Juniper, Ruckus Target Big Business

In a deal that will apply competitive pressure on Cisco Systems and other large networking suppliers, Juniper Networks and Ruckus Wireless have struck an alliance to bring “open” wired and wireless platforms across the enterprise, government and education sectors.

The deal, which will establish a combined pursuit of mid-sized and large business customers, will combine Juniper’s EX Series Ethernet Switches with Ruckus ZoneFlex access points and  SmartZone (SZ) WiFi management platform.  It will also factor in Juniper’s  Junos Space Network Director, which helps customers manage the switching infrastructure, and Juniper’s SRX Series Services Gateways.

“Enterprises around the world are being challenged to accommodate the use of more and more mobile devices and applications, while still maintaining a secure, high-performance operating environment. Juniper Networks provides the wired infrastructure critical for serving as the backbone for the Smart WiFi networks we deliver,” Dan Rabinovitsj, COO of Ruckus Wireless, said in a statement.

Arris, a top cable infrastructure and set-top supplier, resells Ruckus WiFi products via a partnership announced in 2011.