Juniper Contrail SD-WAN Reviews

Name: Juniper Contrail SD-WAN
Brand: Juniper
Rating: 3.9 (7 reviews)

3.9 out of 5

7 reviews
85% willing to recommend

What is Juniper Contrail SD-WAN?

Contrail SD-WAN delivers a simple, automated multicloud SD-WAN. It enables you to create an evolvable architecture to simplify growth, from secure routers to SD-WAN, SD-Branch, and beyond. It automates the WAN edge across Juniper virtual cloud endpoints and on-premises next-generation firewall or universal CPE platforms. And it provisions and enforces multilevel security policy at scale, across multiple clouds and enterprise sites with diverse topologies.

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Juniper Contrail SD-WAN is the #8 ranked solution in top WAN Edge solutions and #15 ranked solution in SD-WAN tools. PeerSpot users give Juniper Contrail SD-WAN an average rating of 7.8 out of 10. Juniper Contrail SD-WAN is most commonly compared to Fortinet FortiGate: Juniper Contrail SD-WAN vs Fortinet FortiGate. Juniper Contrail SD-WAN is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 61% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 18% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

Juniper Contrail SD-WAN

July 2025

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Featured Juniper Contrail SD-WAN reviews

Luis Corrochano

Presales Manager and Co-founder at Kaizen Networks

My customers use the solution to have better control and knowledge about the applications inside ONE Access. It also helps them cut costs by reducing MPLs and using better internet access from FTTH. The solution is expensive. Its support can be better. The tool is stable. The solution is more…

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Ivan Sandano

Solution Architect at Posteo

I've worked with several SD-WAN solutions over the past few years, and the product felt more like an automated provisioning tool. Unlike solutions from Palo Alto or other SD-WANs orchestrated by a SaaS solution, Juniper Contrail SD-WAN already had the files and built their SaaS to orchestrate the configuration. Initially, you didn't do much, but then it started adding some routing capabilities. The automation features do help with network operations. Manually configuring SD-WAN is complicated, so the automation simplifies that. However, the initial SD-WAN solution had many limitations, particularly regarding its features. At some point, the tool began looking for other solutions and bought the 128T, which led to implementing a different SD-WAN approach. It also acquired another company for its session smart router, and then it began to develop the exact SD-WAN solution on the Mist Cloud.

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RodrigoFlores

Network Infrastructure Lead (ITS1) at a government with 10,001+ employees

Juniper Contrail SD-WAN has very similar things to Silver Peak, which we were interested in, but when we analyzed it, we realized that we were pretty much getting similar features under Mist. However, the demo by Juniper Contrail SD-WAN was very promising and better than Meraki. Speaking in more detail about the performance of the circuit, Meraki can give a view of what's happening. But with Juniper, if you want, you can focus more on the user experience, especially considering that we have a lot of people working remotely. The solution is more specific about what's happening since it explains where the problem may lie and points out areas where there is a problem. So, we like that it provides more visibility. In general, that would summarize it.

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Juniper Contrail SD-WAN mindshare

Product category:

As of July 2025, the mindshare of Juniper Contrail SD-WAN in the Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions category stands at 1.0%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions

PeerResearch reports based on Juniper Contrail SD-WAN reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions	Jul 14, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Jul 14, 2025	Download
Comparison	Juniper Contrail SD-WAN vs Fortinet FortiGate	Jul 14, 2025	Download
Comparison	Juniper Contrail SD-WAN vs Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN	Jul 14, 2025	Download
Comparison	Juniper Contrail SD-WAN vs Cato SASE Cloud Platform	Jul 14, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Fortinet FortiGate	4.2	20.6%	90%	380 interviews Add to research
Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN	4.0	N/A	93%	96 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Juniper Contrail SD-WAN offers layer four to seven protection and enhanced visibility. It efficiently manages bandwidth, reducing reliance on MPLS circuits and enabling seamless cloud deployment across AWS and GCP. Users noted its automation simplifies network operations and its security features are robust. Compared to Meraki, it focuses more on user experience and identifies issues clearly. Its automation and routing capabilities assist with complex configurations, appealing to organizations seeking a sophisticated SD-WAN platform.

"I've worked with several SD-WAN solutions over the past few years, and the product felt more like an automated provisioning tool. Unlike solutions from Palo Alto or other SD-WANs orchestrated by a SaaS solution, Juniper Contrail SD-WAN already had the files and built their SaaS to orchestrate the configuration. Initially, you didn't do much, but then it started adding some routing capabilities."
"It supports desktop management, network management, and SD-WAN policies."
"My customers use the solution to have better control and knowledge about the applications inside ONE Access. It also helps them cut costs by reducing MPLs and using better internet access from FTTH."

Room for Improvement

Juniper Contrail SD-WAN could benefit from additional features, enhanced UI/UX, and better integration with the Mist cloud service. The on-premises deployment process is more difficult than cloud deployment. Improving the demo dashboard’s ease of use and adding a next-generation firewall are necessary. Training, support, and marketing need enhancements. The cost is considered high, and implementing changes or branches can be challenging with the orchestrator's limitations, requiring configuration resets. Switches in PoC setups present challenges.

"Implementing new branches or changing existing ones in Juniper Contrail SD-WAN wasn't as straightforward as with other solutions like Meraki SD-WAN, which is almost plug-and-play with its zero-touch provisioning. In Juniper Contrail SD-WAN, it was more challenging."
"Areas for improvement in the Juniper Contrail SD-WAN solution include the on-premises deployment process."
"The solution is expensive. Its support can be better."

ROI

Users cite Juniper Contrail SD-WAN's effectiveness in reducing operational costs, enhancing network performance, and simplifying management processes. They note significant improvements in scalability and flexibility, driving better user satisfaction. Users appreciate the robust security features that protect their environments. They frequently mention cost savings and increased efficiency, contributing to a quicker return on investment. Users also highlight how easy deployment and maintenance lead to reduced downtime and improved productivity.

Pricing

Juniper Contrail SD-WAN offers a flexible licensing structure tailored to diverse IT infrastructures, often being more affordable than Fortinet. Hardware incurs a one-time fee, while software and additional features require annual payments. Positioned mid-range among competitors like Meraki and Aruba, it provides excellent ROI with lower long-term operational costs and extended product lifespans. Setup costs and competitive positioning may vary by region, highlighting the importance of evaluating solutions according to regional dynamics.

"They are neither very expensive nor cheap. So, we can consider its pricing somewhere in the middle."
"The cost of the solution is a little expensive. The hardware is a one-time purchase fee and the software is purchased on an annual basis. There are additional costs for other software features that are available which are on an annual basis, such as extra capacity."
"The licensing structure is very flexible."

Popular Use Cases

Juniper Contrail SD-WAN is used for transforming on-premise hardwired networks into software-defined wide area networks, offering flexibility for banks, universities, and public sectors. It provides centralized orchestration to manage SQL across multiple branches, enhances control over applications, and reduces costs by optimizing internet use. Demos have been impressive, enhancing operational control with the ability to deviate from centralized policies and configure components across stores according to requirements.

Service and Support

Customers report excellent customer service and support from Juniper, often praising the responsiveness and effectiveness. Even those who have not contacted the service directly express satisfaction, attributing quick responses and strong support to the combination of Juniper and local channel partners. Users rate the service highly, highlighting the use of Marvis for support and mentioning its efficiency. Overall, user feedback indicates a high level of satisfaction with the Juniper support team.

Deployment

Juniper Contrail SD-WAN's initial setup generally appears easy and quick, though timing can vary with project scope. Some find it straightforward, comparing it similarly to competitors, while others prefer alternatives like Fortinet for ease of deployment. Challenges seem more common in on-premises setups. Although users guide both cloud and on-premises deployments, on-premises can be complex, especially the hub setup. Users upgrading firmware faced issues with PoC equipment initially but found it easy post-upgrade.

Scalability

Juniper Contrail SD-WAN is highly scalable, suitable for enterprises, accommodating significant growth. It handles large deployments efficiently, surpassing other tools with its design for service providers. While offering strong scalability through hardware and software options, challenges remain with security features compared to competitors, and development in this area might have stalled. Despite this, its capacity for scaling is praised, especially for enterprise use, though some gaps in advanced features are noted.

Stability

Juniper is described as very stable with some users reporting that they have used it for years without resetting, unlike Cisco. Although some have only used Juniper Contrail SD-WAN for a short period and cannot fully vouch for its reliability, they still rate its stability highly. Others experienced failures with other platforms like Meraki after years, prompting replacement due to end-of-life, but noted this isn't the case with Juniper Contrail SD-WAN so far.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

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