Juniper Networks, a provider in secure, AI-driven networks, announced that it has been selected by Jazz, Pakistan’s 4G operator, internet and digital service provider, to create a transformative, expanded and upgraded data centre network to underpin Jazz’s services delivery platform for its 74.9 million subscribers. Jazz’s objective was to reimagine its architectural approach by leveraging continuous automation, assurance and data-driven insights to deliver a network user experience at scale while simplifying its operations.
Jazz offers the broadest portfolio of value-added digital services to enterprises and subscribers in Pakistan and has built a reputation for cutting-edge innovation with the ability to scale cloud-based services quickly and reliably. Following a rigorous vendor-agnostic technology appraisal, focused on the operational and cost efficiencies made possible by network automation, Jazz selected Juniper’s technology and expertise to underpin this latest project. Juniper’s advanced automation capabilities, transforming the entire network management lifecycle process within a single system, were a standout in the market.
News Highlights
- The new network will support a wide range of customer-facing services that demand reliability and fast data throughput to support a consistently strong user experience. These include cloud-based enterprise data services, mobile banking, music and video download/streaming services, as well as professional services such as an agricultural application for four million farmers who rely on it for information, advice and guidance in remote areas.
- Jazz will also use the network to power key internal workloads such as CRM and billing.
- Jazz will deploy the Juniper Apstra System to deliver true intent-based networking (IBN) capabilities. This enables Jazz to design and operate its data centre network based on outcomes, with the entire data centre lifecycle automated, from Day 0 (design) through Day 1 (configuration and deployment) to Day 2+ (ongoing operations).
- The network’s initial design is tied to day-to-day operations, enabling a single source of truth throughout its lifecycle. Automation provides a continuous feedback loop of real-time data insights, validation and root cause identification to minimise mean-time-to-repair (MTTR).
- This approach will enable Jazz to operate a much more efficient, reliable and agile network. It will help to deploy new service features, optimising user experience for both network teams and customers.
- The new data centre infrastructure includes a spine-and-leaf architecture built with the Juniper Networks QFX Series Switches and fully integrated with the Juniper Apstra System.
- Jazz has previously deployed MX Series Universal Routing Platforms from Juniper for 400G-ready connectivity for its metro and internet gateway infrastructure. The new QFXs leverage the same Junos OS operating system, providing a consistent networking estate for Jazz to manage and operate.
Abdul Rehman Usmani, vice president of technology at Jazz, says “In common with all service providers globally, Jazz faces relentless data demand and heightened expectations for seamless digital services. As a result, we wanted to completely rethink our data centre operations, using ground-breaking automation to create the best possible user experiences for our enterprise customers and subscribers. Operational simplicity was another important goal, to deliver cost reductions and improved ease of use for our technical teams in the face of massive demand at scale. We evaluated multiple vendors, but Juniper’s ability to deliver the exact networking outcomes we needed meant that a highly strategic decision was very straightforward to make.”
Mike Bushong, vice president, cloud ready data centre at Juniper Networks, says “The power of automation, bound within a single operational framework thanks to intent-based networking, enables Jazz to address the relevant operational questions, find the right answers quickly and make the best decisions. This means its network becomes a strategic business tool, leveraging data to deliver robust deployment and operational efficiencies and eliminates traditional network constraints that force choices between speed and reliability. Based on data from other Juniper customers, the result will be dramatic savings on downstream costs and tremendous returns on networking investments.”