Juniper, VMware Partner To Unify Virtual And Physical DC Networks

Juniper Networks has announced that it has expanded its partnership with VMware to deliver a broad range of solutions for unifying virtual and physical networks within a virtualised datacentre environment. These solutions, which will include VMware NSX L2 Gateway integration and VXLAN routing capabilities across access, aggregation, core and edge tiers of the datacentre network, will offer enterprise customers seamless management of workflows across virtualised and non-virtualised systems. Juniper Networks’ VXLAN routing and gateway capabilities enable both intra- and inter-datacentre solutions and accelerate the transition to software-defined networking (SDN).

Increasingly, enterprises are looking to SDN and network virtualisation as a means of easily deploying, managing, and orchestrating public and private cloud networks - tasks that have grown more complex due to the combination of physical and virtual assets. The partnership between Juniper Networks and VMware represents a shared commitment to delivering simplified, flexible solutions that enable customers to more easily migrate to SDN as their business needs evolve.

VMware NSX Integration: Juniper Networks is working closely with VMware to develop a broad range of networking solutions that will deliver VMware NSX Layer 2 Gateway functionality to programmatically enable connectivity between virtual and physical network environments. VMware NSX L2 Gateway Services will be offered on Juniper Networks EX Series and QFX Series core, aggregation and access switching platforms, and MX Series edge routers, providing customers with unparalleled levels of IT flexibility through support for nearly any virtualised datacentre deployment scenario. VMware NSX L2 Gateway Services are expected to be generally available in mid-2014.

Hardware-accelerated VXLAN Routing: To support multi-tenancy or business continuity/disaster recovery initiatives, enterprises need to route network traffic between virtual networks either within a single - or across multiple - datacentres. New VXLAN routing capabilities on Juniper Networks MX Series and EX9200 Series Switches will specifically address these needs. These capabilities are expected to be available in mid-2014.

Advanced Datacentre Automation: To help enterprise customers streamline datacentre operations across physical and virtual environments, Juniper Networks offers a range of network automation solutions designed to simplify the arduous and time-consuming tasks of network provisioning, day-to-day management and orchestration of network resources. For VMware environments, Juniper Networks offers comprehensive management and advanced analytics as well as troubleshooting capabilities for both physical and virtual infrastructures via its Junos Space Network Director and will provide integrated management capabilities through a plug-in for VMware vCenter Server.

Virtual Security Capabilities: Juniper Networks is also working with VMware to extend development of its leading virtual security product portfolio to ensure future integration with VMware NSX and new security and networking application programming interfaces (APIs). Juniper’s wide range of virtual security solutions for VMware environments provides customers with the ability to implement a comprehensive network security solution to protect virtual datacentre assets.

Validated Blueprint for the Virtualised Datacentre: Juniper Networks is developing a validated reference architecture that provides customers with a proven methodology for architecting and building out a simplified, integrated network framework to support virtualised datacentres. This blueprint, which is expected to be available later this year, will outline technology requirements, best practices and recommended approaches for successfully building a network foundation to support a number of advanced capabilities such as predictable application behaviour, streamlined workflow-based configuration and quality of service across physical and virtual networks with ease.

“Network virtualisation is rapidly transforming virtual datacentres today, and as enterprises seek to simplify IT by accelerating their use of private and hybrid cloud environments, physical and virtual networks must be viewed and managed as a single unified infrastructure. Juniper Networks offers a broad level of VMware NSX integration across its routing and switching platforms, which not only provides enterprise customers with unprecedented levels of IT flexibility, but also allows them to fully maximise their datacentre investments. Our collaboration with Juniper is a proof point of the commitment shared by both companies to continually drive simplicity, visibility and ease of management within the software-defined datacentre,” said Hatem Naguib, vice president, Cloud Networking and Security, VMware.

“For many enterprise customers, SDN in the datacentre represents a very real way to derive greater value and IT efficiency from the network, and the advent of VMware NSX L2 Gateway integration and VXLAN routing capabilities allows for a more seamless migration to a virtual network environment. Through our partnership with VMware – which includes joint product development, technology integration and joint go-to-market strategies – we are committed to developing a range of networking solutions for use in VMware environments designed to help customers bridge their virtual and physical datacentre resources. VMware’s expertise in virtualised computing combined with Juniper’s SDN leadership is a powerful combination,” said Jonathan Davidson, senior vice president and general manager, Campus and Datacentre Business Unit, Juniper Networks.