Juniper Networks is continuing to integrate its router and gateway products, producing another set of devices that share the same hardware but run different operating systems.
The Sunnyvale, Calif., company is adding two J-series routers, the J2320 and 2350 and two Secure Services Gateways, the SSG320M and the SSG350M to its line-up.
The J-series runs the Junos WAN operating system, while the SSG-series uses the more security-oriented ScreenOS operating system.
All four are aimed at branch offices and small-to-mid-sized organizations. “More and more employees are working outside headquarters in branch offices,” said Greg Maudsely, product manager for the SSG line, “but at the same time the data and applications they use are moving into centralized data centres. At the same time, companies are realizing that they can provide Internet access [to employees] from the branches. They don’t need backhaul to load down their data centres.”
Maudsley said the design of the new models is aimed at helping organizations spend less time trouble-shooting the appliances. The single design should also help simplify deployment, he said, and therefore lower costs.
The SSG is a “security first” router, he said, with a best-in-class firewall, VPN, universal threat management, Web filterning and antispam and antivirus capabilities. The J-series has a best-in-class router with support for Avaya’s IP telephony suite, as well as some firewall and VPN capabilities, he said.
However, Juniper plans to add more security features in the future to the J-series line.
Eric Maiwald, a senior analyst specializing in security and risk management strategies at the Burton Group, said the appliances help Juniper more than customers in that it enables the manufacturer to consolidate products.
It’s a trend Juniper began last October when it rolled out the J4350-6350/SSG520-550 models.
The SSG320M and J2320 are 1U units, each with four Gigabit Ethernet ports and three modular PIM slots for high density Ethernet cards with a 400Mbps firewall and 175Mbps VPN. The SSG model includes encryption, which is an available option on its J-series brother.
The SSG350 and J2350 are 1.5U high with four Gigabit Ethernet slots and five PIM slots, a 500Mbps firewall and 225 Mbps VPN. They also come in versions that can run NEBS and DC power for telco installations.
All four can take Ethernet PIMs, which are offered in eight and 16-port versions, which Juniper brought out in the spring. Juniper also said it is bringing out new Metro Ethernet additions to both the SSG and J-series lines and WAN options for the SSG line.
The SSG20 is a one-port 100Mpbs or Gigabit Ethernet-capable unit, which plugs into SSG models from the 140 to the 550M, and J-series modesl from the 2320 to the 6350.
Juniper also showed the NSMxpress server appliance for managing security policies, said to be an easy to deploy version of the NSM Central Manager.
