EX5-3
Hybrid Network Packet Broker
The EX5-3 Network Packet Broker offers 48 x 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 ports and 4 x 1/10 Gbps optical ports, a comprehensive feature set, and an intuitive Web GUI.
Supports network visibility for 10/100/1000 Mbps copper links. Featuring 48 copper ports and supporting thousands of filtering rules, the network packet broker EX5-3 is ideal for deployment in these networks.
EX5-3 Network Packet Broker provides packet filtering, either dropping packets that match the filtering criteria or sending them to a desired port. This allows traffic blocking and also sending required packets to monitoring tools. GRE encapsulation can be used for outgoing packets to enable routed packet delivery. EX5-3 also supports VLAN and VXLAN. More advanced features include time stamping and packet slicing.
The EX5-3 excels in mixed copper / fibre environments where tools with SFP or SFP+ interfaces need access to copper connections. 48 x 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ-45 and 4 SFP+ interfaces offer plenty of connectivity. A common scenario is to have 10 – 1000 Mbps copper connected to EX5-3 RJ-45 ports and the traffic aggregated to the 10 Gbps SFP+ ports. The output towards other tools can be optical or electric by using copper transceivers that convert optical signal into electric, allowing RJ-45 to be used on the tool end.
The EX5-3 is an excellent choice in network environments using copper or where it is critical to get copper-based monitoring with security tools having 1/10G fibre ports.
Main Features of EX5-3
- Filters and load balances traffic from 10 Gbps links to multiple 1 Gbps monitoring tools
- Aggregates multiple 1 Gbps links to 10 Gbps monitoring tools
- 48 x 10/100/1000 Base-T ports
- 4 x 1/10 Gbps (SFP/SFP+)
- Supports traffic modifications up to layer 4 as well as changing, removing and adding VLAN and GRE tunnels
- Up to 3500 parallel rules
- IPv6 support
- 2-year warranty period
Functions & Benefits of EX5-3
- Filtering and Load Balancing from L2 to L4
- Easy to configure: Via Web GUI
- GRE / VXLAN Tunnel support: The Packetmaster EX5-3, like all Packetmaster Series NPBs, can function as a GRE / VXLAN tunnel endpoint.
- Session aware load balancing, up to 15 load balancing groups
- Cubro Vitrum Management Suite: EX5-3 is fully compatible with Cubro Vitrum, a centralized management platform for all Cubro network visibility solutions.
Extended Functions
The management host controller of every EX unit runs a full featured Debian Linux as operating system. On this host script languages like Python, Perl, TCL, or simple Linux shells are available to run 3rd party applications to extend the function of the Packetmaster. These applications can be developed by Cubro or the customer
Examples:
- A Perl script collects counters and writes these counters in an external SQL Database for later analysis.
- A Python script collects counters and writes them to an SQL database for later analysis.
- A Python script dynamically changes filters based on link load data collected from another Packetmaster.
- A shell script pings different devices and changes filter rules based on ping response.
| Link/Port Aggregation | Aggregation many to any, and any to many at all link speeds |
| 10 Gbps traffic demultiplexer | The traffic can be easily demultiplexed into 48 lower speed Gbps ports to monitor highly loaded 10 Gbps links. |
| Jumbo Frame Support | The Packetmaster supports jumbo Ethernet frames with a size of up to 12000 bytes |
| Support of IPv4 and IPv6 | Yes |
| Ports | 48 x SFP 1 Gbps 4 x SPF+ 10 Gbps 1 x 10/100/1000 Base-T (Management) 1 x RS232 Console |
| Configuration/ Communication | Web GUI, CLI via SSH or Telnet, REST API, SNMP, RADIUS |
| Bandwidth | 176 Gbps backplane 100 % throughput without any packet loss |
| Aggregation latency | Average 1 µs for 64-byte frames |
| MTBF | 196.750 hours |
| Different Power Versions | 100- 230V AC dual power supply (DC power modules available) |
Inputs
- 48 x 10/100/1000 Mbps Base-T ports
- 4 x 1/10G Gbps full duplex
- SFP Ports for any kind of SFP/SFP+
- Each port can be input or / and output depending on the application and configuration
Outputs
- 48 x 10/100/1000 Mbps Base-T ports
- 4 x 1/10G Gbps full duplex
- SFP Ports for any kind of SFP/SFP+
- Each port can be input or / and output depending on the application and configuration
Performance
- Performance up to 176 Gbps
- Non-blocking design
- Estimated boot time up to 280 sec
- Packet delay through processing less than 1 µs
Management
- RJ45 10/100 Mbps; ssh and/or Web GUI
- RS-232 Serial; CLI
Operating specifications
- Operating Temperature: 0ºC to 45ºC
- Storage Temperature: -10ºC to 70ºC
- Relative Humidity: 10% min, 95% max (non condensing)
Mechanical specifications
- Dimension (WxDxH): 44 X 37 X 4.36 cm
- Weight: 6,1 kg (Includes 2 Power Modules)
- Airflow: Front-back
- Quantity of Fans: 3
- (NOT Hot swappable)
Electrical specifications
- Input Power: 100-240V
- Maximum Power Consumption: 55W
Certifications
- Fully RoHS compliant
- CE compliant
- Safety – UL 60950-1 / CSA C22.2 60950-1-07 / IEC 60950-1 (2005) EN 60950-1 (2006)
Aggregation
Traffic aggregation from many input ports to one or many output ports. This also works with different link speeds of up to 10 Gbps.
Filtering
3500 flow rules (filters) can be set in the unit. The red dot marked fields can be used as a match for a packet, stand-alone, combined or with wild cards. For IP Src and IP Dst supernets are supported.
- Output: Forward the traffic to one or more ports (even the input port).
- Drop: Drop (discard) the traffic
- Modify: Modify header information such as VLAN tag, source MAC, destination MAC, source IP, destination IP, source Port, and destination Port.
- Add VLAN tag: The Packetmaster EX units can add or append VLAN tags to the filtered traffic to separate or identify it after aggregation/output. (Up to six VLAN tags are possible).
- Strip VLAN: Remove VLAN tag(s) (Q in Q support).
- Rule Priority/Rule Stacking: The ability to prioritize filtering rules allows for very complex filtering possibilities.
Session Aware Load Balancing
The EX5-3 supports Session Aware Load balancing by means of selectable hash-criteria. Thus, every packet that belongs to the same conversation/flow is sent to the same output port within a load-balancing group.
Product Components
- Cubro EX5-3
- AC or DC power supply modules
- Power cord
- Transceivers not included
| Part Number | Description |
|---|---|
| CUB.PM-EX5-3 | Packetmaster EX5-3, 48x1G Base-T and 4x10G Network Packet Broker |
| CUB.PM-DC-D | DC Power supply module for Cubro Packetmaster EX5-3 and EX6-3 |
| CUB.RR19-1U | Universal Rackrail Kit for 1U 19″ units (Packet/Sessionmaster) |
Spare parts
| Part Number | Description |
|---|---|
| CUB.PM-AC-D | AC Power supply module for CUBRO Packetmaster EX5-3 and EX6-3 |
| CUB.PM-DC-D | DC Power supply module for CUBRO Packetmaster EX5-3 and EX6-3 |
Additional Resources
Cubro Packetmaster Port Configuration
using the Web GUI
Cubro Packetmaster Split QSFP Interface
using the CLI
Rules and Filters Part 1: Basic Traffic Flows
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