Data Center LAN Migration Guide - Juniper Networks

Data Center LAN Migration Guide
Juniper’s Virtual Chassis technology enables virtualization at the access layer, offering three key benefits:
1. It reduces the number of managed devices by a factor of 10X.
2. The network topology now closely maps to the traffic flow. Rather than sending inter-server traffic up to an
aggregation layer and then back down in order to send it across the rack, it’s sent directly “east-to-west,” reducing
the latency for these transactions. This also more easily facilitates workload mobility when server virtualization is
deployed.
3. Since the network topology now maps to the traffic flows directly, the number of uplinks required can be reduced.
The Virtual Chassis also delivers best-in-class performance. According to testing done by Network World (see full
report at www.networkworld.com/slideshows/2008/071408-juniper-ex4200.html), the EX4200 offers the lowest
latency of any Ethernet switch they had tested, making the EX4200 an optimal solution for high-performance, low
latency, real-time applications. There has also been EX4200 performance testing done in May 2010 by Network Test
which demonstrates the low latency high performance and high availability capabilities of the EX 4200 series, viewable
at http://networktest.com/jnprvc.
When multiple EX4200 platforms are connected in a Virtual Chassis configuration, they offer the same software high
availability as traditional chassis-based platforms. Each Virtual Chassis has a master and backup Routing Engine preelected
with synchronized routing tables and routing protocol states for rapid failover should a master switch fail. The
EX4200 line also offers fully redundant power and cooling.
To further lower TCO, Juniper includes core routing features such as OSFP and RIPv2 in the base software license,
providing a no incremental cost option for deploying Layer 3 at the access layer.
In every deployment, the EX4200 reduces network configuration burdens and measurably improves performance for
server-to-server communications in SOA, Web services, and other distributed application designs.
For more information, refer to the EX4200 Ethernet Switch data sheet for a complete list of features, benefits, and
specifications at: www.juniper.net/us/en/products-services/switching/ex-series.
QFX3500
QFabric consists of edge, interconnect, and control devices that work together to create a high-performance, low
latency fabric that unleashes the power of the data center. QFabric represents the “1” in Juniper Networks 3-2-1
architecture, dramatically reducing complexity in the data center by delivering any-to-any connectivity while lowering
capital, management, and operational expenses.
The first QFabric product, the Juniper Networks QFX3500 represents a new level of integration and performance for
top of rack switches by being the first to combine all of the following in 1 RU.
• Ultra Low Latency - matching industry best latency for a 48+ port Ethernet switch
• L2 – full L2 switching functionality
• L3 – routing and IP addressing functions (Future)
• Storage convergence – Ethernet storage (NAS, iSCSI, FCoE)and Fibre Channel gateway
• 40G – high capacity uplinks (Future)
Refer to the QFX3500 data sheet for more information at:
www.juniper.net/us/en/local/pdf/datasheets/1000361-en.pdf
EX4500 10GbE Switch
The Juniper Networks EX4500 Ethernet Switch delivers a scalable, compact, high-performance platform for supporting
a mix of GbE and high-density 10 gigabit per second (10 Gbps) data center top-of-rack, as well as data center, campus,
and service provider aggregation deployments. The QFX3500 is the preferred platform for 10 Gigabit per second Top
of Rack Deployments. The Junos OS-based EX4500 is a 48 port wire-speed switch whose ports can be provisioned as
either gigabit Ethernet (GbE) or 10GbE ports in a two rack unit (2 U) form factor. The 48 ports are allocated with 40
1000BaseT ports in the base unit and 8 optional uplink module ports. The EX4500 delivers 960 Gbps throughput (full
duplex) for both Layer 2 and Layer 3 protocols. The EX4500 also supports Virtual Chassis technology.
20 Copyright © 2012, Juniper Networks, Inc.