Overview:
The EX4400 line of Ethernet access switches offers secure, cloud-ready access for enterprise campus, branch, and data center networks for the AI era and optimized for the cloud. The platforms boost network performance and visibility, meeting the security demands of today as well as for networks of the next decade.
As part of the underlying infrastructure for Juniper Mist Wired Assurance, the EX4400 is purpose-built for, and managed by, the cloud. The switch leverages Mist AI to simplify operations and provide better visibility into the experience of connected devices, delivering a refreshing, user experience-first approach to access layer switching.
The Juniper Networks EX4400 line of Ethernet switches offers a secure, cloud-ready portfolio of access switches ideal for enterprise branch, campus, and data center networks. The EX4400 switches combine the simplicity of the cloud, the power of Mist AI™, and a robust hardware foundation with best-in-class security and performance to deliver a differentiated approach to access switching in the cloud, mobile, and IoT era. With Juniper Mist™ Wired Assurance, the EX4400 can be effortlessly onboarded, configured, and managed from the cloud. This simplifies operations, improves visibility, and ensures a much better experience for connected devices.
Key features of the EX4400 include:
- Cloud-ready, driven by Mist AI with Juniper Mist Wired Assurance and Marvis Virtual Network Assistant
- Ethernet VPN–Virtual Extensible LAN (EVPN-VXLAN) to the access layer
- End-to-end encryption using Media Access Control Security (MACsec) AES256
- IEEE 802.3bt Power over Ethernet (PoE++)
- Standards-based microsegmentation using group-based policies (GBP)
- Flow-based telemetry to monitor traffic flows for anomaly detection
- 10-member Virtual Chassis support
Offering a full suite of Layer 2 and Layer 3 capabilities, the EX4400 enables a variety of deployments, including campus, branch, and data center top-of-rack deployments. As requirements grow, Juniper’s Virtual Chassis technology allows up to 10 EX4400 switches to be seamlessly interconnected and managed as a single device, delivering a scalable, pay-as-you-grow solution for expanding network environments.
The EX4400 line consists of SKUs:
- The EX4400-48MP, which offers 12 x 100M/1/2.5/5/10GbE GbE and 36 x 100M/1/2.5GbE PoE access ports, delivering up to 90 W per PoE port with an overall total 2200 W of PoE power budget (using two power supplies)
- The EX4400-24MP, which offers 24 x 100M/1/2.5/5/10GbE PoE access ports, delivering up to 90 W per port with an overall total 1800 W of PoE power budget (using two power supplies)
- The EX4400-48F, which offers 12 x 10GbE SFP+ and 36 x 1GbE SFP fiber access ports
- The EX4400-24T, which offers 24 x 1GbE non-PoE access ports
- The EX4400-24P, which offers 24 x 1GbE PoE access ports, delivering up to 90 W per port with an overall total 1440W of PoE power budget (using two power supplies)
- The EX4400-48T, which offers 48 x 1GbE non PoE-access ports
- The EX4400-48P, which offers 48 x 1GbE PoE access ports, delivering up to 90 W per port with an overall total 1800W of PoE power budget (using two power supplies)
Each EX4400 model offers a choice of optional 4 x 1/10GbE SFP+ and a 4 x 10/25GbE SFP28 extension module. The EX4400 switches include two dedicated 100GbE ports to support virtual chassis connections, which can be reconfigured to be used as Ethernet ports for uplink connectivity. EX4400 switches also include high availability (HA) features such as redundant, hot-swappable power supplies and field-replaceable fans to ensure maximum uptime. In addition, PoE-enabled EX4400 switch models offer standards-based 802.3af/at/bt (PoE/PoE+/PoE++) for delivering up to 90 watts on any access port. The EX4400 switches can be configured to deliver fast PoE capability, which enables the switches to deliver PoE power to connected PoE devices within a few seconds of power being applied to the switches.
Architecture and Key Components:
Cloud Management with Juniper Mist Wired Assurance Driven by Mist AI
EX4400 switches can be quickly and easily onboarded (Day 0), provisioned (Day 1), and managed (Day 2+) from the cloud with Juniper Mist Wired Assurance, which brings AI-powered automation and insights that optimize experiences for endusers and connected devices. The EX4400 provides the rich Junos® operating system telemetry data for Mist AI, which helps achieve simpler operations, shorter mean time to repair (MTTR), and streamlined troubleshooting.
As a complementary service to Juniper Mist Wired Assurance, Marvis Virtual Network Assistant—a key part of The SelfDriving Network™—makes the Mist AI engine interactive. A digital extension of the IT team, Marvis offers automatic fixes or recommended actions, allowing IT teams to streamline how they troubleshoot and manage their network operations.
EVPN-VXLAN Technology
Most traditional campus networks have used a single-vendor, chassis-based architecture that worked well for smaller, static campuses with few endpoints. However, this approach is too rigid to support the scalability and changing needs of modern campus networks. The EX4400 supports EVPNVXLAN, extending an end-to-end fabric from campus core to distribution to the access layer.
An EVPN-VXLAN fabric is a simple, programmable, highly scalable architecture built on open standards. This technology can be applied in both data centers and campuses for architectural consistency. A campus EVPN-VXLAN architecture uses a Layer 3 IP-based underlay network and an EVPN-VXLAN overlay network. A flexible overlay network based on a VXLAN overlay with an EVPN control plane efficiently provides Layer 2 and/or Layer 3 connectivity throughout the network. EVPNVXLAN also offers a scalable way to build and interconnect multiple campus sites, delivering:
- Greater consistency and scalability across all network layers
- Multivendor deployment support
- Reduced flooding and learning
- Location-agnostic connectivity
- Consistent network segmentation
- Simplified management
Virtual Chassis Technology
Juniper’s Virtual Chassis technology allows multiple interconnected switches to operate as a single, logical unit, enabling users to manage all platforms as one virtual device. Up to 10 EX4400 switches can be interconnected as a Virtual Chassis using two dedicated 100GbE rear-panel ports. Although configured as Virtual Chassis ports by default, the 100GbE uplinks can also be channelized as 4 x 10GbE/25GbE Ethernet uplink ports. The EX4400 switches can form a Virtual Chassis with any other models within the EX4400 product line.
Figure 1: EX4400 Virtual Chassis configuration interconnected via dedicated rear-panel 100GbE ports
Microsegmentation Using Group-Based Policy
Group-based policies (GBP) leverage underlying VXLAN technology to provide location-agnostic endpoint access control. This allows network administrators to implement consistent security policies across the enterprise network domains. The EX4400 supports a standards-based GBP solution, allowing different levels of access control for endpoints and applications even within the same VLAN. Customers can simplify their network configuration by using GBP, avoiding the need to configure large numbers of firewall filters on all their switches. GBP can block lateral threats by ensuring consistent application of security group policies throughout the network, regardless of the location of endpoints and/or users.
Flow-Based Telemetry
Flow-based telemetry enables flow-level analytics, allowing network administrators to monitor thousands of traffic flows on the EX4400 without burdening the CPU. This improves network security by monitoring, baselining, and detecting flow anomalies. For example, if predefined flow thresholds are breached due to an attack, IP Flow Information Export (IPFIX) alerts can be sent to an external server so the attack can be quickly identified and remedial action initiated. Network administrators can automate specific workflows, such as further examining the traffic or quarantining a port, to triage the issue.
Features and Benefits:
Simplified Operations with Juniper Mist Wired Assurance
The EX4400 is fully cloud onboarded, provisioned, and managed by Juniper Mist Wired Assurance. The EX4400 is designed from the ground up to deliver the rich telemetry that enables AI for IT Operations (AIOps) with simplified operations from Day 0 to Day 2 and beyond. Juniper Mist Wired Assurance provides detailed switch insights for easier troubleshooting and improved time to resolution.
Seamless Onboarding with Simplified Configuration and Automation (Day 0/1)
- Claim a greenfield switch or adopt a brownfield switch with a single activation code for true plug-and-play simplicity
- Learn the connectivity status of the switch without logging into a console via the cloud LED
- Implement a template-based configuration model for bulk rollouts while retaining the flexibility and control required to apply custom site- or switch-specific attributes
- Provision device and port profiles manually or automatically (dynamic port profiles)
- Automate troubleshooting, ticketing, and more with support for open APIs for third-party integrations
AI-Driven Operations (Day 2+)
- Monitor and measure wired service-level expectations such as throughput, successful connects, and switch health with key pre- and post-connection metrics (see Figure 2)
- Get insights into how switches are performing with devicelevel metrics such as CPU, memory utilization, and Virtual Chassis status
- Leverage Marvis Actions for self-driving capabilities to detect Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) loops, add missing VLANs, fix misconfigured ports, or identify bad cables (see Figure 3)
Figure 2: Juniper Mist Wired Assurance service-level expectations screen
Figure 3: Marvis Actions for wired switches
Campus Fabric Deployments
EVPN-VXLAN for Campus Core, Distribution, and Access
The EX4400 switches can be deployed in campus and branch access layer networks or as top-of-rack switches in data center environments using 10GbE/25GbE uplinks to support technologies such as EVPN multihoming. Juniper’s campus fabrics support the following validated architectures:
- EVPN multihoming (collapsed core or distribution): A collapsed core architecture combines the core and distribution layers into a single switch, turning the traditional three-tier hierarchal network into a two-tier network. This eliminates the need for STP across the campus network by providing multihoming capabilities from the access to the core layer.
- Core/distribution: A pair of interconnected EX Series core or distribution switches provide L2 EVPN and L3 VXLAN gateway support. The IP Clos network between the distribution and core layers offers two modes: centrally or edge routed bridging overlay.
- IP Clos: The IP Clos architecture pushes VXLAN Layer 2 gateway functionality to the access layer. This model is also referred to as “end-to-end,” given that VXLAN tunnels are terminated at the access layer where the EX4400 is deployed.
In all the above EVPN-VXLAN deployment modes, EX4400 switches can be used in standalone or Virtual Chassis configurations.
Chassis-Class Availability
The EX4400 switches deliver high availability through redundant power supplies and fans, graceful Routing Engine switchover (GRES), and nonstop bridging and routing when deployed in a Virtual Chassis configuration.
In a Virtual Chassis configuration, each EX4400 switch is capable of functioning as a Routing Engine. When two or more EX4400 switches are interconnected, a single control plane is shared among all Virtual Chassis member switches. Junos OS automatically initiates an election process to assign a master (active) and backup (hot-standby) RE. An integrated L2 and L3 GRES feature maintains uninterrupted access to applications, services, and IP communications in the unlikely event of a primary RE failure.
When more than two switches are interconnected in a Virtual Chassis configuration, the remaining switch elements act as line cards and are available to assume the backup RE position should the designated master fail. Master, backup, and line card priority status can be assigned to dictate the order of ascension; this N+1 RE redundancy, coupled with the GRES, nonstop active routing (NSR), and nonstop bridging (NSB) capabilities of Junos OS, assures a smooth transfer of control plane functions following unexpected failures.
The EX4400 implements the same slot/module/port numbering schema as other Juniper Networks chassis-based products when numbering Virtual Chassis ports, providing true chassislike operations. By using a consistent operating system and a single configuration file, all switches in a Virtual Chassis configuration are treated as a single device, simplifying overall system maintenance and management.
Individually, the EX4400 offers a number of HA features that are typically associated with modular chassis-based switches. When combined with the field-proven Junos OS and L2/L3 failover capabilities, these features provide the EX4400 with true carrier-class reliability.
- Redundant power supplies: The EX4400 line of Ethernet switches supports redundant, load-sharing, hot-swappable, and field-replaceable power supplies to maintain uninterrupted operations. Thanks to its compact footprint, the EX4400 requires significantly less power than chassisbased switches delivering equivalent port densities.
- Hot-swappable fans: The EX4400 includes hot-swappable fans, providing sufficient cooling (for a short duration) even if one of the fans were to fail.
- Nonstop bridging and nonstop active routing: NSB and NSR on the EX4400 ensure that control plane protocols, states, and tables are synchronized between primary and standby REs to prevent protocol flaps or convergence issues following a Routing Engine failover.
- Redundant trunk group (RTG): To avoid the complexities of Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) without sacrificing network resiliency, the EX4400 employs redundant trunk groups to provide the necessary port redundancy and simplify switch configuration.
- Cross-member link aggregation: Cross-member link aggregation allows redundant link aggregation connections between devices in a single Virtual Chassis configuration, providing an additional level of reliability and availability.
- IPv4 and IPv6 routing support: IPv4 and IPv6 Layer 3 routing (OSPF and BGP) is available with an Enhanced license, enabling highly resilient networks.
Figure 4: Campus fabrics showing Virtual Chassis and EVPN-VXLAN-based architectures
MACsec AES256
The EX4400 switches support IEEE 802.1ae MACsec with AES256-bit encryption to increase security of point-to-point traffic communications. MACsec provides encrypted communication at the link layer that is capable of identifying and preventing threats from denial of service (DoS) and other intrusion attacks, as well as man-in-the-middle, masquerading, passive wiretapping, and playback attacks launched from behind the firewall. When MACsec is deployed on all ports, the traffic is encrypted on the wire, but the traffic inside the switch is not. This allows the switch to apply network policies such as quality of service (QoS) or deep packet inspection (DPI) to each packet without compromising the security of packets on the wire. On the EX4400 switches, the MACsec AES-256 encryption capability is supported on all user-facing interfaces as well as the 10/25Gbe extension modules.
PoE/PoE+/Poe++ Power and Fast PoE
The EX4400 delivers PoE for supporting connected devices such as phones, surveillance cameras, IoT devices, and 802.11AX/Wi-Fi 6 access points, offering a PoE power budget of up to 1800 W and supporting up to 90 W per port based on the IEEE 802.3bt PoE standard.
The EX4400 switches also support a fast PoE capability that delivers PoE power to connected endpoints during a switch reboot, even before the switch is fully operational. This is especially beneficial in situations where the endpoint only needs the power and is not necessarily dependent on network connectivity.
Junos Telemetry Interface
The EX4400 supports Junos telemetry interface (JTI), a modern telemetry streaming feature designed for switch health and performance monitoring. Sensor data can be streamed at configurable periodic intervals to a management system, enabling network administrators to monitor individual link and node utilization as well as troubleshoot issues such as network congestion in real time. JTI delivers the following features:
- Performance management by provisioning sensors to collect and stream data and analyze application and workload flow paths through the network
- Capacity planning and optimization by proactively detecting hotspots and monitoring latency and microbursts
- Troubleshooting and root cause analysis via high-frequency monitoring and correlation of overlay and underlay networks
Junos Operating System
The EX4400 switches run Junos OS, Juniper’s powerful and robust network operating system that powers all Juniper switches, routers, and firewalls. By utilizing a common operating system, Juniper delivers a consistent implementation and operation of control plane features across all products. To maintain that consistency, Junos OS adheres to a highly disciplined development process that uses a single source code and employs a highly available modular architecture that prevents isolated failures from bringing down an entire system.
These attributes are fundamental to the core value of the software, enabling all Junos OS-powered products to be updated simultaneously with the same software release. All features are fully regression tested, making each new release a true superset of the previous version. Customers can deploy the software with complete confidence that all existing capabilities are maintained and operate in the same way.
Flex Licensing
Juniper Flex licensing offers a common, simple, and flexible licensing model for EX Series access switches, enabling customers to purchase features based on their network and business needs.
Flex licensing is offered in Standard, Advanced, and Premium tiers. Standard tier features are available with the Junos OS image that ships with EX Series switches. Additional features can be unlocked with the purchase of a Flex Advanced or Flex Premium license.
The Flex and Premium licenses for the EX Series platforms are class-based, determined by the number of access ports on the switch. Class 1 (C1) switches have 12 ports, Class 2 (C2) switches have 24 ports, and Class 3 (C3) switches have 32 or 48 ports.
The EX4400 switches support both subscription and perpetual Flex licenses. Subscription licenses are offered for three- and five-year terms. In addition to Junos OS features, the Flex Advanced and Premium subscription licenses include Juniper Mist Wired Assurance. Flex Advanced and Premium subscription licenses also allow portability across the same tier and class of switches, ensuring investment protection for the customer.
Product Options:
| EX4400 Line of Ethernet Switches |
| EX4400-48P |
48-port 10/100/1000BASE-T |
48 |
1290 W/ 1800 W |
0 (4) |
0 (4) |
2 |
1600 W AC |
AFO (Front-toback airflow) |
| EX4400-24P |
24-port 10/100/1000BASE-T |
24 |
788 W/ 1440 W |
0 (4) |
0 (4) |
2 |
1050 W AC |
AFO (Front-to-back airflow ) |
| EX4400-48T |
48-port 10/100/1000BASE-T |
0 |
N/A |
0 (4) |
0 (4) |
2 |
550 W AC |
AFO (Front-to-back airflow ) |
| EX4400-24T |
24-port 10/100/1000BASE-T |
0 |
N/A |
0 (4) |
0 (4) |
2 |
550 W AC |
AFO (Front-to-back airflow ) |
| EX4400-48F |
48-port 10/100/1000BASE-T |
0 |
N/A |
12 (16) |
0 (4) |
2 |
550 W AC |
AFO (Front-to-back airflow ) |
| EX4400-24MP |
24x-port 100M/1/2.5/5/10GbE |
24 |
780 W/ 1800 W |
24 (28) |
0 (4) |
2 |
1050 W AC |
AFO (Front-to- back airflow) |
| EX4400-48MP |
48-port GbE (12x100M/1/2.5/5/10GbE + 36x100M/1/2.5GbE |
48 |
1300 W/ 2200 W |
12 (16) |
0 (4) |
2 |
1600 W AC |
AFO (Front-to- back airflow) |
| EX4400-48T-AFI |
48-port 10/100/1000BASE-T |
0 |
N/A |
0 (4) |
0 (4) |
2 |
550 W AC |
AFI (Back-to-front airflow) |
| EX4400-24T-AFI |
24-port 10/100/1000BASE-T |
0 |
N/A |
0 (4) |
0 (4) |
2 |
550 W AC |
AFI (Back-to-front airflow) |
| EX4400-48T-DC |
48-port 10/100/1000BASE-T |
0 |
N/A |
0 (4) |
0 (4) |
2 |
550 W DC |
AFO (Front-to-back airflow) |
| EX4400-48T-DC-AFI |
48-port 10/100/1000BASE-T |
0 |
N/A |
0 (4) |
0 (4) |
2 |
550 W DC |
AFI (Back-to-front airflow) |
| EX4400-24T-DC |
24-port 10/100/1000BASE-T |
0 |
N/A |
0 (4) |
0 (4) |
2 |
550 W DC |
AFO (Front-to-back airflow) |
| EX4400-24T-DC-AFI |
24-port 10/100/1000BASE-T |
0 |
N/A |
0 (4) |
0 (4) |
2 |
550 W DC |
AFI (Back-to-front airflow) |
| EX4400-48F-AFI |
12-port 1000/10000BASE-X + 36-port 100/1000BASE-X |
0 |
N/A |
12 (16) |
0 (4) |
2 |
550 W AC |
AFI (Back-to-front airflow) |
| EX4400-48F-DC-AFI |
12-port 1000/10000BASE-X + 36-port 100/1000BASE-X |
0 |
N/A |
12 (16) |
0 (4) |
2 |
550 W DC |
AFI (Back-to-front airflow) |
| EX4400-48F-DC |
12-port 1000/10000BASE-X + 36-port 100/1000BASE-X |
0 |
N/A |
12 (16) |
0 (4) |
2 |
550 W DC |
AFO (Front-to-back airflow) |
EX4400 Spare Chassis SKUs
The EX4400 also offers spare chassis options without power supplies or fans, providing customers with the flexibility to stock SKUs. See the Ordering Information section for additional details.
| EX4400 Spare Chassis SKUs |
| EX4400-48P-S |
Spare chassis, 48-port 10/100/1000BASE-T |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Y |
| EX4400-24P-S |
Spare chassis, 24-port 10/100/1000BASE-T |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Y |
X |
| EX4400-48T-S |
Spare chassis, 48-port 10/100/1000BASE-T |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
X |
X |
| EX4400-24T-S |
Spare chassis, 24-port 10/100/1000BASE-T |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
X |
X |
| EX4400-48F-S |
Spare chassis, 12-port 1000/10000BASE-X + 36-port 100/1000BASE-X |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
X |
X |
| EX4400-24MP-S |
Spare chassis, 24x100M/ 1/2.5/5/10GbE ports |
Y |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
| EX4400-48MP-S |
Spare chassis, 12 x 100M/1/2.5/5/10GbE + 36x100M/1/2.5GbE ports |
X |
Y |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Y = supported; X = not supported
