Juniper® Apstra® selected to simplify operations, streamline costs andimprove user experience with Intent-based Networking

Juniper Networks® (NYSE: JNPR), a leader in secure, AI-driven networks, and NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701), a leading global IT and network transformation services provider, today announced that DNA, part of Telenor Group and one of Finland’s leading mobile and fixed communications service providers, has deployed an intent-based networking data center fabric based on Juniper’s innovative automation software plus high-performance hardware and utilizing NEC’s advanced systems integration expertise. DNA’s new data center infrastructure provides a unified platform for both its business-to-business customer services and internal IT services. Additionally, Juniper Networks™ QFX Series Switches were chosen to power DNA’s Telco Cloud sites across Finland.

The overall objective for DNA’s data center infrastructure refresh is to enable new revenue-generating services whilst delivering operational efficiencies, together leading to enhanced user experiences. By automating the data center network, DNA can eliminate human error, optimize its technical team’s workload to focus on service creation and simplify first-class service delivery at scale. QFX switches enable low latency networking with high reliability and capacity, the key requirements for delivering various services to mobile users who are looking for high-performance network quality.

Juniper Apstra System: Intent-based Networking

DNA has selected the Juniper Apstra solution as the data center infrastructure’s foundation: unique, intent-based networking software that simplifies, automates and validates data center design, planning and operations, from Day 0 to Day 2+.

Apstra is a turnkey multi-vendor automation solution (both hardware- and OS-agnostic), that provides DNA with a unified, real-time view of millions of data center elements, plus their dynamic performance, relationships and interdependencies.

Apstra’s capabilities bring agility and more reliability to DNA’s network design, build and operations. The entire network management operations will be streamlined, and IT teams will be able to focus more on other priorities.

With Apstra, DNA can create a set of templates for its data center network built on its desired intent and required business outcomes. Apstra automatically converts this intent into the network configurations and policies necessary to consistently achieve DNA’s defined outcomes.

The Apstra-enabled network undergoes continuous, closed-loop assurance and self-validation to ensure compliance with the declared intent from the blueprint.

Using the operational, real-time analytics it constantly generates, Apstra is also able to deliver much faster and highly-accurate root-cause analysis of network issues and mitigation data, helping DNA to maximize its data center and services uptime.

DNA also deployed Juniper Networks QFX Series Switches across its new data center fabric. The QFX Series complements Apstra in DNA’s network by delivering industry-leading reliability, performance and scalability.

NEC is the strategic partner for DNA, providing pre-integration consultancy and validation as well as premium level support for Juniper’s solution, leveraging its expert support team of certified engineers.

Supporting Quotes:

“DNA has always been an innovator, using the best technology available to provide new services and better experiences for our customers. Because Finnish businesses are fully committed to digital transformation, and their expectations of our service reliability and quality are extremely high, we knew that we had to up our game in the data center by deploying state-of-the-art automation and networking technology. By working with Juniper and NEC, DNA is able to deliver those first-class user experiences and maintain our reputation.”

Pekka Jääskeläinen, Vice President, Core & IP Networks, DNA Plc

“As a long-standing partner to the Telenor Group, NEC is honored to help DNA drive higher efficiency, agility, and availability of its data center network with automated solutions alongside our strategic partner Juniper. Based on our wealth of multi-vendor, multi-domain network systems integration capability and best-of-breed ecosystem, provided by NEC’s Center of Excellence (CoE), we will continue delivering transformative networking solutions and services that overcome increasing business challenges and keep our customers ahead of the curve.”

Masayuki Kayahara, General Manager, Service Provider Solutions Department, NEC

“Apstra helps to de-risk data center networking significantly but also streamlines the operational overhead, making life much easier for pressured operators. Automation drives down the total cost of ownership in DNA’s data centers and frees up talent, all the while enabling it to open up rich new revenue streams via services which can be taken to market quickly and more reliably.”

Mansour Karam, Group Vice President Products, Cloud Ready Data Center, Juniper Networks