AI-driven networks provider, Juniper Networks announced that the company has acquired WiteSand, a cloud-native zero trust Network Access Control solutions provider. With the acquisition, WiteSand’s experienced engineering team and exceptional technology will join the company. The acquisition will also allow Juniper Networks to accelerate its efforts to provide a next-generation NAC solution as a part of their AI-driven portfolio.
Next-generation Network Access Control
The duo will focus on accelerating the delivery of next-generation Network Access Control, born in the cloud and driven by Mist AI. NAC, which plays an important role in IT environments, identifies which devices can securely connect to a network. Traditional NAC solutions use on-premises hardware built with monolithic codebases.
These features make traditional NAC solutions complex to deploy and operate, and can be cost-prohibitive to scale. By moving NAC operations to the cloud and using AIOps for automated provisioning, monitoring, analysis, and security, these limitations can be solved. Sujai Hajela, EVP AI-Driven Enterprise of Juniper Networks said,
« Both WiteSand and Juniper share a common vision of disrupting the antiquated NAC space with cloud agility and AI-driven intelligence. Their premier NAC technology and renowned engineering team are the perfect complement to Juniper’s AI-driven enterprise portfolio, which was recently distinguished as a Leader in the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure with furthest scores for both ability to execute and completeness of vision. When NAC is integrated with wireless assurance, wired assurance, WAN assurance, IoT assurance, and indoor location services under a common Mist cloud and AI umbrella, Juniper customers can deliver amazing experiences to their network users, from the client all the way to the cloud. »