ME6008: The most powerful Eltex backbone router is now available for order

Last year, we discussed the updated line of Eltex ME Series routers and their role in IP/MPLS networks. The most powerful model, the ME6008, was still in development at that time. Today, all stages of development have been completed, and we are now accepting orders.

The ME6008 is the ME series flagship router, offering performance of up to 19.2 Tbps. This model is designed for telecommunications operators who need performance headroom at backbone and edge network nodes.

From its platform architecture to its software, the ME6008 is an entirely Russian-developed product. It can be used in networks where the origin of the equipment is critical.

The primary area of application is operator networks: edge aggregation at the interface with other operators, aggregation of backbone traffic in the core of an IP/MPLS network, and traffic exchange nodes. The ME6008 may also be in demand in the enterprise segment and for data center applications, where high interface density, fault tolerance, and advanced QoS mechanisms are required.

“We designed the ME6008 as a solution for the heaviest-traffic sections of an operator’s network. In the Mobile Backhaul segment, the router is capable of aggregating traffic from a large number of base stations, and on the core network, it can function as a P or PE router, enabling the deployment of a scalable IP/MPLS infrastructure between cities. It is precisely in these scenarios that the platform’s capabilities are fully realized.”
 

Roman Polukhin, Broadband Product Manager

The ME6008 is a 19" wide, 15U tall modular router. The chassis can accommodate up to 8 line modules, 4 switching fabric modules, and 2 control modules.

Unlike its predecessor, the ME5000M, the new device features a “cross-over” module layout: the linear cards, arranged horizontally at the front, connect to the switching fabric boards, which are arranged vertically at the rear. This has made it possible to eliminate the use of dedicated internal backplane boards, increase the bandwidth of the connection to the switching fabrics, and simplify device cooling by enabling direct airflow across all boards from front to back.

With a full configuration, performance reaches 19.2 Tbps. This result is achieved through the use of state-of-the-art Control Plane processors, high-speed packet ASICs, and TCAM coprocessors with large FIB table capacities. The performance headroom is sufficient to meet the needs of large backbone and border nodes, with a margin for future traffic growth. The large amount of buffer memory helps smooth out traffic spikes and maintain predictable QoS policy performance under heavy load.

The ME6008 is available in several line card models with different port configurations and performance levels:

• ME6K-LC48XGE – 48 ports at 25 Gbps (SFP28), with a performance of 1.2 Tbps;
• ME6K-LC24CGE – 24 ports at 100 Gbps (QSFP28), with a performance of 2.4 Tbps;
• ME6K-LC12CDGE – 8 ports at 100 Gbps (QSFP28), 4 ports at 400 Gbps (QSFP56-DD), performance of 2.4 Tbps. This card is currently under development and will be available by the end of 2026.

The feature set is designed to meet backbone-level requirements: full support for IPv4/IPv6 routing protocols, a comprehensive set of MPLS and QoS features, and traffic engineering technologies for optimizing channel utilization and load balancing.

Fault tolerance is implemented at every level of the ME6008 platform: control modules, switching fabrics, power supplies, and fans are redundant and support hot-swapping without interrupting service. Graceful Restart and Non-stop forwarding preserve routing tables and maintain traffic flow during switching between control modules.

The ME6008 is now available for a free trial. If you are planning to upgrade your backbone network or would like to evaluate the device in a real-world network environment, please contact the Eltex Sales Department: foreign.sales@eltex-co.ru.