Juniper MX80 Architecture and Key Components

The Juniper MX960, MX480, and MX240 are modular chassis-based 3D routers that share the following components:

  • Modular Port Concentrators (MPCs) provide routing, MPLS, switching, inline services, subscriber management, and HQoS among many other features. MPCs may also host interfaces directly or via Modular Interface Cards (MICs) that allow users to “mix and match” interface types. Powered by the programmable Trio chipset, MPCs collect and stream telemetry that identifies resource utilization, loss and delay, and other metrics.
  • Switch Control Boards (SCBs) feature an integrated switch fabric that connects to all slots in the chassis in a nonblocking architecture. The SCBs house the Routing Engine, control power to MPCs, monitor and control system functions such as fan speed and the system front panel, and manage clocking, resets, and boots.
  • The Routing Engine (RE) provides the control plane, runs Junos OS, and handles all routing protocol processes as well as the software processes that control MPCs, chassis components, system management, and user access to the router. REs communicate with MPCs via dedicated out-ofband management channels.

The Juniper MX104 is a mobile, optimized, ETSI 300mm-compliant chassis with high redundancy and 160 Gbps of throughput. The Juniper MX104 offers up to four MIC slots and redundant fixed 10GbE interfaces for flexible network connectivity.

Juniper Networks MX960 routing platform

The Juniper MX5, MX10, MX40, and MX80 are software upgradeable through 160 Gbps, enabling cost-effective “pay as you grow” scale to meet evolving market requirements. These routers have up to four MIC slots and two fixed 10GbE interfaces for connecting to the network.

Junos OS

Junos OS is a reliable, high-performance, modular network operating system that is supported across all of Juniper’s physical and virtual routing, switching, and security platforms. Junos OS improves network operations and increases service availability, performance, and security with features like low-latency multicast, comprehensive QoS, unified in-service software upgrade (unified ISSU), and Junos Continuity, which eliminates the risk and complexity of OS upgrades. With secure programming interfaces, the Juniper Extension Toolkit (JET), versatile scripting support, and integration with popular orchestration frameworks, Junos OS offers flexible options for DevOps style management that can unlock more value from the network.

Network Edge Services

Juniper MX Series routers can host optionally licensed Junos OS-based network edge services at scale, both inline on MPCs as well as on dedicated service cards. Hosting network edge services on MX Series routers reduces network cost and complexity by eliminating numerous elements, operating systems, and interconnections.

  • MPCs support inline services using the programmable Trio chipset; supported services include flow monitoring, 1:1 Network Address Translation (NAT), port mirroring, generic routing encapsulation (GRE), IP tunneling, logical tunnels, lawful intercept, and video monitoring.
  • The MS-MPC and the MS-MIC provide dedicated processing for compute-intensive services such as carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT), IPsec, stateful firewall, deep packet inspection, flow monitoring, and load-balancing.