance enables real-time visibility into network health, using AI-Native insights and Service-Level Experience (SLE) metrics for unparalleled automation and performance optimization. (Learn more about Wired Assurance here.)
Figure 1: Juniper EX4400 switches are designed to meet modern networking needs.
Seeing the EX4400 difference: key use cases
EX4400 switches are optimized for high-density Wi-Fi environments, supporting the power and bandwidth needs of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 access points (APs). Now, smart buildings, campuses, large enterprises, can maintain reliable connectivity even with multiple high-demand devices.
Smart buildings
In traditional buildings, reliance on multiple management platforms and siloed networks creates challenges on multiple levels. For example, proprietary protocols for different systems prevent data sharing, leading to labor-intensive and expensive lighting installations and redundant occupancy sensors for lighting and HVAC systems. Varying standards across geos only adds to the potential for inefficiencies.
EX4400 switches consolidate power and data management and introduce automation for streamlined management. PoE-enabled EX4400-48MXP/EX4400-48XP switches deliver up to 3600W of PoE, uniquely designed to manage building infrastructure like lighting, HVAC, security, and IoT devices. They also support fast PoE during reboots, powering devices before the switch is fully operational. This reduces the need for multiple switches which in turn lowers energy consumption, environmental impact, and overall costs.
The high-power switches also support advanced automation capabilities, enabling dynamic energy allocation, real-time environmental monitoring, and occupancy-based adjustments. EX4400 switches are ideal for sustainable smart building solutions and align with green building initiatives by reducing cabling requirements and lowering total cost of ownership (TCO).
Enterprise networks
EX4400 switches offer scalable and reliable connectivity for various enterprise applications, with support for both gigabit and multi-gigabit access ports. This versatility is critical for enterprises with diverse networking needs, ensuring future-proof infrastructure with high-speed access and optimized power delivery for evolving technologies.
How EX4400 switches compare to the competition
Now that we've walked through how the EX4400 solves challenges in key use cases, let's look at how we compare to other solutions in the market. The following charts demonstrate how the EX4400-48MXP and EX4400-48XP win against comparable switches. Juniper is leading the way on max usable PoE and available PoE budget*.
EX4400-48MXP versus the competition
EX4400-48XP versus the competition
The NOW Way to Network
To effectively modernize and leverage the full power of Wi-Fi 7, an upgrade with Juniper's cloud native, high-power EX4400-48MXP and EX4400-48XP switches are the right choice. With the scale, agility, security, and AI-Native, cloud-native capabilities, you're not just upgrading infrastructure, you're future-proofing your network. Welcome to the NOW Way to Network.