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                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1

               CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP, INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

We consent to the references to our firm under the captions "Selected
Consolidated Financial Data" and "Experts" and to the use of our reports dated
January 17, 2000, in Amendment No. 3 to the Registration Statement (Form S-1 No.
333-96171) and related Prospectus of Juniper Networks, Inc. for the registration
of its common stock issuable under the conversion of convertible notes.

Our audits also included the financial statement schedule listed in Item 16(b)
of this Registration Statement. This schedule is the responsibility of the
Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion based on our
audits. In our opinion, the financial statement schedule referred to above, when
considered in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole,
presents fairly in all material respects the information set forth therein.


                                   /s/ Ernst & Young LLP



Palo Alto, California
February 23, 2000