Juniper Networks has expanded its software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) portfolio with enhanced security capabilities. Juniper’s SD-WAN service simplifies network connections across sites and cloud environments and enables distributed companies to ensure secure networks. Now, Juniper has introduced a unified threat management (UTM) solution with firewall, intrusion prevention system (IPS), and antivirus capabilities, application-aware security policy enforcement, secure SD-WAN tunnels over the internet, and secure remote access for network resources from any device. The enhancements address the challenges presented by SD-WAN, such as introducing new security risks and providing comprehensive protection against these threats.
Juniper Expands SD-WAN Portfolio with Enhanced Security Capabilities
Juniper Networks, a leading player in enterprise networking, has announced a significant expansion of its Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN) portfolio with enhanced security capabilities. The new capabilities build on Juniper’s existing SD-WAN offering, which enables distributed enterprises to connect and secure their networks across different sites and cloud environments.
SD-WAN has emerged as a popular alternative to traditional WAN architectures, as it allows organizations to reduce their reliance on expensive multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) connections and move to more cost-effective broadband internet links. However, SD-WAN deployments also create new security challenges, as they expose the underlying network to the internet and introduce new security risks.
To address these challenges, Juniper has introduced several new security features that will help enterprises safeguard their SD-WAN deployments.
Enhanced Security Features
The new security capabilities include:
1. Unified Threat Management (UTM)
Juniper’s SD-WAN portfolio now includes a UTM solution that combines firewall, intrusion prevention system (IPS), and antivirus capabilities into a single platform. The UTM solution runs on Juniper’s SRX series of firewalls, ensuring that all traffic entering the network is inspected for threats.
2. Application-Aware Security Policy Enforcement
Juniper’s SD-WAN now supports application-aware security policy enforcement, allowing network managers to define policies based on the applications that are being used. This makes it easier to enforce security policies that are tailored to the specific needs of the application.
3. Secure SD-WAN Tunnels
Juniper’s SD-WAN portfolio now supports secure SD-WAN tunnels over the internet. This feature ensures that all traffic between different sites is encrypted, protecting sensitive data from interception.
4. Secure Remote Access
Juniper’s SD-WAN now includes the ability to provide secure remote access to network resources from any device, including laptops, tablets, and smartphones. This feature ensures that employees can work securely from anywhere, without compromising the security of the network.
Benefits of the Enhanced Security Capabilities
The new security capabilities offered by Juniper’s SD-WAN portfolio provide several benefits to enterprises, including:
1. Improved Network Security
By combining firewall, IPS, and antivirus capabilities into a single platform, Juniper’s UTM solution provides comprehensive protection against network threats, improving the overall security of the SD-WAN deployment.
2. Application-Aware Security Policies
Juniper’s application-aware security policy enforcement allows enterprises to define policies that are tailored to the specific needs of the application, ensuring that security policies are effective and relevant.
3. Secure Remote Access
Juniper’s secure remote access feature allows employees to work securely from anywhere, using any device. This feature can improve employee productivity while reducing the risk of data breaches.
4. Reduced Costs
Juniper’s SD-WAN solution allows enterprises to reduce their reliance on expensive MPLS connections and move to more cost-effective broadband internet links. This can result in significant cost savings for the organization.
FAQs
What is SD-WAN?
SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Networking) is a networking technology that uses software to simplify the management and operation of a wide area network. SD-WAN makes it easy to connect multiple sites and cloud environments using cost-effective broadband internet links.
What are the benefits of SD-WAN?
The benefits of SD-WAN include reduced costs, improved network performance, easier management, and increased flexibility.
What are the security challenges of SD-WAN?
The security challenges of SD-WAN include exposing the network to the internet, introducing new security risks, and the need to secure traffic over public internet links.
How does Juniper’s SD-WAN portfolio address the security challenges of SD-WAN?
Juniper’s SD-WAN portfolio includes several new security features, including a Unified Threat Management (UTM) solution, application-aware security policy enforcement, secure SD-WAN tunnels, and secure remote access. These features address the security challenges of SD-WAN by providing comprehensive protection against network threats, tailored security policies, encrypted traffic over public internet links, and secure remote access to network resources.
