Juniper Networks QFX5120-48Y vs Aruba (HPE) Aruba CX 6200: Specs & Price Comparison

Juniper Networks QFX5120-48Y

★ 3.2 Value Score

Switching Capacity: 4 Tbps (bidirectional)
Forwarding Rate: 2 Bpps
Ports (breakdown): 48 x 1/10/25GbE SFP28 + 8 x 40/100GbE QSFP28
PoE Budget: N/A (non-PoE data center switch)
Layer (L2/L3): L2/L3 (L3 features such as OSPF/BGP/IS-IS require Juniper licensing; the licensing tier is unclear across sources)
Stacking support: Virtual Chassis, up to 2 members (licensing requirement unclear across sources)
Packet Buffer: 32 MB
Form Factor: 1U fixed, 1.72 x 17.36 x 20.48 in (W x H x D)
Power Consumption: 272 W max / 247 W typical
Airflow: Varies by SKU (AFI = airflow in, AFO = airflow out, AFO2/AFI2 variants, AC or DC power)

✔ Pros: Dense 25GbE access with 8 x 100GbE uplinks in a compact 1U chassis; 4 Tbps switching capacity and 2 Bpps forwarding rate for line-rate leaf/access use; 32 MB packet buffer suited to bursty data center traffic; Junos OS with full L2/L3 feature set and Virtual Chassis for two-member redundancy; Low power draw (about 272 W max) relative to its port density; Widely available new and used through resellers, with varied airflow and power SKUs
✘ Cons: Limited Virtual Chassis scale (max 2 members) compared with larger stacking platforms; Layer 3 and Virtual Chassis licensing tiers are inconsistently documented, which can add cost; Juniper's official spec pages now redirect to HPE, making primary-source verification harder; Prices vary widely by SKU (airflow direction, AC/DC, license bundle), so the price range is broad; No PoE, so it cannot power access points or phones directly; Fixed 1U form factor with no modular expansion options
Est. Price: $4,995 - $22,544

Aruba (HPE) Aruba CX 6200

★ 4.2 Value Score

Switching Capacity: 128 Gbps (24-port models); 176 Gbps (48-port models)
Forwarding Rate: 95.2 Mpps (24-port models); 130.9 Mpps (48-port models)
Ports (breakdown): 24x or 48x 10/100/1000BASE-T (PoE+ on PoE SKUs) + 4x SFP/SFP+ uplinks (1GbE/10GbE); 6200M models add 4x SFP+ uplinks
PoE Budget: 370W Class 4 (24G and 48G 370W SKUs); 740W Class 4 (48-port 6200F PoE SKU); up to 1440W Class 6 (60W per port) on 6200M PoE SKUs. Varies by SKU
Layer: L2/L3 (Layer 3 static routing; dynamic routing depends on software license)
Stacking support: Yes, VSF virtual stacking up to 8 members (single logical device); VSX redundancy also supported

✔ Pros: Fixed-port, Layer 2/3 managed access switch in a compact 1U form factor; Wide range of PoE and non-PoE SKUs (370W, 740W, and 1440W class 6 PoE options) for IP phones, cameras, and APs; VSF stacking of up to 8 members simplifies management as one logical device; Full Aruba CX OS features with REST API, network analytics, and automation support via Aruba Central; Solid mid-range pricing compared with enterprise-class core switches; 10GbE SFP+ uplinks support aggregation and campus backbone links
✘ Cons: Model and SKU naming (6200F vs 6200M, 24G vs 48G, PoE vs non-PoE) is confusing and specs differ significantly between variants; Public spec sources conflict on some figures (for example, 6200F throughput and uplink types), so exact datasheet values should be verified per SKU; Dynamic routing and advanced L3 features require additional licensing; Power budget is limited on 370W and 740W SKUs, so high-draw PoE devices may not all be supported at full load; Pricing is in USD only for 6200F SKUs. European 6200M pricing was found only in EUR and GBP, and no official HPE list price was confirmed
Est. Price: $4,261 - $8,663

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