Juniper EX4100 Switch Refresh for Network Modernization

Upgrading Legacy Network Infrastructure with Cloud-Managed Juniper Switching

Replacing Aging Switches to Improve Reliability and Supportability

This local Maryland parish relied on several aging network switches to support connectivity throughout its parish office environment. Three of these switches— two legacy Cisco devices and one Netgear switch— had reached the end of their warranty coverage and posed an increasing risk to network reliability and operational continuity. While the switches remained under Data Networks’ Managed IT Services program, they were not integrated into the parish’s Juniper Mist cloud management platform alongside the rest of the network infrastructure.

As the parish continued to modernize its technology environment, maintaining unsupported networking hardware became a growing concern. Aging switches can increase the likelihood of hardware failures, complicate troubleshooting efforts, and limit visibility into network performance. The parish needed a modern switching solution that would improve manageability, align with its existing Juniper infrastructure, and provide a supported platform for future operations.

To address these challenges, the parish partnered with Data Networks to complete a comprehensive Juniper switch refresh project designed to replace the unsupported hardware with modern, cloud-managed switching technology.

Juniper Switch Refresh Enhances Visibility and Network Management

The centerpiece of the project was the deployment of three Juniper Networks EX4100-F-24P switches to replace the existing Cisco and Netgear devices located in the parish office boiler room and workroom network closets. As part of the Juniper switch refresh, Data Networks also provided five-year subscriptions to Juniper Mist Wired Assurance and Marvis Virtual Network Assistant services, enabling enhanced network visibility, analytics, and support capabilities.

Prior to installation, Data Networks provisioned the new switches within the parish’s existing Juniper Mist environment. The engineering team assigned the switches to the appropriate site, configured device templates, established static IP addressing, and applied existing VLAN configurations to ensure seamless integration with the current network architecture.

Existing VLANs supporting organizational operations were migrated to the new switches, while uplink connections and network services were configured to mirror the functionality of the legacy environment. By leveraging the Juniper Mist cloud management platform, the parish gained centralized visibility into switch performance and network operations, allowing administrators to monitor and manage the infrastructure more efficiently.

Delivering a Modern Foundation for Ongoing Network Operations

During a planned maintenance window, Data Networks performed the physical replacement of the existing switches. The legacy Cisco and Netgear devices were removed, and the new Juniper EX4100 switches were installed using the existing cabling infrastructure and power connections. This direct replacement approach minimized disruption while accelerating deployment.

Following installation, Data Networks verified switch functionality, validated uplink connectivity, and confirmed successful communication between the switches and the Juniper Mist portal. The new switches immediately became part of the parish’s centralized cloud-managed networking environment, providing enhanced operational visibility and simplified administration.

The completed Juniper switch refresh modernized the parish’s network infrastructure by replacing unsupported hardware with enterprise-class switching technology backed by long-term vendor support. In addition to improving reliability and performance, the project unified management of the switching environment under a single cloud platform, reducing operational complexity and streamlining future troubleshooting efforts.

By combining Juniper EX4100 switching technology with Juniper Mist cloud management services, Data Networks delivered a scalable and supportable networking solution that aligns with the parish’s long-term technology strategy. Ongoing monitoring and management of the new infrastructure continue under the parish’s existing Managed IT Services agreement, ensuring the parish benefits from proactive support and operational continuity for years to come.

Tags: religious, commercial