Juniper Networks announces Global OpenLab program

Juniper Networks, an industry leader in automated, scalable and secure networks, announced the global expansion of OpenLab to enable local delivery of its programs to six new locations across North America, Europe and Asia. The OpenLab program will provide customers, partners, academics and other industry leaders with a range of resources, such as educational programs, SDN sandboxes and NFV interoperability testing, to build and learn about emerging virtualization and automation technologies.

The expansion builds on the success of Juniper’s flagship OpenLab innovation center in New Jersey, which provides worldwide access to physical and virtual Juniper products that simulate real-world networking environments and scenarios, enabling users to build and test new network solutions, such as software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV) technologies.

A global survey of IT and business decision-makers released today revealed IT workforces lack the necessary training to stay knowledgeable about network technology. Nearly half (45 percent) of surveyed IT decision-makers believe their workforce will not have the skills needed for their role five years from now. The new regional centers will provide hands-on training, workshops and network technology competitions that help IT leaders educate and equip their workforces for the next era of digital transformation.

The inaugural innovation center, founded in 2012, has hosted industry and partner events, including over 150 technology and programmability training sessions, and 6 SDN hackathons co-hosted with Juniper customers, involving 17 universities to date. These programs accelerate collaboration and invention by pairing top university students with Juniper technology experts and customers to solve real-world problems with the latest in SDN and automation solutions, while helping to pair customers with fresh talent.

By increasing the availability of OpenLab expertise and resources, Juniper is empowering industry leaders, both existing and emerging, with the training and hands-on experiences necessary to keep pace with networking evolution.

News Highlights:

Global Expansion: Juniper Networks OpenLab will operate in seven locations worldwide, including Sunnyvale, Calif.; Bridgewater, N.J.; Amsterdam; London; Tokyo; Singapore; and Sydney, with the new locations expected to open through the end of 2016.
Educational Programs: Intensive SDN and automation technology training programs are conducted at OpenLab, grounding participants with both theoretical and hands-on experiences through Juniper technologies. Top university talent is also invited to participate in special competitions known as Hackathons and SDN Throwdowns held at OpenLab, which are jointly hosted by Juniper and its customers.

Hands-on Innovation:
OpenLab offers a “Solutions Incubation Program” for third-party independent software vendors to develop innovative solutions that enhance network and service value.
Customers and partners can gain access to automation “sandbox” environments using industry-leading Juniper solutions, including the Junos operating system, Contrail, the NorthStar Controller and vSRX Virtual Firewalls, for learning, exploration and to develop new solutions.
Professional Services and Support: OpenLab can serve as a physical and virtual hub for customers to gain insight on how best to plan, build and operate their next generation networks. Support available from the OpenLab facilities includes customized assessments, life-cycle modeling and design and deployment services in the areas of SDN, network automation and network security.

“OpenLab is a globally accessible resource created primarily to spark new ideas for network innovation through education and collaboration. Juniper offers the technology, resources and education that enables our customers to push the boundaries of networking, drive innovation and create technologies that help them tackle their toughest business challenges.”says Jerry Passione, general manager, OpenLab, at Juniper Networks.