Juniper opens its networks to third party applications

Stuart Corner
Thursday, 29 October 2009 09:04

Business IT - Technology

Juniper Networks has unveiled an addition to its Junos operating system that allows customers to directly program their networks of Juniper switches, routers and security gateways. It comprises the Junos Space network application platform and the Junos Pulse integrated network client designed to run on a wide range of end user devices, including the iPhone.


Junos Space is billed as an open development and deployment platform for network applications, which enables customers and third-party developers to simplify network operations, automate support and accelerate service delivery.  The announcements were made along with others , including a rebranding, in what Juniper said was the biggest announcement in its 12 year history.

According to Mike Harding, vice president and general manager of the Junos Space business "The new network is a platform for innovation that is now open...In 2007 we opened the core Junos operating system to third parties and now have a growing number of partners developing applications for that core network...We believe we have an opportunity to build on this and extend the software platform all the way to the network end point...with Junos Space and Junos Pulse."

Harding said: "Junos Space is designed from the ground up to be simple...We have a heritage as an industry of exposing every feature and function of our devices and inflicting them on our customers...With Junos Space we are fundamentally re-examining what cross network infrastructure should look like.

"First, it should solve a problem, and not everyone has highly skilled network engineers. We need to take that expertise and encapsulate it in software and that is what we have tried to do in Junos Space."

Junos Space has been launched with three applications: Ethernet Activator, claimed to enable customers to quickly create and activate services, including activation of VPN services; Route Analyser - developed by a third party, Packet Design - which provides DVR-like recording and playback capability to plan, simulate and troubleshoot MPLS networks; and Service Now, which speeds resolution of service issues by having Juniper systems "call" Juniper support experts with troubleshooting data and details.

According to Harding, "Ethernet Activator is aimed at service provider and enterprise customers. For service providers this is about fast, accurate provisioning of services. Benchmarked against the best in the industry, we believe we can provide an 10x improvement."

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