Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) wasted little time in closing its $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks, promising a combined future built on focus and stability.

HPE CEO Antonio Neri and Rami Rahim, who is now president and GM of HPE’s Juniper-infused networking business held court during a press and analyst briefing, with Neri touting a “new, exciting chapter for HPE.”

“Our powerful combination with Juniper will enable HPE to offer an industry leading secure, cloud-native, AI-driven portfolio, including a full modern networking stack,” Neri said. “We're not just building a stronger company, we are establishing an industry powerhouse with a vision, scale, and innovation that define and lead the future, one that will serve our customers and partners better than ever, and imagine what is possible.”

Neri did add that the combined entity received support from customers and partners during HPE’s recent annual Discover event, which would likely have been a better platform in which to have announced closing of the deal. However, that opportunity was missed as the long-simmering deal received approval just last weekend.

Logistically, Juniper will no longer be traded as a separate company, with its financial might now fully embedded into HPE. This should be a considerable contribution, with HPE CEO Antonio Neri reiterating that the combined entity will account for more than 50 percent of HPE’s total operating profit.

Rahim, who will lead that new entity, provided a general answer toward its operating direction, but asked for patience in determining that exact course.

“It's important to recognize … this is day one, and we're just getting started,” Rahim said, later adding, “I'm rolling up my sleeves and starting on a customer and market focused, thoughtful integration strategy, and we're going to be guided in that work that we're starting now by a true north, which is around secure AI-native and cloud-native networking.”

Rahim did note that cybersecurity could be an avenue for new network service opportunities, explaining that “more and more customers want full stack solutions that include both components” to help support “AI for networks and networks for AI.”

For the former, this includes support from increased zero-trust support using on-premises firewalls and network access control (NAC), cloud-based secure service edge (SSE) capabilities, and embedding security into software automation; and for the latter in using virtual and physical next-generation firewalls to help secure data centers.

“The takeaway here … is one, the market is moving toward convergence,” Rahim said. “Two, HPE networking will have all of the building blocks necessary to meet our customers in ways that I think our competitors would not be able to.”

Competitive position and support

This competitive positioning is most likely to be angled toward Cisco, which remains the largest player in many of the areas that the newly combined HPE and Juniper participate, though Rahim did state that posture would include a wider focus.

“I am a technologist at heart and when I look at the opportunity here to combine technologies and teams to compete, not just with Cisco, but with this very vibrant, very competitive landscape, it's incredibly exhilarating to me,” Rahim said.

Cisco played a role in delaying HPE’s Juniper purchase, with several analysts questioning the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) reasoning in filing a lawsuit to block the purchase due to competitive concerns in light of Cisco’s dominance in the market the DOJ specifically highlighted.

From a stability perspective, Neri and Rahim both reinforced ongoing support for Juniper products and accounts, a sensitive issue in light of Broadcom’s controversial handling of its VMware subsidiary following that acquisition.

“No one is going to be left behind,” Neri said. “Those contracts will be honored for the life of the products. Each product or each contract, has a life, right? And then when a product eventually, through natural transition, goes to the end of life, there is a guarantee support agreement that goes through for a number of years. The bottom line is that nobody should have any concerns. We are supporting both products as we go forward.”

Neri also pointed positively toward HPE’s recent channel partner adjustments, which will consolidate its channel programs into a single, unified offering that it claims will provide partners increased “flexibility” to resell its entire portfolio.

“Over time, obviously, we're going to integrate the Juniper channel program to be able to sell the entire portfolio, because … we want to make sure that they take advantage of everything now the networking business has to offer,” Neri said. “That will be done during time as we integrate the sales processes in the programs.”

However, Rahim did echo past statements made by both executives over the past 18 months that there might be some integration fall out.

“We're going to provide you with details in time as we sort of work out a thoughtful integration strategy that's non-disruptive to any of our customers,” Rahim said.