Brocade MLXe-4 BR-MLXE-4-MR2-M-AC Data Sheet
Product codes
BR-MLXE-4-MR2-M-AC
SCALABILITY WITHOUT
COMPROMISING PERFORMANCE
COMPROMISING PERFORMANCE
The Brocade MLX Series is highly
optimized for IP Ethernet deployments,
providing symmetric scaling with chassis
options that include 4-, 8-, 16-, and
32-slot systems. These routers offer
industry-leading wire-speed port capacity
without compromising the performance
of advanced software capabilities. For
example, the Brocade MLXe-32 delivers
data forwarding performance of
25.6 Tbps and a switch fabric capacity of
15.36 Tbps, enough capacity to future-
proof networks for years to come.
optimized for IP Ethernet deployments,
providing symmetric scaling with chassis
options that include 4-, 8-, 16-, and
32-slot systems. These routers offer
industry-leading wire-speed port capacity
without compromising the performance
of advanced software capabilities. For
example, the Brocade MLXe-32 delivers
data forwarding performance of
25.6 Tbps and a switch fabric capacity of
15.36 Tbps, enough capacity to future-
proof networks for years to come.
However, true router scalability is
measured not only in terms of packet
forwarding performance, but also in the
scalability of the hardware forwarding
tables and maturity of the control plane.
The Brocade MLX Series offers a flexible
scale-as-you-grow model with hardware
Forwarding Information Base (FIB) capacity
options in a wide range of interface
modules supporting up to 2 million IPv4
routes and 1 million IPv6 routes. In
addition, the robust control plane has
been proven in thousands of mission-
critical deployments around the globe.
measured not only in terms of packet
forwarding performance, but also in the
scalability of the hardware forwarding
tables and maturity of the control plane.
The Brocade MLX Series offers a flexible
scale-as-you-grow model with hardware
Forwarding Information Base (FIB) capacity
options in a wide range of interface
modules supporting up to 2 million IPv4
routes and 1 million IPv6 routes. In
addition, the robust control plane has
been proven in thousands of mission-
critical deployments around the globe.
SDN-ENABLED PROGRAMMATIC
CONTROL OF THE NETWORK
CONTROL OF THE NETWORK
Software-Defined Networking (SDN)
is a powerful new network paradigm
designed for the world’s most demanding
networking environments and promises
breakthrough levels of customization,
scale, and efficiency. The Brocade MLX
Series enables SDN by supporting
the OpenFlow protocol, which allows
communication between an OpenFlow
controller and an OpenFlow-enabled router.
Using this approach, organizations can
control their networks programmatically,
transforming the network into a platform
for innovation through new network
applications and services.
is a powerful new network paradigm
designed for the world’s most demanding
networking environments and promises
breakthrough levels of customization,
scale, and efficiency. The Brocade MLX
Series enables SDN by supporting
the OpenFlow protocol, which allows
communication between an OpenFlow
controller and an OpenFlow-enabled router.
Using this approach, organizations can
control their networks programmatically,
transforming the network into a platform
for innovation through new network
applications and services.
The Brocade MLX Series supports
OpenFlow 1.3 in its innovative hybrid port
mode, allowing simultaneous deployment
of traditional switching or routing with
OpenFlow on a single port. This unique
capability provides a pragmatic path to
SDN by enabling network operators to
integrate OpenFlow into existing networks,
giving them the programmatic control
offered by SDN for specific flows while
the remaining traffic is routed as before.
Brocade hardware support for OpenFlow
enables organizations to apply these
capabilities at scale with support for up to
128,000 flows and line-rate performance
for 100 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE), 40 GbE,
and 10 GbE networks.
OpenFlow 1.3 in its innovative hybrid port
mode, allowing simultaneous deployment
of traditional switching or routing with
OpenFlow on a single port. This unique
capability provides a pragmatic path to
SDN by enabling network operators to
integrate OpenFlow into existing networks,
giving them the programmatic control
offered by SDN for specific flows while
the remaining traffic is routed as before.
Brocade hardware support for OpenFlow
enables organizations to apply these
capabilities at scale with support for up to
128,000 flows and line-rate performance
for 100 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE), 40 GbE,
and 10 GbE networks.
DESIGNED FOR
NON-STOP NETWORKING
NON-STOP NETWORKING
Designed to enable reliable converged
infrastructures and support mission-
critical applications, the Brocade MLX
Series features advanced redundant
switch fabric architecture for very high
availability. The architecture helps ensure
that the system continues to operate at
peak performance even in the case of
a switch fabric card failure. In the highly
unlikely case of additional fabric failures,
the advanced architecture allows the
system to continue operating in a graceful
degradation mode, where the system
tunes its performance to the remaining
fabric capacity.
infrastructures and support mission-
critical applications, the Brocade MLX
Series features advanced redundant
switch fabric architecture for very high
availability. The architecture helps ensure
that the system continues to operate at
peak performance even in the case of
a switch fabric card failure. In the highly
unlikely case of additional fabric failures,
the advanced architecture allows the
system to continue operating in a graceful
degradation mode, where the system
tunes its performance to the remaining
fabric capacity.
The advanced fabric architecture is
complemented by comprehensive
hardware redundancy for the management
modules, power supplies, and cooling
system. In addition, the Brocade Multi-
Service IronWare operating system offers
hitless management failover for IPv4 and
IPv6 with Open Shortest Path First (OSPF),
IS-IS and IP multicast Non-Stop Routing,
and Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)
Graceful Restart capabilities—as well as
hitless (in-service) software upgrades to
further enhance both system availability
and overall network availability. With
LDP Graceful Restart, MPLS traffic loss
is minimized if there is an interruption
on the network. To maintain continuous
operations in data centers and metro
networks, the innovative Brocade Multi-
Chassis Trunking (MCT) feature provides
fast link and node failover protection
while simultaneously maximizing network
utilization. For example, MCT supports
active/standby redundancy for VPLS and
VLL pseudowires, providing flexible options
for redundancy in network designs that
interconnect multiple data centers. For
increased redundancy and functionality,
dynamic Layer 3 routing over MCT is
also supported.
complemented by comprehensive
hardware redundancy for the management
modules, power supplies, and cooling
system. In addition, the Brocade Multi-
Service IronWare operating system offers
hitless management failover for IPv4 and
IPv6 with Open Shortest Path First (OSPF),
IS-IS and IP multicast Non-Stop Routing,
and Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)
Graceful Restart capabilities—as well as
hitless (in-service) software upgrades to
further enhance both system availability
and overall network availability. With
LDP Graceful Restart, MPLS traffic loss
is minimized if there is an interruption
on the network. To maintain continuous
operations in data centers and metro
networks, the innovative Brocade Multi-
Chassis Trunking (MCT) feature provides
fast link and node failover protection
while simultaneously maximizing network
utilization. For example, MCT supports
active/standby redundancy for VPLS and
VLL pseudowires, providing flexible options
for redundancy in network designs that
interconnect multiple data centers. For
increased redundancy and functionality,
dynamic Layer 3 routing over MCT is
also supported.
2
BROCADE VYATTA CONTROLLER AND
BROCADE MLX SERIES
BROCADE MLX SERIES
The Brocade MLX Series operates seamlessly under the
. This controller is a quality-assured
edition of the OpenDaylight controller code supported by an
established networking provider and its leaders within the
OpenDaylight community.
established networking provider and its leaders within the
OpenDaylight community.