M40e System Architecture Overview

• Packet Forwarding Engine—Performs Layer 2 and Layer 3 packet switching, route lookups, and packet forwarding.
• Routing Engine—Provides Layer 3 routing services and network management.

The Packet Forwarding Engine and the Routing Engine perform independently but communicate constantly through a 100-Mbps internal link. This arrangement provides streamlined forwarding and routing control and the ability to run Internet-scale networks at high speeds. Figure 1 illustrates the relationship between the Packet Forwarding Engine and the Routing Engine.

Figure 1: System Architecture