New Juniper Licences: a flex for growing businesses

“Licensing renewals really make my day”…said no-one ever. Thankfully, the rise of cloud and as-a-service models have ushered in all sorts of new ways of thinking about hardware and software licences – often to the benefit of IT and finance alike. The latest licensing model for Juniper Networks, known simply as Flex, aims to simplify and lower costs for most Mist AI users. So how does Flex work, and is it worth subtly showing off to other solutions providers?

Pay less, pay per use

Juniper Flex licences offer more choice than previous licensing models. With Flex, Mist AI users can now choose between perpetual or subscription options for their licensing, creating greater affordability for different organisational profiles and use cases. Mist AI users with more variable demands on their network may want to opt for subscription models, while those with a more stable infrastructure footprint might want to consider perpetual licensing through Flex.

Regardless of your choice, Juniper Flex licences promise to deliver improved value for your buck. With previous Juniper Networks licensing models, you’d have to purchase both the software licence for Mist AI and separate support SKUs for your various devices – all of which would add up over time. Flex combines both these products under a single overarching licence which, based on our calculations, results in lower costs over a 5-year lifespan for almost all of Juniper Networks’ relevant products. That’s definitely deserving of attention.

Licensing at the speed of change

Another notable feature of Flex: licences are no longer tied to hardware, but can instead be ported along with your software. That means hardware refreshes come at significantly lower costs, making it much easier to keep customer up to date with the latest functionality.

Given how fast network technology is evolving, it makes sense for Juniper Networks to align their licensing with shorter, more agile hardware cycles. And since Flex covers the full range of Mist AI products – including enterprise, datacentre, service provider, and security – users will find it much easier to adapt to changing business needs and digital transformation initiatives without causing spikes in licensing fees.

Options in all the right places

Apart from covering the full range of Mist AI products, the Flex licensing model also aligns platforms, software, and SaaS products to different technology use cases – one of the big selling points of Mist AI’s highly versatile solutions set.

Those using Mist AI Wired Assurance to govern complex multisite networks with AI, for example, might benefit from licensing that covers more advanced use cases. In the event of supply chain issues, those same users might flick on extra features in Wired Assurance (like automated configuration models) while waiting for new hardware to arrive – something that’s automatically covered by Flex.

On the other hand, new users of Wired Assurance for a single site may only require more foundational use cases – which in turn come in at a lower entry price point with Flex than with previous licensing models.

Flex's options also include: 

• Solutions type for physical, virtual, and cloud solutions;
• Subscription length of 1 year, 3 years, or 5 years; and
• No hidden fees for features (actually, that’s always included)

Is it right for me?

If you’re using Juniper Networks switches, routers, or security for your customers, Juniper Flex makes a lot of sense (and, in many cases, dollars). With different options like perpetual or subscription licensing, as well as subscription lengths and solutions types, you may want to consult with Dicker Data and the rest of your IT team on which configuration gets you the most bang for your buck. However, we’re confident that anyone using Juniper Networks hardware will benefit from the portability of subscriptions that Flex offers, which makes your upgrades every 3-5 years that much more cost-effective while also helping compensate if supply chain woes throw upgrade plans awry. In our opinion, any IT team that keeps its networks that agile and responsive is deserving of a flex – subtle or otherwise.