New-Generation High-End Switch ZXR10 C89E: Facilitating Digital Transformation of Enterprise Campus

Digital transformation is accelerating across numerous industries, and there is a growing trend towards building robust data networks. The rapid adoption of cloud computing, big data, and Internet of things (IoT) is fueling an explosive growth in data traffic. The traditional traffic models are evolving in both operator networks and enterprise campuses. As southbound and northbound traffic steadily rises, eastbound and westbound traffic is also soaring as a major traffic mode. The existing 10GE network architecture is inadequate to accommodate these traffic changes, making 100GE and multi-100GE network convergence the mainstream choices.

Core/aggregation switches play an increasingly important role in the network. They are responsible for connecting a large number of access-layer devices, handling the convergence of northbound and southbound user traffic, and exchanging a great deal of eastbound and westbound traffic. This presents unprecedented challenges for device performance. Scalability, reliability, and security are also key indicators that users consider when evaluating aggregation-layer devices.

ZXR10 C89E is a flagship high-end core switch developed by ZTE for ultra-broadband networks. It can be widely used as a campus core, data center (DC), or metropolian area network (MAN) aggregation switch in scenarios such as telecommunications networks, campus networks, medical networks, government networks, energy networks, and financial networks. This switch is designed to build a 100GE-class ultra-high-bandwidth data network for customers.

The ZXR10 C89E series switch adopts a large-capacity, fully distributed modular design and offers high-density full-wirespeed solutions for GE, 10GE, and 100GE ports, catering to the demands of multi-layer link bandwidth. It delivers comprehensive support for perfect QoS, all-round security protection, and multi-service transport, enabling users to construct an efficient, intelligent, and reliable network. The series consists of three types of products: ZXR10 C89E-4, ZXR10 C89E-8, and ZXR10 C89E-12, each with varying capacity. For specific details, please refer to Table 1.

CLOS Architecture to Significantly Increase Forwarding Efficiency

ZXR10 C89E employs a CLOS architecture that incorporates in-house non-blocking switching chips, a distributed switching design, and multiple switching planes to maximize data forwarding efficiency. It utilizes a cell switching mechanism to split a data packet into multiple equal-length cells, which are evenly forwarded on each switching plane to assure load balancing throughout the entire system.

All-Programmable Chips to Ensure Rapid Launch of New Services

ZXR10 C89E utilizes in-house NP chips to deliver powerful programmability. When protocol evolution and technology updates require changes in forwarding processes, customers can update software to support these changes without hardware replacement. This allows services to be launched quickly and flexibly, ultimately protecting customer investments.

Ultra-Large System Capacity with High-Density Ports to Offer High Scalability

ZXR10 C89E supports up to 48 wirespeed 10GE interfaces or six 100GE interfaces per slot, making it suitable for campus and data center, enabling continuous upgrades and capacity expansion. The entire system offers a maximum of 576 GE/10GE optical ports and 72 100GE optical ports.

It employs a hardware architecture that separates main control from switching. The Mesh structure is adopted for connections between multiple switching planes and line cards, ensuring high performance and scalability for the system.

It also supports the VSC stacking technology, so that multiple switches can be stacked for high redundancy and scalability.

Building an Ultra-Stable Network Core

ZXR10 C89E features highly reliable architecture, high-reliability control, high-reliability system, comprehensive security protocols, and all-round reliability functions, helping to build an ultra-stable network core.

• Highly reliable architecture: ZXR10 C89E provides redundancy and hot-swappable support for critical system components such as control boards, switching boards, fan modules, and power modules. ZXR10 C89E further enhances equipment stability by adopting a hardware separation design from control boards and switching boards.
• High-reliability control: This feature is achieved through complete isolation between control and forwarding planes, with a multi-core multi-process processing mechanism that ensures device management, route calculation and entry synchronization do not affect each other.
• High-reliability system: ZXR10 C89E boasts a fully distributed software system architecture, supporting intelligent, dynamic loading and updates at the process level, allowing flexible addition of new functions without interrupting service upgrades. It also supports distributed protocol processing to increase efficiency and stability.
• Comprehensive security protocols: ZXR10 C89E provides secure SSH login modes and user-level access control. It offers various protocol security protection methods, including ARP, STP, DHCP, and robust routing protocol encryption algorithms to ensure protocol security.
• All-round reliability functions: ZXR10 C89E provides a comprehensive set of reliability features including ERPS, FRR, GR, Ethernet OAM, MC-LAG, and other service protection functions. These functions can ensure network security.

Abundant IPv6 Functions to Facilitate Network Transformation

ZXR10 C89E supports basic IPv6 protocols such as RIPng, OSPFv3, IS-ISv6 and BGP4+, along with carrier-class IPv6 functions like DHCPv6 snooping and PIMv6. Furthermore, it boasts robust IPv6 forwarding and routing capabilities and supports dual-stack deployment for both IPv4 and IPv6. The system also provides comprehensive IPv6 management and maintenance, ensuring high security and reliability. Additionally, ZXR10 C89E supports IPv4 to IPv6 tunnel conversion to facilitate a smooth transition from IPv4 to IPv6.

Green, Energy-Efficient, and Eco-Friendly

ZXR10 C89E features a highly efficient power system, minimizing power conversion losses. Its advanced chip technology reduces component energy consumption, resulting in reduced operational power consumption. Dynamic speed-controlled fans support continuous speed adjustment. It is also compatible with a 240V/380V high-voltage direct current supply system, enhancing power efficiency of the equipment room. Complying with lead-free RoHS, WEEE, and ISO14001 standards, ZXR10 C89E utilizes eco-friendly packaging materials, aligning with the “Green Earth, Nature Care” philosophy.

Network Virtualization and SDN Free Mobility

ZXR10 C89E offers the functionality of VxLAN virtual network  and SDN free mobility.

• VxLAN virtual network: ZXR10 C89E builds a VxLAN overlay virtual network on the basis of traditional L2 and L3 networks, achieving the decoupling of network identity from physical location. Through the use of the BGP-EVPN protocol,  VxLAN tunnels can be automatically created, enabling the automatic provisioning of virtual networks.
• SDN free mobility: ZXR10 C89E provides user group-based identity authentication and automatic SDN controller policy delivery, enabling automatic provisioning of user services and eliminating the need for secondary authentication during user roaming.

The ZXR10 C89E series switch is a new generation of core switch developed by ZTE based on its self-developed architecture. It offers high capacity and high performance while fully ensuring the high reliability and availability of the system. It builds new-generation data networks and accelerates digital transformation for customers.