Overview:
The ACX6000 line of Universal Metro Routers directly addresses evolving metro network architectures that extend operational intelligence from the service provider edge to the access network. The ACX6000 line bridges the complexity between packet optical transport and the IP/MPLS networking layer by collapsing both domains into a seamless, multilayer solution. From there, it delivers a single-pane-of-glass view into network operations.
The ACX6000 line is optimized for disaggregated and open-line architectures. It combines packet-optical convergence, 100GbE client interfaces, and 100/200 Gbps line-side interfaces to address a wide variety of use cases. Among these are business, cable Distributed Access Architectures (DAA), residential fiber, mobile backhaul, and enterprise applications.
The ACX6000 line comprises high-capacity, high-density, 1 U stackable platforms. It offers powerful options to enhance the performance, efficiency, and simplicity of any transport architecture.
Product Description
Juniper Networks® ACX6000 line of Universal Metro Routers responds to a shift in
metro network architectures, where the access and aggregation layers are extending
operational intelligence from the service provider edge to the access network.
The ACX6000 line simplifies access and aggregation architectures by eliminating
unnecessary layers and network overlays, dramatically reducing CapEx and OpEx.
Based on architectural simplification and cost reduction, the ACX6000 line gives
service providers and enterprises the ability to adopt a true universal metro
paradigm. The ACX6000 line also provides high capacity, scalability, and a secure
packet optical transport layer while delivering industry-leading performance with
a wide range of port densities and interface types. Table 1 provides an overview
of the interfaces supported on each model in the ACX6000 line. Flexibility and
upgradability (the ability to mix and match interface types) make the Juniper
Networks ACX Series Universal Metro Routers ideal for a wide range of use cases.
ACX Series Product Family
ACX Series Universal Metro Routers offer a wide range of metro solutions,
including the ACX500, ACX1000, ACX2000, and ACX4000, as well as the
ACX5000 and ACX6000 lines. The ACX6000 line includes two models, each
targeted at different applications:
- ACX6160: The ACX6160 Optical Transport provides full OpenROADMcompatible transponder support for metro packet optical transport applications in a 1 U platform. As a pure transparent transponder, the ACX6160 supports
eight quad small form-factor pluggable transceiver QSFP28 100GbE/OTU4
client interfaces and four 100 Gbps/200 Gbps CFP2-DCO line-side interfaces.
OpenROADM-compatible APIs provide fully compliant third-party controller
support along with HG-FEC-compliant interfaces, enabling true interoperable
transponder functionality.
- ACX6360: The ACX6360 Universal Metro Router allows operators to seamlessly
collapse secure packet optical transport layers and IP/MPLS networking layers
into a single platform. Powered by the latest Juniper Networks ExpressPlus™
silicon running at 3.6 Tbps, the ACX6360 supports 20 QSFP28 100GbE
interfaces and eight 100 Gbps/200 Gbps CFP2-DCO interfaces, providing a
secure IEEE 802.1AE/802.1X industry-compliant 256AES MACsec-encrypted
solution for pervasive security across IP and optical.
Specifications
The basic specifications for the ACX6000 line of routers.
| Specifications |
ACX6160 |
ACX6360 |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) |
17.36 x 1.72 x 24.40 in (44.09 x 4.37 x 61.98 cm) |
17.36 x 1.72 x 24.40 in (44.09 x 4.37 x 61.98 cm) |
| Weight (lb/kg) fully configured |
24 lb (10.9 kg) |
30 lb (13.6 kg) |
| Power (DC) |
-40 to -72 VDC power |
-40 to -72 VDC power |
| Power (AC) |
100-240 VAC |
100-240 VAC |
| Maximum power draw |
500 W (with optical small form-factor pluggable
transceivers) |
756 W (with optical SFP transceivers) |
| Operating temperature |
32° to 104° F (0° to 40° C) |
32° to 104° F (0° to 40° C) |
| Humidity |
5%-90% RH noncondensing |
5%-90% RH noncondensing |
Features and Benefits:
The ACX Series delivers new levels of programmability,
reliability, and scalability to service provider and enterprise
networks. The ACX Series portfolio improves customer
satisfaction while lowering the total cost of operating,
maintaining, and updating the network infrastructure.
Zero Touch Deployment
Based on Junos OS automation capabilities, ACX Series
routers support a zero touch deployment (ZTD) feature that
significantly reduces the time required to install and provision
new equipment, resulting in lower OpEx, lower TCO, and greater
operational efficiency. ZTD also reduces the complexity of
deploying MPLS in the access layer.
Advanced Security Services
The ACX6000 line enables advanced security services such
as Media Access Control Security (MACsec) to protect against
potential vulnerabilities in the network as well as subscriber traffic.
High Availability and Reliability
Junos Continuity and unified ISSU features eliminate the
downtime risks associated with implementing new hardware
or upgrading operating systems. Junos Continuity eliminates
OS upgrades and system reboots when adding new hardware
to ACX Series routers—a plug-in package provides the drivers
and support files needed to bring the hardware online. Unified
ISSU reduces the risks associated with OS upgrades by enabling
upgrades between two different Junos OS releases (major or
minor) with no control plane disruption and minimal traffic
disruption on the forwarding plane.
Full Feature Set of L3 and IP/MPLS
The ACX6360 supports a full L3 and IP/MPLS feature set,
while the ACX6160 provides full OpenROADM-compatible
transponder functionality.
| Features |
ACX6160 |
ACX6360 |
| Throughput |
1.6/3.2 Tbps |
3.6/7.2 Tbps |
| Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP |
|
|
| Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) |
|
|
| IPv4 |
|
|
| IPv6 |
|
|
| RPF |
|
|
| Equal-cost multipath (ECMP) |
|
|
| Enhanced load balancing based on L2-L4 header info |
|
|
| OSPF |
|
|
| IS-IS |
|
|
| BGP |
|
|
| Indirect/composite next hop |
|
|
| RSVP |
|
|
| LDP |
|
|
| Path Computation Element Protocol (PCEP) |
|
|
| RSVP-TE |
|
|
| BGP-LU |
|
|
| LDP-RSVP |
|
|
| RSVP fast reroute (FRR) |
|
|
| Segment routing |
|
|
| IEEE 802.1AE/802.1X industry-compliant 256AES MACsec |
|
|
| CLI |
|
|
| NETCONF |
|
|
| SNMP v2/v3 |
|
|
| SLAX/Python on-box scripting tools |
|
|
| ZTD |
|
|
| YANG |
|
|
Architecture and Key Components
Powered by Juniper Networks Junos® operating system, the
ACX6000 line complements Juniper Networks MX Series 5G
Universal Routing Platforms through a flexible and scalable
service provider and enterprise branch routing portfolio
optimized to support rapidly growing mobile, video, and cloud
computing applications. The ACX Series introduces Juniper’s
proven IP/MPLS leadership from core and edge into the access
layers of the network. Maintaining relative simplicity in the
access network, the ACX6360 supports a rich suite of L3 and
IP/MPLS functionality to allow large-scale seamless MPLS
networks with simplified service provisioning and operations.
- Seamless MPLS: The ACX6000 line of routers supports
MPLS for both RSVP-TE and SPRING. Growing demands for
bandwidth are accompanied by network growth in terms of
number of nodes—in some cases, up to tens of thousands.
Seamless MPLS architecture enables scale and service
flexibility by decoupling physical topology for transport and
service layers. With a seamless MPLS architecture, service
providers can leverage the existing investment of MPLS
in the core and edge and extend the operational benefit
into the access layer. This enables higher network service
flexibility and higher scaling parameters of the metro area
network (MAN), where metro Ethernet services can span
multiple network segments and be seamlessly terminated at
any point of the network or cloud.
- Junos OS: A reliable, high-performance, modular network
operating system, Junos OS 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 quality of service (QoS), unified in-service
software upgrade (unified ISSU), and Junos Continuity,
which eliminates the risk and complexity of OS upgrades.
Junos OS comes with embedded scripting tools and APIs,
which enable automation of many routines and practical
integration with any operator’s back-end management
tools. 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.
- Management: Junos Space® Network Management
Platform provides comprehensive management with
broad fault, configuration, accounting, performance, and
security management (FCAPS) capabilities for both device
and service-level management. For device management,
it supports Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF),
CLI, and SNMP v1/v2/v3 protocols, while its northbound
APIs support easy integration with existing network
management systems (NMS) and operations/business
support systems (OSS/BSS). Running on the Junos Space
platform, Junos Space Connectivity Services Director
ensures effortless end-to-end service provisioning
of metro Ethernet (E-Line, E-LAN, E-Tree, E-Access),
VPLS, L3VPN, EVPN, and MPLS on featured ACX Series
platforms, using a simple interface to design, validate,
and manage these services. Another application of Junos
Space, Cross Provisioning Platform helps service providers
provision E-Line, L2/L3 VPN services, and virtual private
LAN service (VPLS) between Juniper devices and those
from third-party vendors. The Juniper Networks proNX
Optical Director software platform manages and controls
Juniper Programmable Photonic Layer open-line system
elements and Juniper coherent dense wavelength-division
multiplexing (DWDM) transponder-based solutions,
including the ACX6160 and ACX6360, as well as
integrated DWDM transponders on MX Series routers,
PTX Series Packet Transport Routers, QFX Series switches,
and TCX1000 Programmable ROADM (reconfigurable
optical add/drop multiplexer).
