Juniper Networks, Inc. (JNPR Quick QuoteJNPR - Free Report) expanded its industry-leading Connected Security portfolio with a range of advanced features. These state-of-the-art features encompass AI-Predictive Threat Prevention, which enables rapid threat detection and enhances malware prevention capabilities. The Encrypted Traffic Insights feature monitors network traffic and effectively identifies malicious threats without disrupting traffic encryption. Additionally, the enhanced URL filtering feature supports 200 languages with a wide array of categorization options, empowering security experts to efficiently implement strategic security protocols.

Ensuring the security of modern distributed data center architecture is becoming more challenging for businesses due to numerous factors. Managing security across multiple locations with diverse software and hardware configurations is a complex task. The growing proliferation of innovative technologies like loT, edge computing and cloud have further complicated the security system.

The adoption of 5G, offering high speed and low latency connectivity, has led to an immense surge in connected devices across business operations. This has significantly broadened the attack surface that cyber threats can exploit. Against the backdrop of this heightened vulnerability, enterprises need robust and comprehensive security measures for efficient threat mitigation in modern data center operations.

To address these concerns, Juniper has introduced a suite of high-performance SRX firewalls. Integrated with built-in Zero Trust capabilities, these firewalls simplify the remote device verification process. Along with ensuring the highest firewall throughput per rack unit, the solution suit supports industry-standard EVPN-VXLAN Type 5 integration that offers security operators greater visibility within the system. The compact design, combined with cost and energy-efficient features, makes the firewall system ideal for modern data center use cases.

The traditional approach of offering forwarding and security services layers in a single physical firewall device brings several challenges. The set-up lacks flexibility in effectively managing the system and limited scalability makes it difficult to accommodate the surge in network demands.  
 
Juniper’s Connected Security Distributed Architecture addresses these issues by separating forwarding and security service layers, enhancing scalability and resiliency. Moreover, integration with Juniper Security Director Cloud optimizes the network infrastructure for streamlined security management. These cutting-edge capabilities facilitate automation in data center and boost operational efficiency, even in challenging workload environments.

Juniper offers a broad range of routing, switching and security products. Routing includes products and services from the E, M, MX, PTX, T Series and ACX router families. Security includes High-End SRX services and vGW Virtual Gateways, High-End Firewall virtual private network (VPN) systems and appliances, branch SRX, branch firewall, J-Series product families, secure socket layer VPN appliances, intrusion detection and prevention appliances and wide area network optimization platforms.

With the growing usage of smartphones and tablets, mobile data traffic has gone up. This has resulted in higher demand for advanced networking architecture, leading service providers to spend more on routers and switches. It is witnessing strong momentum across core industry verticals and is confident about its long-term prospects. Juniper is expected to benefit from the higher spending pattern among carriers to upgrade their networks and support the incremental growth in data traffic.

The stock has lost 8.7% in the past year compared with the industry's decline of 6.4%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Juniper carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Stocks to Consider

Ubiquiti Inc. (UI Quick QuoteUI - Free Report) , carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present, is a key pick in the broader industry. Headquartered in New York, it offers a comprehensive portfolio of networking products and solutions for service providers and enterprises at disruptive prices. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It boasts a proprietary network communication platform that is well-equipped to meet end-market customer needs. In addition, it is committed to reducing operational costs by using a self-sustaining mechanism for rapid product support and dissemination of information by leveraging the strength of the Ubiquiti Community.

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA Quick QuoteNVDA - Free Report) , currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1, delivered an earnings surprise of 9.79%, on average, in the trailing four quarters. In the last reported quarter, it pulled off an earnings surprise of 29.19%.

NVIDIA is the worldwide leader in visual computing technologies and the inventor of the graphic processing unit or GPU. Over the years, the company’s focus has evolved from PC graphics to artificial intelligence-based solutions that now support high-performance computing, gaming and virtual reality platforms.

Arista Networks, Inc. (ANET Quick QuoteANET - Free Report) , presently carrying a Zacks Rank #2, is likely to benefit from strong momentum and diversification across its top verticals and product lines. The company has a software-driven, data-centric approach to help customers build their cloud architecture and enhance their cloud experience. Arista has delivered an earnings surprise of 12.8%, on average, in the trailing four quarters.

It holds a leadership position in 100-gigabit Ethernet switching share in port for the high-speed data center segment. Arista is increasingly gaining market traction in 200 and 400-gig high-performance switching products and is well-positioned for healthy growth in the data-driven cloud networking business with proactive platforms and predictive operations.