Juniper Networks introduced a cloud-delivered version of its SD-WAN solution.
Juniper’s new Contrail SD-WAN as a service manages and secures WAN infrastructure, as well as branch LAN and Wi-Fi networks typically deployed alongside it. Juniper said this new SD-WAN solution pairs the simplicity of a cloud-delivered model with Contrail’s central orchestration of network infrastructure, delivering automated networking, security, analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) for IT.
“Juniper’s SD-WAN as a service easily connects and manages the full suite of Juniper’s branch and WAN solutions, making the benefits of SDN accessible to any enterprise,” said Manoj Leelanivas, Chief Product Officer at Juniper Networks. “This is a significant step in enabling our customers’ journey to AI for IT, extending the SDN transformation beyond cloud and data centers to the branch and the WAN. With this launch, combined with our recent Mist Systems acquisition, we are making industry-leading strides in our bid to make SDN and AI for IT a reality for companies of all sizes.”
Highlights:
- SD-WAN flexibility: Contrail SD-WAN now supports more variations of passive redundant hybrid WAN links, internet breakout at the WAN edge CPE or centralized WAN hubs, and topologies such as hub and spoke, partial mesh and dynamic full mesh. It has also been tested by third-party EANTC at scales above 10,000 spoke sites and is highly multi-tenant, allowing for unprecedented scale.
- Centrally managed branch LAN and WAN: Connecting Juniper’s EX Series Ethernet switches to a single or dual WAN gateway of NFX or SRX Series devices allows customers to centrally automate the WAN and LAN policy and provisioning for secure connectivity.
- Managed security: Customers now have even more choice and control in managing their security needs, including integration with cloud security provider ZScaler and management of the next-gen firewall features of the SRX or NFX devices, including Juniper Sky ATP.
- Mist Systems integration: Mist, the leading provider in AI for IT with the world’s first AI-driven wireless LAN, is now integrated in the new Contrail management interface. Customers can see operational and analytics data about the Wi-Fi alongside WAN, LAN and security.
- Open and adaptable solution: A flexible solution that can help enterprises quickly adapt and evolve, Contrail SD-WAN enables customers to extend a secure SD-WAN to hubs and spokes in the cloud by simply adding a vSRX into a public cloud IaaS of choice. Additionally, Juniper’s open standards-based architecture and open APIs allow for seamless systems integration and NetOps workflow automation.
- Juniper Financial Services offering: A variety of payment plans offered by Juniper Financial Services (JFS) at favorable terms to qualified customers. JFS provides financial simplicity with a single payment plan that cover bundled solutions, including Contrail SD-WAN as a service as well as campus and branch hardware and software such as the Mist WLAN solution.
Juniper to acquire Mist for cloud managed, enterprise Wi-Fi
Juniper Networks agreed to acquire Mist Systems, a start-up offering a cloud-managed, enterprise wireless platform, for $405 million in cash and equity awards.
Mist, which is based in Cupertino, California, has developed an AI-driven wireless platform for making Wi-Fi more predictable, reliable and measurable. Mist has also developed an AI-driven virtual assistant, Marvis, to simplify wireless troubleshooting and provide unprecedented insight into client and network behavior. In addition, Mist uses patented virtual Bluetooth LE technology in conjunction with Wi-Fi and IoT to deliver scalable and cost-effective location-based wireless services to customers, such as indoor wayfinding, proximity notifications, traffic analytics and asset tracking. All operations are managed via Mist’s modern cloud microservices architecture.
Mist’s Wireless LAN (WLAN) platform will be combined with Juniper’s wired LAN, SD-WAN and security solutions. Juniper said the deal also enables it to extend cloud-based management and end-to-end AI-driven visibility across the end-to-end enterprise network (from access to the WAN) to offer an industry-leading, software-defined and highly differentiated solution for simplifying operations, improving user experience and lowering total cost of ownership (TCO).
