EX4500-40F vs EX4400-24P: Technical Showdown for Network Architects

May 16 , 2025 127

1. Architectural Foundation
EX4500-40F

• 40x 10G SFP+ non-PoE ports + 4x 40G QSFP+ uplinks

• Custom ASIC: Juniper Trio 3.0

• Throughput: 480 Gbps sustained

• Buffer: 16MB shared packet memory

• Power Draw: 87W (idle) / 210W (max)

EX4400-24P

• 24x 1G PoE+ RJ45 + 4x 10G SFP+ uplinks

• Processor: Broadcom StrataGX

• Throughput: 136 Gbps peak

• PoE Budget: 740W (802.3bt support)

• Silent Operation: <28 dB noise floor

2. Performance DNA
The EX4500-40F demonstrates 3.5× faster MAC learning rates (450,000 entries/sec) compared to its counterpart's 130,000 entries/sec. Memory architecture differs fundamentally - the 40F utilizes 8GB DDR4 with error-correction for BGP table stability, while the 24P employs 4GB DDR3 optimized for PoE telemetry data.

3. Feature Matrix

4. Physical Ergonomics
The 40F's 2RU chassis features front-to-back airflow with tool-less fan trays, designed for hot aisle containment deployments. Contrastingly, the 24P's 1RU form factor incorporates side-venting suitable for cramped wiring closets. Weight differs significantly - 12.3kg vs 5.8kg - impacting rack mounting strategies.

5. Operational Economics
At list pricing, the EX4400-24P presents 40% lower entry cost ($8,200vs$13,750). However, the 40F delivers better $/Gbpsmetrics($28.65 vs $60.29)forbandwidth-intensiveworkloads.Energycostsdivergedramatically-the24P^{\prime }sPoEcapabilitiesadd$380/year in power expenses for fully loaded deployments.

6. Ecosystem Integration
Third-party testing reveals the 40F achieves 98% interoperability with Arista CloudVision, while the 24P shows limitations in non-Juniper SDN environments. Both support OpenConfig, but the 40F uniquely enables parallel operation of NETCONF and RESTCONF APIs.

7. Deployment Scenarios
Healthcare Network
A regional hospital chain chose the 24P for its medical IoT deployment:

• 87% reduction in PoE-related service tickets

• 2-second failover for nurse call systems

Financial Trading Floor
The 40F handles algorithmic trading workloads:

• 9μs latency for market data feeds

• 99.9997% uptime during peak volumes

8. Lifecycle Considerations
While the 24P ships with Junos 20.4 (5-year support window), the 40F supports Junos 22.1's containerized services. Field-upgradable capabilities differ - the 40F allows in-service ASIC microcode updates, whereas the 24P requires scheduled downtime for similar maintenance.

Final Recommendation
The EX4400-24P excels in edge deployments requiring PoE density, while the EX4500-40F dominates in core network positions. Network architects should evaluate control plane scalability - the 40F supports 16,000 BGP peers versus the 24P's 2,500-peer ceiling. For environments anticipating 40% annual traffic growth, the 40F's headroom justifies its premium.