Juniper QFX5100 Ethernet Switch Overview

The QFX5100 Series Switches by Juniper Networks can be mainly found in the access and aggregation layer of the network architecture, providing these layers with rich Layer 2 and Layer 3 features. With the broad range of features including Juniper’s TISSU (Topology-Independent In-Service Software Upgrades) this switch series is ready to satisfy all the needs of a modern, high speed network architecture.

The QFX series by Juniper is an optimal foundation for your network architecture. With many different models these switches could become an irreplaceable part of your network. The QFX5100 is not an exception. It is ready to be deployed in contemporary and dynamic Datacenter network architectures. This switch series is especially well behaved in high speed application deployments like cloud and software-defined networking (SDN) adoption and mission critical applications and will most certainly drive the way to a more adaptable network architecture.

Every version from this series features 10GbE (fiber and copper) and 40GbE fixed-configuration options with broad range of Layer 2, Layer 3, and MPLS features. With the same operating system running across the series, JunOS, this switch series offers a consistent implementation and operation of control plane features across the entire Juniper infrastructure without the need of further training. Even though there are a couple of different versions from this switch series, all of them share some common features important to be mentioned:

• Every switch version offers optional high-density configurations, up to72 ports of 10GbE in a 1 U platform, up to 96 ports of 10GbE in a 2 U platform and up to 32 ports of 40GbE in a 1 U platform.
• Every switch version offers high availability with Topology-Independent In-Service Software Upgrade (TISSU), which is a unique feature in the industry
• Support for Python, Chef, Puppet, and zero-touch provisioning (ZTP)
• Support for Virtual Chassis, Virtual Chassis Fabric, JunOs Fusion and QFabric System with simplified management and operation
• Support for virtualization protocols such as Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN), Open vSwitch Database (OVSDB) protocol and integration with Juniper Networks Contrail and VMware NSX SDN controllers
• Advanced JunOs features such as BGP Add-path, MPLS, L3 VPN, and IPv6 6PE

Juniper Networks QFX5100 Ethernet Versions

Each model of this switch series offers wire-speed performance with low latency and the same JunOS operating system. You can select from four compact 1 U models and one 2 U model with enhanced performance by the powerful 1.5 GHz dual-core Intel CPU with 8 GB of memory and 32 GB SSD storage. The models with their most important properties are listed in the table below:

A unique feature across all models is the possibility for them to be managed through the JunOs Space Network Director. This feature gives the engineer a unique possibility to visualize, analyze and control the entire network infrastructure, both wired and wireless, through a single pane of glass. This feature has been optimized for this kind of management and includes sophisticated analytics for real time intelligence and automation.

Another key feature is the support for Juniper’s Virtual Chassis Technology. This technology provides the possibility for the engineer to configure, manage and operate up to 10 interconnected switches which operate as a single logical unit. This significantly decreases configuration and troubleshooting complexity and provides efficient resource utilization. The QFX5100 Series Switches will work with the same performance and efficiency even if they are interconnected with any other Juniper switch from the EX4300, QFX3500 and QFX3600 Series.

In addition to the Virtual Chassis Technology, this switch series has been further enhanced with the support of the more advanced Virtual Chassis Fabric Switching Architecture which offers the capability for a spine-and-leaf topology providing high speed and low latency. This technology will provide the possibility for deployment of up to 20 QFX5100 in a spine-and-leaf topology. With this solution you could get less than 3 microseconds of latency in any-rack-to any-rack traffic, while significantly simplifying network operations through a single point of management.

The Topology-Independent In-Service Software Upgrade (TISSU) solution is an industry unique feature which allows the switches to seamlessly move to the newer software version while maintaining intact data plane traffic. This feature is supported across all Layer 2 and Layer 3 protocols and it doesn’t need the support of any other switches to perform the image upgrade.

Every model of the QFX5100 Series supports various optical transceivers and cables. A large part of them, together with the equivalent CBO BlueOptics and BlueLAN components, are listed in the table below:

With the many features like flexible forwarding, broad range of MPLS solutions, support for VXLAN and TISSU, the QFX5100 Switch Series ensures a stable, low latency and high performance operation in any access or aggregation Datacenter layer.