Juniper launches packet comms standard initiative

Juniper Networks is seeking industry-wide support for an initiative that would establish a unified set of standards for packet-based communications.

At the Telecom World conference and exhibition in Geneva, Juniper announced called on telecommunication service providers, suppliers and standards bodies to agree to a single framework for accessing networks and interconnecting them between carriers.

The goal, said Juniper founder and chief technology officer Pradeep Sindhu, is to create a public network that combines internet connectivity with the assured performance and security of a private network.

Juniper envisages an "infranet" as a set of interlinked IP VPNs which provide secure authenticated access and encrypted tunnels over an IP/MPLS (Multi-protocol Label Switching ) transport infrastructure.

Such an infrastructure, according to Sindhu, would support grid computing.

He added that three important components - security, reliability and quality - are missing because the industry is too fragmented, with competing companies supporting their own networking efforts.

"This isn't an anti-Cisco initiative," Sindhu said. "We would absolutely welcome them to participate."  Standards, he added, will result in a larger market for everyone, as it has with GSM.

The initiative has already gained support from Lucent Technologies and Norwegian carrier Telenor.

John Blau writes for IDG News Service