Juniper & Liberty Global complete cloud connectivity POC

Juniper Networks and Liberty Global have announced the successful completion of a joint proof-of-concept (POC) project aimed at enhancing user experiences in cloud environments.

This collaborative effort focused on the utilisation of the Juniper Cloud Interlink to provide a seamless and secure way to connect services and applications located across various cloud environments. The initiative was intended to offer a consistent user experience across multiple cloud technologies by integrating Juniper's advanced network automation.

Liberty Global, a significant provider of communication services, is exploring new approaches to improving cloud connectivity for its diverse clientele. As businesses continue to shift applications and data to the cloud for benefits such as scalability and resilience, Liberty Global is responding to the increased demand for multi-cloud connectivity solutions.

Madalina Suceveanu, Managing Director of Mobile & Cloud Technologies at Liberty Global, highlighted the importance of a single, programmable network fabric, stating, "Creating a single, programmable fabric across all our 'national champion' broadband and mobile brands in Europe—from deployment to ongoing operation—is a critical ingredient in our mission to deliver the best possible user experiences to our cloud customers." She further explained that the POC showcased the effectiveness of holistic thinking about cloud infrastructure and partnerships.

Juniper's role in this project centred on its Cloud Interlink technology, which aims to automate the management of hybrid multicloud networks. This involves streamlining multicloud operations by connecting applications and services seamlessly between public clouds, on-premises, and co-located data centers.

Raj Yavatkar, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Juniper Networks, emphasised the company's focus on connectivity, saying, "Juniper is relentlessly focused on helping our customers make every connection count for their users. In this POC we were able to show how Liberty Global could deploy Juniper Cloud Interlink to fully align cloud-based network access for applications and services to user expectations—yielding a secure, assured experience." He added that the POC exemplifies the forward-thinking work of Juniper Beyond Labs.

The project required deploying Juniper Cloud Interlink Gateways in strategic locations including an AWS Outpost at Liberty Global's premises in Reading, UK, and regional cloud environments such as AWS and Google. These gateways were interlinked rapidly, facilitating advanced network and security operations with consistent policy enforcement.

Liberty Global and Juniper Networks plan to continue their collaboration, aiming to mature the technology towards eventual commercial deployment. This ongoing partnership reflects both companies' dedication to enhancing cloud connectivity solutions at scale.

The results of the POC hold significant potential for future developments in network connectivity, particularly as Liberty Global seeks to improve the service quality and reliability for its millions of users across various markets.