Juniper Networks unveils cloud-grade networking

NEW DELHI: Juniper Networks has announced new innovations that will give service providers and enterprises a radically simplified way to build cloud networks capable of deploying services faster.

"Juniper’s new Cloud-Grade Networking introduces a new set of principles for the way applications and services are architected, delivered and secured. This approach merges telemetry, automation and machine learning capabilities to ease the IT challenges of cloud transformation," a statement said.

"The ongoing digitization across industries and the rise of personalized cloud services has created both massive opportunities and challenges. Network traffic continues to grow exponentially while complexities increase in the storage, networking and compute layers. In parallel, companies face an uphill battle keeping up in a cost-effective and simplified way with end-user demand for new applications and services. If left unaddressed, these realities will prove unsustainable from a capability and cost standpoint," it said.

"Juniper’s Cloud-Grade Networking comprises four principles: a platform-first approach, disaggregation, a Self-Driving Network, and pervasive software-defined security. These tenets bring cloud agility and scale to network operators everywhere, accelerating innovation and streamlining operations. Through new orchestration and automation capabilities, this approach marries carrier-grade reach and reliability with enterprise-grade control and usability to deliver traditional and personalized services, while reducing costs and complexity in a secure manner," it said.

"The new Junos Node Slicing service model, part of Juniper’s platform-first approach to networking, enables operators to run multiple services or instances on the same router, each of which has a separate administrative domain. This vastly reduces the operational complexity of managing end users’ diverse application needs by as much as 60 percent," it added.

Additionally, Juniper’s new Universal Chassis furthers the company’s leadership in disaggregating the network so operators can standardize all routing and switching deployments across data center and the wide area network in a unified platform. This commitment to openness can reduce platform qualification by up to 50 percent through eliminating multiple platform certification cycles across the network.

Finally, two new Professional Services offerings and enhancements to the NorthStar Controller further Juniper’s vision of the Self-Driving Network™, which combines telemetry, workflow automation, DevOps, and machine learning to create an infrastructure that is responsive, adaptive, and ultimately predictive.

“The demand for cloud-based services continues to create disruption, resulting in complexity for operators and enterprises that need to pivot quickly. In order to establish a foundation to innovate across IT layers, organizations need to rethink the network. This is the next wave of cloud transformation, and Juniper is delivering it with Cloud-Grade Networking. We have been on this journey for a number of years and we believe Cloud-Grade Networking encapsulates the key tenets that organizations need to follow in order to reimagine how networks ultimately enable them to drive business success. We are excited to offer a new approach that simplifies the IT burden of operating a network, helps our customers find new efficiencies for the cloud era and enables exciting new applications and services to be imagined," said Paul Obsitnik, vice president, portfolio marketing, Juniper Networks.

“Our customers are looking for instant, reliable and flexible access to network services regardless of where they are. Cloud-Grade Networking will help organizations define the ideal cloud environment that will enable their network to run intelligently and cost effectively in the cloud, which is very important to us. As SoftBank continues to focus on utilizing AI, Self-Driving Network concept allows us to take advantage of the company’s high-scale automation products and its concept to predict operational needs and improve our overall responsiveness and agility," said Keiichi Makizono, senior vice president, SoftBank Corp.

“Customer requirements for routing and transport are evolving rapidly, requiring carrier-class features with cloud-based scale and simplicity to better align with how cloud networks are being architected and deployed. With this announcement, Juniper is addressing both traditional service providers and cloud providers who require new architectures and platforms purpose built for next-generation workloads such as 5G, machine learning, and AI," said Alan Weckel, founder and technology analyst, 650 Group.

“Service providers and enterprises alike are facing new challenges as networks need to support cloud-based services like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, self-driving cars and Internet of Things that continue to grow and require fluidity to respond to customers’ evolving demands. The network needs to change and Juniper’s Cloud-Grade Networking approach represents a bold move towards solving these challenges with a scalable, flexible and automated solution built for the cloud era," said Mark Robinson, CEO and managing partner, enfoPoint.