Specifications

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High Availability
The SLX 9850 is the industry’s most powerful IPv4, IPv6, MPLS/
Multi-VRF and BGP-EVPN data center router, providing a cost-
ecient solution that is purpose-built for the most demanding
service provider and enterprise data center applications. The
robust system architecture, versatile feature set, and high level
of flexibility enable it to scale from the data center spine to the
data center core.
Designed with state-of-the-art network processing technology
and an advanced distributed hardware architecture with
fine-grained QoS support enables full-duplex, high-speed
performance for any mix of IPv4, IPv6, MPLS, and BGP-EVPN
VXLAN Overlay services. This innovative system architecture
oers several distinguishing characteristics:
• Clos-based distributed non-blocking architecture: Provides
the foundation for a robust, scalable data center platform.
• Midplane-free design: Allows interface modules to
communicate directly with switch fabric modules, enabling the
chassis to have an ecient front-to-back airflow design and no
signal integrity degradation.
• High-availability implementation: Provides a clear separation
between the control plane and data plane at
10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) speed to enable operational
performance at high loads.
• Distributed network processing, ultra-deep packet buers,
and advanced QoS capabilities across the system: Streamlines
execution of a rich feature set at high data rates, even for
bursty or long-lived trac flows.
• Complete redundancy: Features a fully redundant architecture
with redundant power supply modules, management modules,
fan modules, and switch fabric modules to minimize single
points of failure.
The SLX 9850 is available in two dierent models: the SLX
9850-4, a four interface-slot system, and the SLX 9850-8, an
eight interface-slot system. Management modules, interface
modules, and power supply modules are interchangeable
across both the four- and eight-slot models, thereby
decreasing inventory and maintenance costs. All modules are
hot-pluggable, minimizing system disruption when adding or
replacing a module.
Future-Ready Platform
Maximize investment protection with cost-ecient density,
scale, and performance to handle the exponential growth in
network bandwidth, devices, and services.
SLX 9850 Extensible Architecture
The SLX 9850 architecture is designed to support connectivity
needs today and well into the future as bandwidth and
application workload requirements grow. Its interface
modules optimize port density and capabilities, leveraging the
latest Intel x86 CPU and merchant silicon packet processor
technology for optimal space, power, and cooling in a highly
reliable, carrier-class routing platform. The SLX 9850 delivers:
• Industry-leading 10/40/100 GbE port density/price per blade
• Interface modules with a 1.5U design for the highest density,
routes, statistics, and policy scale
• Industry-leading deep buers optimized for bursty
trac patterns
• Extreme OptiScale™ optimizes the programmable hardware
and software capabilities of the adaptive SLX 9850 to
accelerate innovation and deliver investment protection
• Innovative midplane-free design, providing ecient airflow
and internal signal integrity for optimal cooling and
system performance
Modular, Virtualized
Operating System
The SLX 9850 runs SLX-OS, a fully virtualized Linux-based
operating system that delivers process-level resiliency and
fault isolation. SLX-OS supports advanced routing and MPLS
features, and is highly programmable with support for REST
and NETCONF, enabling full network lifecycle automation with
Workflow Composer. In addition, SLX-OS is based on Ubuntu
Linux, which provides all the advantages of open source and
access to commonly used Linux tools.
SLX-OS runs in a virtualized environment over a KVM
hypervisor, with the operating system compartmentalized and
abstracted from the underlying hardware. The core operating
system functions for the SLX 9850 are hosted in the system
VM, which runs on both management modulesin a redundant
operation. The SLX 9850 interface module software is also
virtualized, running in a KVM hypervisor on the local processor
of the interface module.
This approach provides clean failure domain isolation for
the router operating system while leveraging the x86
ecosystem, thereby removing single vendor lock-in for system
tools development and delivery. Additionally, it supports a
guest VM, which is an open KVM environment for running
third-party and customized monitoring, troubleshooting, and
analytics applications.