Juniper Networks, a leader in network innovation, and Aruba Networks, a leading provider of next-generation network access solutions for the mobile enterprise, have signed a strategic agreement to deliver open, converged wire and wireless network solutions based on best-of-breed technologies.

 

The partnership deal includes both joint development efforts and go-to-market collaboration, with the goal of providing innovative solutions for the problems facing enterprises, said a statement.

 

As part of this effort, Juniper is enabling technology partners, like Aruba, to take advantage of its programmable silicon by making available key software elements and new programmable application programming interfaces (APIs) to enable the high-IQ enterprise – an open, smart approach to enterprise networking that allows customers to fundamentally transform the user and operator experience

 

It will help foster industry collaboration to accelerate innovation for customers and partners, said a statement.

 

According to global technology research firm Canalys, the mobile device market is expected to reach 2.6 billion units by 2016. 

 

Efficiently and intelligently managing this influx of devices and traffic has become increasingly difficult and complex for IT departments. Additionally, the rapid adoption of business applications – such as voice-over-wifi clients – means more comprehensive orchestration is needed, requiring granular policy and performance management to ensure that key applications are secured and optimised, it said. 

 

Juniper and Aruba are addressing these mobility market trends with product-level integration that leverages open protocols and open APIs on Juniper switches and routers, and contextual data on users, devices, applications and location available from Aruba’s enterprise Wireless LAN (WLAN) products. 

 

With this integration, enterprises will be able to optimise application performance, enable mobility-centric security and policy, and reduce total cost of ownership by eliminating vendor lock-in. 

 

The highlights of the deal include collaboration to integrate Aruba mobility solutions with Juniper enterprise switches and routers, delivering ongoing product innovation to enterprise customers; and simplified management, visibility and policy across company product lines to increase productivity for IT professionals and streamline recurring network operations.

 

It also offers a broad set of enterprise-grade indoor and outdoor wireless access products on the market to help customers create a future-ready mobility infrastructure; and multi-phase delivery of an open converged framework, integration of management and policy with exchange of user and device information.

 

Shaygan Kheradpir, chief executive officer, Juniper, said: “Juniper is delivering best-of-breed High-IQ networks to customers to remove complexity and increase control of their critical infrastructure. Bringing these capabilities to the Enterprise is core to our strategy and our partnership with Aruba is a key example of open, intelligent solutions.  With Aruba we jointly deliver a unique, interoperable wired and wireless solution that will enable customers to realize performance, cost, intelligence and simplified management benefits. Additionally, Juniper’s Open Convergence Framework provides customers with comprehensive solutions optimized for the unique requirements of the Enterprise.”

 

Dominic Orr, chief executive officer, Aruba, said: “The question on the table is not if employees will bring their own mobile devices into the workplace, but rather how those devices will be supported. There’s an urgent need for IT departments to efficiently handle #GenMobile’s all-wireless requirements and the resulting influx of mobile device traffic. Aruba’s joint development agreement with Juniper Networks brings together the best in mobility technology with a leader in wired switching and routing. The resulting right-sized network will help automate and accelerate business operations and deliver an integrated mobility experience on which #GenMobile can depend.” - TradeArabia News Service