Juniper Networks hands channel NaaS option

Juniper Networks has cut the ribbon on a network-as-a-service (NaaS) enhancement to its AIOps platform to arm partners with more options.

The vendor’s reseller and MSP partners will be the point of contact for customers looking to get subscription-based networking.

Where Juniper Networks feels it stands out from the competition is the ability to lean on its Mist AI and microservices cloud platform to bring together wired, wireless, SD-WAN and security in a package that is easy for partners to manage and customers to consume.

“Juniper’s unique ability to combine cloud agility, flexibility and scale with AI-driven automation and insight has always made the AI-driven enterprise portfolio ideal for our partners,” said Gordon Mackintosh, group vice-president, global channels and virtual dales at Juniper Networks.

“As a result, both MSPs and resellers have played a big role in the tremendous growth we have seen to date. By making it even easier for these partners to obtain and manage full-stack networking services via the Juniper Mist cloud, our new NaaS capabilities promise to accelerate this momentum and increase our campus and branch market share.”

Some of the features of NaaS that Juniper emphasises should appeal to partners include flexible subscription management, fresh payment and purchasing options and the ability to have a dashboard that combines wired, wireless and SF-WAN network management.

The vendor shared some comments about its NaaS plans, with a thumbs-up all round, including some support from Bob Laliberte, principal analyst at ESG.

“Juniper is focused on delivering industry-leading, AI-driven products and programmes that facilitate the adoption of cloud-hosted networking services and provide numerous end-user and operator benefits,” he said.

“By delivering a cloud-like experience and subscription models for campus and branch environments, Juniper has increased their appeal to channel partners delivering managed services. These announcements also ensure end-users have more flexibility in how they procure and manage unified wired, wireless and SD-WAN services.”

Juniper Networks has been enhancing its partner programmes and at the start of this year it changed the global Juniper Partner Advantage Program (JPA) to include a new top-tier Elite Plus level for the select few that qualify for greater rewards and investment.

For those that qualify, Elite Plus offers “superior support” and dedicated business development and demand-generation resources.

At the same time, the vendor has made positive soundings about MSPs and indicated that support for those partners was coming, which now includes the NaaS option.