Juniper Networks is set to acquire 128 Technology to accelerate AI-enabled SD-WAN technology, according to a statement released by Juniper.
Under the agreement, Juniper Networks will pay $450 million for 128 Technology; the deal is expected to close in Juniper’s fiscal fourth quarter, and is subject to regulatory approval, customary adjustments and the assumption of outstanding equity awards. Juniper has also coordinated for 128 Technology to issue retention-focused restricted stock units, which will be assumed by Juniper, according to the statement.
This is M&A deal 427 that ChannelE2E has covered so far in 2020. See the full M&A deal list here. On a related note, here's a list of SD-WAN related mergers and acquisitions.
Juniper Acquires 128 Technology: AI, SD-WAN Deal Details
128 Technology’s session-smart networking enables customers and service providers to make decisions based on real-time user sessions and business policies instead of static network policies configured on a per tunnel basis. The net result is better performance and scale at a lower operating cost, 128 Technology asserts.
128 Technology’s Session Smart networking will tuck intoJuniper’s AI-Driven Enterprise business unit -- which includes wired and wireless access and SD-WAN, Juniper’s campus and branch solutions, all driven by Mist AI. The combined portfolio will give customers a unified platform and will optimize user experiences from client-to-cloud, according to Juniper.
The combined portfolio aims to accelerate the evolution from first-generation SD-WAN technology that focuses on optimizing connections from branch-to-cloud to an AI-driven network that optimizes user experiences from client-to-cloud, according to the statement.
In the future, Juniper plans to integrate 128 Technology with Juniper’s WAN Assurance software, the branch SRX portfolio and Marvis Virtual Network Assistant, all driven by Mist AI, according to Juniper. The integrated solution will allow service providers to offer customizable service levels (down to the individual user), proactive anomaly detection, fault isolation with recommended corrective actions, self-driving network operations and AI-driven support, according to the statement.
When coupled with Juniper Connected Security, customers also get zero-trust access, next generation firewall, web/content filtering, real-time threat intelligence and advanced threat protection for advanced protection, Juniper said in the statement.
Juniper Acquires 128 Technology: Executive Commentary
“The acquisition of 128 Technology will enable Juniper to accelerate in a key area where we are seeing enormous success – the AI-driven enterprise,” said Rami Rahim, CEO of Juniper Networks. “Both companies share a common vision of putting user experiences above all else and leveraging automation with proactive actions to simplify IT operations. With 128 Technology, we are adding a highly differentiated technology into our award-winning arsenal of campus and branch solutions driven by Mist AI to deliver even more customer value while further accelerating Juniper’s continued growth in the enterprise.”
“128 Technology has brought to market a groundbreaking session-based routing solution that gives rise to experience-based networking. This allows our customers to realign their network with the requirements of a digital future that includes cloud, mobility and virtualization,” said Andy Ory, co-founder and CEO of 128 Technology. “The combination of our Session Smart Router with Juniper’s AI-driven enterprise portfolio, expansive channel and world-class support will dramatically accelerate our vision to transform networking and make a big impact on a very large, yet still highly under-served, WAN-Edge market.”
