Juniper Networks has announced a Partner Solution Development Platform (PSDP) allowing customers and partners to develop specialized applications on its JUNOS operating system.

The company claims the PSDP is the industry's first partner development platform for a carrier-class network operating system, and anticipates its customers and partners will deploy new services unique to their businesses, and improve network operations productivity.

The PSDP includes a software development kit with "intelligent and secure" interfaces to Juniper's FreeBSD-based JUNOS routing and service functions.

Juniper has talked about becoming a more open networking vendor for over a year now, and the PSDP is another step in that direction.

Specialized applications may include event-optimized routing, customized bandwidth management, and advanced security services.

Juniper provides access to the PSDP, and technical and business support, through its Open IP Solution Development Program for customers and partners. The PSDP will be available through an annual licensing program. Members include Aricent and Avaya.

Kim Perdikou, executive vice president and general manager for Juniper Networks' infrastructure products group said the requirements of an increasingly disparate and global networking marketplace create an innovation imperative extending beyond the capabilities of any single vendor.