Juniper Networks Introduces Junos Software Disaggregation to Dramatically Expand Customer Choice and Network Automation

New Access Switch and Software Deployment Models to Provide Flexibility for Data Center Customers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--()--NXTWORK 2015 – Juniper Networks (NYSE:JNPR), the industry leader in network innovation, today unveiled at its NXTWORK 2015 Customer Summit a disaggregated version of Juniper Networks® Junos® software to provide customers with ultimate choice in data center deployment options. Through disaggregation of Junos software, customers will have the ability to deploy third-party network services or applications directly on Juniper platforms as well as have the option to program directly to Juniper systems using the supported Open Compute Project (OCP) defined software model.

Juniper also introduced today the Juniper Networks QFX5200 line of access switches, the first platform to run the disaggregated Junos software as well as support the emerging 25 and 50 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) standard. Combined, the switches and software will provide industry-leading network automation and programmability while providing customers flexibility in purchasing hardware separately from software with a pay-for-what-you-need software-licensing model.

Additionally, Juniper today highlighted the rapid implementation of its Juniper Networks MetaFabric™ architecture and Juniper Networks Contrail software-defined networking (SDN) technologies across leading converged and hyper-converged stack solutions, helping customers simplify and scale their data center and cloud infrastructures while ensuring long-term investment protection.

The purpose of the network has changed as people increasingly look for ways to better collaborate and connect. This shift, along with growing network traffic levels and the rise of virtualized applications, containers and workloads, puts increased pressure on IT to constantly deliver more, faster, and at a reduced cost while scaling in, out, up or down in an instant.

To keep pace with the velocity of business, data centers need to support a flexible infrastructure that focuses on virtualization, automation, converged systems, software-defined offerings and cloud-based technologies. According to Gartner, establishing agile infrastructure forces infrastructure and operations organizations to rethink infrastructure strategy, with an emphasis on integrated systems, cloud and virtualization, which means taking Web-scale approaches, using containers and working to establish a software-defined infrastructure.*

News Highlights

The expansion of the Juniper Networks MetaFabric architecture, with new 25/50GbE access switches, a disaggregated version of Junos software and partner-validated converged stack offerings, gives customers a simple and smart way to evolve and automate their cloud networks without risk of vendor lock-in.

Disaggregated Junos Software Enables Server-Like Functionality with Most Complete Suite of Networking Services

  • With the disaggregated Junos software, customers will for the first time be able to develop and install third-party applications directly on supported Juniper switching systems, as well as run the disaggregated Junos software on Open Network Install Environment (ONIE) compliant third-party switches.
  • Using an open platform approach, Juniper provides open access to Linux so customers can freely orchestrate third-party applications using OpenStack, Apache, Netconf or other tools. This new level of network services modularity enables easy integration with customer applications, SDN controllers and orchestration tools.
  • With support for MPLS, BGP, EVPN-VXLAN and the most robust L2/L3 feature set in the industry, Juniper gives customers options to design, architect and automate the ideal overlay network with the best underlay infrastructure.
  • A new pricing model for the QFX5200 will allow customers to purchase Junos software and the QFX5200 hardware platform either together or separately.

QFX5200 Switches Bolster Bandwidth Performance with 25/50GbE Ethernet Standards Support

  • Next-generation QFX5200 access switches with multi-speed capability from 10GbE to 100GbE enable customers to migrate to higher port speeds and support 25GbE/50GbE without costly upgrades. With 25GbE, customers get 2.5 times the performance over 10GbE while using existing cabling infrastructure.
  • QFX5200 switches support the disaggregated version of the Junos software, combining high-performance switching with the flexibility, power and functionality of a quad-core server CPU.
  • Managed through Junos Space Network Director, customers can control the entire enterprise network through a single pane of glass. Also, with Juniper’s Network Director Management Pack for VMware vRealize™ Operations, in addition to interoperability with VMware vCenter™ Server, users have visibility into the health, capacity and performance of the enterprise network infrastructure, further simplifying physical and virtual network control and management.

MetaFabric and Contrail Solutions Adopted Across Industry Leading Converged and Hyper-Converged Stack Solutions

  • Juniper’s proven MetaFabric and Contrail solutions are being selected for industry-leading converged stack platforms, providing customers with an open, plug-and-play infrastructure to quickly deploy data center and cloud networks.
  • In collaboration with key partners, Juniper is helping customers simplify their data center infrastructure by providing validated reference architectures, which include assurance of technology interoperability, ease of deployment and joint support services.
  • Juniper solutions are being integrated into several industry-leading converged stack solutions with global partners, including Atos, FusionStorm, InterCloud Systems, InterVision, ITQAN, Redapt, Technica and VirtualArmor.

At NXTWORK 2015, Juniper today also introduced Cloud CPE, a fully automated, end-to-end network functions virtualization solution that is built on an open framework to help customers deliver new services at scale. Cloud CPE includes Contrail Service Orchestration, a comprehensive management and orchestration platform to deliver and manage virtualized network services, and NFX250, the first in a series of network services platforms that can operate as secure, on-premises devices running multiple virtual network functions, from Juniper and third-parties, simultaneously.

Supporting Quotes

"The market for open networking using bare metal switching is giving customers an independent choice of switch OS and applications eliminating lock-in, and is expected to represent just over 25-percent of all data center Ethernet switch ports shipped by 2019, causing a transformation in data center networking and fostering innovation, bringing similar changes as experienced in the server market. Juniper’s decision to embrace this market with a strong disaggregation strategy for both Junos and the new QFX5200 Series provides important options for its enterprise customers and targets fast growing cloud service providers.”
- Clifford Grossner Ph.D., research director, Data Center, Cloud and SDN at IHS

"HOSTING builds and operates high-performance clouds for business-critical applications, and we distinguish ourselves by focusing on quality infrastructure, people and processes. We have long used Juniper Networks in our data centers to provide the best network solution for our customers, and the new products announced today are certainly strong additions to Juniper’s simple, open and smart MetaFabric architecture.”
- Darrell Hyde, chief technology officer at HOSTING

“To support our innovative bare-metal cloud and private cloud services, Packet requires a network infrastructure that combines high performance with the agility of the cloud. Juniper’s MetaFabric Architecture, based on the QFX and EX Series, already provides this for Packet, and the new products announced today only enhance Juniper’s already innovative data center networking portfolio.”
- Zachary Smith, chief executive officer at Packet

“Enterprises today need to move at the speed of business and their IT needs to keep pace, otherwise productivity and profitability can suffer. Atos’ Digital Data Center solution, which includes technology from Juniper Networks, gives customers the agility they need to drive business growth and maintain a competitive advantage, while mitigating the risk commonly associated with deploying new infrastructure solutions. Leveraging pre-validated, integrated stack solutions enables customers to focus on business priorities, not mundane operational processes."
- Wim Los, senior vice president of Technology Transformation Services at Atos

“The flexibility to quickly scale an IT environment with virtually no limits will be a game changer for businesses that need to build out geographically dispersed footprints in a simple, uniform architecture. To do that, businesses must be able to build an IT infrastructure that uses extremely cost-effective hardware and software based on open-source technology in an infinitely scalable model. Our InfiniStack Solutions, built with Dell servers and storage, Juniper Networks QFX5100 switches and OpenContrail, help speed the development and production deployment of software-defined networks for enterprise customers looking to capitalize on the benefits of the cloud.”
- Jim Glueck, vice president of Pre-sales and Professional Services Core Technologies at FusionStorm

“DPoD’s hyper converged approach allows users to experience all of the benefits of a public cloud without the risk – at a price point that’s significantly lower than that offered by public cloud providers. Leveraging Juniper Networks Contrail Networking allows us to build a truly open solution that delivers the scale, security and performance our customers expect. DPoD is truly a ‘cloud in a box,’ that brings everything together, including a full multi-vendor professional services experience.”
- Frank Jadevaia, president at InterCloud Systems

“IT organizations face increasing pressure to deliver applications at the speed of business while simultaneously maintaining control of users and costs. Although cloud services have revolutionized the way IT is delivered, the complexity of deploying a cloud can be overwhelming. With J-Stack, InterVision has created a reference architecture and service delivery model that uses best-in-class components to remove the barriers to deploying a flexible private cloud.”
- Jason Gress, president and co-founder at InterVision

“Today’s data centers require an agile network that should not only provide linear performance, high availability, scalability and 100 percent uptime, but compatibility with the cloud architecture for orchestration and ease of management. At ITQAN, we’ve leveraged a broad set of Juniper Networks solutions, including Virtual Chassis Fabric, Junos Space, vSRX virtual firewalls and MX Series routers, within our converged stack solution to address the most challenging task for any cloud environment – the integration of virtual network components with physical network components and their central management as a single component.”
-Bassem Moustafa, technical director at ITQAN

“The architecture Redapt designed with Mirantis, including Dell systems and storage, Juniper Networks QFX and EX switches and Mirantis’ Fuel and OpenStack distribution at the core, allows us to deliver what our customers have been requesting for years: the flexibility and zero lock-in of OpenStack in a turnkey solution. We’re able to help solve the complexity commonly associated with OpenStack implementations and speed the development and deployments of cloud-native applications at scale. To help our customers, Redapt works closely with them to scope, deliver and install solutions that will arrive in the data center ready for production from day one.”
-Nick Sutherland, senior director of Business Development at Redapt, Inc.

“Our clients consistently tell us that their IT organizations are expected to manage increasingly complex, heterogeneous environments while meeting enterprise-class service levels for application delivery. In order to accomplish this with minimal risk and disruption to existing IT operations, we’ve partnered with vendors like Juniper to build best-of-breed, converged solutions that ensure interoperability and a smooth deployment path. Juniper’s commitment to open standards-based technology allows us maximum flexibility to architect solutions that best suit our customers’ needs.”
- Miguel Collado, chief executive officer at Technica Corporation

“Simplicity, scale and time to market are so critical for today’s cloud service providers. The big benefit of CloudCastr is that it gives these enterprises the ability to leverage a pre-built, proven architecture for NFV without spending the time and resources to design and deploy it themselves. It enables true ‘drag and drop’ scalability of an NFV-powered cloud.”
- Matthew Brennan, vice president of sales at VirtualArmor

“Our customers are consistently challenged to accelerate the pace of network infrastructure deployments to match the speed of business requirements. As a result, the purpose of the network has fundamentally changed; it’s all about choice to enable people to connect with speed, agility and reliability. The disaggregation of the Junos software and our new QFX5200 Series, along with our technology integration in leading converged stacks, illustrate how Juniper’s data center solutions deliver the automation, programmability and openness required to solve our customers’ most pressing network challenges and eradicate lock-in.”
- Jonathan Davidson, executive vice president and general manager, Juniper Development and Innovation at Juniper Networks

* Source: Gartner, Inc. “Infrastructure Agility Key Initiative Overview,” (July 16, 2015) by Philip Dawson, Arun Chandrasekan, Mike Chuba and Matthew Brisse

Additional Resources

About Juniper Networks

Juniper Networks (NYSE:JNPR) delivers innovation across routing, switching and security. Juniper Networks’ innovations in software, silicon and systems transform the experience and economics of networking. Additional information can be found at Juniper Networks (www.juniper.net) or connect with Juniper on Twitter and Facebook.

Juniper Networks and Junos are registered trademarks of Juniper Networks, Inc. in the United States and other countries. The Juniper Networks and Junos logos are trademarks of Juniper Networks, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, or registered service marks are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of assumptions, uncertainties and risks including, among other things, statements concerning Juniper Networks' prospects, product availability and performance, including the ability of products to integrate with other technologies and offerings from other vendors, future products and benefits to customers. Actual results or events could differ materially from those anticipated in those forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including delays in scheduled product availability, incompatibility of technologies, the company's failure to accurately predict emerging technological trends, and other factors listed in Juniper Networks’ most recent report on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All statements made in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release. Juniper Networks undertakes no obligation to update the information in this release in the event facts or circumstances subsequently change after the date of this press release. Any future product, feature, enhancement or related specification that may be referenced in this press release are for information purposes only, are subject to change at any time without notice and are not commitments to deliver any future product, feature, enhancement or related specification. The information contained in this press release is intended to outline Juniper Networks’ general product direction and should not be relied on in making a purchasing decision.

Contacts

Media Relations:
Juniper Networks
Darlene Gannon, 1-408-936-8472
dgannon@juniper.net

Release Summary

Juniper Networks unveils a disaggregated version of the Junos® software to provide customers with ultimate choice in data center deployment options. Also announces new QFX5200 access switches.

Contacts

Media Relations:
Juniper Networks
Darlene Gannon, 1-408-936-8472
dgannon@juniper.net