Interview with Michel Geensen: Inside GÉANT’s bold migration from Juniper to Nokia

Interview with Michel Geensen: Inside GÉANT’s bold migration from Juniper to Nokia is profiled by BTW Media because published evidence links it to internet infrastructure, governance, operational dependencies, or market visibility.

• GÉANT selected Nokia and Nomios to replace its Juniper backbone, with Nomios leading integration and deployment across Europe.
• The migration shows how careful planning, automation, and cross-vendor expertise can deliver stability for research networks.

A system integrator at the heart of change

Michel Geensen is Customer CTO for the Dutch market at Nomios, a leading system integrator. At this year’s TNC, he shared details on one of Europe’s most significant network infrastructure migrations: GÉANT’s decision to transition its international IP backbone from Juniper to Nokia hardware. In this interview, he discusses the strategy, technical hurdles, and lessons that can guide other research and education networks.

Why Nokia was chosen for the backbone

GÉANT’s shift was a high-stakes move, replacing an established Juniper-based network with Nokia equipment. According to Geensen, the process began with a European-law tender. “Public money requires strict rules. Points are awarded for price, for technical answers, for clarity. Together with Nokia we worked to score maximum points.” Nokia’s solution, he added, “was the best fit technically for GÉANT at that time.” By combining the right design with effective tender preparation, Nomios and Nokia secured the win.

Nomios’ role in delivery

While Nokia supplied the equipment, Nomios took responsibility for integration and deployment. “We created the designs, built the configurations, and rolled out the equipment across Europe,” Geensen explained. His team handled site discovery, cabling, labelling, and documentation. Once installed, the systems were handed back to GÉANT for daily operations. This division of labour meant Nokia could focus on manufacturing, while Nomios ensured the network was deployed efficiently across dozens of sites.

Also Read: Interview with Thomas Fryer: GÉANT’s vision for global R&E connectivity
Also Read: Nokia MX Fiber bring gigabit connectivity to Mexico

Planning migration without disruption

Large-scale migrations demand careful staging. Geensen described the method as step-by-step. “Each site started with a new Nokia node linked by a low-capacity connection to the existing Juniper node. That allowed it to become part of the routing domain.” Once integrated, capacity was gradually shifted, freeing space on older equipment. “After the trunks were migrated, we could move the client connections. But GÉANT insisted everything must be automated, with no manual box configuration.” This requirement slowed progress but ensured long-term consistency.

Overcoming hurdles during rollout

No major project avoids difficulties. Geensen cited automation as the first challenge. “It was the right choice, but waiting for the automation delayed us.” Another issue was limited Nokia knowledge inside GÉANT. Nomios organised training with expert instructors so staff could operate the equipment once deployed. Logistics across Europe brought additional complexity. “Every country has different rules, taxes, and shipping practices,” he noted. Despite this, twelve sites are now fully migrated, and more are in progress.

Lessons for other networks

Asked about wider lessons, Geensen pointed to GÉANT’s tender strategy. “They gave bonus points if the chosen partner could also support the previous network. On day one, we took over the support contract for the Juniper equipment while rolling out Nokia. That gave GÉANT one number to call.” He stressed the value of partners skilled in both old and new vendors. “You need engineers who can translate configurations, troubleshoot across platforms, and keep the network stable during transition.”

The bigger picture for research networks

For Geensen, the success of the project lies in balancing technical precision with strategic vision. “Migrations are never a Big Bang. You always live with multiple vendors for some time. Having a partner that can bridge them makes the difference.” As GÉANT continues its client migrations, the Nomios-Nokia partnership offers a model for others planning upgrades. It shows that collaboration, preparation, and automation can deliver stability at scale while supporting Europe’s research and education community.