Juniper, Polycom join up for high-end vidcon

IP networker Juniper and videoconference firm Polycom have formed an alliance to offer telepresence and high-end videoconferencing solutions.

 

The partnership, a response to Cisco’s acquisition of Tandberg, promises “an intelligent service provider solution that enables assured-quality managed video services over a converged network.”

 

The first products are scheduled for release in mid 2010, the partners said. 

 

The pair are pitching a “conferencing-aware” solution based on the Junos Space network apps platform that will cut the cost for telcos of delivering high-end vidcon services.

 

Gerri Elliott, executive vice president for strategic alliances at Juniper, said the solution would enable service providers to “maximize the value of their existing networks to deliver scalable, high quality video services.”

 

“This will help carriers to move away from siloed networks toward more intelligent and efficient converged networks that are more sustainable and profitable in the long-term,” he said.

 

For enterprises, Juniper and Polycom say their solutions support a managed services model that can deliver a faster return on investment with lower upfront costs.

 

"Traditionally, video conferencing environments have had no insight into the real-time status of the network. With this solution, the video communication platform dynamically interacts with the network, enabling assured quality for video and other network-centric applications,” said Ira Weinstein, senior analyst and partner, Wainhouse Research.