Mist Systems is leading a new era of IT that brings unprecedented simplicity, scale and insight to companies of all sizes.
Our customers are the first of their kind – “AI-driven enterprises” – who leverage the following core components to lower IT costs, maximize operational efficiencies and optimize user experiences:
- A microservices cloud architecture that brings resiliency and agility to network operations with abstracted control for scale
- A 100% programmable platform that enables automated workflows for proactive and efficient IT operations
- An integrated AI engine that brings automation and insight without expensive overlay hardware or software
- Robust insight into the user experience through extensive data collection and analysis
This week, we are proud to share several new announcements to the Mist platform that make the AI-driven enterprise even more robust, simple and scalable.
AI for AX
Since inception, the Mist family of Access Points have stood out in the industry for their unique ability to merge Wi-Fi, virtual Bluetooth™ LE (vBLE) and IoT into a cost-effective and scalable platform that is managed via the Mist cloud. Mist is now expanding the family further with new 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) Access Points: the AP43 Series.
Mist will be uniquely applying artificial intelligence to the AP43 to maximize the benefits of 802.11ax. Sample “AI for AX” features include:
- Intelligent load-balancing between radios/bands
- Service levels that monitor and enforce OFDMA subcarrier assignments
- BSS coloring assignments for high-density Wi-Fi environments
- Sticky client prevention using AI-driven algorithms
Key features of the AP43 include:
- 802.11ax w/ dual 5Ghz radios
- Dedicated dual-band 3rd radio for security, network and location sensing
- 802.3bz Multi-Gigabit ethernet uplinks
- Mist patented virtual BLE antenna array
- IoT expansion ports
The Mist Edge: Bringing Microservices to the Campus
While there are numerous benefits to managing wireless in the cloud, some environments require that specific network functions be handled on-premises due to latency, performance or architecture demands (such as tunnel termination and VLAN tagging). Mist Edge bridges this gap. This new product brings select microservices to the campus while continuing to leverage the Mist cloud and its distributed software architecture for scalable and resilient operations, management, troubleshooting and analytics.
Example use cases for Mist Edge include:
- Split tunneling for guest access vs corporate traffic
- Seamless roaming for large campus networks (via localized tunneling)
- Extending VLANs to distributed branches and telecommuters to replace remote VPN technology
- Wi-Fi backhaul for IoT devices
AI-driven support
In addition to leveraging AI to simplify IT operations, Mist uses AI to disrupt the traditional enterprise support model in the following ways:
- Mist is able to notify customers and partners proactively when issues are detected, enabling rapid problem resolution. If the issue persists and live support is needed, the trouble ticket is automatically routed to tier 3 experts in the Mist TAC, all without the need for reactive customer actions.
- In the traditional model of calling tier-1 support, users have to convince the person on the phone that an issue actually exists before getting routed to tier 2 (where the process is repeated). In contrast, when a customer or partner calls Mist for support, the Mist engineer answering the phone is already aware of the issue (thanks to Marvis, our AI-driven assistant). This removes the up-front “inquisition” phase. In addition, Marvis provides insight into the problem to the TAC personnel, ensuring a tier-3 level experience from the initial interaction.
Mist customers and partners can all benefit from the following unique capabilities:
- Dynamic Packet Capture (dPCAP) automatically collects data when detecting a major issue, minimizing onsite visits for troubleshooting
- Event correlation using machine learning helps to identify the root cause of problems quickly (across wireless, wired and device domains)
- Service Level Expectations (SLEs) for key wired/wireless criteria can be set, monitored and enforced by customers and partners, and automated workflows quickly address issues
- Marvis Virtual Network Assistant (VNA) provides trending insight, recommendations on how to fix problems and other integrated help-desk functions using natural language queries and AI-driven intelligence.
Gone are the days when customers and partners have to convince their vendors that they have an issue, let alone contact someone who can fix it. Mist’s ultimate goal is to eliminate the trouble ticket altogether with proactive notifications and self-healing. If that cannot happen, problem resolution should be as fast and painless as possible.
We are excited to augment our world-class platform with these change-the-game enhancements and are committed to delivering new innovation that brings much needed simplicity, scale and insight to the AI-driven enterprise. If you have any questions on any of these new products and services, please do not hesitate to reach out to your local Mist/Juniper representative or email info@mist.com.