Case Study: London School of Economics and Political Science achieves secure, resilient, future‑proof 10 Gbps data center interconnect with Juniper Networks

Globally Acclaimed University Builds an Innovative New Data Center Interconnect

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) needed to securely and resiliently interconnect its central London campus with shared data centers while preserving an existing Layer 2 VLAN architecture. The project required multiple resilient 10 Gbps links, end-to-end encryption and tunneling for privacy, Layer 4 firewalling, mitigation of operational risks inherent in large L2 networks (broadcast/unknown-unicast/multicast storms), and a future-proof design that would support automation and evolving SDN/NFV needs.

LSE deployed a Juniper-based solution—MX240 routers in a mesh over the Janet network (using EVPN over GRE over IPsec, tunneled over IPv6), SRX5400 firewalls, and QFX5100 switches with Virtual Chassis Fabric—plus routing and fast-failover protocols (BGP/OSPF/RVSP) and Junos automation tools. The result is a robust, encrypted data center interconnect that supports over 200 applications with end-to-end 10 Gbps links, simplifies operations through automation, reduces IT workload, and provides a scalable, future-proof platform for research and teaching.

London School of Economics and Political Science

Matt Bernstein

Senior Network Architect