Lucent, Juniper unveil first joint solutions

Lucent Technologies and Juniper Networks today unveiled the first two solutions developed jointly by the two equipment vendors since the partnership they announced in May.

The first new offering is an IP virtual private network (VPN) solution combining Juniper’s M- and E-series edge routers with Lucent’s existing ATM and frame-relay switches. With it, the duo hopes to allow service providers to offer a variety of layer 3 VPN services such as IP-enabled frame relay and ATM service as well as Ethernet and broadband access, all through a common provisioning platform.

"You can combine edge network technologies—frame relay, ATM, Ethernet, DSL—into a single VPN without disturbing the customer’s current network connections," said John Sax, Lucent’s chief technology officer of multiservice switching. "If you have frame or ATM access to the customer site, you’d use Lucent ATM or frame switches. If you have DSL access to the customer site, you’d go through a DSLAM, which would then connect to an E-series Juniper router. If you have a gigabit Ethernet connection, you’d use Juniper’s M-series routers to connect that way. All of these switches and routers are connected to the IP/MPLS core in the center, which is Juniper’s large T-series router."

The second new offering, to be available in the first quarter of next year is a multiservice MPLS core routing solution meant to allow carriers to transition their core traffic, including ATM, to MPLS (a widely desired migration path toward carrier-class IP backbones) without sacrificing quality of service guarantees at the network’s edge. The system differentiates between different types of ATM traffic, ensuring delivery of high-priority traffic such as voice over less sensitive traffic types such as data. Sax called the system a "first step" on the path toward a standards-based solution that would allow ATM switches from other companies interface with this system, an idea Juniper dubbed the "infranet initiative" earlier this month.

Both new products are tied together from a management perspective by Lucent’s Navis software, which the company hopes will simplify use of both products and tighten operation costs.

The joint solution will be sold by Lucent to Lucent customers, Sax said, and will not be available from any vendors other than Lucent and Juniper.

In a research note this morning, Lehman Brothers analyst Steve Levy called the news encouraging for both vendors, pointing out that the integration of Juniper IP routers with Lucent management software has been achieved some three to six months ahead of schedule and conjecturing that the relationship could give Juniper a better shot at a pending multiservice switching contract from AT&T.

"Given the availability of Lucent/Juniper MPLS solutions and Juniper's existing supplier relationship with AT&T, we believe Juniper may be well positioned to win a portion of the potential AT&T contract," Levy wrote.

"In general, Lucent's traction with its partnership programs (Juniper for wireline data and Cisco for wireless data, among others) is continuing to increase momentum," Levy added.