Juniper Networks plans to expand its collaboration with IBM for integrating IBM’s network automation capabilities with Juniper’s Radio Access Network (RAN) optimization and Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) technology.
The collaboration will seek to deliver a unified RAN management platform that will be designed to use intelligent automation to better enable communications service providers (CSPs) to monetize, optimize and scale their investments in next-generation networks and provide better experiences to mobile users.

CSPs are looking to RAN intelligence and automation solutions to help them more effectively monetize and optimize their investments in next-generation networks.

Juniper Networks and IBM will look to integrate Juniper’s RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) with IBM Cloud Pak for Network Automation with the intention of creating a fully integrated and automated O-RAN and RAN solution. The goal of this solution will be to offer end-to-end automation of secured 5G network slices, from provisioning through validation and deployment, monitoring and assurance of SLAs during run-time, through the integration of Juniper’s RIC and Slice-aware use case capabilities with IBM Cloud Pak for Network Automation’s policy engines.

“We see CSPs rapidly turning to cloud and intelligent automation technology as they look to build more open and scalable next-generation networks and provide their customers with better end-user experiences,” Andrew Coward, General Manager, Software-Defined Networking, IBM, said.

“Juniper’s RIC has been architected as an open and interoperable platform to support easy integration with RAN automation solutions. Coupling it with IBM’s Cloud Pak for Network Automation software has the potential to unlock new monetization opportunities for operators,” Constantine Polychronopoulos, Group Vice President, 5G & Cloud Networking, Juniper Networks, said.