In some cases, filtering and aggregating network traffic is not enough to efficiently use monitoring and security tools: Network Operators need NPBs capable to deliver advanced features like header stripping, packet slicing, inner parameters filtering and load balancing, on the same time assuring top performances.
NPBs must be capable of managing the relentless growth in network traffic, the multiplication and constant evolution of monitoring and security appliances, and also the increasing complexity brought by virtualization technologies. Modern Telecommunication networks, like CUPS (Control and User Plane Separation) and 5G, have very complex architecture and are resource-intensive, and introduce the concept of the disaggregation and physical separation of the control and user planes in network topology.
NPBs must be able to address these challenges by providing a more efficient and intelligent way to manage data forwarding to the monitoring tools, implementing intelligent functionalities like header stripping, packet slicing, inner parameters filtering and load balancing, while granting top performances.
Microtel Innovation A-640 and A-648 new Network Packet Brokers are based on the powerful Intel® Tofino chipset, the latest generation of P4 programmable Ethernet-Switch ASIC.
They will grant high flexibility and top performances to our customers, and a rich feature set which may be easily customized on their specific needs: this is what Telecom Operators need to face today 5G monitoring challenges.
They can host 1G, 10G, 25G, 40G and 100G ports in 1U, moreover making available advanced features like GRE and VXLAN tunnel start/termination, header stripping for several protocols, packet slicing, VLAN tagging, load balancing and filtering based on inner and outer L2-L5 parameters.
For example, they make possible to filter the Inner IP in GTP protocol, and they do it in hardware, so deploying such functionality full speed. This is a very important feature, to be used for example to balance 5G User Plane traffic to several tools, on one side making possible very high performances (up to 3.2 TB traffic) and on the other granting that all traffic belonging to the same subscriber session is forwarded to the same tool.
All Microtel Innovation NPBs make available to the customer an easy to use and intuitive web based Graphical User Interface, powerful real time statistics and SNMP alarms for easy control of the device behaviour and input/output ports data traffic.
Compare Microtel Innovation Advanced Network Packet Brokers. Download the technical datasheet or visit the dedicated page.
| Product | ASTER A-640 | ASTER A-648 |
|---|---|---|
| Product image |
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| Technical data sheet | ASTER A-640 | ASTER A-648 |
| PERFORMANCES | ||
| Switching Capacity | 6.4 Tb/s | 2.0 Tb/s |
| INPUT/OUTPUT PORTS | ||
| Total number of input/output ports | 32x40/100 Gb/s | 16x1/10/25 Gb/s plus 32x10/25 Gb/s plus 8x40/100 Gb/s |
| Max number of 40/100 Gb/s ports | 32 | 8 |
| Max numbers of 10/25 Gb/s ports | 128 | 80 |
| Max number of 1Gb/s ports | 0 | 16 |
| NPB functionalities | ||
| Filtering and Load Balancing, using inner and outer parameters | ||
| Traffic replication and aggregation | ||
| L2GRE, L3GRE, VXLAN tunnel Start/Termination | ||
| Advanced Capabilities | ||
| Slicing, Header Stripping, tagging | ||
| SYSTEM SPECIFICATION | ||
| Chassis | 1U | 1U |
| AC Redundant power supply | ||
| DC Redundant power supply | ||
