In a game-changing move for the networking sector, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has obtained U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) approval to go through its $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks. The DOJ had previously opposed the deal on antitrust grounds, which it feared would lower competition in the U.S. networking devices market.
As part of resolving the case, HPE has committed to selling its “Instant On” wireless networking business and licensing Juniper’s Mist AI software source code—crucial players within WLAN. The deal, which was filed on the eve of a July 9 trial, awaits approval from the court but essentially clears the way for the merger to close.
HPE CEO Antonio Neri underscored that the acquisition will provide customers with a “modern network architecture alternative” that is optimized for AI workloads. The merged entity plans to speed up innovation in AI-native networking, cloud infrastructure, and data center solutions.
The merger not only reconfigures the competitive landscape—threatening incumbents such as Cisco—but also marks HPE’s strategic shift towards AI-native enterprise solutions.
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