Platform Support Policy

Juniper's Session Smart Router (SSR) software is designed to be abstracted from the underlying platform infrastructure, for maximum deployment flexibility. Each platform provides different capabilities and characteristics with regard to performance, functionality, and operating environment. Juniper strongly recommends that any combination of software and platform undergo a thorough certification process. The following describes the levels of support for platforms, and details the Juniper certification program.

Terminology

For the purposes of describing the platform support policy, the following terms are defined:

• Platform - A physical or virtual system, typically consisting of some amount of resources for compute, memory, disk, and networking. Example: A physical server, virtual machine, or public cloud virtual machine instance.
• Certification - The process of testing to ensure that a specific combination of an SSR Networking Platform software version and platform build meet requirements for functionality, stability, and performance. Example: The SSR Certification Program provides certification of a set of platforms with SSR Networking Platform software.
• Certified Platform - A platform that is currently in the SSR Certification Program as an SSR Certified Plus Platform, or SSR Certified Platform.
• Qualified Platform - A platform that meets or exceeds minimum platform specifications and is known to be able to run SSR Networking Platform software. Example: A CompuLab fitlet2 with an Intel Atom E3950, 8GB of memory, and 120GB of disk space is a qualified platform.
• Compatible Platform - A platform that meets or exceeds minimum platform specifications. Example: A platform with an Intel Xeon D-1518, 8GB of memory, and 120GB of disk space is a compatible platform.
• Incompatible Platform - A platform that does not meet minimum platform specifications and is unlikely to run SSR Networking Platform software at acceptable levels of functionality, stability, performance, or at all. Example: The Apollo Guidance Computer is an incompatible platform.

SSR Certification Program

Juniper continuously works to maintain a platform abstraction in its software design. At the same time, there are often characteristics and optimizations that require platform-specific support. This support comes by way of a platform certification program which provides assurances of performance and functionality of the SSR Networking Platform software. For example, the SSR Networking Platform software utilizes DPDK for broad driver support, and in some cases specific firmware revisions need to be loaded prior to being able to fully utilize the SSR's optimized packet forwarding capabilities.

Inclusion in the SSR Certification Program is based on a given platforms ability to continuously meet certain test and support criteria. New platforms are added to the program at Juniper's discretion. For details on how to get new platforms in to the SSR certification program, or further information regarding the program, please contact Juniper.

SSR Certified Plus Platform

The SSR Certification program provides a designation of Certified Plus for certain platforms. Certified Plus platforms have the following characteristics:

• SSR Networking Platform software is continuously tested on the platform for performance and functionality
• Complete build, including BIOS, DMI information, and labeling controlled by Juniper specification
• May include commitment to keep up with third-party supply chain and platform changes (end of life parts, BIOS changes, etc.)
• Supplier relationship established
• Includes performance benchmarking
• Supporting documentation as needed

For a list of platforms which are currently Certified Plus, see Certified Platforms.

LTE Certified

LTE certification is a superset of SSR Certified Plus. Systems that contain an onboard LTE adapter are required to pass certification from the carrier.

LTE certified platforms have the following characteristics:

• Has obtained PTCRB (or GCF in Europe) and mobile-carrier specific certification in the specified platform
  note

  Certification is tied to a specific LTE card, hardware platform, and SSR Networking Platform software version

• If certification is not present, SIM card acquisition may be difficult from carrier in large quantities

SSR Certified Platform

The SSR Certification program provides a designation of Certified for certain platforms. Certified platforms have the following characteristics:

• At least one version of SSR Networking Platform software has been tested on the platform for performance and functionality
• Supplier relationship may be established
• Includes performance benchmarking
• Supporting documentation as needed

SSR Qualified Platform

The SSR Certification program provides a designation of Qualified for certain platforms.

note

Juniper strongly recommends certification for any build in a production deployment. When a qualified platform is used, certification should be done by the end operator or a third-party. See compatible platform support.

Qualified platforms have the following characteristics:

• Meets minimum platform specifications
• SSR Networking Platform software has run on the device successfully in at least one customer environment
• No commitment to keep up with third-party supplier changes
• No commitment to support device on future SSR versions
• May require additional configuration upon implementation (vs. out of box experience)
• Performance benchmarking not provided
• Supporting documentation not provided

SSR Compatible Platform

The SSR Certification program provides a compatible platform guide for platforms which are compatible.

note

Juniper strongly recommends certification for any build in a production deployment. When a compatible platform is used, certification should be done by the end operator or a third-party. See compatible platform support.

Compatible platforms have the following characteristics:

• Meets minimum platform specifications
• No commitment to keep up with third-party supplier changes
• No commitment to support device on future SSR versions
• May require additional configuration upon implementation (vs. out of box experience)
• Performance benchmarking not provided
• Supporting documentation not provided

SSR Compatible Platforms Guide

When selecting a compatible platform for an SSR router, the following provides some general guidance based on deployment use case.

Use	CPU	Memory	Disk	Network Interface
Small Branch Office	4 Intel cores, single socket	8 GB ECC	120 MLC* GB SSD	4+ Physical NICs compatible with DPDK
Medium Branch Office	8 Intel cores, single socket	16 GB ECC	120+ MLC* GB SSD	4+ Physical NICs compatible with DPDK
Large Branch Office	16 Intel cores, single socket	32 GB ECC	240+ GB MLC* SSD	4+ Physical NICs compatible with DPDK
Head-end or Data center	8+ Intel Xeon cores, single socket	32 GB ECC	240+ GB MLC* SSD	5+ Physical NICs compatible with DPDK

note

* MLC drives are recomended where possible. SSD Endurance is important, all drives to be used should have a reasonable minimum TBW rating for production deployments.

Compatible Platform BIOS Recommendations

Platforms may have a variety of different features and capabilities configurable in the system BIOS. When running SSR on compatible platforms, the following are the recommended BIOS settings:

• Hyperthreading disabled for platform operating as a router
• Hyperthreading enabled for platform operating as a conductor
• LAN bypass disabled
• Wake on LAN disabled
• Date time format: UTC format / GMT time zone
• Power on setting: always on
• Setup prompt timeout value: 3 seconds
• Boot mode: do not change manufacturer's settings (Legacy or UEFI accepted)
• Boot order: HDD, USB, PXE
• Watchdog timer: disabled
• SR-IOV: enabled
• Secure Boot: disabled
• Serial Port Baud Rate: 115200/8-n-1 (To be used for console installation)
• Power profile: maximum performance
• System version, release date, manufacturer's part number, and serial number set in DMI table

Minimum Platform Specifications

These are the minimum platform specifications for running the SSR Networking Platform software.

Router

• Intel 4 Core x86 processor, single socket
• 8GB ECC Memory
• 120GB SSD
• 1 DPDK enabled NIC port for standalone systems (two recommended)
• 2 DPDK enabled NIC ports for HA systems (three recommended)
• 1 dedicated NIC port for HA synchronization
• (optional) 1 dedicated NIC port for out-of-band management
• Hyperthreading disabled

note

Multi-socket platforms are not compatible with the SSR software when run as a router.

Conductor

• Intel 4 Core x86 processor
• 8GB ECC Memory
• 120GB SSD
• 1 (1G) Management port
• Hyperthreading enabled

Support for SSR on Compatible Platforms

Juniper will support the SSR Networking Platform software running on compatible third party platforms per the product support policy. Juniper will assist customers in problem analysis to determine whether or not the technical issue is related to the third-party platform or software. This includes platforms which are Certified Plus, Certified, Qualified, and Compatible. In order to isolate the issue, Juniper reserves the right to request that the third-party hardware or software be altered or removed. Juniper does not maintain the ability to test or reproduce issues found when running on compatible platforms, and reserves to right to request testing be done within a customer environment. If the root cause is believed to originate from a third-party vendor's product, the customer is required to open a support request with the third-party vendor's support organization independent of Juniper.

Support for SSR on Incompatible Platforms

Juniper provides no support, and commitments to functionality, stability, or performance of the SSR Networking Platform software on incompatible platforms.