HPE announced the deal in January, highlighting the surge in companies striving to upgrade and develop new products amidst a significant rise in AI-driven services.

Sources previously informed Reuters that HPE was likely to emphasise the dominance of market leader and Juniper rival Cisco to mitigate any potential European Union competition concerns.

The acquisition is also under review by Britain’s antitrust authority, with a decision anticipated by 14 August.

The acquisition of Juniper Networks by HPE is poised to have several significant impacts on the networking industry:

By integrating Juniper's advanced AI-driven networking technologies, particularly through its Mist AI service, HPE aims to bolster its offerings in AI-powered networks. This will enhance wireless access and network security, positioning HPE favourably in the burgeoning AI and cloud-native market spaces.

The acquisition is expected to double the size of HPE's networking business, making it a formidable competitor against industry giants like Cisco. This strategic move is seen as a consolidation play to unify and leverage the strengths of both companies, enhancing HPE's edge-to-cloud capabilities.

Combining HPE and Juniper Networks is anticipated to disrupt the status quo by offering greater choice to customers. The integration of their product lines is expected to create a comprehensive portfolio that delivers more value and flexibility for customers.

The deal aligns with HPE’s strategy to shift its portfolio towards higher-growth and higher-margin areas of the market. This acquisition is expected to accelerate HPE’s sustainable profitable growth strategy, being accretive to non-GAAP EPS and free cash flow in the first year post-close.