User manual JUNIPER NETWORKS XRE200 DATASHEET

[. . . ] DATASHEET XRE200 EXTERNAL ROUTING ENGINE Product Overview The XRE200 External Routing Engine delivers the additional processing power required to build Virtual Chassis configurations based on the EX8200 line of Ethernet switches to support more than 1400 GbE or more than 1200 10GbE connections. Product Introduction The Juniper Networks® XRE200 External Routing Engine is a purpose-built, server-class appliance that works with internal Routing Engines (REs) on the Juniper Networks EX8200 line of Ethernet switches to create a highly resilient architecture for supporting Virtual Chassis configurations based on the EX8200 line of modular switches. By externalizing control plane functionality and separating it from the data plane running on the actual switch fabric, the XRE200 implements a highly reliable design that includes no single point of failure. [. . . ] Ports on the VCCI modules connect to the EX8200 internal REs, either the EX8208-SRE320 or EX8216-RE320. One internal RE from each EX8200 chassis is connected to the active XRE200, while the second internal RE is connected to the standby XRE200. The two XRE200 devices can also be connected to each other directly via GbE interfaces. An optional 1000BASE-X fiber VCCI module can be used to connect the active and standby XRE200 devices in environments where the distance between them exceeds the maximum span of unshielded twisted pair cable--for example, when the EX8200 Virtual Chassis configuration is spread across two buildings. Juniper Networks Junos® operating system high availability (HA)2 features such as GRES, NSR, and nonstop bridging (NSB) are enabled on the XRE200 devices in a Virtual Chassis configuration. In the event of an active XRE200 failure, the standby XRE200 assumes the active role without impacting network state or forwarding behavior. Junos OS HA features ensure that the state of the Virtual Chassis, L2/L3 protocols, and forwarding information are not lost. In addition, all Junos OS control plane protocols running on an EX8200 Virtual Chassis configuration--including 802. 3ad, OSPF, Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP), Physical Interface Module (PIM), and BGP--also run on the XRE200, providing control plane scalability for large core deployments. The EX8200 and XRE200 use the Virtual Chassis Control Protocol to exchange Virtual Chassis state information. XRE200 Features and Benefits In addition to control plane scalability, the XRE200 ensures that if one or more switches in the Virtual Chassis configuration lose connectivity to the adjacent chassis, access switches connected to the EX8200 Virtual Chassis do not lose connectivity with the network. The XRE200 also ensures that traffic flowing from one access switch to any other access switch or to any core/WAN router connected to the same EX8200 Virtual Chassis configuration are not affected if the intra-Virtual Chassis connection fails. Junos Operating System The XRE200 runs the same Junos OS used by the Juniper Networks EX Series Ethernet Switches, as well as all Juniper Networks routers and Juniper Networks SRX Series Services Gateways. By utilizing a common operating system, Juniper Networks delivers a consistent implementation and operation of control plane features across all products. To maintain that consistency, Junos OS adheres to a highly disciplined development process that uses a single source code, follows a single quarterly release train, and employs a highly available modular architecture that prevents isolated failures from bringing down an entire system. These attributes are fundamental to the core value of the software, enabling all Junos OS-powered products to be updated simultaneously with the same software release. All features are fully regression tested, making each new release a true superset of the previous version. [. . . ] The company serves customers and partners worldwide. Additional information can be found at www. juniper. net. Corporate and Sales Headquarters Juniper Networks, Inc. [. . . ]