Channel Chatter: Networking

Juniper Encouraged By 2Q Results
Despite the weak economy, Juniper Networks Inc. reported a rise in quarterly profits, partly due to solid router sales and the growing momentum around Juniper's new line of EX Ethernet switches, launched in January. CEO and Chairman Scott Kriens said on a recent earnings call that second-quarter profits rose 40 percent to $120.4 million from $86.2 million in the previous year and revenue jumped 32 percent, rising to $879 million for the quarter.

Overall, Juniper's infrastructure product revenue rose to $575.9 million in the second quarter, up from $402.8 million last year. Meanwhile, service revenue was up to $96.5 million from $78 million; service layer technology product revenue jumped to $147.9 million in the second quarter, up from $138 million last year; and service layer services revenue grew to $58.5 million from $45 million. Kriens projected that Juniper's third-quarter revenue would hit $925 million to $935 million and that Juniper's full-year revenue would exceed the original projection of $3.4 billion to $3.55 billion and hit $3.59 billion to $3.62 billion.

Microsoft Tees Up SMB VoIP Upgrade
Microsoft Corp. used its Worldwide Partner Conference in Houston to release its first big upgrade to Response Point, its small-business VoIP system software. Response Point Service Pack 1, available now via a free download, adds support for SIP trunking, click-to-call functionality, a call history log and the ability to select music for parked calls and hold time. Microsoft also revealed that the Aastra Telecom division of Aastra Technologies Ltd., its most recent Response Point OEM partner, is debuting its first Response Point-based hardware platform, dubbed AastraLink RP. Response Point, targeted at businesses with up to 50 users, is available on systems from three OEM partners: Aastra, Concord, Ontario; D-Link Systems Inc., Fountain Valley, Calif.; and Quanta Computer Corp., Taipei, Taiwan.