Juniper Apstra customers grew by more than 170% in 2022. . . and we’re just getting started

Ben Baker, Senior Director, Service Provider Product Marketing at Juniper Networks

Running a data center network has never been easy. But as more organizations are discovering, it doesn’t have to be quite so hard either. Over the last year, the number of customers using Juniper Apstra—the industry’s only multivendor intent-based data center automation platform—grew by more than 170%. What do those customers know that others don’t? That Apstra reduces the costs of Day 0 and Day 2 operations by 60%. That it can save thousands of personnel hours during Day 1 deployment. That, according to a Forrester analysis of Apstra customers, it delivers a 320% ROI, with payback in less than six months.  

Those are hard-to-ignore benefits. It should come as no surprise then that hundreds of companies have already chosen to join Team Apstra. What may be surprising though, is just how quickly Apstra continues to get even better. Last September, we introduced Apstra Freeform Reference Designs that extend automation to any data center, using any vendor, any topology and any network design. We also launched a new pricing structure, providing low-cost entry points to ease adoption and lower risk. And now, we’re taking data center automation to the next level with Apstra 4.1.2, available this month.

Reimagining Data Center Operations

Those who run a large data center face constant pressure to help the business get faster and more agile. They manage a growing portfolio of digital tools, all of which add layers of complexity. They likely continue to struggle with supply chain disruptions. And meanwhile, the people needed to overcome these challenges—skilled networking experts—keep getting harder to find and retain. 

According to Bob Laliberte, Enterprise Strategy Research Group, “As organizations continue to mature their digital transformation initiatives, Apstra enables them to realize their top IT goal for these transformations: driving greater operational efficiency¹. The combination of multivendor support, automation and simplified data center operations provides network operations teams a solution to effectively manage large, complex, data center networking environments. By leveraging Apstra, organizations will have a unified view of their heterogeneous data center network and take advantage of automation to deliver more efficient Day 2 operations.” Apstra delivers:

• The industry’s only multivendor fabric automation and management solution. With recent supply chain shortages, some businesses using a single network equipment vendor have found themselves needing to delay important data center expansions. Even when supply chains run smoothly, locking into one vendor means locking businesses into a smaller pool of candidates with the skills to manage that environment. As the only multivendor solution on the market, Apstra provides customers the flexibility to change equipment and expand on their own timeline, not the other way around. 
• Intent-based networking. Users decide what they want the data center fabric to do, and Apstra handles the rest—device configurations, OS upgrades and more—without human operators having to spell out exactly how. Users define the blueprint for what the data center looks like and Apstra continuously monitors the operating environment to ensure it delivers on that intent. 
• Reliability, which equates to speed. Years ago, hyperscalers realized the big secret of getting faster: first get it right, then do the same thing, the same way, every time. Apstra’s repeatable blueprints let customers grow as needed, consistently stamping out the same fabric deign.
• Security integrated with the network. Apstra works seamlessly with Juniper’s powerful Connected Security portfolio to protect users, data, applications and customers, wherever they are, and give customers peace of mind. 

Introducing Juniper Apstra 4.1.2

Combine those capabilities, and we have a powerful platform to simplify operations and boost business agility. But why stop there? Data centers are highly dynamic, so automation tools should be too. Apstra is backed by an aggressive engineering team committed to delivering continuous innovations tailored to customer needs. Release 4.1.2 takes Apstra to the next level, offering new capabilities across four areas: 

• Expanded support across vendors and platforms: No matter which data center platforms, vendors or operating systems (OSs) organizations prefer, Apstra will most likely support them with the latest innovations, providing investment protection and freedom to innovate. The new Apstra release supports additional Cisco, Arista and Dell platforms and OSs. It also integrates VMware NSX-T 3.2, automating the deployment of VLANs and validating configurations. In addition, Apstra now supports nearly all Juniper data center platforms, including ACX and PTX families. 

• Relentless focus on user experience: Juniper is constantly rolling out new capabilities and UX improvements based on customer feedback. Our customers know that if they need it, the Apstra engineering team will make it happen. The latest release features Freeform enhancements to further simplify and automate resource allocation. It updates the UX to make it even more intuitive. And, it features new configlets that function like Chrome browser add-ons, so customers can seamlessly integrate the tools they prefer. 

• Even simpler Day 2 operations: When we develop Apstra updates, we prioritize Day 2 operations, as that’s where customers spend most of their time. Apstra 4.1.2 features better:
  • Bulk operations. Now, Apstra can push out configurations in bulk, quickly and reliably, across hundreds of routing zones, virtual networks and racks. Customers can also set up resources for applications and services much more quickly and can more easily adapt to changing needs. 
  • Intent-based analytics (IBA). With new and enhanced probes and IBA, Apstra now tracks additional environmental conditions such as temperature, fan status, power consumption and optical transceiver health to reduce the risk of hardware failures and outages.
  • Security. Apstra 4.1.2 adds new security enhancements around encryption and password management. 
• Faster time to value: A new quick-start Apstra deployment package from Juniper professional services gets new customers up and running in one week! Try achieving the same time to value with our competitors’ offerings. More details: Deployment Services, Migration Services

Start Rethinking Data Center Operations Today

Tired of letting vendors and supply chain uncertainties dictate how you grow your business? Ready to tap into the business agility and organizational flexibility that come with a multivendor-capable data center fabric? Then you’re ready for Juniper. Don’t try it with anyone else. For organizations that need intent-based automation, repeatable reliability and integrated security—across any vendor, topology or network design—only one solution on the planet delivers. Join the hundreds of organizations worldwide that have already chosen Juniper Apstra.