T320 Router Description

The T320 Core Router is a complete routing system that provides Gigabit Ethernet, SONET/SDH, and other high-speed interfaces for large networks and network applications, such as those supported by Internet service providers (ISPs).

Application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) are a definitive part of the router design; these ASICs enable the router to achieve data forwarding rates that match current fiber-optic capacity.

The router accommodates up to eight Flexible PIC Concentrators (FPCs), which can each be configured with a variety of network media types—altogether providing up to 64 Gigabit Ethernet, 64 SONET/SDH OC-48/STM-16, or 16 SONET/SDH OC-192/STM-64 ports for the router.

The router's maximum aggregate throughput is 160 Gbps, full duplex. The router can forward traffic at high-performance rates for any combination of PICs that does not exceed 20 Gbps on a single FPC3. Any combination exceeding 20 Gbps is supported, but constitutes oversubscription. For information about the FPC types, see T320 FPCs Supported.

The router architecture cleanly separates control operations from packet forwarding operations. This design eliminates processing and traffic bottlenecks, permitting the router to achieve high performance. Control operations in the router are performed by the host subsystem, which runs Junos OS to handle routing protocols, traffic engineering, policy, policing, monitoring, and configuration management. Forwarding operations in the router are performed by the Packet Forwarding Engines, which consist of hardware, including ASICs, designed by Juniper Networks.