Multi-gigabit edge devices as CPE

Sun Apr 12 22:15:11 UTC 2015

>
> The ACX5000 series are Ethernet-only switches.
>
> They hold about 120,000 entries in FIB, and as of today despite all the
> RAM, are only sold with support for 300,000 entries in RIB.
>
> The chipset is not Juniper in-house, though; so make sure all your
> features work.
>

The ACX series is more of a hybrid. They are probably more likened to Layer
2 routers than switches. They are primarily designed as Mobile backhaul
devices where integration into existing IP MPLS infrastructure would be a
cost saving and design advantage. You can see this with the other models
that have the TDM (E1/T1) interfaces. Those models use SAToP and CESoPSN to
move TDM based circuits over an MPLS network. It's all rather clever
really. The Ethernet ports on those models as well as the ethernet only
models are an extension of that. They provide layer 2 interfaces where you
don't really require layer 3 services (such as ethernet based mobile
backhaul). So they are a switch, yes, but more than that. They utilise MPLS
L2VPN/L2Circuits to move ethernet over the MPLS infrastructure. Hence why I
thought it could be an alternative to terminating the layer 3 at the edge.

Hamish