Spec Sheet

2
Data SheetEX4600 Ethernet Switch
Enterprise Advantages
The EX4600 delivers a highly available, simple, and scalable
10GbE solution in a compact and power-efficient platform,
making it a perfect fit for enterprise networks.
Simple
Virtual Chassis technology on the EX4600 dramatically
simplifies the enterprise distribution layer, eliminating the need
for Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), Virtual Router Redundancy
Protocol (VRRP), complex routing, or VLAN configurations. In
addition, when deployed in a Virtual Chassis configuration, the
EX4600 reduces the number of devices to manage and can
even eliminate network switching layers. A single Virtual Chassis
configuration can span multiple nodes, reducing the need for
larger, more expensive nodes on superior tiers. Juniper Networks
Junos
®
operating system, which is common across the entire EX
Series Ethernet Switches product family, accelerates the learning
curve by enabling the entire architecture to be managed with a
common set of instructions from a single pane of glass.
Scalable
A single EX4600 can support up to 72 10GbE ports (using 10GbE
breakout cables on 40GbE fixed ports) at line rate, providing a
highly scalable solution for the most demanding environments.
In addition, Virtual Chassis technology makes it easy to scale
the network while reducing management complexity. By adding
switches to a Virtual Chassis configuration, it is possible to grow
the number of switch ports without increasing the number of
devices to manage. As switches are added to a Virtual Chassis
configuration, backplane bandwidth demands can be scaled to
maintain adequate oversubscription ratios. Using just two 40GbE
interfaces, Virtual Chassis bandwidth can start at 160 Gbps and
grow to 960 Gbps, forming a LAG on all 12 40GbE interfaces.
Highly Available
When EX4600 switches are deployed in a Virtual Chassis
configuration, Junos OS initiates a process to assign a master
(active) and backup (hot standby) switch to manage the
configuration. If the master switch fails, an integrated L2 and L3
graceful Routing Engine switchover (GRES) feature automatically
switches to the backup to maintain continuous and uninterrupted
system operations. The EX4600 switch also includes a number
of other high availability features, including redundant power and
cooling, graceful protocol restart, equal-cost multipath (ECMP),
LAG links distributed across multiple slots, and quality of service
(QoS) to prioritize time-sensitive data, nonstop bridging (NSB),
nonstop active routing (NSR), and unified in-service software
upgrades (unified ISSU). Unified ISSU is currently supported
only in standalone configurations; support in Virtual Chassis
configurations will be enabled in a future release.
Adaptable and Modular
As business grows, the network needs to evolve. With its compact
1 U form factor and complete switch features, the EX4600 can be
easily redeployed in different environments and physical layouts.
EX4600 switch capacity can be expanded without increasing the
number of managed devices by simply adding more switches to a
Virtual Chassis configuration.
EX4300 Virtual Chassis
Closet A1 Closet B1
Closet A2 Closet B2
EX4600 MC-LAG
Core
Access
Building 1 Building 2
Aggregation
EX9200EX9200
EX4300 Virtual Chassis
Closet A1 Closet B1
Closet A2 Closet B2
EX4600 MC-LAG
Figure 1: EX4600 as an enterprise distribution switch with MC-LAG