Juniper Networks, a world leader in secure and AI-driven networks, has announced the release of its version 4.0 for the Apstra software, a network solution it has recently acquired.
The Apstra platform is an "intent-based networking solution" that helps businesses around the world decrease the time and costs required to deploy and manage traditionally complex data center networks. Building on the established multivendor support capabilities of the Apstra platform, the new version 4.0 allows support for VMware NSX-T 3.0 and Enterprise SONiC. This, in addition to previously supported data center switching from Juniper, Arista Networks, Nvidia (Nvidia Cumulus), and Cisco Systems, ensures that Apstra 4.0 supports more and allows it to shave off more in terms of data center time and costs.
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Furthermore, the network management software has been fitted with additional intent extensions and connectivity templates, creating a simpler and more flexible strategy for connecting attached systems together. With the release of the latest Apstra, Juniper Networks is also pairing the new software with its award-winning Juniper Networks® QFXSeries switches and its SRX Series Services Gateways - established industry solutions capable of keeping up growing data center needs.
"Organizations are looking for new ways to enhance the experience of users and operators in the data center," says Juniper Networks' VP for Data Center Mike Bushong, in a company statement. "Our Apstra software provides the perfect foundation by delivering closed-loop automation, analytics and assurance for intent-based networking across vendors. In operations, speed is nothing without control, and with the newest Apstra extensions and multi-vendor solutions, teams can make changes more quickly with predictable outcomes."
Updates on Open Extensions and Connectivity Templates
Formerly known as AOS, Apstra 4.0 builds upon its previous iterations and takes it to the next level - extending intent to connections for more attached systems. Through the new app, network operators can now create their own reusable and standardized templates, which adds flexibility to standardized operations. Now, organizations can freely work with bulk adds across the entire fabric in just a few minutes. This includes operations with servers, workloads, and devices while maintaining everything the operability and uptime of the rest of the network.
With Apstra 4.0's angle source of truth, it operates based on established parameters and identifies how the network should work - informing operators when the network begins behaving otherwise.
Also, new extensions better empower organizations with reliability and time-savings value as Apstra 4.0 is integrated with VMware NSX-T 3.0 and ENterprise SONiC. For the VMware platform, Apstra employs its built-in validation for virtual machine (VM) connectivity, keeping operation between virtual and physical segments of the network. Furthermore, Juniper Networks - through Apstra 4.0 - is the only vendor that offers commercial support for Enterprise SONiC management.
Apstra 4.0: The Latest Building Block Solution
Aside from its increased operational support across vendors, Juniper has also made it easier for organizations to boost their own data center with its suite of Juniper Networks solutions. Apstra 4.0 uses the latest in intent-based networking, paired with Juniper's industry-standard solutions for Secure Services Gateways. The solutions boast a scalable and optimized architecture that allows teams to confidently deploy what they need with a setup that can support anywhere from small, 4-switch setups to deployments containing 1,624 servers.
Furthermore, the experience of setting up new data centers in days are long gone - with Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) and pre-validated blueprints making the process achievable in a matter of hours.
Published on Tech Times.
