by James E. Carroll
Mist Systems, which is now a division of Juniper Networks, is upgrading its AI engine and microservices cloud to streamline IT operations, simplify troubleshooting across wired/wireless domains and deliver optimized experiences to network users. The goal is to deliver the first “AI-Driven Self-Driving Network” for the enterprise.
There are 2 components:
- Wired Assurance Service, which brings automated operations and service levels to Juniper enterprise access switching customers via the Mist cloud. A new cloud subscription service for Wired Assurance brings data from Junos switch telemetry into the Mist microservices cloud and AI engine.
- Marvis Actions, a framework for self-driving networks, converts AI-driven insight into actionable tasks for proactive and streamlined IT operations. Marvis AI-driven Virtual Network Assistant, which has been expanded to cover both wired and wireless networks, enables IT administrators to ask natural language queries and get detailed answers for troubleshooting and insight. A new Marvis Actions dashboard identifies the root cause of issues across various IT domains (WLAN, LAN, WAN and security) and automatically resolves them when possible. Marvis also delivers wired visibility for third party switches, proactively identifying issues, such as inactive/missing VLANs, firmware compliance, PoE budget constraints and insight into wireless users’ issues caused by wired problems.
What’s happening with 400G?
It’s happening, but maybe not quite yet except for the hyperscale clouds. Bikash Koley, CTO of Juniper Networks, provides a quick update on 400G, including a mention of the upcoming in-house silicon photonics.
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).