QFX5100-24Q-3AFO vs QFX10002-72Q-CHAS-C: Choosing the Right Juniper Switch for Your Network

May 13 , 2025 22

1. Product Overview

QFX5100-24Q-3AFO

    Ports: 24×40G QSFP+ (breakout to 96×10G)

    Switching Capacity: 3.84 Tbps

    Forwarding Rate: 1,440 Mpps

    Hardware: Broadcom Trident II ASIC

    Memory/Storage: 4GB RAM / 8GB SSD

    Key Features: VXLAN, MPLS, basic EVPN

    Best For: Mid-sized data center access, enterprise campus core

QFX10002-72Q-CHAS-C

    Ports: 72×40G/100G QSFP28 (breakout to 288×25G/10G)

    Switching Capacity: 12.8 Tbps

    Forwarding Rate: 9,600 Mpps

    Hardware: Juniper Penta ASIC

    Memory/Storage: 16GB RAM (expandable to 64GB) / 32GB SSD

    Key Features: SRv6, AI-driven traffic optimization, large-scale EVPN-VXLAN

    Best For: Cloud data center spine, AI/ML fabrics, hyperscale networks

2. Performance Comparison

3. Feature Breakdown

    Network Virtualization

        QFX5100: Basic VXLAN (100k tunnels max)

        QFX10002: VXLAN+Geneve (5M tunnels), auto MPLS/SRv6 conversion

    AI Optimization

        QFX5100: Fixed QoS policies

        QFX10002: ML-based traffic prediction + dynamic buffer allocation

    Security

        QFX5100: Standard ACL/IPv6 filtering

        QFX10002: Hardware-level MACsec encryption + AI threat detection

4. Design & Scalability

    Chassis

        QFX5100: 2U fixed configuration, single PSU (650W)

        QFX10002: 5U modular chassis, dual redundant PSUs (3000W)

    Upgrade Path

        QFX5100: Supports up to 48×100G via add-on modules

        QFX10002: Native 400G readiness, backplane scalable to 25.6Tbps

5. Management & Software

    Interfaces

        Junos EVO (containerized OS)

        Apstra automation

        Real-time telemetry streaming

        QFX5100: Classic Junos CLI + basic web UI

        QFX10002: Cloud-Grade Networking with:

    Support Lifecycle

        QFX5100: Security updates until 2025

        QFX10002: Lifetime cloud-native architecture support

6. Cost & Power Efficiency

7. Use Case Recommendations

Choose QFX5100-24Q When You Need:
  10G/40G network modernization
  Rapid deployment for 50-200 node overlay networks
  Limited budget with no AIOps requirements

Choose QFX10002-72Q When You Need:
  25G/100G/400G future-proofing
  Support for 500+ server/RDMA clusters
  Kubernetes/Service Mesh integration

8. Validation Scenarios

        High-Frequency Trading

            QFX5100: 0.02% packet loss at 10μs latency thresholds

            QFX10002: Zero loss with 73% lower latency variance

        Genomic Research

            QFX10002 achieved 98% 100G link utilization vs. QFX5100’s 81% during data bursts

Final Verdict
The QFX10002 delivers better TCO than QFX5100 if your network requires:
  200+ servers per rack
  RoCEv2/NVMe-oF within 3 years
  30%+ OPEX reduction via automation

This maintains the original technical depth while adapting terminology and structure for English-speaking audiences. Let me know if you need adjustments!