How-To Guide: Take the whodunnit out of netadmins with Juniper Mist for wired networks

Colonel Mustard, in the library, with the candlestick. Mrs Peacock, in the conservatory, with the rope…. or switch-1u-txp3 in the meeting room with a missing VLAN? 

Finding the faults in a complex wired network can quickly end up like a game of Clue: flailing around for hours, trying to guess which component’s guilty of failure. But unlike other “whodunnit” thrillers, rooting out missing VLANs and other hard-to-find issues offers no payoff apart from wasted time and increasingly irate network users.

Juniper’s Mist AI solutions for wired networks offer a way to solve these mysteries fast. In this guide, we’ll look at how Mist AI and automation tools can identify and fix even obscure faults with ease, as well as how to provision these services as part of a Mist AI subscription for your network hardware.

Elementary, my dear netadmin

If misbehaving VLANs are criminal, Junipers Marvis Virtual Network Assistant plays the role of the detective. Enter a natural-language query (like “troubleshoot this site”) into Marvis’ conversational assistant, and it’ll scan your network for exactly what you need – from quality-of-service issues to potential security risks. Marvis’ machine-learning algorithms don’t just offer insights into real-time network performance; they also suggest solutions that, if approved, it can immediately act on through the Marvis Actions module.

Marvis will also monitor for and highlight potential performance issues in real time, allowing netadmins to fix these issues before users even notice a thing. All these insights include granular detail on exactly which VLANs, ports, or other configs and settings might be causing trouble, ensuring netadmins retain full transparency into how their network is running even while Marvis gets the job done.

Juniper Mist Wired Assurance, on the other hand, acts like a policeman keeping potential network issues in line. The service lets netadmins automatically provision switches using pre-made templates, claim switches on the Mist dashboard (and Marvis’ overwatch) with the scan of a QR code, and generally streamline switch setup and management while minimising human error. Together, Wired Assurance and Marvis can put network mysteries to rest within a matter of minutes.

Subscribing to Juniper Mist: some clues for maximum value

If you’re thinking the dynamic duo of Marvis and Wired Assurance could get your network into better order, rest assured that subscribing to Juniper Mist Services is simple. You’ll need to select three things during the purchasing process:

1.    Your desired Juniper network switch
2.    Your choice of subscription/s
3.    The duration of your subscription/s

Before you make those choices, you’ll want to keep these clues in mind. First: if you’re thinking of using Juniper Mist for two or more years, we suggest you choose a 3-year subscription for both Marvis and Juniper Mist Wired Assurance. In most cases, it not only gives you substantial discounts compared to adding the services individually as you go; it also enables you to use Juniper’s unique AI-driven features to their fullest capability across your network.

Figure 1: Example of RRP pricing as of March 2023 for EX24-port switches

Next clue: bundle Juniper Care with your Mist AI services. When you subscribe to Juniper Mist, you’ll be prompted to consider Juniper Care’s tech support and repair services. Bundling these with your subscription will once again result in greater cost savings than if you add them on later. Which of the three Juniper Care services – Core, Next-Day, or Same-Day – should you choose? It’ll all depend on what your organisation needs and can budget for, but we do recommend taking at least one – it’ll help ensure your network isn’t left short of hardware in the event of a breakdown.

Figure 2: Juniper Care Services

Finally, volume and duration of subscriptions matters. Longer subscription packages which include more items will fetch higher cost savings than shorter or individual subscription tenures. Of course, keep in mind your network roadmap and predicted budgets when making these decisions – if you’re unsure of what course would best suit your infrastructure, feel free to get in touch with the Dicker Data Juniper Presales Team.

If you’re sick of chasing down missing VLANs, port issues, and other wanted suspects in your wired network, it’s worth considering Juniper Mist’s services as a way to up your network sleuthing game. And with a bit of due diligence and forward planning, you’ll be able to maximise on Juniper’s bundled discounts when placing an order.