Juniper Networks has unveiled a router capable of handling 25Tbps enough for every person in the UK to be on a computer running an online game and making a VoIP call at the same time.
This isn't a router you'll be able to pick up at PC World, however. The TX Matrix Plus is a multi-core routing system that's aimed at service providers. The starting price for a single node comes in at $300,000 and is likely to end up as a multi-million dollar commitment.
The Matrix Plus consists of a series of interconnecting T1600 core routers, each of which can handle 1.6TB.sec. The Matrix Plus platform lets 16 of these be linked together in a multi chassis routing node, controlled by the Matrix Plus switching system.
Paul Gainham, director of marketing for Juniper, referred to the new router as a "monster - it's a beast of a platform". He told IT PRO that this level of performance was a necessary one for service providers as they face increasing pressure from users who are demanding more from their broadband connections.
"The challenge for providers is that they are being asked to carry more and more traffic but are making less and less. You could argue that the business model is not working," he said.
Gainham says that the TX Matrix Plus will enable potential customers to offer more than simply bandwidth thanks to reduced operational costs and the system's management capabilities.
The TX Matrix Plus and T1600 combination offers lower cost of ownership for providers by delivering 25 per cent more routing capacity in the half the footprint, and with up to 40 per cent less power than competitor products, according to Gainham. The whole system can be managed as a single router or in combination with the Juniper Control System 1200 to virtualise networks, which he says is now a major requirement. "There is a strong need for network virtualisation to drive operational effectiveness," he said.
Gainham would not reveal the potential customers who've looked at the platform but the likes of BT, Virgin Media and Telefonica are already Juniper customers. The TX Matrix Plus will ship in the third quarter of this year.
BT has started to roll out its Fibre to the Curb network, which will offer up to 40Mbps to those within reach, and the Digital Britain report promises a minimum connection of 2Mbps for every person in the country. "This system could potentially sit at the heart of those backbones, " said Gainham.
Meanwhile, South Koreans are set to enjoy ultra-high broadband speeds of up to 1Gbps.
