M10i System Architecture Overview
The router architecture consists of two major components:
- 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
