Chapter 1. Junos in the Enterprise Network

The Junos operating system is the common element in Juniper enterprise platforms. It enables the features and capabilities that distinguish the Juniper Networks line of equipment from others in the enterprise space. The flexibility of this standards-based operating system provides a robust foundation onto which multiple platforms have been built. The modular nature of the operating system allows it to support any number of specialized capabilities such as switching, security, and, of course, routing platforms. The devices can be used at the enterprise edge, the core, as firewalls, or as access devices. A central theme for all of these devices is their routing capability, which is not surprising given the origins of Juniper Networks.

This chapter takes a brief look at the devices that are found in the enterprise network and that run the Junos operating system. So much has changed since the first edition of this book that Junos in the enterprise needs its own introductory chapter.