For network operators, the 5G and cloud era will be the same, but different. By now, network operators are familiar with the ongoing need to increase network scale and capacity. If it feels like we have been talking about that for years, it’s because we have been. Yet, so it goes. I remember having a conversation with an internet service provider several years ago, who suggested that corn grows fast, but it doesn’t grow to the sky. Eventually, the growth of the internet will plateau, he suggested. Yet, I think a better analogy may be the similarity between the internet and the universe, which continues to grow in scale and complexity every day.
Regardless of the analogy, network operators looking to capitalize on the benefits of 5G and gigabit to the home for the delivery of over-the-top services like video conferencing, gaming, streaming video, telehealth and online education are finding that the confluence of increasing network capacity, supporting more connected devices and delivering low latency cloud-based services is complex. In addition, their customers expect the same performance from their applications whether they are hosted locally or in the cloud.
As discussed in a previous blog, in order to tackle this, automation will be essential for operators to deliver the right service experience to network users. Staying ahead of network users ever-changing business and personal connectivity needs requires a network that is responsive, insightful, elastic and resilient. With these requirements in mind, Juniper is partnering with Anuta Networks to deliver a portfolio of automation solutions that will enable you to simplify your network operations, increase operational efficiency and improve service assurance.
The products and solutions within our Juniper automation portfolio include: Junos Telemetry, NorthStar HealthBot, NorthStar Controller, NorthStar Planner and Anuta Network’s ATOM.
Junos Telemetry provides real-time data regarding component, device, system, network and service performance, without the need for polling. HealthBot collects network data from multiple sources, analyzes it using various mathematical and ML-based algorithms and delivers actionable insights that include predictive analytics. These insights can be used to drive dashboards, alerts, alarms and to drive closed-loop remediation of network issues proactively.
NorthStar Controller and Planner provide a transport planning and management solution for segment routing and MPLS-enabled networks.
Anuta Networks’ ATOM delivers automated device and service management solutions to our customers. ATOM, a recent addition to our automation portfolio, provides a network orchestration and service assurance platform that automates the design, development and deployment of networks, including their devices, services and operational workflows. It offers complete service orchestration for physical, virtual and hybrid networks across the service lifecycle. The capabilities of Anuta ATOM are best organized into four categories:
Automated device onboarding and management: Anuta ATOM supports device management for a library of over 150 platforms from 45 different vendors. Its model-driven approach enables network operators to add additional devices and vendors as their needs require. Once defined, ATOM automates the deployment or onboarding of the devices and manages them throughout their lifespan in the network.
Configuration compliance: ATOM provides configuration and compliance, enforcing device and service-level compliance across the multi-vendor infrastructure. ATOM automates the process of identifying when a device is running the incorrect version of the software or, worse, when a service may not have been completely removed from the network. When an out of compliance device is identified, ATOM takes remedial action by pushing the desired configuration back to the device.
Workflow automation: ATOM provides workflow-based automation using a technology that the industry refers to as low-code. The automated workflow capabilities of ATOM enable network operators to simplify the management and execution of various types of network methods of procedures or MOPs.
Closed-loop automation: ATOM can leverage its workflow capability to provide closed-loop automation. ATOM can be configured to monitor for alerts that come from within ATOM itself or from external applications like HealthBot. These alerts can be configured to trigger workflows like those described above. This implementation of ATOM provides closed-loop remediation to an issue or event that has occurred in the network by leveraging an if/then approach.
Through the interworking of Anuta ATOM with Juniper Networks’ Junos Telemetry, HealthBot and NorthStar solutions, network operators will be able to deploy a cross-domain automation portfolio that increases operational efficiency, improves network reliability, simplifies processes, reduces the potential for error and improves service assurance for customers.
As a result, Juniper Networks’ automation portfolio provides the following added capabilities and benefits:
- Stateful service provisioning, enhancing Juniper’s focus on service assurance
- Device lifecycle management, including configuration compliance
- Stateless workflow-driven management and orchestration, powered by Anuta low-code technology
For more information on Juniper Networks’ automation portfolio or our automation products, including Anuta Networks’ ATOM, please visit our website, www.juniper.net/automation.
