Juniper Networks touted a major deal with China’s largest carrier-neutral data center service provider, revealing 21Vianet used its MX series of routers for a recent expansion of its operation.
A Juniper representative told Fierce the new MX routers power 21Vianet’s entire interconnected data center network in the country, adding the deal “is significant in demonstrating Juniper’s leadership” in the data center and interconnect markets.
In a press release, Juniper explained 21Vianet deployed the routers to increase capacity and simplify traffic management across its network, applying segment routing traffic engineering (SR-TE) protocols to boost efficiency and automation capabilities. It added 21Vianet also implemented an EVPN-MPLS/VXLAN protocol on its routers to make it easier for network administrators to move applications within and between data centers.
21Vianet runs a network of more than 50 data centers in more than 20 cities across China. In 2013, it inked a deal to become Microsoft’s local partner and offer Azure as the first international public cloud in the country. Last month, Microsoft announced 21Vianet will launch a new Azure region in North China in 2022.
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In a statement included in the announcement, 21Vianet called Juniper a “crucial, long-term technology partner,” adding the pair’s collaboration yielded the “technology and expertise necessary for the ongoing development of the data center arena.”
The Juniper representative told Fierce it has “captured strong local market share” in China, where an “ever-increasing level of demand and the growing number of connected devices within the ecosystem” have spurred a need for “high-capacity networks that need to be implemented at the speed in which the economy is growing.”
Juniper previously identified the data center space as a key area of focus, and earlier this year finalized its acquisition of automation specialist Apstra to boost its portfolio targeting the segment.
During an investor day in February, Juniper CEO Rami Rahim said the addition of Apstra to its data center offerings created “a highly compelling solution that will change the experience of operating in the modern data center for our customers” and would “accelerate our ability to increase recurring revenue.”