Selecting the Right Juniper MX Routing Engine (RE) Doesn't Have to Be a Complex Decision

Selecting the Right Juniper MX Routing Engine (RE) Doesn't Have to Be a Complex Decision

With so many Juniper routing engine (RE) choices available today, finding the right fit for your MX Series router might seem difficult. Actually, it’s pretty simple. Within reason, buy the most performance you can afford and you will never regret it!

That’s what most of the network operators and service providers we’ve talked to say they tend to do. But just because an RE has faster processing speeds, more memory, and is more expensive, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right choice for you.

To help you see beyond the basic speeds and feeds, we’re going to decode the Juniper RE product chart across two key metrics: 1) switch control boards (SCB vs SCBE vs SCBE2 vs SCBE3) and 2) multi-core vs single core.

A Juniper RE family routing

Before you make the big “switch” to your new Juniper RE, bear in mind that the Juniper Switch Control Board (SCB) is not a one-size-fits-all component for every service provider or network operator.

Let’s take a look at these four control board options one at a time:

• SCB-MX: A tried and true staple, but outdated by today's standards. Not something to deploy in a network today. It only supports 120 Gbps throughput — running off 2-4 GB of memory — and can handle very basic network demands.
• SCBE-MX: Slightly faster and much more efficient in dealing with complicated data functions and high-capacity line cards. Provides 160 Gbps of output and an XF chip that’ll make your router perform effortlessly. A great selection for those who need a bit more power but don’t require support for an RE with quad-core processing.
• SCBE2-MX: With its substantial 320 Gbps throughput maximum, this model is faster and more advanced. Even if you don't plan on that type of throughput, you can ensure you never need to think about an upgrade again with this control board. This is now the de-facto standard.
• SCBE3-MX: The cream of the crop in the Juniper fabric configuration, the newest SCB is perfectly matched with Juniper’s MPC line and boasts more than 1Tbps per slot. Again, it’s just a control board, so it’s nothing to freak out over--but if you need the best, and want to be sure it will last well into the future (and your budget is wide open), this is the SCB to get.

Strengthen your Juniper RE core

Multi-core processors have been around for so long (like, pre-YouTube era), it’s easy to default to a “more cores are better” viewpoint without remembering why that is--or remembering that, in some cases, it isn’t necessarily true.

Like a desktop computer, the software you’re running on your RE must be written to support multi-threading in order to take advantage of multi-core technology. That means--depending on what you’re doing--having fewer, faster cores can be better than multiple slower ones.

That said, it’s hard to imagine not running the 64-bit Junos 64, which requires multiple cores and takes performance well beyond what any single-core RE with Junos 32 could ever do. 

Let the Juniper RE experts re-route your network worries

The team at Terabit Systems specializes in providing quality refurbished networking equipment—as well as industry leading customer service— to clients worldwide. We have decades of experience working with Juniper REs and many other industry components and are ready to assist you with any question or need. One other note: When buying a secondhand RE, you can be assured that what you get from Terabit is tested, fully sorted, defaulted, and ready-to-run. With other vendors, who knows!

Save time and headaches. Email us or call +1 (415) 230-4353 to speak to a Terabit representative and get a detailed quote today.