Mikrotik CCR2116-12G-4S+

The CCR2116 is a 1U rack-mounted router built around the same powerful Tilera TILE-Gx16 processor architecture as the CCR2216, but with a different, more switching-oriented port configuration. It's designed to be a core router for medium to large enterprises or an edge router for service providers.

Key Specifications at a Glance

Detailed Analysis of Features

1. Processor Architecture - Tilera TILE-Gx16

This is the same proven heart found in the CCR2216:

• 16 Cores at 1.5 GHz: Massive parallel processing power for routing, firewall, and VPN tasks.

• Mesh Architecture: Efficient inter-core communication ensures workload is balanced seamlessly across all cores.

• Purpose-Built for Networking: Excels at packet processing even with complex rule sets enabled.

2. Port Configuration - The "12G-4S+" Breakdown

This is where it differs from the CCR2216 and becomes incredibly versatile:

• 12 x Gigabit Ethernet Ports: These are on an integrated switch chip. This means:

  • Wire-Speed Switching: Inter-VLAN routing and communication between these 12 ports happens at hardware speed.

  • Perfect for Access Aggregation: Ideal for connecting multiple access switches, servers, or other gigabit devices without creating a bottleneck.

• 4 x SFP+ Ports: These are full 10G interfaces, not shared with the gigabit group.

  • High-Speed Uplinks: Connect to your core network, the internet, or a storage server.

  • Flexibility: Support both 1G SFP and 10G SFP+ modules.

3. Memory and Storage

• 16 GB ECC RAM: Ample memory for holding massive BGP tables (hundreds of thousands of routes) and extensive connection tracking.

• SATA Bay: Allows you to add an SSD for extensive logging, caching, or other data-intensive services.

Performance Expectations

This router is built for serious throughput:

• Simple Routing: Can handle 60+ Gbps

• Stateful Firewall: 20-40 Gbps, depending on the number and complexity of rules

• IPsec VPN: 15-25 Gbps of encrypted traffic

• BGP: Easily handles multiple full Internet routing tables

Strengths and Advantages

• Excellent Port Mix: The 12x1G + 4x10G combination is perfect for aggregating many gigabit links while having high-speed uplinks.

• Raw Processing Power: Handles complex configurations, large firewall rulesets, and multiple VPN tunnels without breaking a sweat.

• Hardware Switching: The built-in switch chip for the gigabit ports ensures no performance penalty for local traffic.

• Proven Reliability: ECC RAM and robust build quality make it suitable for critical infrastructure.

• Cost-Effective: Provides performance that rivals routers costing 3-5x more from traditional vendors.