Customer Success Story
Juniper and Mist AI unleash university research and collaboration
Newcastle University, with campuses in the U.K., Singapore, and Malaysia, pushes the boundaries of knowledge through innovation and creativity. The research-intensive university is ranked among the top 130 universities globally and is renowned for its world-leading research and teaching.
To build a smart campus network that attracts the brightest researchers and students, Newcastle chose Juniper’s AI-Native Networking Platform. The university generates huge amounts of data and wants to harness that data with Juniper and drive value to students, faculty, and every research effort.
Overview
| Company | Newcastle University |
| Industry | Higher Education |
| Products used | AP45, AP63, Edge, EX4100, EX4400, EX4650, Wi-Fi Assurance, Wired Assurance, Marvis VNA |
| Region | EMEA |
35,000+
World-class, research-intensive
Students, faculty, and staff
3
Global educational institute
Campuses in the U.K., Malaysia, and Singapore
Looking to break away from a past of static networking, Newcastle University wanted a more flexible, future-oriented platform that supports data-intensive research and collaboration. The university also needed a network that could support rich user experiences.
Students wanted a home away from home. The university’s IT service wanted to simplify network management and face down rising cybersecurity threats. The university’s Vice Chancellor wanted a smart campus that improves student experience, enhances teaching, and enables operational efficiency. To get everything on the network wish list, Newcastle needed excellent performance, location-based services, IoT options, AIOps, and more.
Newcastle recast its network for the future with Juniper’s AI-Native Networking Platform, the only fully integrated AI-Native portfolio of campus and branch solutions. With the full stack Juniper solution, Newcastle can manage wireless access, wired access, SD-WAN, indoor location, NAC, and firewalling under a common Mist AI engine and microservices cloud infrastructure. The university has everything it needs to deploy quickly and securely, operate easily, and realize lower TCO and OpEx and superior end-to-end assured user experiences.
A network for now and the future
Juniper’s AI-Native Networking Platform prepares Newcastle University for now and the future. At every layer of the network, from core to edge, Juniper EX switches provide exceptional performance and reliability. Plus, the cloud-based switches mean Newcastle has no scheduled downtime for software updates.
Users connect to the wireless LAN through Juniper AP45 and AP63 access points over Juniper Mist Edge, which extends microservices to the campus network. The flagship AP45 access points deliver high performance and vBLE technology for location-based services and wayfinding inside, and the ruggedized AP63 access points handle campus connections outside the buildings.
Newcastle University’s IT service relies on Juniper Mist Wired Assurance to onboard switches quickly and securely with zero touch provisioning, and Juniper Marvis Virtual Network Assistant minimizes network downtime and disruptions with its AIOps. Now that they have AIOps, IT is realizing a faster MTTR and has visibility across the full network stack to ensure excellent user experiences.
The team also deployed indoor location services with proprietary vBLE for wayfinding and understanding when and how buildings are used on campus. They will have full visibility into the location of people and things on all campuses, improving engagement and workflow while saving time and money over traditional, physical beacon-based location technology.
Juniper EX4100 Ethernet Switch
Juniper EX4400 Ethernet Switch
Juniper EX4650 Ethernet Switch
Students and IT gain smart campus network transformation
“We can do brilliant work with AI, and it’s pushing our network transformation forward,” said Atkinson. Investing in Juniper and Mist AI is creating huge payoffs in visibility and resiliency that ensures excellent user experiences across the campuses.
Happier, less stressed staff
Juniper’s AIOps gets ahead of problems. “We can see if there isn’t enough network capacity before calls come into our Service Desk,” said Atkinson. The mentality is changing from fighting fires to preventing fires. It’s a lot less stressful for the IT department.
Wi-Fi first strategy takes hold
Students typically come into university with multiple devices and want instant connectivity. A Juniper network allows students to get it. “We want students to feel like the dorms are their home away from home,” said Atkinson.
AIOps deliver real efficiencies
Simple templates, automated workflows, and zero touch provisioning speed up deployment and reduces errors. “We see a future of massive efficiency gains with Juniper and Mist AI,” said Atkinson.
Published February 2025